It’s funny how things work out sometimes—even when they don’t quite go as planned. I’ve wanted a shoulder holster forever but never pulled the trigger. Then, almost two months ago, Craft Holsters sent me their leather shoulder holster rig for the Sig Sauer P226 to test and review. Now here we are with my no-holds-barred first impressions.

Bottom line up front: This rig is good to go. It securely retains the pistol, allows a solid draw once broken in, and stays comfortable all day. At $230 (or around $180 on sale, like during Black Friday), it’s priced like a higher-end production holster—but those plastic hardware bits leave me scratching my head. If you can overlook that, it’s a solid choice for experienced folks with a real need for shoulder carry. Newbies? Stick to IWB for now.

Key takeaways:

• Pros: Excellent leather quality, thumb-break for extra security, adjustable retention, comfy counterbalance from the mag pouch.
• Cons: Plastic harness hardware feels cheap for the price; awkward for speed reloads; not big-and-tall friendly out of the box.
• Who it’s for: Seasoned pistol carriers needing shoulder carry (driving, sitting a lot). Not for TV-inspired impulse buys.

Full disclosure: I have an affiliate relationship with Craft Holsters. If you click a link here (or anywhere on the blog) and buy from them, I get a small cut. But they reached out for this review before the affiliate deal. I gave them my standard warning: “Careful what you ask for—I won’t pull punches.” They rolled the dice anyway. I wanted a Desert Eagle rig (don’t ask), but that wasn’t an option. Settled on the P226 shoulder holster instead. Selfish? Maybe. But they shipped it, and here we are.

How It Arrived: From Slovakia with Leather

Production took about two weeks—blazing fast for a custom holster. I’m used to waiting months, so yeah, I got skeptical. Three weeks after picking it, UPS dropped off a slightly beat-up box from Slovakia. Huh. I assumed U.S.-based, but didn’t check. No biggie.

Opening it unleashed that unmistakable leather smell. Love it—a good omen. Inside: a marketing insert and an orange drawstring bag holding the rig.

First move? Try it on, of course. I’m a bit more rotund than ideal, with a broad chest. Should’ve read the specs closer—I ended up in a comical tangle, playing Twister with straps I had zero shot at winning.

The harness adjusts for chest circumferences of 33″ to 47″ and shoulder-to-waist lengths of 17″ to 24″. I’m a few inches thicker, so I maxed out the slack and crossed my fingers.

That’s when I spotted the harness hardware: plastic. Really? Disappointing. I expected plated steel for corrosion resistance—brass would’ve been perfection. Maybe the plastic slides and loops hold up, but they scream “failure point” to me. At least the snaps are steel.

Adjusted it, and surprise—it fit without full slack. Relief. If it hadn’t, review over: “Not big-and-tall compatible.”

Breaking Down the Rig: Holster Body

The holster body is the star—its job is retaining the pistol safely and securely. Fail that, and it’s not a holster; it’s a costume prop for replicas only. End of story.

This shoulder holster nails it for the Sig P226. It’s rigid leather that holds tight.

Bonus: It’s detachable as a standalone holster. But why bother? The screws holding the harness loops need thread locker and torque. Unbolting them means cleaning, reapplying locker, retorquing, and curing—hassle city. Leave the loops on, and they snag everything.

The back has stitched leather with cuts for belt threading: strong-side, cross-draw, even small-of-the-back (which makes me cringe—major self-injury risk; rant saved for later). Smells like “jack-of-all-trades, master-of-none.” I’d trade that material cost for better hardware.

Build quality shines: Good cow leather (smells fantastic, worth repeating), solid stitching, clean finish.

It has a thumb-break strap. Normally, I’m not a fan—active retention slows draws and needs practice. Unneeded for concealed carry. But here? The muzzle sits horizontal, parallel to the ground. Bending over lets gravity tug. Friction helps, but the thumb-break stacks the deck: two against one.

Plus, an adjustable retention screw. Leather stretches over time, killing friction. Tighten this to restore it—extends holster life.

It arrived extra snug, making initial insertion tough. Sign of quality, long-life leather. Drawing eases with break-in. Check Craft’s site for methods—easy stuff in the included materials.

Thumbs up: One for the holster body. Would’ve been two without those unnecessary small-of-the-back loops.

The Double Magazine Pouch: Counterbalance Champ, Reload Riddle

Unlike the holster, this pouch is rig-specific but detachable. I’m ambivalent—great build, mixed utility.

Quality matches: Solid cow leather (smells great), good stitching and finish. Color’s a shade off the holster—not a deal-breaker; it’ll age in.

Two snap flaps cover the mags. Again, not my usual pick—active retention for concealed belt carry? Nah. But this is closed-bottom, with mags fighting gravity constantly. Flaps make sense.

Two retention screws tweak friction.

As a counterbalance? Loaded mags make the rig way comfier. I dig it—comfort counts, and extra ammo never hurts.

But for shooting? Pouches should speed reloads. My shoulder rig inexperience might show, but grabbing from here feels awkward and slow. Fine for admin reloads (pistol holstered), but emergency or speed reloads? Haven’t cracked it.

Thumbs up: One for build and balance. Second pending when I master quick draws from it.

The Harness: Functional, But Fix the Hardware

Four leather straps snap to a soft, rubberized back hub—comfy and sturdy.

Straps thread through reducing rings on the holster and pouch, secured by studded slides via eyelets.

Well made overall, but another brown shade mismatch. Swap plastic slides and rings for thread-locker Chicago screws? That’d lock adjustments solid.

Thumbs up: One. It works; earn the second with better materials.

Good to Go or Junk? The Verdict

Holsters are binary: Good or garbage. Especially with real firearms.

Craft Holsters’ leather shoulder holster for the P226 good to go.

Beyond secure retention, it lets you grab a full master grip consistently—the body and thumb-break clear out fast.

That initial tightness? Break it in properly before real use, or draws suffer.

It encourages carry: Comfy all day once fitted.

I’ve worn it daily at home for over a month (swap to Staccato C2 IWB for outings—rare, since I work from home). No rough edges or pokes. Just family jabs about my Miami Vice vibe—which I take as a compliment.

Closing Thoughts: Plastic Hang-Up and Final Advice

I’m stuck on that plastic hardware. For $120–140 mid-range pricing, maybe overlook it. But at $230 ($180 on sale)? Feels cheap in an otherwise quality rig. Suspect cracking or deforming after hard use.

Overlook that, and Craft Holster’s Sig Sauer P226 leather shoulder holster rig solid. But shoulder rigs aren’t for pistol newbies—that’s not on Craft, it’s the system. If TV coolness drew you (guilty), pivot to IWB strong-side or appendix for concealed.

I’ll keep testing around the house. Changes? I’ll update.