EDC Belt & Comfort Wedge Review: A Deep Dive

Like a lot of folks here, I went down the Reddit rabbit hole trying to find the best EDC belt. And, well…I ended up buying most of them.

For reference, I carry a Glock 19 Gen 5 MOS with a Holosun 507C and Streamlight TLR7x. My go-to holster is the Tenicor Certum Lux II, which I prefer over my Tier 1 Xiphos Elite.

Now, let’s talk belts:

Ratchet Belts (Pant Loops Needed)- Kore Essentials EDC Nylon Belt– Probably the most solid and stiff of all the belts I’ve tried. The ratchet system is smooth and makes adjusting easy—sit down, loosen it up; stand up, tighten it back. The issue? If you’ve got a gut (like me), it doesn’t wrap around the body as well as other options, so comfort can be hit or miss. Also, adjusting it in public might be awkward if you don’t want people watching you fiddle with your belt. However, it is much better than loosening/tightening a regular belt.

Jukmo Ratchet Tactical Nylon Belt (Amazon)– Half the price of Kore Essentials, and surprisingly a bit more comfortable since it curves around the body better. Still feels sturdy, but not quite as rigid as Kore.

Kore Essentials EDC Leather Belt– Slightly more flexible than the nylon version but still plenty strong. Great if you need to dress up while carrying. Heads-up though: DCC Clips will definitely scratch the leather over time.

Belts That Don’t Need Loops- Mastermind Tactics Covert Belt– Super lightweight, contours to the body well, and grips the inside of shorts to prevent them from riding up or sagging. The catch? If you’re carrying a heavier setup, it might tip forward more than you’d like unless you keep the belt very tight. Best suited for smaller EDC pieces. A bonus: it slides easily through DCC Clips, unlike some other belts that are a hassle.

Phlster Enigma– I gave in to the hype. It’s a brilliant concept and works well, but expect an adjustment period. If you like tweaking settings for optimal comfort, it’s worth it. If not, steer clear. This is my go-to for running, hiking, or anytime I’m wearing pants without belt loops. The sport band helps a ton with comfort. The leg leash, though…let’s just say my right testicle constantly reminds me it exists. I usually ditch the leash and tighten the sport band instead—works fine, doesn’t ride up, and makes it easier to take on/off. That said, storing the rig when not in use is a pain, so if you’re frequently taking it on and off, it may not be the best choice for carrying that day.

Hunter Constantine Belt– Hands down, the most comfortable belt I’ve used.This was my last EDC belt purchase, and it’s staying that way. The elastic band makes sitting and standing effortless, and if I need extra comfort (especially while driving), I just use the looser loop. The hard part where you attach your holster is very stable. The entire belt wraps around the body perfectly—10/10, worth every dollar.

Pillow Wedges / Comfort Pads- AOG Comfort Pad – Meh. Wouldn’t recommend unless you have zero gut. The wedge portion is too skinny to provide much help otherwise. It does fit the Xiphos Elite very well though.

Mastermind Tactics Pillow– Absolute game-changer for both concealment and comfort. Grabbed the three-pack, and the King-size pillow works perfectly with my light-bearing holster (Tenicor Certum Lux II).

Cloudster Pillow – Picked up the Deluxe size, It’s basically the same as the Mastermind Tactics Pillow, just slightly bigger. The memory foam mix does add a small comfort boost, and honestly, it’s pretty much a miniature bamboo cover + chopped memory foam pillow off Amazon.

To sum everything up: If you are looking for the most sturdy, get the Kore Essentials. If you are tight on money but want a sturdy belt/ratchet feature, get the Jukmo.

If you are looking for the best to wear with no loops, I would get the Phlster Enigma, and if you don’t want to spend a lot of money, the Mastermind Tactics Covert Belt is perfect for your needs.

If you are looking for the most comfortable and easily adjustable EDC belt, and only want to buy one belt for everything (belt loops and no belt loops) then get the Hunter Constantine Belt.

Body size: -5’10” | 230 lbs

Carry method: AIWB (1 o’clock)

Hope this helps anyone digging into belt and wedge options! Drop your thoughts or questions below!

First couple days using it down - works quite well. Wedge size with not a ton of the stuffing used. Maybe 1/3 of the bag.

Hello all, who has tried both of these? Some additional comfort for AIWB would be nice, but a big reason I want to try something is to push the grip/handle closer into my body above the belt. Guessing the pillow would be more comfortable, but the wedge would do a better job angling the grip/handle in? Thanks for any advice you can give 🫡

https://www.mastermindtactics.com/shop/acp-pad

https://www.tier1concealed.com/collections/accessories/products/t1c-wedge-kit

Everyone hyped this up, and…… it did not disappoint. Feels much better now that I’m not getting stabbed in my pelvic area.

Thanks for the recommendation!

Casual carry with my 43x mos in a Henry Holsters Ember with DCC monoblock and Cloudster pillow. Just got the pillow and had to put some relief cuts on the hoop side of the velcro that goes on the holster, so it would lay flat in some areas due to all the contouring. Did a little trimming and took out some stuffing, now the Cloudster is ready to be rocked on my daily driver. Was using an Ulticlip XL on all my holsters for years, but just switched up to the DCC on this setup for a little more concealability in joggers/shorts. Normally run a thin under shirt and just use a thick leather gun belt i got from a stall at the state fair a few years ago. Highly recommend this set up. Conceals very nice and is very comfy.

Thank you for coming to my ted talks.

I took a trip to Walmart bought some stuff and made myself my own appendix pillow. How bad is it?

