Training With Your Kydex Holster

Here at FDO Industries, we believe training with all of your gear is important.  Kydex holsters are no different.  It is very easy to think of your holster and firearm as two separate things but they work together.  Doesn’t it make sense to train with them together?  Plus, they just look cool like this combo here.

If looking cool isn’t a good enough reason to train with your holster then read on where today we tackle the reasons why it is a good idea.  Before that though, let's look at a really squirrely word and learn about a disordered basement.

Don’t Let Your IWB Holster Turn Into A Gewgaw

I learned a new word today.  “Gewgaw” which sounds like the opposite of the awesome “pew pew”.  The most common meaning of the word is something of little worth or an ornament.  I stumbled across the word when I was reading a clickbait article on random valuables found in people’s houses.

A guy named Michael Rorrer decided to finally clean his basement (we have all been there).  When he opened up one of the dusty old boxes he found a treasure trove of old comic books.  Incredibly, it had the first appearances of both Batman and Superman as well as a whole host of other rare books.

The entire collection sold for $3.5 million.  A lot of people like to focus on how much money the guy made in that story.  While that is a ton of cash, I think more about the fact that the comic books were basically worthless while they were up there.  If he didn’t know what they were he might have thrown them away.  I am sure things like this happen all the time.  This is where the gewgaw concept shows up.  

If you don’t know how to use something properly, it basically becomes worthless.  It is not enough to buy a firearm if you don’t learn how to use it properly.  This includes your Kydex holster.  Going to the range is great but if they don’t let you draw your weapon as part of the training you might want to think about finding a place where you can do that.  You don’t want your holster to become an ornament on your shelf.  Let’s look at some of the benefits of training with your Kydex holster.

(If you don’t have to holster you can take a look at Forging Your Own IWB Holster Here).

Concealed Carry Training With An IWB Kydex Holster

Ok, let us get this out of the way.  If you choose to appendix carry, training how to draw and safely holster your weapon is a requirement to protect your lineage (This is of course also true for all other Kydex IWB positions indirectly but I just think that is funny.  And true).  The first phase of training is to give you the basic skills to handle the firearm safely.  This includes when you place it in storage.  Negligent discharges are a downer and should be avoided.

The next phase of skill building then revolves around building the muscle memory for the actions required to put rounds on target under duress.  This only comes from good instruction and reps.  There is no way to know at what distance, how many assailants, and what the lighting conditions will be (shameless plug:  Check out our light bundles).  Your grip, stance, sight alignment, and trigger control need to be as automatic as possible so your noggin can deal with the external factors of the situation. 

You don’t get a do-over in a real-life situation and there are considerations beyond the immediate danger.  You can have very serious legal complications from a bad shoot so you want to make sure you do everything you can to get it right.  Part of your training regime should include brushing up on your state’s laws regarding self-defense and the use of a firearm.  Also, if you choose to carry when you travel check if the state you are going to has full reciprocity with your home state.  Yes, the entire 50 states should be permitless carry but they aren’t at the moment.  Do your homework so you can save yourself a very expensive and stressful hassle when you travel.  Pro tip: never use your range bag as a carry-on.  Just don’t.

Training is also the place where you will discover if you have the right holster, or if it is adjusted properly.  You want to make sure that you have a smooth and quick draw.  This includes how your holster is attached to your body (paddles, loops, clips, etc.) and how it interacts with your clothes.  If things get spicy you don’t want to be fumbling around with your Tommy Bahama shirt or whatever other regrettable fashion choice you have made that day.

Ok, now that I have offended a large portion of people let’s end with some quick-fire questions.

Training With Your Kydex Holster Quick Fire Questions

Should I train with an OWB holster or an IWB holster?

Yes.

Do I need a holster if I don’t conceal carry?

You can’t predict the future.  What if there is a breakdown in the rule of law for a short period of time (or a long one)?  You don’t want to be putting your gun in your pocket or down the front of your pants.  A Kydex holster provides a safe way to carry your firearm and prevents accidental discharge.  You don’t want the first time you draw from a holster to be in a real-world situation.  If you don't have one, get one.

What’s the ultimate goal?

That you become so used to wearing your holster that you forget you even have it on until you need it.  This only comes with training and wearing it.  A lot.  Get to work.

I hope this answers most of your questions.

Have a good one,

Jake