Let’s start off on the right foot here. The purpose of this article is not to disparage Kydex holsters. They are great in their own right, offer an excellent fit, and don’t require a break-in period.
The purpose of this post is simply, therefore, to vindicate leather holsters. Here are all of the reasons they’re better (or could be seen as better) than Kydex, all in one place.
Leather Is More Comfortable
Kydex may offer an excellent fit for the gun but let’s be real, far and away the biggest gripe with it is that it is downright uncomfortable.
Kydex is a (relatively) hard plastic polymer and it doesn’t get any softer over time. Whatever hard edges are there will be there, and if the holster doesn’t ride on you nicely, you’re going to feel it.
By contrast leather is softer and more supple than Kydex, and with time will become even more comfortable than it was out of the gate.
With Time, Leather Will Offer a Custom-Like Fit
Leather not only breaks in considerably with time, making it more comfortable, but it also will conform to the shape of your gun over time, and to your contours as well.
This means that given enough time, use and patience, a leather holster will offer a custom-like fit that’s even better than what Kydex can offer, just in terms of how closely the leather mates to the gun.
For what it’s worth, leather will also shape itself according to where and how you carry it, too, so it will form a perfect interface with you as well.
Leather Protects the Gun Better
Kydex is hard, which is a blessing and a curse. If you drop a holstered gun in Kydex, all of that shock will get transferred to the gun.
Leather is naturally softer and springier than Kydex, which means it will protect the gun far better against impact than Kydex would or could.
Leather Can Offer Excellent Concealment
Leather, because of its softer nature, can develop organic lines and profiling over time, which can make it as good as Kydex for concealment, and in some instances, perhaps even better.
Because of this, it can be in some instances fairly easy to conceal a leather holster, even when carrying a handgun that’s on the larger side.
Leather Is Very Strong and Surprisingly Durable
Strength aside, leather can be a pretty tough and wear resistant material. In fact, in some ways it might be even tougher and more generally durable than Kydex.
For instance, for all its flexibility, if you drop Kydex under very cold conditions, it might crack. That won’t happen with leather. Don’t assume that it’s not strong just because it’s soft.
Leather Holsters Are Cooler
Lastly, leather holsters are downright cool. The aesthetic of leather just can’t be matched by modern tactical alternatives like ballistic nylon, Kydex, or anything else in the same vein.
If you care about aesthetics, then the easy option is that leather holsters are the clear winner.
Explore Leather Holsters for Popular Handguns
If you’re interested in a new leather holster, check out SARCO, Inc. They carry a wide range of leather holsters for popular handguns including M1911 pistols and variants, as well as for popular military revolvers. They offer a number of modern holsters as well if you’re still not completely sold on leather.
Check out their online collection and get in touch with them if you’re looking for a specific part or model that you can’t find anywhere else. They’ll help you find what you’re looking for.
