What do women want?

pax · September 4, 2006, 10:30 AM

I don't know what "women" want. But I know what this woman wants. I want a comfortable holster which really fits my gun and fits my body.

After looking at all the holsters I could find on the web or in friends' holster boxes, and having tried on dozens of designs, I could almost design one for myself. The holster I want would be a fleece-backed kydex holster. It has to have a slight muzzle-forward cant and it has to be tuckable. If the cant is adjustable, that would be a big plus.

Tuckable holsters leave a loop visible on the belt. I want my holster to be made of kydex, because kydex is thinner and faster to draw from, and easier to care for. But that loop -- I want it covered in leather. Not just any leather, either. I want it to be covered with the exact same leather as my belt, and I want a pretty design stamped on it.

The belt has to be super-stiff and have a pretty buckle. Some decorative stamping would be a nice plus.

My gun is an oddball now, with a no-longer-produced CT laser giving it an unusual extra bulge. So the holster would have to be custom-fitted to this particular gun.

It isn't hard to find custom leather holster makers. My friend Chris Cunningham does beautiful leatherwork, and she has plenty of competition.

But does anyone do truly custom kydex/leather blends?

pax

HSMITH · September 4, 2006, 11:02 AM

Pax, have you held/used/tried a Blade Tech IWB? I have thought about bonding a backer material to mine to make them a little more comfortable since I like the holster so much.

Mark Miller at Mach 2 Tactical custom makes kydex holsters and accessories. I have not seen anything with leather or fleece but I think he would be up to the task if you asked him to.

http://www.m2tactical.com/

pax · September 4, 2006, 11:16 AM

HSMITH ~

Yep, Blade-Tech's tuckable is what I'm currently using. I've been happy with it for years, but now I want to tweak it a little to make it perfect. It needs to be set lower on my belt, have a little better camoflage on the belt loop, and have some comfort padding on the back. Plus my gun needs just a teensy-tiny more holster length near the trigger guard to accomodate the CT laser -- the Blade Tech UCH I'm using works and hasn't given me any real problems, but my gun doesn't snick properly into the holster and I'd be happier if it did.

pax

hknut · September 8, 2006, 02:11 AM

We are guys! How the hell are we suppose to know what a women wants!!

Dreadnought · September 8, 2006, 08:11 AM

I think you can jsut about anything you want from custom leathermakers, it's just a matter of how much you want to spend. Tucker gunleather in Texas does some kydex/leather blends.
www.tuckergunleather.com

OBIWAN · September 8, 2006, 11:22 AM

I was gonna guess Shoes

FirstFreedom · September 8, 2006, 12:02 PM

I'm sure she wants *matching* shoes for said holster.

Man, I wish Marin Chapin Carpenter had changed her lyrics from "I want a comfortable bed that won't hurt my back" to "I want a comfortable holster that fits my body", in addition to wanting passionate kisses! Good luck in holster search, pax!

2ndamd · September 8, 2006, 03:45 PM

Careful guys.
I just visited PAX home page. I think this may be the famous Gila Hayes.

If so, it is an honor to be on this site/forum with you. Gila was featured in severl Glock annuals and has some very good instructional articles. She is an excellent shooter. And many of us could learn much from this professional trainer.

OH! And her husband happens to be darn good too. Marty Hayes. Well reknown in the shooting world.

pax · September 8, 2006, 11:18 PM

2ndamd ~

No, no, no. I'm not Gila Hayes! Though I agree she's a remarkable woman, and I feel incredibly privileged to have learned from her and from Marty over the past half-dozen years or so. They are both great people, and excellent instructors.

pax,

Kathy

2ndamd · September 9, 2006, 09:51 AM

I don't blame ya for feeling priviledged to have known her. She is a great writer and really good at breaking things down for us to learn from. She is a neat neat person.

Gila's articles inspired my wife to learn how to shoot. And she has learned well. I have often contimplated writing Gila to let her know what her articles have meant to us. Do you think she would like that?

pax · September 9, 2006, 10:00 AM

2ndamd ~

I think it would make her day.

