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The best all-round Glock 43 holster is the Rounded Gear IWB Kydex Holster, from $41.95. It is our best selling Glock Slimline shell, it carries adjustable cant and retention, and it is optic cut as standard. If you carry appendix, the Glock 43X 43 Sidecar Holster, from $94.95 adds a magazine carrier and a wing that pulls the grip flat against your body.
The Quick List
- Best Overall: IWB Holster fits: Glock 43X, from $41.95
- Best for Appendix Carry: Glock 43X 43 Sidecar Holster, from $94.95
- Best Convertible IWB and OWB: DRUID 2.0 Holster fits: Glock 43X 43, from $69.95
- Best OWB for Quick On and Off: Paddle Holster fits: Glock 43X, from $46.95
- Best Belt Loop OWB: OWB Holster fits: Glock 43X, from $56.95
- Best for Dress Clothes: Tuckable IWB Holster fits: Glock 43X, from $46.95
- Best Minimalist and Pocket Setup: Trigger Guard Holster fits: Glock 43X 43 48, from $36.95
- Best for a Weapon Light: IWB Holster fits: Glock 43X 43 Olight Baldr S/Mini, from $49.95
- Best Premium Build: Plus Line IWB KYDEX Holster fits: Glock 43X, from $61.95
- Best for the Gym and Beltless Carry: Athletic Wear Holster fits: Glock 43X, from $54.95
Glock 43 Specs That Affect Holster Choice
| Specification | Glock 43 |
|---|---|
| Caliber | 9x19mm |
| Standard Capacity | 6+1 |
| Barrel Length | 3.41 in |
| Overall Length | 6.26 in |
| Slide Length | 6.06 in |
| Height With Magazine | 4.25 in |
| Slide Width | 0.87 in |
| Overall Width | 1.06 in |
| Weight With Empty Magazine | 17.99 oz |
Two of those numbers do most of the work. The 0.87 inch slide is the narrowest thing Glock puts in a 9mm, so a molded Kydex shell adds well under a quarter inch to what sits against your body, and the gun disappears under a t-shirt in a way a double stack never will. The 4.25 inch height is the other half of the story: with a flush six round magazine the grip barely clears the belt line, which is exactly what makes the 43 conceal so well and exactly what makes a bad holster frustrating. Too little grip above the belt and you cannot get a full firing grip on the draw.
That is why ride height and cant matter more on this gun than on a bigger one. You want the shell to sit the grip just high enough to index cleanly, without pushing the whole gun out of the waistband. Every IWB and tuckable shell we build has adjustable retention and adjustable cant, so you can tune both after the holster arrives rather than guessing at checkout.
Specifications above are Glock's own published figures for the G43.
Glock 43, 43X, or 48?
This is the single most useful thing to understand before you order, and almost nobody states it plainly. Put the Glock 43 and the Glock 43X side by side and compare the parts a Kydex holster actually touches:
| Dimension | Glock 43 | Glock 43X | Glock 48 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barrel Length | 3.41 in | 3.41 in | 4.17 in |
| Slide Length | 6.06 in | 6.06 in | 6.85 in |
| Slide Width | 0.87 in | 0.87 in | 0.87 in |
| Height With Magazine | 4.25 in | 5.04 in | 5.04 in |
| Standard Capacity | 6+1 | 10+1 | 10+1 |
| Takes Our 43X Shell | Yes | Yes | No, use the Glock 48 shell |
The barrel, the slide length and the slide width are identical between the 43 and the 43X. Everything that differs is grip: the 43X is 0.79 inches taller and carries four more rounds. A molded Kydex shell wraps the slide and the trigger guard and leaves the grip outside, so the shell cannot tell the two guns apart. That is why our shells titled for the Glock 43X fit the Glock 43, and why you should order from this page with confidence rather than hunting for a separately labeled 43 product.
The Glock 48 is the exception. It uses the same 0.87 inch slide width and the same grip as the 43X, but the slide is 0.79 inches longer, so it needs its own shell. The one product that spans all three is the Trigger Guard Holster, which clamps the trigger guard only and is titled for the 43X, 43 and 48 for that reason.
Every Carry Configuration, Compared
IWB Holster fits: Glock 43X, from $41.95
Best Overall
This is our best selling Glock Slimline shell and the one most Glock 43 owners should start with. Molded from 0.08 inch Kydex with a Posi-Click audible retention lock, adjustable retention tension, and cant adjustable from zero to fifteen degrees. It is claw compatible, so you can add the Holster Claw Kit later if the grip prints more than you want. Like every Kydex holster we build, it is optic cut, so a red dot on your 43 needs no different shell and no separate decision at checkout.
