Leather Holsters are outdated.

[44s rock]

Been wearing Ted Blocker IWB holsters since the eighties... and will still continue to order them as the need arises. However, I have been packing around a S&W Shield for the past year in Kydex. Started out as just a trial basis... but works well for the gun.

The wife has both leather (from S&W, DeSantis I believe) and a BlackRhino TCS for when she doesn't wear a belt. I use a modified K-Rounds OWB for mainly IWB use, the only thing I found for my Shield w/ CT Laser, works great!

 

[MannyGlocks]

I tried an IWB holster...once.

OWB for me or a pack of some sort or a shoulder holster, but IWB holsters feel like torture to me, yet, no doubt, they're popular.

 

[TTSX]

I'm gonna jump on the other side of this discussion. I have more leather than kydex/plastic holsters but I just don't care for them. I think they look real nice and are pretty comfy against the skin but when it comes to it, I always grab my kydex rig

 

[WAYNO]

Yep, leather holsters are outdated. That said, they are nearly always my favorite.






Bottom line...Holster preferences are very personal for a lot of different reasons. I could no more talk a person into or out of a holster type any more than I could talk someone into or out of a Toyota or Buick.

 

[CAR]

Another vote for leather, maybe to set in my ways. Just can't get past something hard rubbing on my guns. I have seen pvc wear into metal. So to me the Kydex under pressure is going be rubbing off your guns finish.

 

[titsonritz]

Outdated? I guess that is why it can take several month and even more than a year to get some leather holsters.

 

[ajgunner]

Yep, some of us dinosaurs must still think alike.

 

[best defense]

IWB leather? Does it keep it's shape?

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Leather does not keep it's shape in the case of an IWB holster. It slowly molds to the gun and your body. Plastic does neither of those. So that is where the combination of the two comes together. A leather part against your body and a plastic sheath for the firearm work well for most people. As for personal taste, I do not like a plastic holster digging into my quarter pannel.

 

[titsonritz]

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Leather does not keep it's shape in the case of an IWB holster. It slowly molds to the gun and your body.

That depends on the holster. Once again, not everything is not equal, my Kramer #3 maintains shape and will not collapse with the pistol removed.

 

[olyroller]

So I went into my LGS on my way home last night and overheard a conversation, the 20-something's proclamation the "Leather Holsters are outdated" just sounded off to me. However on my way way it got me to thinking and of the 20 or so holsters I have, only 2 are leather.

So as the statement seemed off to me, in practice it's what I live...am I an anomaly?

Why do you think hybrid holsters were developed? Because kydex can't beat leather for comfort. I have kydex IWB, leather IWB, and leather OWB for my G19. The OWB is by far my favorite.

 

[Core]

So I went into my LGS on my way home last night and overheard a conversation, the 20-something's proclamation the "Leather Holsters are outdated" just sounded off to me. However on my way way it got me to thinking and of the 20 or so holsters I have, only 2 are leather.

So as the statement seemed off to me, in practice it's what I live...am I an anomaly?

I have a few bolatron and kydex. They suck compared to leather comfort wise, but they are cheap, rugged, and work well. Leather is far more comfortable against the skin, and it doesn't dump the gun if the tension screw is too loose or the kydex gets too warm and soft. I have dropped my 1911A1 custom from my kydex holster once onto concrete, it landed on the front sight.. I use a Bolatron appendix with spare mag holder as a daily carry. It's not comfortable as my IWB custom made by Warbird Leather. I prefer OWB in leather also. My old Serpa OWB is nice for retention but it's too stiff. I would like a think kydex leather hybrid holster, but I have not found one made for what I carry.

 

[Kid@Heart]

I have a few bolatron and kydex. They suck compared to leather comfort wise, but they are cheap, rugged, and work well. Leather is far more comfortable against the skin, and it doesn't dump the gun if the tension screw is too loose or the kydex gets too warm and soft. I have dropped my 1911A1 custom from my kydex holster once onto concrete, it landed on the front sight.. I use a Bolatron appendix with spare mag holder as a daily carry. It's not comfortable as my IWB custom made by Warbird Leather. I prefer OWB in leather also. My old Serpa OWB is nice for retention but it's too stiff. I would like a think kydex leather hybrid holster, but I have not found one made for what I carry.

You actually carry a 1911 in a kydex appendix rig? You must be a lot thinner than I.

 

[Core]

You actually carry a 1911 in a kydex appendix rig? You must be a lot thinner than I.

I'm a few inches over six feet, it fits appendix and very few folks know it's there. The leather rig I forget, the kydex is not bad. I have stomach fat, but I hit the gym three times a week, so I don't have a hyper extended gut. It's more of a power gut..lol

 

[RVTECH]

I too, am living in the past!

 

[Hawaiian]

I like and carry in leather holsters. But then some say that I am outdated too!

 

[Synchro]

I tried kydex a few times. high end ones and low end ones. I tried to like it. At this point I rely on my Kramer leather horse hide holster. I have had it for over 10 years and it still looks great. Fits like a glove and wears really nicely. made in the PNW to boot.

 

[clearconscience]

I think like anything you need to inspect it, and keep it in good order.

Anything can and will fail/wear out.
Best to be proactive

 

[waltermitty]

I tried kydex a few times. high end ones and low end ones. I tried to like it. At this point I rely on my Kramer leather horse hide holster. I have had it for over 10 years and it still looks great. Fits like a glove and wears really nicely. made in the PNW to boot.

don't know if you have been to the WAC Puyallup shows a few years ago. Kramer's wife and friend commanded a table where they hawked blems for something like $25. I love his holsters and have many. I even picked them up at that price to resell at slight markup. I don't think I've seen them in a while though Greg did appear on Ebay a few times

 

[Synchro]

don't know if you have been to the WAC Puyallup shows a few years ago. Kramer's wife and friend commanded a table where they hawked blems for something like $25. I love his holsters and have many. I even picked them up at that price to resell at slight markup. I don't think I've seen them in a while though Greg did appear on Ebay a few times

I quit going to WAC shows many years ago. I saw no reason to go once ammo prices started to rise and I got into reloading. The prices on guns was not good. The prices on most accessories were mediocre to terrible. The point of driving there, paying the entry fee or membership and finding barely anything of interest? The last time I was there was to meet the one Oregon county sherrif that would issue CPLs to WA residents. Now, I do not live anywhere near there, so I will probably never go back.

 

[Member 52301]

I do not think that leather holsters will ever be outdated even though I don't own any handguns or holsters any longer.

Cate