Concealed Carry Holsters

While kydex holsters have some amazing upsides, they also have a downside compared to leather. Here's a big one:

Weapon finish wear - Here's one that's a hot topic, and probably the most commonly asked question I receive regarding kydex holsters. Before I get into addressing this issue, it's important to understand some concepts. Finish wear on a weapon comes from friction that occurs when the weapon is un-holstered and re-holstered. Over time, that repeated friction causes wear on the weapon. Friction wear occurs on weapons no matter what the holster is made of. Actually you could cause finish wear on a weapon using your finger, if you rubbed in the same place over time. Likewise, any poorly fitting holster, no matter what the material, can cause wear on the weapon finish.

Now do kydex holsters cause wear?

Yes, they will. However, the level and degree of wear will depend on several factors such as the quality of the holster, fit of the holster, and amount of use. Let me explain a bit more: leather holster rely on tightness of fit for retention. Kydex holsters typically provide retention through specific points within the holster that "grab" onto the weapon itself. These specific retention points are usually located around the trigger guard, and front of the muzzle (front slide area for semi-automatics). Over time, repeated holstering and unholstering will most likely cause some finish wear at these points. In a quality kydex holster, the amount of wear is usually dependant on the frequency of draws and re-holstering.