Kangaroo Cary Air Marshal 3 Holster Review

Many of our recent reviews have been on the tactical side of things. While many of our users enjoy looking at and using tactical gear, the fact is it’s not practical or part of the EDC lifestyle for all readers.

We are going to be taking a step back and focusing on the average self-defense gun owner. The gun owner that carries to protect their life with a subcompact or compact pistol, not an AR-15 pistol with 30 mags in their trunk.

Along these lines, we have been looking at deep concealment holster choices. I am a huge fan of IWB carry due to relatively fast presentation, and it’s concealment. You may have seen that I have moved to appendix carry in most cases. However, there are several places and specific outfits that would make appendix carry either not practical or not possible.

The first solution is to change your outfit accordingly, which is the most common answer from the tactical crowd. However, that is not always practical. We have many readers who need to wear a specific uniform to work, wear a suit or even a tuxedo on occasion. What do you do in these cases?

Here enters the Kangaroo Carry Holster. The holster holds close to the body. It is an adjustable shoulder rig designed to be worn under a shirt. The holster was designed by Austin Davis and then modified to specifications from a US Air Marshal for very super discreet carry in civilian clothes, and it serves that purpose magnificently. The holster is now in it’s third generation based on feedback from police and federal agents who actively use it.

The weapon is pointed down directly under the armpit making this safer than holsters that point rearward or the ones pointed at your arm. The most common method of drawing the weapon is done by reaching down the neck of your shirt and pulling the weapon backup through the neck hole. You could also bottom up ( shirt lift ) to access the weapon or on dominate hand ( off side draw).

The tactical guys are likely cringing right now. “It’s Don Johnsons holster only worse and harder to get to” is what they are likely thinking. From an ease of draw and presentation factor they are 100% right. Using the theory that the gun you carry is the gun that will save your life however this is a solid holster. I’ll also add that there are several grey men in Pakistan and other desert arena’s.

There is a triangular based equation I have used with clients in IT and finance. You can have it Fast, Affordable and Good Quality but only get to pick 2. In the holster community you have a similar series of choices Concealment, Easy Access/fast presentation, Comfort.

In general the more comfortable and concealed a gun is the harder it is to get to. The easy to access and comfortable OWB is often harder to conceal. You get the picture.

I’m not going to lie I don’t like the idea of not being a tactical badass that has a full or compact sized Glock on my hip and 5.11 pants supported by a solid belt. While that is possible most of the time, it’s just not always practical. This holster has gotten me through many of those nights I might have no other choice than this or not to carry.

Features:

• Fully adjustable to support a mouse gun to a full sized weapon
• Allows for lasers and lights mounted to various guns
• Wide strap across body to support full sized weapons
• Military Spec Hook and loop to adjust to varied body sizes
• Carries a spare mag or handcuff on the opposite side
• 3 position adjustable shoulder strap
• Pistol retention strap

Pros:

• Deep concealment under almost all clothing
• Comfortable

Cons:

• Ease of presentation

Material:

• 100% natural cotton
• Heavy knitted elastic

This holster gets very high marks for both the key points it targets. Even carrying a full sized HK USP I had people try to figure out what I was carrying and where. Ultimately each person I tested was shocked, and these were not random people on the street they were NRA instructors and LEO’s. It does not hurt that most people don’t think to look under a shirt for a shoulder rig.

As for comfort this holster fits nicely against the body and is comfortable to wear. With the pocket and retention strap even under physical activity, there was no fear of the gun coming loose. The key to this is watching the instructional videos provided on the website and making sure you adjust the rig to the weapon your using properly. This is easy to do and allows you to change guns easily between missions or outfits.

I was initially very skeptical of the holster and only used it only as a backup for the first 2 weeks I wore it. The Sig P938 fit nicely in this holster and it was much more comfortable than an ankle rig. But still relying on my trusty Glock appendix carried as my primary weapon.

After about 2 weeks and having practiced with the Air Marshal 3 from Kangaroo Carry I became less apprehensive. Ultimately by 45 days in, I was completely comfortable with this method of carry.

Women are likely going to be the most to benefit from this holster. While bra holsters are great solutions for females to carry, they do not work well on less busty women, and they certainly don’t work well with certain clothes. The Air Marshal 3 however would be very easy to carry under even a tight shirt if wearing a jacket, or with a looser shirt and no jacket.

The Kangaroo Cary website prominently features women carrying since they have seen that women makeup a big portion of their customer base. Having had my wife carry this way has proven my theory. The drawing of a weapon by a woman offers a unique set of advantages and disadvantages

Scooped neckline shirts offer faster access to this holster then men’s button downs or t-shirts. However, I would recommend that a weapon with a safety be used to ensure that bra’s, boobs or necklaces do not engage the trigger during the draw.

As a backup carry method, I prefer the Air Marshal 3 to any ankle holster on the market. With the wide range of weapon that you can carry in this holster I really like this as a solution while getting comfortable to carry, or if you have an assortment of pistols.

For women, this is a huge win, adding another tool to make it easier and comfortable for more females to carry every day.

As a man, I like it as a solution for dress clothing as well as deep concealment at work.

Be aware that you are going to need to practice with this holster more than most to get used to the weapon as well as to ensure a safe draw. However with a proper fit and practice you’re likely to find this is a solution that you will enjoy.

You can learn more about the Kangaroo Holsters including the Air Marshal 3 on their website here: http://www.kangaroocarry.com/