Best for: Daily inside the waistband carry at appendix or 3 to 4 o'clock, in Black or Carbon Fiber Black, right or left hand.
Glock 43X 43 Sidecar Holster, from $94.95
Best for Appendix Carry
A single rig that carries the gun and a spare magazine on one flexible joint, so the whole assembly folds with your body when you sit or bend. The wing between the two halves is what does the concealment work: it levers the grip inward against your belt, which matters more on a 43 than on most guns because there is so little grip to hide in the first place. Six rounds is a thin margin, and this is the cleanest way to carry a reload that does not need a second belt clip.
Best for: Appendix carriers who want a reload on board, and anyone whose grip prints when seated.
DRUID 2.0 Holster fits: Glock 43X 43, from $69.95
Best Convertible IWB and OWB
One shell that converts between inside and outside the waistband by swapping the mounting hardware, which is the honest answer for anyone who carries concealed on weekdays and open at the range or on the property at weekends. The open face design clears threaded barrels and compensators, so a ported or comped Slimline is not automatically out. Ambidextrous, and optic cut like everything else in the Kydex line.
Best for: One holster, two carry modes, and anyone running a threaded or compensated barrel.
Paddle Holster fits: Glock 43X, from $46.95
Best OWB for Quick On and Off
The paddle slides behind the waistband and locks against the belt without threading anything, so the holster goes on and comes off without undoing your belt. That is the practical case for it: range trips, truck guns, getting dressed in a hurry, and anywhere you have to disarm and rearm several times a day. The paddle mount fits belts from 1.5 to 1.75 inches and is a direct replacement part if you ever need one.
Best for: Range use, open carry where legal, and fast on and off without unthreading a belt.
OWB Holster fits: Glock 43X, from $56.95
Best Belt Loop OWB
Belt loops rather than a paddle, which means the holster rides tighter to the body and does not move when you draw. It is ambidextrous, so one holster serves either hand. If you carry outside the waistband every day under a jacket or a vest rather than swapping in and out, this is the more stable of our two OWB options and the one that keeps the gun closest to your side.
Best for: All day outside the waistband carry under a cover garment, either hand.
Tuckable IWB Holster fits: Glock 43X, from $46.95
Best for Dress Clothes
The tuckable clip lets you fold a shirt over the gun and tuck it in, leaving only a belt clip visible. Offered ambidextrous with no sweatguard, or right and left hand with a full sweatguard that keeps the slide off your skin. Pair it with the Tuckable Low Profile Holster Belt Loop Kit, from $12.95 if you want the lowest possible profile, and it works alongside the claw kit.
Best for: Office dress codes, tucked shirts, and hot weather where the sweatguard earns its keep.
Trigger Guard Holster fits: Glock 43X 43 48, from $36.95
Best Minimalist and Pocket Setup
A shell that covers the trigger guard and nothing else, with a claw included and a lanyard that strips the holster off as you draw. This is also the closest thing we build to a pocket holster: add the Pocket and Purse Trigger Guard Holster Kit, from $9.95 and the pocket wing catches the inside of the pocket so the gun comes out clean, or run the included 18 inch paracord for bag and purse carry.
Best for: Pocket and bag carry, deep concealment, and anyone who wants the smallest possible footprint.
IWB Holster fits: Glock 43X 43 Olight Baldr S/Mini, from $49.95
Best for a Weapon Light
Molded around the gun and the light together, which is the only way a light bearing holster works. This one is cut for the Olight Baldr S and Baldr Mini. We also build IWB and paddle shells for the Olight PL-MINI 2 Valkyrie and the PL-MINI 3 Valkyrie, so check which light you own before ordering. The WML claw kit option fits these shells specifically.
Best for: Carrying a Glock 43 with an Olight Baldr S or Baldr Mini mounted.
Plus Line IWB KYDEX Holster fits: Glock 43X, from $61.95
Best Premium Build
The same geometry as our standard IWB with upgraded hardware and a more refined finish. If you carry every day and want the nicer clip, the smoother edge work and the premium build, this is the step up. Claw compatible like the standard IWB, and optic cut.
Best for: Daily carriers who want the upgraded hardware and finish.
