Leather or Plastic holsters?

Leather or plastic for a holster?

  • Leather

    Votes: 82 73.2%

  • Plastic

    Votes: 30 26.8%
  • Total voters
    112
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Wesker

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Mar 14, 2006
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I've heard numerous pluses and minuses for both options. Plastic holsters for durability and rigidity, leather holsters for comfort and concealability. I'm sure you can get everything the other has to offer, but I want to know what the people at THR feel.

Whats better and why do you say so/use it? Dead cow skin or new-age plastic.

EDIT: Aw crap, wrong forum. Could a mod move to general handguns?
 
I voted plastic because living in South Carolina gets hot and leather absorbs the sweat. I think the leather feels better and may use one in the winter. I wear IWB now so I don't think one would conceal better than the other though.
 
plastic holsters for anything that you don't care about wearing the finish off of. I don't own one, although I have received several with used guns. When I sell said gun, I give it away.

Leather for anything I value...yeah, even my Glock :) Sweat wipes off, and Eezox is a great rust inhibitor.
 
I've been carrying in holsters since 1964. I started with Chic Gaylord (a local friend of my Uncle NYPD detective)holsters so I was spoiled early. I started using Milt Sparks Holsters in 1976 and continued thru the 'gay 90s':D . I found Mad Dog GunGlove holsters (now discontinued) and was hooked. I have used Blade Tech , Side Armor ,Cendex and lately G-Code holsters for the last 7 years. While the Mad Dog Taylor Thunderbolt is my all time favorite (same as the Sparks AT-1 was when I was into leather:cool: )the G-Code , if you carry a gun their limited coverage fits, is THE BEST 'Tactical' non retension holster there is -bar none.I have quite an extensive leather , and now Kydex, collection and still wear leather alot, but for defense (or offense!) I have given my opinion!;)
 
Did not vote. Like all three types. Leather for comfort and conceals better under most conditions. Sweat like a pig. Nylon can do what the other two types can do for little money and protect the gun and myself from each other while wearing it. If I have to clean the holster soap and water will do. Kydex for when I want to carry less weight around on the hip. Have to be careful. If a stealth draw is needed the Kydex will make a noise most will hear. Kydex is sweat resistant like nylon. All of these types have their own advantages so picking one by me would be rediculous since my needs have to be met by all the above.:D
 
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Leather would be my choice, unless I was in a hot, humid environment - then I'd go with some type of synthetic holster with probably a Glock 21 or 30, for their polymer frame and tennifer clad slide & inner components.
 
I see kydex as being built for IPSC and duty carry where theres no worries about it jabbing you and the like. Great for quick drawing and the like. Leather has been used as holster material for a long time because it's tough, comfortable if made correctly and looks damn good next to a chunk of plastic.

Leather was my vote,
Mark(psycho)Phipps( HAHAHA! )
 
I have one plastic holster and have no complaints (for a Glock 22 w/ a light mounted), but leather holsters comprise the other 99.9%.

DFW1911
 
I have both and found that the Kydex was VERY uncomfortable. It doesn't give and poked me uncomfortably. My final choice was a Gary Brommeland Max Con V, www.brommelandgunleather.com , leather IWB holster (I have 3). I found them to be perfectly comfortable from the get go. So much so that I walked around all day once and didn't realize I had left my 1911 at home until I got home and saw it.
 
I may be biased (as I make leather holsters) but I choose leather. Plastic holsters aren't real holsters, even with plastic guns (until you've seen a high quality black leather holster on a Glock, you might not believe this).
 
I own both types of holsters, in some cases for individual guns. I've had good and bad samples in plastic, but have yet to buy a melon in leather.
 
I own both but have many more leather. Good leather is worth every penny. As for Kydex, I have one in 1911 and one for my Sig 226, but I rarely use the Kydex.
 
Leather for the Ages

How many us have leather holsters passed down to us by our fathers/grandfathers? If you're like me, you do and most of them are still very very serviceable and, carry that leather mystic that you'd never get out of Plastic. I just recieved a VMII for my new SIG 220 that will last several life times I believe, along with the SIG. 50-100 years from now, that leather holster will be as cherished as the SIG.

I have one holster (of many) passed down from my LEO father for a S/W MOD 36 2 " from a holster maker that not in business anymore but made this great little holster for guys on the job back in the day. All it needs is about 3 stitches and its as good as new.

I just think a good leather holster is worth it.
 
Leather... nothing against kydex, but it just feels wrong. Besides, good leather is almost as addictive as good steel.
 
Well, I may have to switch to a dead cow skin holster to stuff with some iron. This C-Tac holster I have is very well made, but the plastic holsters do errode your finish over time. What kind of problems can worn finish cause that are cause for alarm, other than aesthetics? My P2K is starting to show some considerable wear already.

However, my 1911 has some finish wear where the saftey rides on the frame when it's engaged/disengaged. I always keep that portion oiled since it's metal to metal.

Then again, at ~$98 for this C-Tac holster I'm a little iffy on dropping some serious coin on a leather holster. Leather is always more expensive than Kydex. Any reccomendations for a guy thats gotta work two jobs?
 
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