Leather or Kydex Holster?

Status
Not open for further replies.

If1HitU

Member
Joined
Oct 22, 2014
Messages
1,487
Location
L/ville Ky.
Which holster's would be a better choice for IWB, leather or kydex for a Bulldog .44 special 2.5"?Opinions please I have a OWB leather holster.Thanks.
 
Kydex is great for some applications. Military or LE where the holster is exposed to the elements is one. A wet leather holster takes days to dry. Kydex can be wiped down dry.

Leather is king for concealment IMO. Kydex is hard and stiff. It doesn't conform to curves. Kydex will stick out farther from the body due to this.

A quality leather holster will last a lifetime plus. The jury is still out on Kydex for longevity.

JMO
 
I have two of these (for different guns). I really like them. The horsehide is great at dealing with moisture vs cowhide. Best IWB holster I've worn so far. Not sure how It'd be for a revolver, though I believe the company offers it.
I have one for an LCR that's comfortable, not sure how much difference a big 44 cylinder would make. I have a Simply Rugged leather holster for a bulldog that works well. As a someone mentioned on another thread recently, you can treat leather holsters with Sno-Seal.
 
Top quality kydex is generally less expensive than top quality leather. You can usually get top quality kydex faster than you can get top quality leather. You can't sweat through IWB kydex, while you can sweat through IWB leather. Kydex generally needs no break-in, leather generally does. Most kydex has a positive "click" when the gun is inserted, letting you know it is properly positioned, leather often requires an extra push or two to ensure full insertion. Kydex is typically thinner than leather.

Leather is generally more comfortable than kydex. Leather generally provides better retention than kydex. Leather is usually more durable in a force on force situation. Leather holster makers often do a better job of offering revolver holsters than the kydex makers do.
 
In your opinion, how much use would a holster have to have for the jury to no longer be out on them?
Leather and index each have their own limitations.

If I'm going to be out in the rain, or trudging through the water, kydex will probably be a whole lot more durable than leather. If you're wrestling with somebody, and fall on your holster, there is just about no chance you can break your leather holster, though chances are probably pretty good your kydex holster, especially if it is empty, is going to get broken.
 
I have a classic bulldog and a simply rugger holster for it. I got the iwb straps when I got the holster but I do not like to carry the bulldog iwb. The cylinder is just too large but I find owb is not a problem with almost any shirt worn outside the waist.
 
In your opinion, how much use would a holster have to have for the jury to no longer be out on them?

I have leather holsters I've used for over 40 years. The oldest holsters I have are over the 75 years old and they are still in great shape. Kydex holsters have been around for about 20 years.
 
I have leather holsters I've used for over 40 years. The oldest holsters I have are over the 75 years old and they are still in great shape. Kydex holsters have been around for about 20 years.
I wasn't talking so much about the number of years as much as the actual amount of use. After all, just about any holster will last nearly forever if it's kept dry and you only draw the gun from it a few times a year. At this point I would venture to say that most trainers, competition shooters, and other professional pistol users utilize kydex holsters. I know that every one of the dozen or so professionals that I've trained under use kydex pretty much exclusively. Many of them draw and reholster their pistol in those holsters more times in a year than many people do in a lifetime.
 
I wasn't talking so much about the number of years as much as the actual amount of use. After all, just about any holster will last nearly forever if it's kept dry and you only draw the gun from it a few times a year. At this point I would venture to say that most trainers, competition shooters, and other professional pistol users utilize kydex holsters. I know that every one of the dozen or so professionals that I've trained under use kydex pretty much exclusively. Many of them draw and reholster their pistol in those holsters more times in a year than many people do in a lifetime.

I have leather holsters I've used for over 30 years as a LEO for duty and competition and have been using for the 10 years plus since I retired. I've been a "trainer" for over 40 years so my holsters do get a lot of use.

I've tried a few kydex holsters. No need to buy a bunch of them as my leather is still serving well.

If you look at my original post I said there are circumstances where kydex is better than leather. One I didn't mention is cost. A high quality kydex holster is less expensive than a high quality leather holster. That factor alone will make them more popular.
 
I have leather holsters I've used for over 30 years as a LEO for duty and competition and have been using for the 10 years plus since I retired. I've been a "trainer" for over 40 years so my holsters do get a lot of use.

Oh, I wasn't talking specifically about you. I knew you were LEO from other posts. I just meant that there are many people that have already put what many would consider to be a "lifetime" worth of use on a kydex holster. The kydex holster that I just bought for my new carry gun has a lifetime warranty actually.
 
Here's a video from the late Paul Gomez that may be helpful.



He preferred leather for holsters and kydex for mag pouches.
 
I prefer the hybrids, myself. I like the way the kydex stays open for holstering. I have a CBST in horsehide that I've used for 3-4 years to tote a G19. It's fantastic. I recently picked up a Stealthgear Revolution Mini-IWB for my Shield, and I may be replacing my CBST, to be honest.
 
I am old school. I like leather, even make some of my own holsters. However, the kydex holsters allow you to reholster your weapon with ease. This can be important if you need to remove your ccw to enter certain buildings or areas where your weapon is forbidden or impractical.
It all depends on the individual. 20170113_144710.jpg
 
Modern OWB Kydex pulls the pistol in much better than leather ever did. Look towards KT, Bravo, Ravens. Leather is completely obsolete for OWB.
Man, I like kydex holsters - because they generally don't need to be broken in, they don't scuff easily, they draw quickly, the pistol snaps into the holster with a reassuring click, and the kydex holster makers are generally very good business men, but I disagree with the "they pull the pistol in much better than leather ever did" comment, and I have a Raven Concealment Phantom. It is a great holster, but it does not pull the gun into the body as well as my leather pancakes do.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top