Athletic Wear Holster fits: Glock 43X, from $54.95
Best for the Gym and Beltless Carry
Built around an Ulticlip so it anchors to the fabric of gym shorts, joggers or leggings rather than needing a belt. The 43 is the right gun for this job because at 17.99 ounces there is less weight dragging on a soft waistband than with anything double stack. Ambidextrous, no sweatguard.
Best for: Gym clothes, running, and any wardrobe with no belt to clip to.
Universal IWB Holster, from $39.95
Best Multi-Gun Option
Our Universal IWB in the Micro size is confirmed on its own published fit list for the Glock 43. It uses a Posi-Dial adjustable retention device and is ambidextrous, and it can be converted to outside the waistband by swapping the clip for the OWB Holster Paddle Mount, from $9.95. One caveat we will state plainly: the Universal is not compatible with our Holster Claw Kit. If you want a claw, take the molded IWB instead.
Best for: Carrying more than one small gun, or a second holster for travel.
What Actually Matters When Buying
Material. Kydex holds its shape, so the mouth of the holster stays open for one handed reholstering and the retention does not soften over time the way a soft holster does. All of ours are molded from 0.08 inch P3 Kydex.
Retention. Look for adjustable tension rather than a fixed setting. Our molded shells use a Posi-Click audible lock plus a retention screw you can tighten or loosen with a hex key after the holster arrives.
Adjustability. Cant and ride height are the two settings that decide whether a Glock 43 conceals well or digs into your hip. On a gun with this little grip, a few degrees of forward cant is often the difference between a clean draw and fishing for the gun.
Trigger guard coverage. Non-negotiable on a striker fired gun with no manual safety. Every shell here fully covers the trigger guard, which is the entire safety argument for a rigid holster.
The belt. The most common mistake is pairing a good holster with a department store belt. A soft belt lets the holster roll away from your body and the grip prints. The Ultimate Concealed Carry Leather Gun Belt, from $69.99 is 1.5 inch, 14 ounce full grain leather and will not sag under the weight.
IWB vs OWB for the Glock 43
| Factor | IWB | OWB |
|---|---|---|
| Concealment | Excellent. The 0.87 inch slide plus a thin shell is about as flat as a 9mm gets. | Needs a cover garment. The whole gun sits outside the belt line. |
| Comfort | Very good on this gun specifically, because the 4.25 inch height keeps the grip from digging into your ribs when seated. | Most comfortable of the two. Nothing is between the gun and your body. |
| Draw Speed | Slightly slower. You have to clear the waistband as well as the cover garment. | Faster. Cleaner access and a more natural grip at the start of the draw. |
| Wardrobe Impact | Often needs one waist size up, though less so with a gun this thin. | Requires an untucked shirt, jacket or vest at all times. |
| Best For | Daily concealed carry, appendix or 3 to 4 o'clock, warm weather and light clothing. | Range trips, open carry where legal, colder months with a jacket. |
Appendix Carry Setup
The Glock 43 is one of the easiest guns in the Glock catalog to carry appendix, because the flush magazine leaves almost nothing below the belt to press into your thigh when you sit. Four adjustments do most of the work.
Add a claw. The Holster Claw Kit, from $15.95 levers against the inside of the belt and rotates the grip toward your body. On a short gripped gun like the 43 that is usually the single biggest change you can make to printing. It fits our standard IWB, tuckable and weapon light IWB shells that have two retention holes at 0.60 inch spacing, and the Glock 43X IWB is tagged claw compatible.
Set ride height for the grip, not the muzzle. With only 4.25 inches of gun, ride the holster high enough that you can get a full firing grip without digging. Going deeper looks better in the mirror and costs you the draw.
Wear a real belt. Appendix carry loads the belt at the front, where most belts are weakest. A stiff 1.5 inch belt keeps the whole rig vertical.
Test seated, not standing. Sit down in the car, lean forward, reach for a seatbelt. If the grip pushes out, add cant or add the claw before you change holsters.
Optics, Lights, and Pocket Carry
Optics. Every Kydex holster we build is optic cut, so a Glock 43 with a red dot mounted on an aftermarket slide or plate needs no different shell and no separate decision at checkout. There is nothing extra to select.
Lights. The Glock 43 has no accessory rail, so a weapon light on this gun means a rail free mount such as the Olight Baldr S, Baldr Mini or PL-MINI Valkyrie series. We mold dedicated IWB and paddle shells for those, cut around the gun and light together. Pick the shell that names your exact light rather than assuming one light shell covers another.
