Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns Kydex vs. Leather Holsters

I have both leather and Kydex holsters and they both have there + & -. My Kydex holsters are all made by Vedder, both IWB and OWB. Note that Vedder does make a dual magazine pouch.

I have leather from various people but for concealed carry you cannot beat Kramer Leather horsehide holsters. Their horsehide holsters are molded to an exact fit to your gun and since horsehide is thinner than cowhide the holster has the much of the characteristics of Kydex, thin and ridged, but it is much quieter and easier on your guns finish than Kydex. The down side is Kramers will cost twice what a Vedder will.

All of my IWB holsters are kydex. They don’t compress and allow for easier reholstering. I carry M&Ps and I’m not real concerned about the finish. However, I don’t see the rub wear from kydex that I do with leather. They also don’t hold grit and moisture like leather. If I’m carrying OWB, I use a Safariland 6378. If I’m going to be overt, I’m going to have at least one level of mechanical retention.

I save OWB leather holsters for the BBQ guns.

Why not have both. My go to Inside the Waist Band holster for "popular" models is Garrett's leather lined Kydex.

Leather inside so it's softer on your gun and easier to draw. Kydex outer shell so it keeps it's shape for re-holstering - which many so called custom holsters do not do very well, including my Milt Sparks specials.

I have one for a S&W model 10 2 inch & one for my Glock 43.

You will not be disappointed.

Garrett Holsters

Somebody ought to make leather-lined kydex holsters

I have carried just about 365 days a year for 32+ years. I have tried a bunch of different holsters and guns. I am talking about concealed, not open carry. For years I carried an alloy j frame in a leather pancake style holster. Then moved to a glock 43 or 43x depending on the season. Both carried in a galco leather combat master or something similar. Recently I have been carrying a shadow systems cr920 in the same galco. Sometimes I carry a glock 27 in a pancake holster. I have a kydex for my glock 20 when I bow hunt.
I have tried iwb and kydex but I always seem to come back to the hi ride leather pancake. Try some different styles but always remember the #1 rule of a gunfight..."have a gun".

Leather for OWB, and Kydex for IWB. I like the Comp-Tac Infidel kydex IWB holster. I also have several We the People Kydex IWB holsters. Milt Sparks Summer Special is a very nice leather IWB holster, but if you sweat much in hot weather it will soak up the perspiration and make the gun damp.

Ron