Survey: Leather or Kydex?

[Skunkabilly]

After dropping $$$ on my Milt Sparks sharky rig, I'm ashamed to say I like my Tactical Poser Wilderness Instructor's belt and Blade-Tech Kydex poser plastic better. I don't find wearing IWB or tucked uncomfortable with the plastic at all, even if the Milt Sparks rig is phenominally nice.

What say you?

[OF]

While I can certainly appreciate a finely crafted leather holster...it is the 21st century.

As much as I'd love to say leather is better, kydex is just a better holster material.

- Gabe

[Schuey2002]

Don't you just hate when that happens. You go and spend some serious $$$ on a finely crafted custom holster only to find a cheap-o Tupperware holster that works better..

My Glocks dine on nothing but the finest Tupperware $25 can buy!

Viva la Kydex, baby! :neener:

[Skunkabilly]

You know you want it.

http://www.thehighroad.org/attachment.php?s=&postid=341569

[Smoke]

To each his own. I'm a "dead cow all the way" guy myself.

But I also think guns should be made of steel and have wood grips/stocks. Leather should be a color derived from neatsfoot oil, the sun and wear.

Plastic? No thank you.

[jthuang]

I prefer leather. All of my gunleather is Kramer horsehide gear.

However, it gets kinda rough on the aforementioned gear during training, etc. I did some damage to my Kramer horsehide MSP paddle ($108 at the time ... more $$ now) rolling around on the ground during Insights's CQC class.

I find that Kydex tends to hold up better COSMETICALLY under abuse so I'll spring for a Kydex belt holster for my Sig P226 when the next training class rolls around. But for carry/match use, I like leather.

Justin

[Lancel]

I snubbed Kydex for years. Now a Kydex FIST #1 IWB is my favorite holster.

One of the things I like about it is that it's impervious to sweat. And because Kydex doesn't absorb moisture, I don't have to be careful to remove a pistol from the holster at night when I'm sleeping or otherwise storing it.

Although leather is beautiful, kydex works the best for me. :)

Larry

[Erik]

I have both, and despite appreciating the sheer function embodied by a well made Kydex holster, cannot bring myself to prefer them over the craftmanship, tradition, and style of a well made leather holster. A leather holster which can be had along with matching belt, holders, jacket, and boots, I should point out.

:cool:

[WhoKnowsWho]

You didn't put a middle of the road vote. I like both.

I use a Leather carry IWB. And a Nylon in the pocket one.

Most of my range holsters are Kydex/plastic type ones.

Haven't tried a Kydex IWB yet.

[10-Ring]

I like th functionality of the kydex but the fit and appearance of leather. If push came to shove, I'd go w/ leather :D

[nemesis]

Remember the sound that a leather holster makes as the gun is unholstered?

Neither do I.

[Andrew Wyatt]

I'm not really all that fond of kydex. It has no soul.

I much prefer a milt sparks summer special or a belt slide holster to a kydex holster when i have a choice in the matter. sometimes kydex works better.

[OF]

Tastes Great!

[Prodigalshooter]

Leather all the way; tried the plastic, yuck.

[Oracle]

Less filling!

[Billy Sparks]

I'm sorta like Skunk on this after purchasing Mitch Rosen, Krammer, and Sparks (no relation) holsters I picked up a Blade-Tech holster that someone wanted to get rid of. I love the fact that it is sorta indestructible and doesn't need any break in. Recently I have found G-Code kydex holsters so that is probably my new mantra. :D

[OF]

:D

- Gabe

[themic]

wish they did to nylon what they can do to leather. i like nylon webbing. alot.

anyways, i found plastic surprisingly comfortable, but i currently prefer leather cause i made my own IWB holster for my RAP (cause no one makes a holster that fits it specifically). :D

[fatboyclone]

ok i'll bite skunk, who makes the CF holster?

[Skunkabilly]

Blade-Tech but quite a few others do as well. Blade-Tech is a few weeks out on the stuff :(

[Chris Rhines]

Kydex performs better.
Leather (debatably) looks better.

- Chris

[QuarterBoreGunner]

Holster? What is this 'holster' you speak of? Just stuff yer gat in yer pants... yo' just keepin; real.


And I use both; IWB are leather and my paddles are plastic.


Re-reading that I want to just make sure everyone knows I mean 'paddle holsters'.... you bunch of weirdos.

[Serpico]

I wear IWB most of the time and leather conforms to my body...even Dustin Hoffman jumped into the pool to escape the man who told him to get into plastics in "The Graduate"

[sm]

I'm with Smoke.

