Estimated 5 Minute Read
So here’s a question we get a lot – Why do you only sell Kydex?
Are you curious about the benefits of Kydex over Leather, hybrid and nylon holsters?
What makes Kydex so special? What are the pros and cons?
Before we dive into why Kydex makes for the perfect holster, let’s look at the pros and cons of Leather, Nylon and Hybrid Holsters.
First of all let’s explore Leather Holsters:
Pros –
- Old school/traditional look
- Smells nice
- I can’t think of much else…..
Cons –
- Sweat, bacteria, dust, dirt, debris build up on the inside and it’s not easy to clean.
- No Audible click when re-holstering
- No adjustable retention
- No perfect trigger guard coverage – there will be a gap.
- No real personalization options
- There may be excess material just where your hand needs to go to get a full grip
- The mouth of the holster may collapse if being worn Inside The Waistband making for a more dangerous re-holstering process.
- Most don’t allow suppressor height sights, compensators or optics.
- It definitely won’t allow for a light
- More room for error for a negligent discharge as the retention and trigger guard coverage is less than ideal.
Moving on to Nylon Holsters:
The cons are almost identical to leather holsters, except that they are usually machine washable.
They are particularly dangerous as:
- They offer no retention
- They collapse when you draw, making the re-holstering process more dangerous
- They offer poor trigger guard coverage – clothing can easily get between the holster and the trigger
- Due to their non-custom nature there is excess material which helps to obstruct a clean draw, every draw is inconsistent as the gun can move around altering the position each time.
Finally let’s consider Hybrid Holsters (Leather back and Kydex front). Again there are more cons than pros!
- They won’t be machine washable, but you could wipe down the kydex portion
- Poor retention (see for yourself..turn it upside down and the gun will slide right out)
- They are bulky so more likely to print when trying to conceal
- The Leather portion “sweat guards” actually make you more sweaty when carrying.
- You won’t be able to have a light
- There are no customization options
- Some models may allow suppressor height sights and optic cut but very few do.
- None offer a concealment wing to drive the grip inwards, so most will cause printing from the grip of the gun.
Now let’s look at Kydex Holsters and you will understand why we love them!
Pros:
- Custom made specific to your exact gun make and model to your guns exact dimensions means it fits like a glove
- Adjustable retention so that you can fine tune your draw
- Adjustable cant for the exact draw angle you like
- Perfect trigger guard coverage right to the edge of your trigger guard with no gap to lower the risk of potential negligent discharge
- They don’t collapse when re-holstering, mitigating the risk of a negligent discharge as you won’t be fishing to find your way back into the holster.
- Easy access for a consistent draw every time, the gun is not flopping around and moving.
- Full access to a full firing grip, you can get your hand in the perfect position with no excess material obstructing your draw
- They are easy to clean – unlike leather so that you can keep the holster clean and protect the finish on your gun.
- They will last forever it is a tough and durable material
- Light weight and minimal
- Keeps the gun in the exact same position for a consistent draw every time to build muscle memory.
- An audible click as the gun clicks into place ensures you are re-holstered
- No space for anything to get in between the holster and the trigger guard.
- Minimalist design means less material so there is less printing through your clothing, aiding in concealment
- Modwing capable so that you don’t print. The modwing drives the grip of the gun inwards mitigating printing through your clothing.
- Personalization and customization, you can choose your preferences from your color, washer color and belt clip, choice of claw, you can specify exactly how you want your holster to look.
- Bonus features such as – allows optics, threaded barrels, compensators, suppressor height sights.
- Can accommodate a weapon mounted light on your gun if you choose a light bearing custom Kydex holster.
Cons –
- You need one holster per gun as each holster is made specific to that gun model, one size does not fit all.
- If you have some obscure gun that nobody makes a Kydex holster for you are going to be out of luck!
- Equally if you have a gun with a light on it, you will have to find a holster maker who makes that gun and light combination.
And that’s it. So you get that massive list of benefits and the only real “con” I can think of, is that you need one holster per gun. Also choose a popular gun like a Glock or a Sig as you will have plenty of options.
That’s why we do not sell any other holster other than Kydex!
For us a Custom Kydex Holster is a no brainer, it’s tailor made specific for your gun and it is the most comfortable and safe holster to use for daily concealed carry.
Let us know if you have tried Kydex before? If you are curious about making the switch and have any questions you can email support@holstercentral.com
Thanks for reading!