DeSantis Holster & Leather Goods Co Inc

Leather vskydex

In this year of debate and political positioning, we’ve decided to take a closer look at some of the larger issues gun enthusiasts care about, like…holster material. It’s a pretty basic and somewhat polarizing issue among those who practise concealed carry. Certain partisans will consider nothing but Angus hidewhile others syntheticshave far surpassed leather for real,world practical applications.

Recently, we took a closer look at leather versus nylon and concluded that preference really depended on your chosen application. At 80 years old, nylon is acomparative upstart, since leather has literally been around for centuries. Leather’s hold on the hearts of gun owners is impressive considering the alternatives created by modern technology. Kydex is even more of a whipper-snapper than nylon as it’s only been in existence for little more than fifty years.

While nylon is incredibly tough and versatile, Kydex is even more so because it wasinvented to withstand even more demanding conditions. Kydex is pretty much “element proof” as it resists water and fire. Its Class 1/A flame retardancyrating is perfect for aircraft interiors where high-oxygenated cabins make that property critical. That tray table that holds the rubber airline chicken you get served for dinner? That would be Kydex (the tray, not the chicken).

The other factor that initially made Kydex a “jet-age” material was it’s light weight. That’s because Kydex can be formed with a sheet as thin as half a millimeter. That’s considerably thinner than a typical leather holster.

When it comes to use in holsters, Kydexis a “set it and forget it” item. It needs virtually no maintenance while even a high quality IWB leather holster - say a DeSantis Mad Max - should be occasionally be cleaned and conditioned to take advantage of its full life potential. And naturally - because it’s synthetic – Kydex doesn’t require a break in period the way leather does. So in the minds of the many gun owners, leather is the high-maintenance Angela Jolie type of item, while Kydex is Julianna Margulies’ Good Wife.

It’s hard to see why anyone would buy a leather holster. Kydex pretty much sweeps all the key categories in this organic vs. GMO face-off, right?

Not so fast.

Kydex has one potential, not insignificant, drawback when compared to its leather counterpart. Stealth. Not everyone agrees on this pointby the way, but some gun owners feel that drawing your weapon from thermoplastic is inherently noisier than drawing from softer, natural leather. This isa huge issue for some in the concealed carry community. The whole idea behind CCW is to gain tactical advantage at the moment of truth. Leather provides it.

On the other hand, if your Kydex holster is IWB, it less apparent that the noise issue would be a problem. Again, this is an strong preference among some gun owners, while others don’t consider it significant enough to take it into consideration.

As with nylon, if you care about aesthetics and intangibles, you’re going to be more drawn to leather. The tactile sensations providedby high quality, natural leathe are unmatched by any synthetic substitute. DeSantis holsters like the Cozy Partner, for example, are so beautiful, it almost makes one sad to have to “hide” it inside a waistband. Leather is pleasing the hand as well as the eye, while Kydex is a bit like a Subaru WRX: it’s not the best looking vehicle, but for sheer performance and measurables, it’s off the charts.

The other practical downside to Kydex is its rigidity. Especially when pressed against your body as an IWB, Kydex is not going to be as forgiving and comfortable as leather.

So who collects The Cup? Old-school saddle leather, or the trendster, millennial-esqueKydex? Here’s an idea: how about the best of both worlds? Why not create a holster that combines cowhide AND thermoplastic?

Actually, someone (Gene DeSantis) has already thought of that. Some of DeSantis’ most popular holsters meld elements of both leather and Kydex for a far superior product. These holsters - like the Intruder family of IWBs, are a hot commodity precisely because they combine all the design advantages of both natural and synthetic materials. The Intruder in particular employs a gun mold made from Kydex for an extremely precise gun-fit from the first time you use it. But the backing – the part that has the most contact with your body – is made from premium steer-hide, which makes is idea for every-day, all-day carry.

So in answer to which is better: Kydex or leather? We say BOTH. Yes, you can eat you cake and reliably, comfortably holster your weapon too. Boom.