Holsters and Gear Recommendations
Holster Clip Types: Belt Clips, Overhooks, J-Hooks and Soft Loops
Quick answer: Holster clips attach an inside-the-waistband holster to your belt or clothing. The main types are wide traditional clips, slim overhooks, J-hooks, soft loops that snap behind the belt, tuckable clips, and belt-free clips that grip clothing. Match the clip to your belt width, then adjust clip position to set ride height, placement and cant.
What a Holster Clip Does
LAS Concealment’s guide calls clips “the critical connection between your inside-the-waistband (IWB) holster and its support system.” It explains: “They’re designed to prevent the holster from moving in undesirable ways — sliding out of your pants as you draw, falling into your pants as you walk, or tilting diagonally at an awkward angle.”
Flex varies too: “Some holster clips have a degree of flexibility that allows the holster to flex in and out along your waistline, while others are much more rigid to resist unwanted movement.”
A holster clip is not the same thing as an ammunition clip, which holds rounds for loading; see our mag vs clip guide.
Types of Holster Clips
| Type | How the source describes it |
|---|---|
| Traditional clip | LAS: “typically made of a single wide piece of metal or polymer that fits over the wearer’s belt.” |
| Overhook | LAS: “a slimmer style of clip” that fits “more easily around belt loops, buckles, and other obstructions.” Discreet Carry Concepts (DCC) makes metal overhooks. |
| J-hook | Dara Holsters: “The J-Hook slips behind the belt and hooks up underneath, exposing only the lip when a shirt is pulled over the holster.” |
| Soft loop | LAS: “inserted behind the belt and attached at the top via a metal snap closure,” letting the holster “pivot in and out along the waistline.” |
| Tuckable clip | Rounded Gear: “Tuckable clips create space for a shirt to tuck between the holster and belt attachment.” |
| Belt-free clip | LAS: the Ulticlip “is designed to clamp onto the edge of a piece of clothing, making it possible to wear a holster without a belt.” |
Clipdraw sells “Concealed Carry Clips” and “Minimalist Trigger Guards”; see our minimalist holster guide. For carrying with a tucked-in shirt, see our tuckable holster guide.
Matching the Clip to Your Belt
LAS: “your holster clips should match the width of your belt. If they’re too small, they may slip off the belt as you draw, and if they’re too big, they’ll allow the holster to move around more than it should.” It adds that “a sturdy belt is necessary to support the weight of the gun.”
The Kore gun belts we carry are 1.5″ wide, so look for clips sized for a 1.5″ belt. Our guide on how to choose a gun belt covers the rest.
Adjusting Clip Position
LAS lists three settings:
- Vertical: “Adjusts how high or low the holster rides on your waistline.”
- Horizontal: “Adjusts clip placement on the belt,” useful when “large belt buckles or belt loops on certain pants can create obstructions that must be worked around.”
- Cant: “Alters the angle of the gun on the waistline.” See our FBI cant guide.
After adjusting, LAS suggests you “apply some blue Loctite or similar light-duty threadlocker to prevent the hardware from loosening over time.”
Clips on Our Pocket Mag Carriers
Clips matter for spare magazines too. The Cloudster magnetic pocket mag carrier “Ships with a hardened spring-steel deep-conceal clip already attached, plus a titanium standard clip” in the box, so you can choose how deep it rides in your pocket.
- 9mm carrier: Fits most 9mm and .380 magazines.
- .45 ACP carrier: Fits .45 ACP 1911-style single-stack magazines.
Our pocket mag carrier guide covers carry depth.
Holster Clip: Questions People Ask
What is a J-hook?
A clip that goes behind the belt and hooks up underneath; Dara says it exposes “only the lip when a shirt is pulled over the holster.”
What size holster clip do I need?
One that matches your belt width; LAS says a clip that’s too small can slip off as you draw.
Can I wear an IWB holster without a belt?
Some clips are made for it. LAS describes the Ulticlip as clamping onto the edge of clothing to carry without a belt.
What’s the difference between a clip and a soft loop?
A clip hooks over the belt; a soft loop goes behind the belt and snaps closed at the top.
Written by the Cloudster Pillow team. We make the Cloudster Pillow and the Cloudster magnetic mag carriers, and carry Kore belts. We don’t sell holsters, holster clips or firearms, and no maker paid to be mentioned here. This is general information, not a substitute for professional training; check the carry laws where you live.
