Kydex Comparisons and Reviews!

Part I
Well, Kydex like... equal parts plastic, carbon fiber, and kydex to be specific.  Anyway, They are just around the corner.  I just shot a bunch of picks, and will be shortly putting up some reviews and comparisons of the three big name kydex holsters and pouches I've used over the last few years.

I'm gonna cover the standard Fobus, Blackhawk! Serpa, and Raven Concealment options, as well as mag holders from the same.

I'm not going to get much into the concealment aspects of them however, since I live in the great state of Wisconsin and that sort of thing is forbidden and I don't have any experience dealing with it.  However I have used all three for open carry as well as range time.

You'll possibly notice that all the options are sporting the paddle option available for each maker, something also due to my location, since I am frequently removing the holster to go to class or other places I can't carry. I'll be going over the ups and downs of each makers paddle design.

Kydex vs. Leather
Of course one of the biggest thing that comes up when looking at a kydex rig is why should I go with kydex and not leather?
It's a pretty good question.  Leather has traditionally been the top holster material, being very rugged, yet good looking.  A properly fitted leather holster will snuggly support and protect your gun wonderfully.  Plus they look great.
What's the downside? Well made leather holsters are expensive.  There's a lot of work involved in making a nice leather rig, soaking and forming, shaping and tooling, gluing and sewing... a good leather holster that fits your gun nicely is going to be essentially a custom job.
Leather also needs to be cared for.  It can get dried out and crack, or being an organic material, can start to rot.  It needs to be moisturized and cleaned, and it's not suggested you leave anything steel in it for any extended period of time, as that moisture can lead to rust.

Kydex(and it's similar synthetic brethren), on the other hand, is much easier to work with, and generally cheaper in it's raw form than leather.
Kydex is also incredibly durable.  I've scrapped mine along stuff that would have put quite an  ugly scratch in some leather, and only lead to some paint transfer on the plastic.  It also holds it's form, regardless of weather there's a gun in it.  His can aid in reholstering, especially in an inside the waistband setup.
Kydex is also much more stable than leather.  It's not going to dry out and crack, or get too wet and start to rot and degrade.  If you leave it out in the sun too long the UV radiation can start to break it down, but same goes for leather (see earlier mention of cracking...)
The downside of course, is that leather just looks so much better, and some kydex has a tendency to mar the finish on some guns, something leather is much less likely to do.
I kind of think of Kydex as the working man of the holster world, it's tough, and great at it's job, but lacking in the style department.

I wouldn't say one is necessarily better than the other, they both have their strengths and weaknesses.

Part II - Fobus Holster and Mag Holder
Part III - Blackhawk! Serpa Holster and Mag Holder
Part IV - Raven Concealment Systems Phantom Holster and Mag Holder
Part V - Conclussions