I know what you’re thinking: “Of course you’re advocating Kydex holsters, you sell them.”  Before you cast too much judgment, hear me out – We aren’t advocates of Kydex holsters because we manufacture them; we manufacture Kydex holsters because we are advocates of them.  We believe that Kydex holsters are superior to leather holsters in every aspect except one – beauty.

If you are looking for beauty in a holster, go with leather – Kydex is not pretty.

If you are looking for a concealable, durable, hard-use, high-speed, low-drag holster, that is impervious to even the most hostile environments, Kydex is your best option.

Here are 11 reasons that a Kydex holster should replace your old leather holster for your concealed-carry EDC:

 There is an old saying that I love, “Opinions are like buttholes - everybody has one and they all stink.”  It’s true.  I have an opinion on most things just like everyone else – and there’s nothing wrong with that.  The problem is not that people have opinions; the problem is that some people try to force their opinions upon other people by packaging them as a fact.  I find this to be especially true when it comes to people giving advice to self-proclaimed “newbies” in the gun and concealed-carry subculture.

     I am a part of numerous gun and self-defense Internet forums, and for the most part, they’re great communities of like-minded people sharing real-life experiences.  The forums can be great places to learn if you are new to guns.  Unfortunately, from time to time, you get someone that regurgitates information that he/she read somewhere, that was originally written as an opinion or theoretical piece.  Said person also tends to present that regurgitated information to people as fact.

Here are five concealed-carry myths that I have seen presented as factual information on different forums over the past week:

     Most gearheads and disciples of the church of EDC carry a blade – after all, it is one of the most fundamental tools that we can carry.  A good blade can be used for many tasks, from breaking down cardboard to food preparation; but how many of us carry a blade dedicated to defensive purposes?  I never did.  In fact, it never really crossed my mind because I carry a gun.  But about a year ago, I decided I wanted to start carrying a knife that would be dedicated only for defense.

There were two things that sold me on the fact that I “needed” to carry a defensive folder.

1. What if I find myself in a situation where my pistol has a catastrophic failure?   While a failure like that is unlikely, if it were to occur, I would like to give myself a fighting chance – however bleak that chance would be.
2. When I jog at night, I can’t don’t carry my gun.  I would like to have something available to defend myself should a situation arise.
   

     Once I decided that I was going to carry a knife that would be designated for defensive purposes, I began to list some of the features that I considered essential:

1. A blade made of one of the following steels (154cm, S30V, D2, or CPM-M4)
From my experience, these steels out perform almost all other types of blade steel in terms of durability, ability to take an edge, and edge retention after heavy use.  I know blade steel is a debatable issue, but I like the aforementioned steels and wanted to stick with one of those.

 2. A blade length of at least 3.5 inches.
If I am going to carry a blade for defensive purposes, I want it to have some reach.  I want it to be able to inflict some damage if I have to thrust, while also having a long cutting edge.

 3. Full steel liners.
Obviously, a well-made fixed blade knife is going to be stronger than a well-made folder, but carrying a fixed blade was not an option for me.  The biggest weakness on folding knives is the pivot point, and while you will never make a folder as strong as a fixed blade, you can combat some of the weakness of the pivot with steel liners to hold the blade firmly in place.

3. G10 or micarta scales (handles).
From my experience, G10 and/or micarta offer a superior grip when compared to other materials.  If I would ever have to use my knife to defend myself, I want to make sure that I have a positive grip that wont slip (even when wet).  G10 and micarta both offer excellent texture that will stay firmly in your grip in the worst of conditions.

4. A solid locking mechanism.
I am a huge fan of the strength and durability of Benchmade’s Axis Lock.  Because of that, Benchmade had the early lead when it came to making my final decision.  There are many great liner-lock knives, but from my experience, the Axis Lock is in a league of its own (not to mention the wicked fast deployment of the Axis).

5. A Tanto (or similar) tip.
I like the strength of knives with Tanto tips.  While they are a PIA to sharpen correctly, the tips of Tanto knifes are unrivaled for thrusting capability.

6. A tip up, low-profile pocket clip.
To me, tip up is essential for fast deployment.  I also wanted a clip that would allow the knife to ride low in the pocket for ultimate concealability.

7. Keep it under $150
There are some who can spend upwards of $500 on a custom blade and feel fine about it – I am not one of them.  In fact, I have a hard time spending more than $100 on a knife, even if I know I am going to carry it for a long time.  I set an absolute spending ceiling of $150 on the knife I was looking for.  With the type of blade steel (and other features) I was looking for, I would have been hard pressed to find a heavy duty, tactical folder for much less.

     I looked at a ton of knives from various manufacturers such as Spyderco, Benchmade, Emerson, Zero Tolerance, and Cold Steel, but in the end, only one stood up to all my criterion - the Benchmade 810 Contego.  I have been carrying the 810 for almost 9 months now and I have been nothing but impressed. 

(A thorough review for the Benchmade 810 Contego will be forthcoming). 

As with any weapon that I carry, I hope to never have to use my knife in a defensive scenario.  Moreover, if I ever find myself in a situation where a weapon must be used to defend my life, or the life of others, I hope to be able to use a pistol.  That being said, I have a knife that was designed from the ground up to be a hard-use fighting folder.  As is the case with most of us EDCers, I would rather be over prepared than under prepared.