Looking for a quality holster for a relatively inexpensive price?  How about one made here in the US by a small businessman who is happy to work with you for a custom project?  Take a look at RKBA Holsters.

I ran across RKBA when looking for a new pocket holster several years back.  Some of the guys at the Smith & Wesson Forum suggested I take a look at their scabbards for my S&W 642.  I wound up ordering a pocket holster for myself and a semi-custom pocket holster for my father.  Once they arrived, and I was able to test them out, I became a huge fan of these holsters.

Coming up on five years of business, RKBA has expanded from a few leather pocket holsters to a broader line of scabbards made from both leather and Kydex.  The current line of holsters includes inside-the-waistband (IWB), outside-the-waistband (OWB), pancake and tuckable varieties, which is all in addition to the various pocket holsters they make.

RKBA makes leather holsters in tan, black and natural colors.  Leather holsters can also be custom stamped with letters or numbers as desired.  Simple initials are a mere $5 add-on.

Kydex holsters are currently available in black and in the OWB style only.  Kydex magazine holders (single and double) are also available.

Over the past few years, I’ve bought two additional leather holsters from RKBA.  The original revolver pocket holsters I purchased early in 2008 have been exceptional performers, and I have been very pleased with each subsequent purchase.

I have used the RKBA pocket holster to carry a snubby almost everywhere in shorts, jeans, cargo pants and dress slacks.  It does an excellent job.  Though obviously used, it remains in good condition today.

The pocket holster I purchased for my father was finished in a dark brown and had his initials stamped into the leather.  He loved the look of the holster and uses it every day to keep a little .22 Magnum NAA Mini-Revolver handy.  Don’t worry – his primary pistol is a Glock 27.

My most recent RKBA purchase has been the Tuckable IWB holster, and I have been impressed by this design.  This holster I ordered for my Kahr CW9.

It arrived perfectly molded for my gun:  just tight enough to secure the gun, but not so tight as to cause a problem with holstering or drawing.  The mouth of the holster is reinforced to help it stay open for an easier, and safer, holstering when worn.  After several months, this reinforcement is just as strong as the day the scabbard was delivered.

The stitching on the IWB is a mix of single- and double-, the double-stitching reserved for the critical areas.  The belt clip is secured to the leather strap by a quality brass rivet and is sandwiched between two leather pieces.

 I ordered this holster in saddle tan, and was very pleased by the color.  The coloration was fairly even, but with subtle variances you find with hand finished products.  As I have worn this holster during the past few months, the coloration has shifted slightly darker in spots, which gives this scabbard a great deal of character and appeal.

 The RKBA Tuckable IWB is amazingly comfortable.  It slips on and off without any fuss and wears all day without discomfort.  I normally carry just past my strong side hip in the 4 o’clock position, but will also carry forward of my hip (about 1 o’clock) and cross draw (about 11 o’clock) depending on my activities.  In each of these locations, I found the RKBA to be very comfortable and secure.

Carrying a Kahr with a standard magazine, the gun virtually disappears under a shirt with this holster: tucked or untucked.  With an extended magazine, I found that an untucked shirt worked best.

 Pricing on these holsters is very reasonable.  Pocket holsters start at $35, while the Tuckable IWB style starts at $47.50.  Kydex holsters are $55.  Custom details adds to the price, but are still very affordable.  Shipping is a flat $4.

 It would be tough for me to exaggerate how much I like the RKBA Holsters products.  They work well, are durable and have a nice appearance.  They are functional and affordable.