IWB @ Houston. Humidity and sweat a problem if I go leather?

[twoblink]

I didn't think I'd be looking to get accw here in Texas, but as a real estate investor, a few weeks ago, I went to look at some property in a questionable neighborhood, and me with my big ole' DSLR on the sidewalk taking pics of an empty house, within two minutes, I had every thug on the street surrounding me... Not good.

Well be going to see a few more houses today, and I think it's going to be time I get a ccw.

Looking at carrying the SP101. Not a small or light gun, but I'm looking to carry only for these business "field trips".

I've lived in the Houston area for less than a year, and never lived here during the summer.. So I hear the humidity stories, wondering if I get a leather IWB is going to mold or basically have me sweating like a Texas hog. Kydex then would be the alternative. But I wonder about the comfort.

If I find either to be bad, then my next open would be open carry it.. So would love to hear some advice from my fellow Texans. Thx.

 

[tarosean]

You will sweat, no doubt about it.. However, a leather holster will not mold and fall apart within in days. Go for Horse hide for added sweat resistance. I cannot stand Kydex IWB, so I cannot recommend anything there.

Oh and get ready, if you have yet to experience your first summer in Htown...

 

[JTQ]

Since you mentioned the Ruger SP101, I have this option in my memory bank.

Dark Star Gear AIWB "Casual Carry" http://modernserviceweapons.com/?p=14998#more-14998

 

[LoneGoose]

Take a look at these guys: https://www.n82tactical.com/products/holsters/

I have one and it is exceptionally comfortable. No gouge, not much sweat, doesn't slip and pull on my pants.

 

[twoblink]

tarosean...

So before I moved here; you know what statistic fascinated me?

"Houston is the most Air Conditioned city in the world".. Doesn't bode well for the summers I assume then.. Will take a look at the gear. Thanks.

 

[twoblink]

Buying myself a Wiley Clapp edition with changed grips also for my birthday; just like in the pic!

 

[philbo]

Been in Houston since 1980, been packing a firearm on daily basis most of that time. Yes, Houston is HOT in the summer. If you're outside you're going to sweat. If the leather is close to you it will soak up the moisture. I've seen days when I was younger and worked outside when I had to rotate holsters from one day to the next so they could dry out. They didn't mold, but sweat will accelerate the wear on the holster. All that being said I have moved to kydex holsters with a shield for the pistol along with a t-shirt between me and firearm. At worst, you'll get several years from a quality holster even under the most humid of conditions.

 

[chicharrones]

I've lived in the Houston area almost my whole life, but didn't carry concealed until 2008. If it wasnt for air conditioning being invented, Houston would likely be a much less populous city.

My pocket carry experience is probably like Philbo's experience with wearing a T-shirt to protect the gun for IWB carry. I have three leather pocket holsters and the thin layer of the pocket against my boxer shorts acts like that T-shirt. On days I work outside, the leather gets damp from sweat. I just wipe off the gun with a lightly oiled rag as needed and haven't had any rust problems with my blued guns. Holster wear, yes. Rust, no.

Now if I work outside and the likelyhood of rain is high, I put my only stainless gun in my pocket. I've been caught in underwear soaking weather on a few occasions where I had to get the water out of the gun with disassembly, WD40, followed by proper lubing.

 

[jakk280rem]

If you can live with kydex, go for it. If you prefer leather, horse is very resistant to moisture. Take a look at Kramer. They use horse hide and are quite popular.

 

[Drail]

The problem will be if the same holster is used every day - after a while it won't completely dry out at night and even if it does the constant soaking and drying cycles will be hard on the leather and your sweat can leave salt in the holster as well. If you can't alternate holsters then I would go with nylon or Kydex because the nylon will completely dry overnight and the Kydex won't absorb any moisture at all. Either way make sure you keep the exterior of your gun lightly oiled all of the time and never leave it in the holster to store (not even overnight).

 

[TRX]

I do a lot of work outside in Arkansas. 110+F and humid. My wife once lived in Houston and said Houston is worse...

It can take a while before sweat starts to damage a gun; I checked mine every day for a few weeks, then once a week, then once a month... and then I pulled it out and it wasn't just rusted, but badly pitted. And once it starts it's a continual battle to keep corrosion at bay.

Note: even "stainless" will corrode; at least the 4xx alloys used for most gun parts eventually yields to my Alien-grade sweat.

 

[DaisyCutter]

Leather tends to require a very deliberate draw, and can be difficult to re-holster. How it draws can change with the weather. Kydex is more consistent.

Sweat is salty, steel doesn't like wet salt. 20 years ago I rusted a blued Ruger P-89. Had rust stains in my Fruit of the Loom.


#1 priority above all else, situational awareness.

I have a gun, a vest, and get dispatched to bad neighborhoods. But if I know I'm going into something sketchy ahead of time, then I'm bringing a friend or two.

Avoiding a gunfight is generally the preferred way to win. Listen to your instinct and preclude the situation from developing. Avoid that neighborhood, and if you must go, take a friend in addition to the gun.

 

[Peter M. Eick]

I have found that like others you just learn to deal with the humidity. I run versamax II's and rotate holsters if they are truly soaked. Normally during the summer I am in shorts so I go for pocket carry and do IWB in slacks which is less often.

The humidity is really not that bad. I figure further east is a lot worse.