(You can contact her through her business, www.firearmsacademy.com -- there's a link on that page to her email address.)

pax

Vinagre · September 9, 2006, 11:30 AM

I'll second the suggestion that you explore what Tucker might be able to do for you.

http://rlcompanyusa.stores.yahoo.net...tml/index.html

pax · September 9, 2006, 11:48 AM

Thanks for the ideas, everyone.

pax

newworldCurmudgeon · September 9, 2006, 07:07 PM

Pax/Kathy

check out these guys.....they say they can make anything out of Kydex...I have one of their holsters....had a problem (extended mag release) and they fixed the holster for me,

PS still haven't got my wife out for training, but she is still up for it

NWC

JR47 · September 9, 2006, 07:20 PM

FIST also advertises that they'll make just about anything. I've used one of their holsters, and my wife is looking at their women's designs. She, too, likes the idea of a properly canted paddle holster, spaced properly to keep from digging into her because of her hips. Good luck. If you do come up with something, there are a LOT of women who could use a heads-up from you.

Please, don't be shy about sharing here.

September 4, 2006, 10:30 AM	#1
pax Senior Member Join Date: May 16, 2000 Location: In a state of flux Posts: 7,520	What do women want? I don't know what "women" want. But I know what this woman wants. I want a comfortable holster which really fits my gun and fits my body. After looking at all the holsters I could find on the web or in friends' holster boxes, and having tried on dozens of designs, I could almost design one for myself. The holster I want would be a fleece-backed kydex holster. It has to have a slight muzzle-forward cant and it has to be tuckable. If the cant is adjustable, that would be a big plus. Tuckable holsters leave a loop visible on the belt. I want my holster to be made of kydex, because kydex is thinner and faster to draw from, and easier to care for. But that loop -- I want it covered in leather. Not just any leather, either. I want it to be covered with the exact same leather as my belt, and I want a pretty design stamped on it. The belt has to be super-stiff and have a pretty buckle. Some decorative stamping would be a nice plus. My gun is an oddball now, with a no-longer-produced CT laser giving it an unusual extra bulge. So the holster would have to be custom-fitted to this particular gun. It isn't hard to find custom leather holster makers. My friend Chris Cunningham does beautiful leatherwork, and she has plenty of competition. But does anyone do truly custom kydex/leather blends? pax __________________ Kathy Jackson My personal website: Cornered Cat

September 4, 2006, 11:16 AM	#3
pax Senior Member Join Date: May 16, 2000 Location: In a state of flux Posts: 7,520	HSMITH ~ Yep, Blade-Tech's tuckable is what I'm currently using. I've been happy with it for years, but now I want to tweak it a little to make it perfect. It needs to be set lower on my belt, have a little better camoflage on the belt loop, and have some comfort padding on the back. Plus my gun needs just a teensy-tiny more holster length near the trigger guard to accomodate the CT laser -- the Blade Tech UCH I'm using works and hasn't given me any real problems, but my gun doesn't snick properly into the holster and I'd be happier if it did. pax __________________ Kathy Jackson My personal website: Cornered Cat

September 8, 2006, 02:11 AM	#4
hknut Senior Member Join Date: March 2, 2005 Location: Olympia, Wa. Posts: 535	We are guys! How the hell are we suppose to know what a women wants!! __________________ "Gun control is like trying to reduce Drunk Driving by making it tougher for sober people to own cars" Walk softly and carry a big SIG.

September 8, 2006, 08:11 AM	#5
Dreadnought Senior Member Join Date: August 3, 2006 Location: Willy Posts: 320	I think you can jsut about anything you want from custom leathermakers, it's just a matter of how much you want to spend. Tucker gunleather in Texas does some kydex/leather blends. www.tuckergunleather.com __________________ "NO YELLING ON THE BUS!"