[El Tejon]

Horse, of course.:)

[Skunkabilly]

Kydex, of hydex! :p

[tiberius]

I really like the Kydex IWB holsters, like the Blade Tech for my Colt LWOM. comfortable, secure, amd sweat proof.

I don't see carrying a Vaquero in plastic though:)

[Tazz10m]

I like Kydex covered with fine leather. The leather on the outside of the holster is much more comfortable and takes that noise out, which is important if i am out in the woods with brush hitting the holster. The leather also looks great. I pick the holster that works best for the situation, then cover it myself with the leather. This way i get the best of both worlds.

[QuarterBoreGunner]

Tazz10m- So you make these combo kydex/leather laminate holsters yourself? Sounds pretty cool, how do you attach the leather to the kydex?

[Tazz10m]

Well, having a bunch of AGrip adhesive around does have it's advantages... :D The advantage of using the AGrip adhesive over any other adhesive is that the AGrip adhesive allows the leather to be repeatedly repositioned for a perfect fit. Also, with AGrip adhesive there is no mess to clean up. You just wrap the leather around, stretching only where you need to, then trim it off it looks good and so there are no edges to hang up on anything. There are a few tricks to it that are kind of hard to explain, and it does take a little time and planning, but for the most part, it is pretty darn easy. One of the reasons i don't like to stretch the leather is because i like to have the "character" that comes with having all the wrinkley texture and everything. If you stretch the leather it makes the leather look like cheap vinyl or fake leather. The leather is expensive, even wholesale, so why waste it by stretching it? We used to make a lot of aircraft steering controls around here and finish them by wrapping them with this awesomely fine black leather, until the this one main aircraft manufacturer tanked and went bankrupt. We used to buy full hides of this stuff... best leather i could find anywhere in the world to make these with... all hand laced with a baseball type stitch, but better. We got out just in time, but ended up with fair amount of this leather left over, and the scraps that we couldn't use on the yokes were perfect for use on holsters and knife sheaths and such. Of course we also fancy up our cars with it too... GREAT steering wheel covers! :D Oh, btw, this is also the same leather that we call our "Black Tactical Leather" that we've been selling for people who typically use it as "stick on cheek pieces" and such.

[Glockster35]

I must admit I am a Kydex kind of guy. I use my handguns as tools, and don't really care about the finish wear issue.

I currently own a BladeTec holster for my Glock 35, and a Uncle Mikes Kydex paddle for my 1911.

I own several other leather holsters, but am not really happy with them. I haven't spent BIG money on my leather though, so I may be missing out on the quality.

My next purchase will likely be a nice leather IWB from Sparks or Brommeland.

I do wonder though does anyone make a really comfortable IWB kydex...without using a leather backer?

[Skunkabilly]

I do wonder though does anyone make a really comfortable IWB kydex...without using a leather backer?

Seriously I don't notice any comfort difference between my Blade-Tech UCH and my (now sold) Milt Sparks EX.. :uhoh:

And I'm spoiled by good leather.

[Combat-wombat]

I don't have any experience with holsters, because it is pointless to buy them in a state where it is nearly impossible to get a CCW permit. However, I have experience with leather and kydex knife sheaths, and I like kydex much better.

[Tacblack]

I have and like leather. Bulman Gunleather is what I use for carry. As for IDPA and Production all day sweating into good leather at gun matchs I am thinking of getting some cheaper plastic for that.

And with the kydex holsters I would look more the part of the poser:D

After dropping $$$ on my Milt Sparks sharky rig Skunk I would not wear that holster set up, I'd just leave it posed around the house like a center piece. And call it art:D

[Erick Gelhaus]

For me, it depends.

If I'm on the range or in the brush for fun, then I'll use Kydex.

If it's concealment or around payment, then I use my Kramer stuff.

If I'm in a suit & tie I use a leather belt; any time else, it's a Wilderness belt.

[jerryd]

Bought a kydex for my ppk,put the pistol in could not get it out! played with it Read the instructions played some more, thru it in the garbage!!! worst 25bucks i ever spent. git a desantis belt high ride GREAT!!

[Skunkabilly]

Bought a kydex for my ppk,put the pistol in could not get it out!

Eeek. What make?

[jerryd]

Im pretty sure the holster was blade tek, had blue instruction sheet , thats in the garbage too!

[Captain Bligh]

Leather here.

RJ

[HBK]

It seems that kydex would be harder on the finish. I had a kydex holster for my P-99s. After my last class I noticed a little chink in the finish. It was not that big, but very noticable. That being said, I was going to trade the gun anyway and they will NEVER remain pristine. I have a leather holster for it now, but I might still use the kydex. I guess I'm undecided thus far. I've heard that kydex is actually better on the finish, but it seems leather would be less abrasive.

