I had a lot of fun with this device, not the least of which was challenging the other Guns and Shooting Online staff members to guess what it was. (No one came up with a correct answer, although most figured it was some kind of holster device.)

The pillow holster is marketed by pillowholster.com (website URL: www.pillowholster.com). As the name indicates, it is a device to hold a pistol comfortably and securely beneath a pillow. The catchy company advertising motto is,"The only time you'll want a gun this close to your head."

The Pillow Holster appears to be primarily constructed of some sort of black nylon material. It is about the width of a standard bed pillow, measuring about 22.5" wide and 9.75" tall. It is padded to a thickness of about 1/2". Three sides of the Pillow Holster are straight, but the fourth is contoured and angled; that is the side that incorporates the actual holster as well as a slot for a reasonably thin flashlight up to 9" in length. There is a safety strap with an ambidextrous quick release buckle to retain the pistol in the holster.

Everyone should always keep a flashlight next to their bed. It could save your life in the event of a fire or other disaster. The flashlight is more likely to be useful than a pistol, and the Pillow Holster keeps it handy.

The slot where the pistol goes is triangular in shape, open at the edge, and simply stitched into the Pillow Holster material itself. It doesn't really fit any particular gun, but it's sufficient for most revolvers and nearly all autoloading pistols that might reasonably be selected for home defense. In use the Pillow Holster should be oriented so that the pistol points at the head of the bed. That way a bullet will not hit the sleeper or a spouse in the event of an accidental discharge.

Here is some information about the design of the Pillow Holster direct from the manufacturer:

"The Pillow Holster was designed with a large surface area to keep it from moving around while you sleep. A latex-like material is used on both sides of the holster to further stabilize it from excess movement if you toss and turn. The holster is padded and a soft, but durable felt is used to line the inside. This reduces friction when you need to pull the gun out and is safe for the finish of your gun. The retention strap is also adjustable to accommodate different size guns."

"The Pillow Holster is ambidextrous. There is a quick-release button for the retention strap on both sides of the holster. Whether you primarily sleep on your right or left side, you'll only need one pillow holster. Just flip it over."

"Our holsters are double stitched on the gun and flashlight seams. They are extremely durable and with normal use will stand up to years of wear and tear. We guarantee that the workmanship will be free from defects excluding normal wear and tear for the LIFETIME of the product."

The Pillow Holster concept is simple, but anyone who has ever attempted to sleep with a naked pistol under their pillow can tell you that the hard lump made by the gun is not comfortable. The Pillow Holster solves the problem, at least when used with a moderate size pistol such as my Kahr PM-9, a 9x19 sub-compact pistol, and a 2-AA battery size Mini Maglite flashlight. I chose that pistol to use with the Pillow Holster because it is reasonably flat. I didn't think that my scoped Ruger Super Blackhawk Hunter .44 Magnum would be an appropriate choice for the purpose.

The Pillow Holster with the little Kahr + Mini Maglite proved to be so unobtrusive that I completely forgot it was under my pillow until it came time to change the bedding. That is a pretty good testament to its comfort, although not to my memory or my housekeeping. If you prefer to keep a gun under your pillow, you should have a Pillow Holster. It is worth the MSRP of $49.95.