This review marks the next in our series of NPE carry holsters. Over the past several months I have worked with several Non-Permissive Environment carry holsters. This article is our Kramer Leather Pocket Gun Holster review, possibly the best pocket holster I have had the privilege of using. Let’s dig in.
Full Disclosure: This holster was provided to me by Kramer Leather for the purposes of this review. However, I receive no financial incentive whatsoever for the sale of Kramer holsters. The opinions here are mine and mine alone.
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Kramer Leather Pocket Gun Holster
I admit being somewhat intimidated at the thought of reviewing the very aptly named “Pocket Gun Holster.” I had been carrying a horsehide holster from another manufacturer and wondered how different they could possibly be. What would I have to say about this holster that I had not said about the other one? I needn’t have worried about that. The other part of my concern occurred when I pulled this holster out of the package; it’s the biggest of the bunch and I was worried that it wouldn’t carry well. Again, this was a misplaced worry.
Horsehide is sometimes called “the Kydex of leather.” This holster certainly lived up to that. The gun actually “clicks” into place. This is the only pocket holster I have tested thus far that I can hold upside down without the gun falling out. The holster is built with a single piece of leather. The fold along the top of the gun gives a much softer “line” in in the pocket than the line created by sewing two pieces of leather. The outside of the Kramer Leather Pocket Gun Holster is covered with a sheet of thin plastic to break up the outline of the gun.
This pocket holster deviates from all others I’ve used in that it does not rely on a rough exterior and slick interior. Instead the holster is held in the pocket by the wing on the bottom, and the top edge is hooked slightly outward. So far I’ve had no trouble at all getting the gun out and the holster staying put.
I studiously clocked my hours with the Kramer Leather Pocket Gun holster in my pocket. I carried this holster for 110 hours (so far) for this review, all in my right-front pocket.
The Basics
A pocket holster should do several things. Let’s see how the HOLSTER performs in each of these categories.
1. Protect the trigger. Yes, this holster does the best job of protecting the trigger of any thus tested. The tight fit would keep anythin from getting into the trigger guard should I inattentively place something the pocket. I’m not sure this would be true with the soft, nylon pocket holsters. PASS
2. Keep the gun in a consistent orientation. The very wide bottom of this holster keeps it upright allowing a consistent draw. PASS
3. Break up the outline of the gun. This holster does a great job of that. The sheet of plastic on the exterior side probably helps a great deal with revolvers, but is probably superfluous with flat autoloaders. PASS
4. Release the gun cleanly when drawn. The wing and top edge of the holster snag on the pocket, releasing the gun. It doesn’t release as cleanly as, say, the Desantis Super Fly, but that’s the price of the tight fit. And you can still get the gun out without the holster. PASS
5. Protect the pocket from the gun. Absolutely. The holster is tough and rigid. PASS
Also, many pocket holsters are ambidextrous. Is this one?
Ambidextrous: NO. The Kramer Leather Pocket Gun holster must be ordered specifically for either left- or right-hand use… at least if you want the flat part on the outside. Also, this holster is boned to fit a very specific firearm, unlike most of the ones I’ve tested which can fit guns in a size range.
Draw Speed
I recently tested a number of NPE Carry holsters for draw speed as measured from stimulus to first shot, for an average of five shots. The test was conducted with the shooter’s hand in the pocket with grip established, and with hands raised in a fence position.
- Hand On Gun draws: 1.14, 1.14, 1.12, 1.21, 1.10, average = 1.14 seconds
- Hands in Fence draws: 1.90, 1.78, 1.92, 1.83, 1.82, average =1.85 seconds
Average numbers for common pocket holsters are 1.09 seconds (hand on gun) and 1.80 seconds (hands in fence). The Kramer holster is within about 5/100ths of a second on both numbers, well within the margin-for-error on the operator’s part.
My Thoughts
I really enjoyed carrying this holster. As I said, I was worried about its size – it’s much physically larger than the other pocket holsters I’ve reviewed. Yet it disappeared and was comfortable in my pocket. I don’t understand it how, but this holster did a phenomenal job and I’ll certainly be carrying it much more. One minor quibble: the holster covers more of the grip than many other holsters. This makes it a little harder to stand around with your hand on the grip, especially since the gun doesn’t slide smoothly in and out of the holster.
The one thing I don’t like about this holster is the price: at $125 it is expensive. That is the cost of top-quality materials and handmade craftsmanship – I totally understand that. Still, you could purchase three Mika’s holsters for the cost of one of these. On the other hand, this holster holds the gun like no other. This is an ultra-premium pocket holster that does the job better than any other I’ve used. And you’ll probably wear out three lesser holsters before you wear this one out.
If you’re carrying a gun for a living, or carrying in a non-permissive environment, using the best gear money can by is not a bad idea. I am a huge fan of the Kramer Leather Pocket Gun Holster. Anytime I pocket carry for reasons other than reviewing holsters, this will be my go-to holster and I recommend it unhesitatingly.