Pocket carry. We do not make a dedicated pocket holster for the 43. What we do make is the Trigger Guard Holster plus the Pocket and Purse Trigger Guard Holster Kit, which adds a pocket wing that catches the fabric on the draw. That combination, at $36.95 plus $9.95, is our answer for pocket and bag carry.
What Else Fits a Glock 43 Holster
Our fitment is driven by the shape of the slide and the trigger guard, so a single shell often covers more than one gun.
- The 43X shell covers the Glock 43 and the Glock 43X. Identical barrel, slide length and slide width, as the table above shows. The grip rides outside the holster and makes no difference.
- The Trigger Guard Holster covers the Glock 43, 43X and 48. It clamps the trigger guard only, so the longer 48 slide is irrelevant.
- The DRUID 2.0 and the Sidecar cover the Glock 43 and 43X, both titled for the pair.
- The Glock 48 needs its own shell for anything that wraps the slide. Its 6.85 inch slide is 0.79 inches longer than the 43 and 43X, so a 43X holster will not close around it. Shop the Glock 48 holsters instead.
- The optic ready 43X MOS takes the same shell as the 43X, because our shells are already optic cut. See the Glock 43X MOS holsters if you want the collection filtered that way.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a Glock 43 Good for Concealed Carry?
Yes, it is one of the easiest guns to conceal that Glock sells. At 0.87 inches across the slide, 6.26 inches long and 17.99 ounces with an empty magazine, it hides under a t-shirt where a double stack prints. The trade is capacity: six rounds flush. Carry a spare magazine, and a sidecar holster puts one on the same rig.
What Is the Best Pocket Holster for a Glock 43?
We do not build a dedicated pocket holster for the 43, so the honest answer is our Trigger Guard Holster at $36.95 paired with the Pocket and Purse Trigger Guard Holster Kit at $9.95. The pocket wing catches the inside of the pocket as you draw, leaving the holster behind and the gun clear.
Is the Glock 43 Too Big for Pocket Carry?
For most trouser pockets, yes. At 6.26 inches long, 4.25 inches tall and 17.99 ounces the 43 is a borderline pocket gun, workable in a jacket pocket or roomy cargo pocket but awkward in jeans. A trigger guard holster with a pocket wing helps, but inside the waistband carry is the better answer for this gun.
Does the Glock 43 and 43X Use the Same Holster?
Yes, for molded Kydex. Glock publishes identical figures for both guns on barrel length, 3.41 inches, slide length, 6.06 inches, and slide width, 0.87 inches. Only the grip differs, and the grip sits outside the shell. Our holsters titled for the Glock 43X fit the Glock 43 for exactly that reason.
What Is the Most Comfortable Holster for a Glock 43?
For most people it is our IWB Kydex Holster at $41.95 with a claw added and a few degrees of forward cant, worn on a stiff 1.5 inch belt. Comfort on this gun comes from setup more than from the shell. If you carry beltless, the Athletic Wear Holster at $54.95 clips to fabric instead.
Is the Glock 43 Obsolete?
No. Glock still lists the G43 as a current commercial firearm, and reporting on the V Series catalog changes has the 42 and 43 staying in the lineup for concealed carry. The question likely comes from Glock retiring other legacy models, and from the 43X and 48 taking attention. Holster support for the 43 remains current.
How We Chose
These are our own holsters, so treat this as a manufacturer's guide rather than an independent review. What we can do honestly is show you our real catalog rather than a category description. Every product above is a live product page with its real title, its real price and a direct link, ordered by what actually sells best in our Glock 43 and 43X collections. The Best Overall pick is the best selling shell in that collection, not an editorial choice.
Where a configuration does not exist for this gun, we say so rather than sending you to something that will not work. There is no dedicated pocket holster for the 43, and the Glock 43 has no accessory rail, so light bearing options are limited to the rail free Olight mounts we mold for. Our holsters are made to order, so a shell you can order here is one we will build for you.
Glock 43, 43X and 48 specifications throughout are Glock's own published figures.
Related Guides
- Best Glock 43X Holster: IWB and OWB Buyer's Guide, for the ten round Slimline on the same shell.
- Best Glock 48 Holster: IWB and OWB Buyer's Guide, for the longer slide that needs its own shell.
- Best Glock 26 Holster: IWB and OWB Buyer's Guide, if you are weighing a double stack subcompact instead.
- Best SIG P365 Holster: IWB and OWB Buyer's Guide, the 43's closest competitor on capacity.