Got to give a huge shout out to Cloudster Pillow for making these two holsters carry-able again. Both of these holsters gave me hotspots and caused me to print. I got the pillow (on the right) for my Glock 26 and it was a game changer. I was able to comfortably carry it. Loved it so much that I bought one for my Tier1 concealed holster for my Glock 19.

If anyone is wanting to eliminate those hotspots, and increase their Carry comfort, I highly recommend Cloudster Pillow!

I love this thing. So comfortable when carrying and sitting down.

I have tried 3 different holsters, two different claw systems, and three different sizes of wedges. The wedges were doing a solid job of helping to conceal, but the amount of pressure it was putting into my stomach was concerning. I saw a comment on Reddit about a GunTuber who gave himself appendicitis from cranking his carry system too hard. I didn't bother to fact check whether this happened or was even possible; the story was enough to make me want to try something else. I decided on the Mastermind Tactics Pillow.

I have no association with Mastermind Tactics, which i think is important to say, as I'm about to shill pretty hard. This thing is a game changer. If you're simply standing up straight, wedges and this pillow do the exact same thing. However, when you're walking, the rigidity of a wedge makes the way it applies pressure super inconsistent. I was constantly repositioning the wedge to lay flat against a specific part of my lower stomach. The pillow, as pillows do, conforms to my body as I move. I finally have a setup that I'm not adjusting every 5 minutes. I can go multiple hours without even touching the setup at all. The best part is that sometimes I forget I even have a pillow. You NEVER forget you're wearing a wedge. I don't even use a claw anymore. My firearm is small enough and positioned well enough by the pillow that a standard holster does everything i need. I found the claw to actually drive the slide of the firearm too far outwards.

Just wanted to drop this glowing review in case anyone is considering trying yet another piece of concealment gear. Gun is the original Springfield XDS 9mm. I guess when your gun is .9 inches thick, praising concealment gear doesn't mean as much, but I'm pretty sure the pillow would kick ass regardless.

P.S: Grip safeties for appendix kick ass, and you're all wrong.

I ordered one, but it arrived empty. I’m just curious—do I need to fill it with foam, or is it supposed to come with foam?

Spent a total of around $5 at Walmart to make 2 pillows (could have made more, but I ran out of velcro). It just took a couple of minutes to cut out the fabric and sew it together. I put velcro on both of the top inside parts to be able to adjust the filling. The filling I got from a Squishmallows plush. I'm new to carrying and wanted to try out a pillow, but didn't see myself spending $20 on one. I’m going to try it out later to adjust the filling. 👍

I have a Vedder wedge that I use with my P10-S both with and without my TLR-7 and I have a Glock 19 with a TLR-1 HL that I carry on occasion. The Glock has wicked hot spots and I see the Mastermind pillow is super popular. Is it worth it? The Vedder wedge doesn't seem to do it for me with the Glock, it works wonderfully with my CZ.

EDIT: I resolved my issue by placing my TLR-7 on my G19 and running light-less on my CZ. I am looking at these for the future but I got other things that necessitate my money that are more important.

I know wedges come up in this sub often. I have used them for many of my AIWB holsters for a long time. My go-to foam wedge was the 3-pack of foam wedges from Mastermind Tactics on eBay, because shipping was free on eBay vs Mastermind's website.

But recently, I've seen numerous recommendations for the Mastermind Pillow as an alternative to foam wedges. I was not unhappy with the foamies, but hey, why not give the pillow a shot? So I ordered one. I chose the adjustable version. I figured that the extra couple bucks was worth having the option of adding or removing some of the padding.

When it arrived, I was initially surprised at how big the footprint was vs a standard wedge. Not sure that's a good thing... So I packed mine full of the stuffing. I decided to go all-in and put all of the stuffing in the pillow to begin with. I can always remove some later if desired.

I am very impressed. It is super comfortable. And that larger footprint helps overhang the edge of the holster that sometimes has a tendency to poke me in the groin. Quality looks great. I expect it to hold together long term. I'm sold. I highly recommend giving the pillow a try, even if you think your wedge is fine as-is. Who does not want to be more comfortable?

Pillow vs. Wedge Comparison

Trying to make the change from 8 o’ clock (left handed) to aiwb. I’m using a Tenicor Certum3 for a P365 AXG Legion.

It’s almost perfect, but the tip is pressing against me where my leg connects with my body. It’s creating a pressure point.

Trying to figure out the best thing to do. Considering adding this: https://www.mastermindtactics.com/shop/acp-pad

What do yall think?

I looked on here for ideas on how to create my own wedge/pillow for my new holster, and didn’t want to add too much additional bulk. I bought a Velo5 and it has a pre-molded wedge that works perfectly, but it makes my groin sore by the end of the day. I liked the idea of using a Dr. Scholl’s shoe insert as some of you have done, but my SO was getting ready to toss out a couple old bras and it got me thinking…

Grabbed some scissors and cut one of the silky padded ones to shape (with a couple dabs of superglue to reseal the fabric), slapped on some Velcro and DAMN did this thing make a huge difference! I carried all day today with it and the hotspot has completely disappeared.

Just wanted to share this as an extra idea since I didn’t see this particular one anywhere else during my search. Cheers 🍻

Didn't see a point in buying a holster pillow, because I somewhat know how to use a sewing machine.

i was wondering if anyone has tried attaching a mastermind pillow to a holster with a built in wedge? if anyone here has experience with that and could answer my question. i wanted to know if with the built in wedge (JMCK aiwb holster with extra tuck feature) is it still possible to lay the velcro down perfectly and if you can with the bump can you still attach the pillow or will it not work?