Reasons to Choose a Kydex Holster Over Leather
Oct 7th 2021
The vast majority of gun holsters available on the market are leather and Kydex holsters. One of the most frequently asked questions by new gun owners is the classic Kydex vs. leather question: Which of the two is the better choice?
Choosing the right holster material is as essential as the holster design or the carry style if you want the best and most effective holster.
Before buying a new holster, it is critical to know the role a carry holster fulfills. Understanding the characteristics of both materials will give you the knowledge you need to make the right choice.
Leather: The Traditional Choice
Leather holsters have existed for as long as people needed to carry guns, tracing their origins back to the pommel holster, a 17th-century invention. For hundreds of years, leather was used because of its comfort and durability.
At first, leather holsters were notable for leaving the trigger guard exposed due to the prevalence of single-action revolvers, which cannot fire when the hammer is uncocked. As more modern double-action handguns and semi-automatic pistols became more prevalent, leather holsters started covering the trigger guard.
Typical leather holsters employ full-grain leather, which comprises the topmost layer of a raw animal hide. Unlike many other leather articles, leather gun holsters are not sanded or extensively treated; the only significant alterations are tanning and dyeing.
Traditional gun leather is made using premium-grade cowhide or bull hide. More exotic models may employ leather from rarer animal hides, such as deer, buffalo, snakes, or even crocodiles and alligators, each with its own unique look and feel.
Kydex: The Modern Option
Kydex is a thermoplastic material invented in 1965 by the Rohm & Haas Company, a chemical manufacturing company. Originally intended as a liner material for aircraft interiors, then-FBI agent Bill Rogers was the first to use Kydex as a holster material, seeking to create a more durable alternative to his standard-issue leather holster.
Rogers’ colleagues were so impressed with its durability and performance that he eventually took a three-year leave of absence from the FBI to start the Rogers Holster Company in 1973, officially introducing the first modern alternative to leather holsters to the market.
As a holster material, Kydex is rigid, lightweight, and highly durable. Kydex holsters start life as flat sheets that the manufacturer cuts then thermoforms (heated up and pressed down) around a model gun matching the dimensions of a specific firearm.
After cooling, the Kydex holster is molded to the exact shape and curves of the chosen firearm, ensuring a tight and snug fit.
Why Kydex is The Best Overall Choice
Whether they are IWB holsters, OWB holsters, or any other type, all gun holsters must fulfill the same fundamental mission: Keep the gun safe and under the shooter’s control at all times when not drawn, without impeding on the shooter’s comfort or mobility.
Material durability
Although there is no denying that a high-quality, modern holster should be durable regardless of the materials it employs, Kydex has a distinct advantage: It is naturally waterproof and highly resistant to impacts, scrapes, and cuts. This advantage is especially relevant for IWB and appendix carry holsters, which must resist exposure to sweat for hours at a time.
In contrast, humidity and exposure to sweat can accelerate a leather holster’s wear. Even the best chemically-treated leather is only water-resistant, requiring frequent waxing and caring to prolong its life.
In contrast, humidity and exposure to sweat can accelerate a leather holster’s wear. Even the best chemically-treated leather is only water-resistant, requiring frequent waxing and caring to prolong its life.
Rigidity
Kydex holsters offer unmatched rigidity, allowing you to draw and re-holster one-handed with ease. Kydex maintains its shape no matter how hard or how often you draw or re-holster, making it an excellent choice if you enjoy practicing your draw stroke.
Compare and contrast with leather, where the holster mouth tends to deform and collapse during drawing and re-holstering strokes. As a result, shooters must often use the non-dominant hand to guide the gun in and out of the holster. They must also ensure the holster doesn’t fold inward, potentially jamming into the trigger guard and causing an involuntary discharge.
Retention quality
One of the primary concerns of everyday carrying is ensuring you can trust your holster to retain your firearm adequately. If you’re a concealed-carrying gun owner, your holster’s job is to maintain your gun’s position and orientation, avoiding nasty surprises if you need to draw in self-defense.
Initially, the retention quality of a brand-new leather holster is about the same as a Kydex holster. Both provide adequate amounts of retention. However, leather eventually softens and wears out over time, degrading its retention quality.
In contrast, Kydex holsters are rigid and durable enough that they continue providing your firearm with the same retention quality they did when they were new.
Additionally, quality Kydex holsters possess retention adjustment screws, letting you loosen or tighten them to match your preferences.
Holster wear
If you carry every day and regularly practice your draw strokes, your gun will repeatedly rub and scrape against the inside of your holster. The softness of your holster’s shell has an impact on how quickly your gun’s finish will wear out.
Here, leather has the advantage, as it is a softer and more pliable material than Kydex. However, avoiding “Kydex scratching” is easier than it seems; make sure to regularly clean the inside of your Kydex holster, removing particles and foreign objects that can accelerate finish wear.
What About Hybrid Holsters?
A hybrid holster employs a Kydex outer shell and a leather back panel. In theory, hybrid holsters offer the comfort of leather and the compatibility with accessories (e.g., belt clips, belt loops, mod wings) typically associated with Kydex.
However, hybrid holsters have their disadvantages. They are more expensive than 100% Kydex holsters, they are less convenient to put on and remove, and most importantly, the leather backing may still wear out like any other leather item.
In extreme cases, leather backing panels may even warp over your gun, impeding your draw stroke and trapping it inside the holster.
Contact Incognito Concealment for Your Holster Needs
At Incognito Concealment, our holsters are made from Kydex, a modern material suited for the needs and challenges of modern-day gun owners.
Our holsters are 100% hand-crafted in the United States and compatible with a wide array of handgun models, from the slimmest subcompacts to the heaviest full-size models. For more information about our holsters, explore our website or call us today at (586) 333-4240.
