Gear Review: K Rounds Pancake-Thigh Conversion Rig

K Rounds, located just outside of Seattle, is a purveyor of high-quality, American-made Kydex holster solutions and has slowly been entering the public soft goods market. They’re known for the use of thicker Kydex in their products than most, as well as their detailed attention to “finishing”. They also work with customers to create one-off and custom solutions to accommodates unusual carry needs. Once in a while one of these custom solutions finds its way into their general product line.

One of K Rounds’ newest offerings, the Pancake-Thigh (PT) Conversion Rig, sprung from a custom project request by a member of Pierce County, Washington SWAT. Contrary to rumors, it has nothing to do with a delicious, buttery, maple syrup-covered breakfast item.

The SWAT officer in question found he often needed to move his duty sidearm from an OWB Kydex holster to a drop-leg rig. However, the type of work he was detailed to on a daily basis didn’t afford him the option to carry a separate, bulky-by-comparison, drop-rig holster.

He came to K Rounds looking for a simple, affordable, and pocketable solution. Together, they developed the Pancake-Thigh rig. It’s designed to extend the scope-of-use of a standard belt-worn, dual-loop pancake-type holster. After some field-testing by the officer, K Rounds put the product into production.

The Pancake-Thigh Conversion Rig boasts the following features:

• Mil-spec 1.5” Webbing

• Mil-spec 1.5” Elastic

• Mil-spec 1.5” Buckles, including a Duraflex Swivi-Lockster w/ 120° of pivot

• Nylon-reinforced 1.5” Leg Strap

• 1.5” Velcro Belt Loop

It’s designed for belt sizes up to 1.5”; however, K Rounds is working on an additional model to accommodate 1.75 belts. As with nearly all K Rounds products, it’s available in only black.

The PT is extremely simple by design, which allows the 4.4 ounce rig to be folded and easily stowed away. With very little effort I brought the conversion rig down to a compact 5.5”x2”, roughly the size of two full-size tourniquets.

 

The rig’s completely adjustable. Belt Loop, drop distance, leg strap, and leg strap buckle all have room for adjustment. The leg strap also includes a section of elastic to aid in security and comfort.

Over the past three weeks I’ve put the rig to the test at the range using a standard Blade-Tech OWB Kydex holster with 1.5” belt loops and a SIG P226R. The Pancake-Thigh performed well and firmly met my expectations. A few notes:

• The elastic was strong enough to keep my sidearm from drooping, but not so strong that it was uncomfortable on my leg. It also kept the leg band in place when drawing the weapon.

• The Duraflex Swivi-Lockster can be easily accessed and the buckle released if you want to leave the “drop” half attached to your belt. I did find that the first knuckle of my hand contacted the buckle when retrieving my weapon. However, this shouldn’t be the case with all holster and weapon types. The 120 degrees of pivot is a nice feature.

• The Velcro belt loop is sturdy and didn’t open up when it shouldn’t. There is room to adjust the fit to create greater lock-up on the belt.

• The holster’s 15 degree cant didn’t have an adverse effect of the system. If anything, it made drawing from the drop-leg rig easier.

• The stitching and finish work is top-notch – consistent and tight. No dangling thread or areas of concern.

I also timed the conversion process – both from OWB to the rig, and from rig back to OWB carry. I used a DSG Arms Alpha Belt with Cobra Buckle and deployed the conversion rig from my pants cargo pocket or packed up the rig and put it back into the pocket, depending on the scenario.

After ten runs (no practice, ¾-speed) I averaged an OWB to Drop-leg conversion time of 1:46. Average conversion time from Drop-leg back to OWB carry was 0:58. I believe the conversion could be done while riding in an automobile, but certainly not while driving one. With strategic packing of the conversion rig and practice, I believe anyone could easily knock those times down substantially.

Drop-leg conversion rigs aren’t exactly a new concept, but this is a new take on the system. One that gets rid of everything you don’t need in order to reduce bulk, the time required to complete a conversion, as well as cost. An additional benefit is that you can stay with one holster. You don’t have to buy a second one that would add cost and complicate training.

At $29.99, the price is reasonable, especially considering K Rounds’ lifetime warranty and the customer service experienced over the years. The Pancake-Thigh Conversion Rig is a handy piece of equipment to have around.

Specifications: K Rounds Pancake-Thigh (PT) Conversion Rig

Lead Time: 1 week
Made in USA: Yes
Price as Reviewed: $29.99

Ratings (out of five stars):

Design: * * * *
K Rounds did a great job of simplifying their approach to an established product. The design allows for space and weight reduction, as well as a reduced number of possible points of failure. I do see opportunity to enhance the design with additional strategic stitching on the elastic band and belt loop.

Comfort: * * * *
The PT isn’t exactly designed for comfort. It’s designed to save space, time, and work correctly during deployment. Still, it was surprisingly comfortable. There may be some opportunity to add a padded inner layer for added comfort.

Retention: * * * * *
The rig works and it works well. No flopping. No over-expansion of the leg strap during unholstering. Retention around my 1.5” EDC belt was a little sloppier than I’d like, but it didn’t affect function.

Durability: * * * * *
Nearly every component in this rig is mil-spec. The elastic may be the first point of failure — if there is one — followed by the plastic buckles. K Rounds’ warranty policies help earn them a full set of stars here.

Overall: * * * * 1/2
K Rounds came through with a custom creation for a customer and decided to make the design available to the rest of their customers. It works well, takes up little space, is priced right, and is backed by a lifetime warranty. It’s also proudly made in the USA.