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Looking for a quality Kydex holster at a reasonable price?  There are a number of options on the market, and some are quite good.  I recently purchased a holster and double mag pouch from Armordillo Concealment that I found to be of excellent craftsmanship.

Armordillo Concealment offers a number of different holsters that fit a wide range of handguns.  The company offers three basic holster options:  an outside-the-waistband belt holster, a traditional inside-the-waistband (IWB) holster and minimalist IWB holster called the X-FER.  The company also offers a number of specialty holsters for rifle magazines, shot shells and iPhones.

I purchased one of the company’s standard outside-the-waistband Kydex holsters for my Glock 19.  Armordillo Concealment allows for a great degree of customization on each holster.  The customer can pick from a variety of options including different weapon lights, right- or left-handed, width of belt, straight draw or canted, color, size of sweat shield (if any) and more.  You can even indicate if your pistol has a threaded barrel so the holster is properly molded for your handgun.

My holster and magazine combo was made with two thicknesses of Kydex material, which is standard in the company’s ATAP Training line.  With these holsters, the outer layer of Kydex is 0.09” thick, while the inner Kydex (against the body) is thinner at 0.06” thick.  The Concealment line uses 0.06” thick Kydex for both sides, and the Tactical line uses the thicker Kydex on the inner and outer layers.

My specific model came with a 10-degree cant, which I found relatively easy to conceal under a light jacket or dark t-shirt.  Generally, I prefer an inside-the-waistband holster if I am concealing with just a shirt, but I found the Armordillo Concealment holster tucked in tight to the body and the cant helped prevent any obvious printing.

A half sweat shield came on my holster.  I debated on going with a full sweat shield, which would have put Kydex between the entire length of slide and my body.  In retrospect, I would probably go with the full sweat shield if I were ordering again.  The half shield is effective, but having something between the top slide serrations and my skin would be nicer.

The belt loops on the holster are very strong and hold the gun very securely in place.  I know there are a lot of people who do not have a reinforced belt designed for carrying firearms.  If you’ve never used a good gun belt, you don’t know what you are missing.  A quality, reinforced belt will help hold a gun in place, reducing movement and decreasing the likelihood you will be spotted by anyone.

If you combine a good belt with a quality holster like this one, the gun will be locked into position.  It won’t shift around, it won’t fall out and it will be in the right place if you ever need to pull it out in an emergency.  You don’t need an expensive belt, just one that is purpose designed.  The inexpensive leather belts from 5.11 and Gould & Goodrich have worked fine in the past for me.

Both the holster and the magazine pouches were extremely well made.  There were no discernible flaws in the craftsmanship.  The edges and corners of the Kydex material were rounded ever-so-slightly so that there were no sharp points that might cause discomfort.

Retention was excellent for both the gun holster and the double magazine pouch. With a gun inserted, I turned the holster upside down and shook it vigorously.  The Glock stayed put, not slipping a bit. The same held true for the magazines in their carrier.

Drawing the pistol from the holster takes positive effort, but not an overwhelming amount of force.  In other words, if you are lightly pulling on the gun, it is staying put.  However, if you are intentionally drawing the gun, it comes out smoothly.  I found the same was true for the magazines when drawing from the pouch.

Reholstering a pistol is easy, with a positive “click” when the gun is properly seated.  When inserting a magazine, you get the same positive feel.

The use of Kydex allows the holster maker to offer a wide range of color options.  I’ve seen pinks and purples, as well as more traditional hues offered by different Kydex crafters.  In addition to standard black, Armordillo Concealment offers holsters in several colors including coyote brown, desert tan, OD green, pink, gunmetal gray and in the urban digital camo pattern.

For a more custom look, Armordillo Concealment also offers the application of hydro-graphics to the holsters.  I selected the A-TACS FG pattern for my holster and magazine carrier, which matched up well to my Propper A-TACS FG BDUs.  The finish is has a slight shine to it, which I found to be noticeable only under direct light.

Other hydro-graphic applications are available, including standard A-TACS, MultiCam and skull patterns in both red and red and gray.

Depending on the style of holster you want, and the options you select, pricing on Armordillo Concealment holsters start at $50 and goes up.  Magazine pouches start at $30.

I’ve had my holster and magazine pouch for several months now, and it easily became my favorite outside-the-waistband carry rig.  The hydro-graphic application is holding up well to regular use and the gun is comfortable to carry in this holster for long periods of time.

Armordillo Concealment ( http://www.armordilloconcealment.com/ ) is a genuine US small business that seems to really care about its customers.  I’ve had a very positive experience with the company and its products.  If you are in the market for a Kydex holster you might want to give them a look.