Best Quality+Expense Kydex Holster

[DrewBegley]

I have a S&W M&P .40 Compact and have been scowering(sp?) the net for the best looking/working kydex holster and am stuck between:

The ExoConcealment Holster: http://store.exoconcealmentproducts...id=31&osCsid=b273ec8dbd75e9920fca43de6792acfc

The Bravo Concealment Kydex Gun Holster:
http://shop.bravoconcealment.com/Kydex-Gun-Holster-GH.htm

The Kaluban Cloak Holster by Calculated Sentenience LLC:
http://www.calsentllc.com/KalubanCloak.html

And The Personal Security Systems Holster:
http://www.psholsters.com/



I did look through the forum for this specific topic, but found things either skirting the edges or going in the wrong direction.
Now, my question is, what kydex holster do you all prefer (from the top or not) that works primarily as OWB? Any references or feedback is much appreciated.

 

[JTQ]

I have no experience with any of those, but they are all copies of the Raven Concealment Phantom. I do have a Raven Phantom and it is a very good holster. To me, the biggest advantage of this type of holster is the modularity of design allowing you to use it IWB or OWB and to adjust ride height and cant.

http://www.ravenconcealment.com/

They all probably have some small differences, but they are all basically kydex pancakes. The biggest differences would probably be in the warrantee/customer service area or some specific need you have that one holster may address that another model may not.

 

[DrewBegley]

You're right, my only gripe about Raven and the reason I didn't list them is because they always have terrible lead times and for the setup I need it ends up costing about 150 bucks through them. For the same quality (better IMO) I can go to Bradley Custom Concealment and get the same setup for around 95 AND they offer MIL/LEO discounts, I dunno if Raven offers that, but either way it's about 50 bucks cheaper.

http://shop.bradleycustomconcealment.com/main.sc

I've seen guys making their own molded kydex holsters with wood/foam presses and a toaster oven in their own home and the only thing keeping me from trying it out is the worry that I'll jack up my polymer gun. I haven't looked into how much the kydex and any odds and ends to make the project work would cost and assume it'll cut close to how much a whole kit costs through the pros.

 

[JTQ]

What kind of features are you looking for that bring the cost up to $150?

If the mods are such an oddity for Raven, then you may find one of the others do make something specific for your needs in their basic design. Depending on what you are looking for, and if you could specify what it is, we may be able to recommend a specific maker.

For what it's worth, holsters for common guns like Glock's, M&P's, and 1911 ship in 45 days or less from Raven with their new "Quick Ship" program.

 

[DrewBegley]

On Ravens sight, the M&P C holster with the correct cant and color options (15 degree and Coyote color) = $94.98
The M&P C double mag carrier to match ends up being $64.98

Raven=$159.96 before S&H

The same options through Bradley Custom Concealment is $90 before S&H.

There's no oddity, just expensive plain and simple. I just want a kydex holster in FDE/Coyote with a 10-15 degree cant and a bullet forward double mag carrier to match. I could lessen the price by getting a standard cant and black color, but it isn't what I want and Raven's got serious competition from Bradley. I've seen/played with each and they are about equal in quality, personally I like the Bradley and they also offer MIL/LEO discounts (I don't know about Raven) and my buddy told me Bradley also offers many other color variants/thickness of kydex and other options Raven doesn't seem to (or at least I can't find it on their site, maybe they could work with the customer through emails).

 

[JTQ]

On Ravens sight, the M&P C holster with the correct cant and color options (15 degree and Coyote color) = $94.98
The M&P C double mag carrier to match ends up being $64.98

Raven=$159.96 before S&H

Oh, holster and double mag pouch. That explains my confusion. You only mentioned holster in your OP and I was trying to figure out what special features from Raven you needed that would bring the price of one of their holsters to $150.

Well, if you've compared the two products head to head and like the quality and price of the Bradley Custom better, I think that's a no brainer. I'd go with the Bradley then.

 

[MYREDTAIL]

I love my Fobus holsters own about 5 of them+ their mag pouches.?

 

[David E]

I love my Fobus holsters own about 5 of them+ their mag pouches.?

Fobus is NOT kydex, but it IS an acronym: Found Out Being Utter *hit

 

[DrewBegley]

Yeah, I've had my fair share of Fobus and am done with it. It's the closest to a Walmart brand holster you can get and is an inexpensive, quick fix for a permanent problem. I'm not saying that you HAVE to pay big bucks for the good stuff, but there's a reason why Raven is more expensive than Uncle Mike's or Fobus. Quality.

I had a guy at one big box store that sounds like Flanders Fountain in town try to talk me into buying a "Sightmark" holographic weapon sight over an Eotech. I told him I'd never even heard of Sightmark and he said he'd never heard of Eotech. I could tell just by the overall craftsmanship that the sight he was trying to sell me looked dirt cheap and it was at about $80. I told him "there has to be something wrong with it because our military and law enforcement uses the Eotech and it STARTS at $420..." He was a dick and told me he could get his supervisor to mark it up $350 to satisfy my needs. Needless to say, I take my business elsewhere after that. Bought a basic 517 from Dick's for about $350.

Point is, If I'm buying or investing a couple thousand dollars in a firearm (or 500 in the case of the M&P) I'm not putting a POS NCSTAR/UTG/Sightmark/whatever on it to use every day (again, in this case, I'm not carrying my M&P in a $20 POS Universal holster). And before you say it, I know Fobus molds to specific firearms. Not to mention, Fobus doesn't offer a simple/plain M&P C holster (made specifically for the compact with no light option).

 

[DrewBegley]

On second thought, Fobus is second to the Walmart brand, Uncle Mike's is #1.