Best Holsters for the Glock 43 and 43X (With and Without a Light)

The Glock 43 and 43X share a slide, which is why one holster can fit both, and differ in the grip, which is why the 43X conceals differently. Add the 43X MOS with its optic cut and the Olight Baldr or PL-Mini a lot of owners hang on the rail, and "a Glock 43 holster" turns out to be four different questions. This guide covers the holsters we make and stock for every version, with and without a light.

Quick compare: Glock 43 / 43X holsters

43 vs 43X: what changes for the holster

Both guns run the same 3.41-inch barrel and slide, so a holster molded to that slide clicks onto either. The 43X's longer, wider grip adds four rounds and a much better hold, but it is also the part that prints, so 43X owners benefit most from a claw at appendix. The 43X MOS adds an optic cut to the slide; every holster on this page clears a slide-mounted red dot, so the MOS is covered too. What does change the holster completely is a light: the Baldr and PL-Mini each need their own mold.

The holsters, reviewed

1. Clip & Carry IWB for the Glock 43 / 43X / 43X MOS: best without a light

Our own mold, cut to the 43-series slide in .08-inch kydex with folded edges and a full-length sweat shield. The clip cants 20 degrees either way, retention is set with screws, and the screw spacing accepts a claw, which is the upgrade every 43X owner should make for appendix carry. It gives an audible click, fits the 43, 43X, and 43X MOS, and is handmade in the U.S.A. by a military veteran with a lifetime guarantee. Right or left hand, black or carbon-fiber pattern.

2. IWB for the Glock 43X / 43 with Olight Baldr S or Mini: best with a light

If you run a Baldr S or Baldr Mini, this is the mold. Formed over a CAD-milled aluminum mold with the light in place, so the shell wraps the light body and retention comes from the light and trigger guard together. Adjustable Posi-Click retention, 1.5-inch fiber-reinforced stealth clip with cant from 5 degrees negative to 20 forward, claw-compatible, undercut trigger guard, suppressor-height sight clearance, full-length sweat guard. Three ounces, made in the U.S.A., unconditional lifetime warranty.

3. IWB for the Glock 43X / 43 with Olight PL-Mini 2 Valkyrie

Identical construction, molded around the PL-Mini 2 instead of the Baldr. The two lights are different shapes and are not interchangeable in a holster, so order by light model.

4. Paddle for the Glock 43X / 43 with Olight Baldr S or Mini: range and open carry

The light-bearing mold on a fiber-reinforced paddle for outside-the-waistband carry. Goes on and off without unthreading a belt, rides strong side, four ounces, same adjustable retention and lifetime warranty.

How to carry a 43 or 43X

Appendix

The 43 is one of the most comfortable guns to carry at appendix. The 43X's grip is the only thing that prints, and a claw fixes it. Both Clip & Carry and the light-bearing IWB holsters accept one.

Strong side

Fifteen to twenty degrees of forward cant at 3 or 4 o'clock tucks the 43X grip under a shirt.

Frequently asked questions

Does a Glock 43 holster fit the 43X?

Yes. They share a slide. The 43X's longer grip sits above the holster.

Does the 43X MOS need a different holster?

No. All the holsters here clear a slide-mounted optic.

Can I use a Baldr Mini holster with a PL-Mini 2?

No. The lights are different shapes. Order the holster for your light.

Which is the best position for a 43X?

Appendix with a claw, for most people. Strong side with forward cant if you drive a lot.

Are there left-hand versions?

Yes, for every holster on this page.

The bottom line

No light: the Clip & Carry IWB with a claw. Baldr or PL-Mini: the matching light-bearing IWB. Range: the paddle. All four are molded to the 43-series slide, adjustable, and warranted for life.

Related reading

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