September 8, 2006, 03:45 PM	#8
2ndamd Senior Member Join Date: December 27, 2005 Location: Brownsville thru El Paso Posts: 636	Careful guys. I just visited PAX home page. I think this may be the famous Gila Hayes. If so, it is an honor to be on this site/forum with you. Gila was featured in severl Glock annuals and has some very good instructional articles. She is an excellent shooter. And many of us could learn much from this professional trainer. OH! And her husband happens to be darn good too. Marty Hayes. Well reknown in the shooting world. __________________ Museum of South Texas History: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IoSggAWEK4g

September 4, 2006, 11:02 AM	#2
HSMITH Senior Member Join Date: June 21, 2002 Posts: 2,019	Pax, have you held/used/tried a Blade Tech IWB? I have thought about bonding a backer material to mine to make them a little more comfortable since I like the holster so much. Mark Miller at Mach 2 Tactical custom makes kydex holsters and accessories. I have not seen anything with leather or fleece but I think he would be up to the task if you asked him to. http://www.m2tactical.com/

September 8, 2006, 11:22 AM	#6
OBIWAN Senior Member Join Date: March 16, 1999 Location: Colorado Posts: 2,340	I was gonna guess Shoes

September 8, 2006, 12:02 PM	#7
FirstFreedom Junior member Join Date: May 31, 2004 Location: The Toll Road State, U.S.A. Posts: 12,451	I'm sure she wants matching shoes for said holster. Man, I wish Marin Chapin Carpenter had changed her lyrics from "I want a comfortable bed that won't hurt my back" to "I want a comfortable holster that fits my body", in addition to wanting passionate kisses! Good luck in holster search, pax!

September 8, 2006, 11:18 PM	#9
pax Senior Member Join Date: May 16, 2000 Location: In a state of flux Posts: 7,520	2ndamd ~ No, no, no. I'm not Gila Hayes! Though I agree she's a remarkable woman, and I feel incredibly privileged to have learned from her and from Marty over the past half-dozen years or so. They are both great people, and excellent instructors. pax, Kathy __________________ Kathy Jackson My personal website: Cornered Cat

September 9, 2006, 09:51 AM	#10
2ndamd Senior Member Join Date: December 27, 2005 Location: Brownsville thru El Paso Posts: 636	I don't blame ya for feeling priviledged to have known her. She is a great writer and really good at breaking things down for us to learn from. She is a neat neat person. Gila's articles inspired my wife to learn how to shoot. And she has learned well. I have often contimplated writing Gila to let her know what her articles have meant to us. Do you think she would like that? __________________ Museum of South Texas History: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IoSggAWEK4g

September 9, 2006, 10:00 AM	#11
pax Senior Member Join Date: May 16, 2000 Location: In a state of flux Posts: 7,520	2ndamd ~ I think it would make her day. (You can contact her through her business, www.firearmsacademy.com -- there's a link on that page to her email address.) pax __________________ Kathy Jackson My personal website: Cornered Cat

September 9, 2006, 11:30 AM	#12
Vinagre Member Join Date: April 4, 2006 Location: Lakeside, CA Posts: 44	I'll second the suggestion that you explore what Tucker might be able to do for you. http://rlcompanyusa.stores.yahoo.net...tml/index.html __________________ Springfield 1911A1 (PX9151L) CZ 75 Compact .40SW; S&W Mdl 39-2 A. Uberti 1860 Army Colt; Ruger KGP-141 Randall Knives (Mdl 1 & 2)

September 9, 2006, 11:48 AM	#13
pax Senior Member Join Date: May 16, 2000 Location: In a state of flux Posts: 7,520	Thanks for the ideas, everyone. pax __________________ Kathy Jackson My personal website: Cornered Cat

September 9, 2006, 07:07 PM	#14
newworldCurmudgeon Member Join Date: September 19, 2005 Location: CENLA Posts: 89	http://www.buybrownholsters.com/ Pax/Kathy check out these guys.....they say they can make anything out of Kydex...I have one of their holsters....had a problem (extended mag release) and they fixed the holster for me, PS still haven't got my wife out for training, but she is still up for it NWC

September 9, 2006, 07:20 PM	#15
JR47 Junior member Join Date: August 9, 2005 Location: North Georgia Posts: 2,228	FIST also advertises that they'll make just about anything. I've used one of their holsters, and my wife is looking at their women's designs. She, too, likes the idea of a properly canted paddle holster, spaced properly to keep from digging into her because of her hips. Good luck. If you do come up with something, there are a LOT of women who could use a heads-up from you. Please, don't be shy about sharing here.