Once you acquire a pistol, you need a suitable holster for it. How else would you carry it? Without a holster, it can only lie in a safe or a nightstand.
Do not underestimate the selection of a holster. It will fundamentally affect how you carry and use the firearm. What should you consider when making a decision?
Model as the first guide
First and foremost, focus on the model of your firearm, as holsters are custom-made for each of them. For better clarity, you can find holsters on our site categorized by specific models:
Holsters for standard models
Only factory versions of models, or models equipped with a red dot (we provide this information in the description of each individual holster), fit the holsters in our offer. If you equip the pistol with a flashlight, frame mount, or thumb rest, it will change its geometry to such an extent that it will not fit into a standard holster and you will need a custom-made holster.
Leather or Kydex?
Based on our experience and customer feedback, we have found that there are only two materials that make sense for holster manufacturing: Kydex and leather. Both serve their purpose excellently, but each has completely different properties. It depends greatly on what firearm you have and what you use it for.
Kydex: highly functional material
What is Kydex
Kydex is an alloy originally intended for the production of aircraft interiors. Thanks to its properties, it has become a popular material for the production of holsters for pistols and knives. Kydex holsters are primarily acquired by sport shooters and service weapon holders.
Advantages:
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Stable shape: It does not stretch, loosen, or compress. The holster remains open, and you can easily return the pistol to it with one hand.
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Safety: The firearm is held firmly inside. You can recognize the correct seating by the characteristic "click" you hear after insertion.
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Fast draw: Kydex has only minimal resistance; it does not stick to the firearm like leather. You only have to overcome the resistance in the first moment for the holster to expand at the point where it embraces the trigger guard, then it comes out completely smoothly. You will appreciate this especially during competitions and in situations where seconds count.
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Easy maintenance: Or rather none. Simply wipe the holster with a damp cloth.
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"Indestructibility": The material resists sun, sweat, frost, oil, and most chemicals.
Disadvantages:
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Discomfort: The hard plastic can press against you, and there is nothing you can do about it because Kydex will not give. This nuisance increases in intensity with larger pistols or with IWB holsters. However, it depends greatly on your body constitution.
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Firearm wear: Abrasion may occur in places where the firearm rubs against the holster (on the trigger guard and on the edges of the slide). This does not matter as much for sport firearms, but for collector pieces, you probably will not appreciate this patina.
Our tip: Holsters from RH Holsters have a very smooth finish inside, which minimizes abrasion.
Leather: Aesthetics and Classics
Leather is a classic and popular material that lasts a long time if you give it proper care. Given the comfort that leather holsters provide, they are chosen especially by those who carry a firearm concealed or all day. It is also popular for classic models, such as the CZ 75, because the firearm simply looks good in them.
Advantages:
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Comfort: The biggest benefit. Leather is a pleasant and soft material that adapts to the body and the firearm, and it does not press even when you have the firearm on your body all day.
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Protects the firearm's surface: It does not abrade the firearm like plastic.
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Style: For many people, cold plastic is visually uninteresting and cold. Leather, on the other hand, looks stylish and elegant.
Disadvantages:
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Maintenance: As a natural material, leather "works" and requires proper care. It tends to absorb sweat (especially with IWB holsters pressed against the body), which harms it, and if you have a metal pistol, it can cause corrosion. Therefore, it is very important to regularly clean, lubricate, and maintain leather holsters.
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Flexibility: Over time, it may happen that you will need both hands when returning the pistol to the holster, because the leather softens so much that the opening "flattens" after drawing.
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Requires time: A new holster can be tighter, and it then takes a longer time before it loosens up so that the firearm can be drawn and inserted easily.
Kydex for sport shooters, leather for all-day carry
Our experience says that for all-day carry, a leather holster is more comfortable. It does not press and it adapts. Leather holsters last longer when you treat them with more care, so if you have the firearm in them all day and draw it minimally, you will extend their service life. At the same time, they also look stylish.
Training at the shooting range, competitions, or service purposes are better suited by Kydex holsters, which do not change shape even if you draw a hundred times a day; the pistol is held firmly in them and they do not move.
It is, of course, not always so clear-cut and depends on your personal preferences.
Choose from the categories:
OWB or IWB?
Do you want to carry the pistol on the outside of the waistband (OWB – outside the waistband) or from the inside of the trousers (IWB – inside the waistband)?
Each holster can be attached in only one of these ways. The choice between these two variants again depends on the purpose for which you will use the firearm, as well as its size. It is easier to hide a CZ P-10M in your trousers than a CZ Shadow 2.
For concealed all-day carry and defense, when you do not want it to be visible that you are armed, IWB holsters are suitable, as they allow for completely discreet carry.
On the shooting range and for situations where you want to have the pistol quickly at hand at all times, you will instead appreciate OWB holsters. These generally provide more comfort, but you cannot hide them completely.
Choose according to personal preferences
The choice of a suitable holster does not depend only on facts; it is primarily about personal preferences. These include your relationship to individual materials and carrying styles, how you use the firearm, as well as your body constitution and which holster is most comfortable for you to carry.
