REVIEW: PARADISE Valley LEATHER CHEST HOLSTER

 A couple of months ago I received my Paradise Valley Leather Chest Holster in a Priority Mail box and my inner lad woohoo'd with delight. I should have filmed the unboxing if only to show you what a grown man looks like on Christmas morning when his wife and kids surprise him with an item so profoundly "dad" as to garner a whole new level of adoration (i.e anything firearm related). Though this wasn't a yuletide gift from my wonderful family, it was a gift from the cowboy gods...albeit via my checkbook. Inside that much anticipated package was a chest holster for my 7.5" barreled Peacemaker clone (I'll review this iron in another posting) by Paradise Valley leather in Livingston, Montana.  

Gordon - a veteran - is truly an artist! This is a beautifully crafted, all American made scabbard of chestnut-brown saddle leather that smells of the wild west, the open plain, whiskey and a hint of horse sweat...not the acrid chemical infused hides that have been coming out of Asia lately. And the price is unbelievable! For $120 you receive an item of great craftsmanship which other makers are charging two or three times as much for. Now I don't begrudge anyone the prices they charge for a well-honed skill, but not all of us are earning six figures and Gordon provides a Kings sheath for a pauper's ransom. My prized revolver fits it like it should, silky and snug, and carries so comfortably that it's easy to forget I'm wearing it despite the heft of my six-shooter.

When heading out onto the mountain I want to know I've got enough firepower should I run into a rowdy bear or cougar (or a two-legged jerkweed) and my Peacemaker clone is peace-of-mind indeed. But I also don't want to be dragging iron around on my hip and wearing myself out, either. Not being a fan of plastic I opt for old school steel, but carrying two and half or three pounds on your belt gets irritating after a long day on the hill unless you have the right mode of carry. And this is the prescribed rig. Carrying on your chest is the least cumbersome mode, in my opinion, and Paradise Valley Leather hit everything right in design, fit and finish and I cannot recommend this enough to absolutely everyone who carries a full sized handgun. Some might balk at the lack of leather straps but honestly nylon webbing is simply more comfortable and requires no break-in: simply snap it on and adjust the straps accordingly. For the skinnier ones among us you may want to cut off some of the excess webbing and heat seal the ends to stop fraying - the straps come long to fit all body types.

To be 100% honest, the revolver fits so precise that I'm not certain I need the thumb break as I reckon I could take a stumble and even somersault without the revolver coming loose. And as the thumb break was intended primarily to prevent someone else grabbing your weapon, the fact that it's strapped to your chest means there's almost no chance you could be surprised by a miscreant's  attempt to do this (unlike when a revolver's out of sight on the hip). I may have Gordon remove the thumb break for me in the future but meantime I'm just enjoying owning this revolver-and-holster combo way too much to split this pair up.

So whatever your profession of pastime and whatever full size peacemaker you carry, don't hesitate to get yourself one of these holsters because it's absolutely top notch quality, because you'll be supporting a veteran-owned business and because it's made in the the good ol' US of A!

GOM.