8 Reasons Leather Holsters Are the Way to Go

With modern options like nylon and Kydex holsters that offer an excellent friction fit and which are custom designed for so many popular handguns, why is there still such a strong market for leather holsters?

Well, here are 8 great reasons for that.

They’re More Comfortable

Leather is naturally soft and supple, and even the stiffest full-grain leather is softer and more accommodating than modern synthetic holster materials. Moreover, leather becomes softer with age, meaning the comfort and custom fit of a leather holster will only improve as it gets older. This makes them much more likely to wear against your body.

Many Offer Excellent Secondary Retention Functionality

Leather holsters do not offer the same level of friction fit as modern nylon and Kydex holsters. With that said, many of them have secondary retention features like straps which offer a much better, surer hold on the handgun than their modern counterparts.

Discretion

Since leather is softer than alternatives, it can form to the contours of your gun, clothing, and body. This means a slim, low-profile leather holster will have softer lines, rounder edges, and be less likely to print than a holster with a hard form. This makes leather holsters potentially more valuable for concealed carry than alternatives.

They Don’t Break

Leather is not just soft, it is also flexible. This means impacts are less damaging to leather as they are to hard-body holsters. This means two important things for you - one, you can’t break a leather holster, and two, the holster will provide a greater degree of cushioning for your gun.

A Custom Fit for Your Gun

The great thing about leather is that it ages and wears, it stretches, so a quality holster will form a custom fit to your handgun, no matter the model - assuming it is sized and fitted appropriately. There’s no way to get that with a synthetic!

Class and Cool Factor

Say what you want, there’s no way to beat the aesthetics of a leather holster. From the shoulder holsters of the detectives of the early 20th century to the revolver holsters of the old west, leather holsters have a mystique that modern alternatives simply cannot rival.

Which Improves with Age

On that note, leather isn’t just the top choice for cool factor - it actually gets better with age. Top and full-grain leather will develop a completely unique patina as they age, which is as unique as a fingerprint. Keep and care for your leather holster and you will eventually have one the likes of which can’t be found anywhere else in the world.

With That Said: Other Considerations

Now that we’ve told you about all the reasons a leather holster is an excellent choice, it’s important that you’re aware of the following considerations.

• Moisture control: While leather does an excellent job of protecting your handgun against both impacts and the elements, leather can absorb and trap moisture, which can create flash rust. You should never store your handgun in a leather holster for a prolonged period of time without taking it out to oil it and let it breathe.

• Care and maintenance: Leather holsters require more maintenance than their modern counterparts. From time to time you will need to oil and condition your leather holster to prevent it from drying out, otherwise cracks will form and the holster will become unusable.

• Break-in period: Nylon and Kydex are perfect from the get-go, but leather must be worn, worked, and used for it to offer all of the benefits mentioned here. There are ways to fast-track a break-in, but the best way to do it is the old-fashioned way - just wear and carry daily.

• Draw time: Because leather holsters don’t offer the same sort of friction fit as modern alternatives (and because they also sometimes have secondary retention straps) some users find that drawing from a leather holster is a little bit harder.

• Price: Lastly, in the spirit of fairness, leather holsters are typically considerably more expensive than modern alternatives. With that said, they represent a lifelong investment along with heirloom quality. Care for a leather holster properly and it will last as long as your gun.

           

Here for a Leather Holster?

In search of the perfect leather holster for your gun? We have them - including classic leather shoulder holsters, hip holsters, and leather 1911 holsters. We also carry generic leather holsters that are suitable for revolvers as well as a wide range of other handgun profiles and patterns.

Take a look through our full collection of holsters to find what you’re looking for, and if you have questions about fit, sizing, or handgun compatibility - or any other questions about material - feel free to reach out to us at 610-250-3960. We will be more than happy to help you find a holster that’s perfect for you.