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Concealed Carry Holsters, Equipment and Accessories Questions, answers and discussions regarding equipment specific to concealed carry. |
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#2
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Kydex stays open so it makes reholstering much easier and safer. Leather feels better against the skin and is more forgiving as it molds to your body and gun. All Kydex or all leather tend to be smaller footprint, but that does mean that the load on the belt and pressure on the body is concentrated. A combination leather backing with Kydex outer spreads the load over a larger area.
I can't stand AIWB so in my opinion, no material is best, let alone appropriate. |
#4
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I used both. For quick trips I carry my 1911 in a kydex holster. For longer days, I carry it inside my Milt Sparks holster which is definitely a LOT more comfortable. I tried the hybrid holsters before but didn’t like them as much.
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#5
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Kydex can be very comfortable, what is missed by many builders is the texture of the kydex selected makes a big difference even though you wouldn't think a little drag on your underwear and outerwear would make a difference. The shaping, curvature and mounting systems (clips, loops, etc.) make a big difference as well. Leather usually feels good against the skin but not always, and it can be harder to re-holster as it collapses unless you have a high end $200+ leather holster that has a kydex inner form that is covered by leather and suede inside. This works well for nickle and chrome finish guns, but is very expensive. Kydex requires minimal care. Wipe the inside of the holster out once per month, and tighten screws as needed. It's easier to design in adjust-ability with a Kydex holster. Leather requires care, and can negatively impact older blued guns with moisture. Unless the manufacture puts a barrier between the leather against your body and the gun, sweat can seep through to the finish. Leather absorbs moisture in humid areas. Sweat doesn't dry out enough. If your in dry areas not a problem. If you have had a well used leather baseball glove you have an idea. Wear, dirt and sweat absorption. Leather also contracts and expands, and it can be felt, it will often loosen with age which may or may not be good. Sight changes can be a problem as a channel is seldom created for them, and larger or sharper sights will drag. Retention of a kydex holster without level two retention is usually better with Kydex than leather. You can adjust most kydex to your draw, so if you have arthritis or carpal tunnel you can minimize the risk of pain, or if your going to climbing mount Whitney you can tighten it down. Not much you can do with leather. There are hybrids, and there are leather pads that can be put on full kydex holster if desired. Do you have either type of holster, is there something you don't quite like because there are techniques for patching those issue. |
#6
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Leather
Some say leather wears less on the finish. However leather tends to wear on the entire surfaces of the gun and kydex usually hit's the contact points. Much can vary, however, depending on the holster. Leather is usually considered more elegant Leather has to be broken in...think several hundred presentations...or more Leather is usually considered more comfortable next to the skin for IWB carry...but it can be hot and make you sweat Leather is more susceptible to the elements and can hold sweat/moisture which could lead to rust Leather holsters are usually less adjustable than kydex (generally speaking) Kydex Usually considered "faster" than leather. Good to go out of the box, does not need to be broken in. May stand up to the elements better Kydex is usually more adjustable and has more features...like wings and claws for AIWB, levels of retention, mounting options, etc. Kydex retains it's shape and stays open after the draw. But many leather holsters will too if they're made that way Some people find kydex uncomfortable next to the skin for IWB Kydex is usually cheaper than leather but prices on holsters in general can vary widely Kydex won't stretch with age like leather sometimes can Keep in mind that most AIWB holsters are kydex. I suspect this is because features like wings and claws really excel in the AIWB position and it's easier/cheaper to add these features to a kydex holster than a leather one. I greatly prefer kydex over leather but it's a very personal thing. YMMV.
__________________
"Kestryll I wanna lick your doughnut." Fighter Pilot |
#7
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Thanks everyone for the information. I was delighted with the quality of the responses and now see why plastic holsters are so popular. Unlike a buddy of mine with expensive leather holsters and a nice and somewhat expensive collection of guns, I have to be a bit more careful with my money.
I already have an Alien Gear 3.0 Cloak Tuck, which I believe is what is called a hybrid holster, and it does the job pretty well for my P229. (The biggest gripe I have with it is specific to Sigs with a decocker. When holstering it wants to catch on the faux leather backer, which is a problem I trained around. For me, it isn't much of a problem. For a LEO I can see where it could be, since it would make one hand holstering difficult.) But I may get something smaller for edc and for that the AG 3.0 may be overkill. I am developing arthritis in both hands. Fortunately, not so much my strong hand. It is painful to even reach into my pocket with the other. Last edited by Chewy65; 03-09-2018 at 9:31 AM.. |
#8
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I will only add that IME, you can buy well made Kydex inexpensively; while inexpensive leather tends to be crap. I use Kydex for aiwb carry of a CW9 and find it comfortable in all conditions. The CW9 is pretty small as is the holster I have for it. Not sure something like a Glock 19 sized gun would be as comfortable.
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#10
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#11
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I am using a OWB Kydex Holster and I'm very happy with it so far. It Keep the gun tight and secure.
Last edited by Prada; 04-07-2018 at 5:47 AM.. |
#12
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I went kydex and never looked back.
I started off with leather holsters. While leather holsters are comfortable, they soak up sweat and retain moisture. I found that this caused the slide on my carry gun to rust up. When I switched to another carry gun, I stuck with leather and didn't have rusting issues, but I found that reholstering was difficult and the leather would give in ways that I didn't like. When I switched to kydex, there were no moisture issues, no reholstering issues, and I am pretty sure the holster is going to last forever. The tradeoff is that it's not quite as comfortable as leather, but it doesnt mean that it's not acceptable. I find the tradeoff to be worth it. |
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