Kydex "pancake" style holster makers

[rob_s]

Is it just me or has this type of holster popularity spiked tremendously in the last 6 months and has the number of makers in the market spiked an equal amount?


Who am I missing here?

Raven Concealment Systems - Phantom $75
10* cant standard, 0* optional

Peters Custom Holsters - Spada $75

Secret City Weaponeers - K-25 (not shown) $70
25* cant standard

Blade Tech - Eclipse $70

A Holster Company - Belt Holster $70
15* cant standard

Kaluban Cloak - Regular $65

Cane & Derby - Pardus $65
0* cant standard, 15* $5 extra

Nolatac $65
15* standard, 10* w/ weaponlight, others optional

Personal Security Systems - Standard $60
15* cant standard, 0* optional

JMC Charlie Model $60 shipped

Atomic Dog Holsters - Standard $55
10* cant standard, 0* optional (custom cants available)

[panzerr]

JMC Charlie Model $60 shipped

ITS just did a review

[Magsz]

Of course they're popular. Its the same trending as with the AR15 itself.

Just like with the AR15 market there are makers doing it right and makers doing it wrong.

To date there are only a few that have innovated in any way shape or form. The rest are like dpms, ie clones.

Also reference Glock versus M&P versus Hipoint.

They're all striker fired pistols, two are great and function slightly different yet one is absolute, utter crap.

[obucina]

I think its also the wait time. With Raven at 14 weeks and Atomic Dog at 8-10 weeks, others are getting in on the market and attempting to capitalize. Instant gratification is a helluva drug!

[orionz06]

I think versatility is the biggest thing, coupled with people who want to be like everyone else.

I cant entirely agree that they have become more popular, but rather with the new offerings they have actually made it to the hands of those who want them.

ETA: With it though comes a negative, we have the holster wars now. Everyone is all up in arms over which came first, who is allowed to make what, and all the other stupid crap that comes with it.

[Magsz]

I think versatility is the biggest thing, coupled with people who want to be like everyone else.

I cant entirely agree that they have become more popular, but rather with the new offerings they have actually made it to the hands of those who want them.

ETA: With it though comes a negative, we have the holster wars now. Everyone is all up in arms over which came first, who is allowed to make what, and all the other stupid crap that comes with it.

Good post.

The problem is that like i mentioned earlier there is very little innovation from the current crop of holster makers. No one really sat down and "designed" their holsters except for a select few. The majority of current producers are merely taking an existing formula and copying it, often times in an inferior way.

I can see why Raven might get up in arms over some of the BLATANT copies.

Having said that, there are alot of guys out there thinking out of the box and coming up with new ways in which these holsters are designed, the molds being used and different feature sets that appeal to alot of end users. Its not just about availability.

[Benjamin_Martin]

http://www.safariland.com/

[orionz06]

Good post.

The problem is that like i mentioned earlier there is very little innovation from the current crop of holster makers. No one really sat down and "designed" their holsters except for a select few. The majority of current producers are merely taking an existing formula and copying it, often times in an inferior way.

I can see why Raven might get up in arms over some of the BLATANT copies.

Having said that, there are alot of guys out there thinking out of the box and coming up with new ways in which these holsters are designed, the molds being used and different feature sets that appeal to alot of end users. Its not just about availability.

Correct, but there are often little things most people never notice about them, say comparing a Raven to something I made in my kitchen.

The other point that I think needs to be made is how much of Brand X's design can be traced back and considered a leather holster copy?

Look at the JMC Rkstkr. They use a belt loop that is exactly like most leather holsters. The "Raven type" has different belt loops that allow versatility, but they are not "new" belt loops. I am unsure of how much more innovation you can get outside of mounting methods, and the "Raven type" is probably the best.

[rob_s]

Correct, but there are often little things most people never notice about them, say comparing a Raven to something I made in my kitchen.

I think that's a really important distinction. Not only do a lot of people not notice, but they just frankly don't care. Just like the AR market, since it was used as a corollary already, wherein many people don't understand the "improvements" of a gun like the KAC SR15E3, but even if you explain the differences to them they still don't care, and really don't care at the price increase.

[Magsz]

I think that's a really important distinction. Not only do a lot of people not notice, but they just frankly don't care. Just like the AR market, since it was used as a corollary already, wherein many people don't understand the "improvements" of a gun like the KAC SR15E3, but even if you explain the differences to them they still don't care, and really don't care at the price increase.

I love ya Rob but man, you're jaded.

There ARE people out there that care they are just the minority.

Truth be told, the majority are NOT buying this type of product so the victor of this "holster war" will be the company that markets to the desires of their attentive minority customer base.

Raven isnt going anywhere, the majority of these upstarts will be gone in a year due to lack of forethought and planning. Trends come and go.