[Skunkabilly]

HBK:
a little chink

:fire:






:D

No Kydex induced wear on my P7....yet :o

Just a little rust from when I was careless.

[Moparmike]

What the bloody hell does this say?l337 t@cT8XX!!! w00t

[AZLibertarian]

Kydex IWB most of the time. I use the SO2 shown on...

http://www.predatorholsters.com/products-page.html

[Skunkabilly]

l337 t@cT8XX!!! w00t

Elite tactics ;)

[boing]

Oops. Voted Kydex, by mistake. Don't you know leather should come first, then those "other" materials? Silly Skunk. :o

[FJC]

I'm a leather fan as well. I tried kydex, and just didn't care for it for concealed carry use. Maybe for OWB or competitions I'd like it, but for me leather is the way to go.

http://www.condron.com/pics/colt/comm/commcarry.JPG

[wunderkind]

Summer: high riding Desantis snugging a J-frame up against my side.

And my father's El Paso Saddlery Tom Threepersons holster for a 625-2 is a sight to behold, almost a throwback to when things were made by hand.

That being said, in the winter it's a Glock 23 in a Fobus easy on/easy off paddle.

I like and own both!

[number6]

I have a Milt Sparks Versa Max-2 quality leather holster and I barely notice it when I have it on. I think leather is the way to go. But then, I don't own any plastic guns. If I did I suppose I could just take an old tupperware bowl and heat it up, bend it into shape, cut some holes in it and slide a rope through the holes and VIOLA! A holster and belt all in one! :neener:

[wunderkind]

Leather is better if you have 2 or more similar guns of the same style i.e. a S&W j-frame and a Rossi j-frame copy. In kydex, the Rossi's more robust underlug/crane area will not fit in a kydex holster molded down to last MILLIMETER for the Smith, at least in Uncle Mike's form.

Any leather holster I've tried for the Smith J-Frame fits the originals and the clones just fine. Not so with kydex. Nice to know if your holster will work with different makes & models because there are so many unwanted snubbies at 'steal' prices begging for a home!

[C.R.Sam]

Prefer leather.

Even tho I housed a Kydex holster plant for a while.

I do put a kydex strip in the sight channel of some of my leather. Makes even Patridge sighted guns come out slick n quick.

I like the idea of leather covering on Kydex, have oft thought of it but never got around to doin it..

Sam

[Ky Larry]

I'll officially be an Old F--t in Nov when I turn 50. I like leather better than plastic for CCW. Milt Sparks and Aker are first class in the 3 F's.

[DF357]

how old each person is who voted. I'd bet that the younger guys go for the plastic and us more mature guys with all the wisdom that comes with age will go for the leather.

leather - the real thing. Millions of cows and horses can't be wrong !!!

DF357 aged 57

[Skunkabilly]

Turning 24 next month. Tried both. Went for Kydex for function. My shark skin Milt Sparks rig was beautiful but I preferred the function of the Kydex.

[garrettwc]

how old each person is who voted. I'd bet that the younger guys go for the plastic and us more mature guys with all the wisdom that comes with age will go for the leather.


I'll be 42 in November and I'm split right down the middle.

I have tried both and find that there are things to like about each. I am using mostly leather right now. But only because I haven't found someone who can do kydex the way Sparks and Alessi do leather. If I could find kydex done to that level of detail and quality I would give it a try again.

[QuarterBoreGunner]

Speaking from the lofty heights of my 35 years (yeah right), I've tried both and found I simply prefer leather. The Kydex/BladeTech/SideArmor holsters I've tried all work just fine, but for me leather just works better. In a paddle or IWB holster I can easily understand the appeal of Kydex; there is a definate 'click' as the firearm is holstered which is reassuring I guess. But that 'reassuring click' can be pretty loud as well, where as leather is just quieter (except for the occasional 'squeak') Kydex IWB holsters are an easy one hand reholster as the holster opening doesn't collapse when the firearm is out of it. But a good leather IWB holster is reinforced in that area to negate that problem also.

6 of one, ½ dozen of the other.

[Zak Smith]

I have a box of both kydex and leather holsters that I don't use anymore. The ones I wear are my Milt Sparks holsters. I just prefer them.

The only exception I'd make it I'd use a Kydex for 3Gun or IPSC -- just because it'd be easier to wash off in the sink after I crawl through a mud pit.

-z

[Vic303]

For a best-of-both-worlds, checkout www.texasgunleather.com, the Tucker Gunleather site on it. Look for the Answer holster.

http://store1.yimg.com/I/rlcompanyusa_1752_18458846

Great folks to work with!