Minituck, horse or cow for comfort?

[Wasabi]

I'm thinking about picking up a Minituck for my PM9 w/CT laser and am wondering if I should go with the cowhide or horsehide? I know this has been beat to death and I've been doing a lot of reading but which is the most comfortable for the Minituck? I'm not worried about the extra $10 for horse, greater moisture resistance or which color, just which is more comfortable. Being stiffer, does the horsehide take much longer to break-in? Is it thinner? I'm sure both will be durable enough for my needs. Again, this question is geared specifically to the Minituck's (or Supertuck's) comfort difference between these two, not belts, other holsters, applications, etc..

Thanks for any input.

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[Savior Sound]

I bought both my SuperTucks in horsehide so I can't compare them to cow but it only takes about 3-5 days to break in and I can't imagine it being any more comfortable. Seeing that you are from Florida, I'd go with horsehide.

[bps3040]

I live in Houston, so I went horsehide on both mine. Supertuck for an XD and Minituck for my PM9. Very comfy

[rickmn50]

Doesn't really matter if you wear a "wife beater". Comfortable right out of the shipping box. Can't go wrong either way.

[Wasabi]

Thanks for the replies,

Yeah, I guess I should have noted that I do always wear a wife beater. How long it takes to break-in is a concern to me and if it still stays much more stiff afterwards. I think either will be fine for moisture resistance for my needs. Even though I'm in Florida, I'm not sweating my butt off all of the time.

[cmdrdredd]

Either will work, but if you must have black then you can't have horse. Other than that they both stay stiff if you let them air out properly after use.

[rickmn50]

I don't know exactly how long my ST took to break in but I can tell you I wore it all day the first day out of the box and was very comfortable. Granted I don't have the heat and humidity that you do right now...oh and also...I have quite a bit of smooth contact area (yes...I am over weight a bit!). Anyway...can't go wrong. They make a nice product. Worth the money and wait. Just my 2 cents.

Also...they do recommend a few products to speed up the process of making the leather softer. In your case you may want to use these products religiously to protect the leather from sweat...etc.

[Wasabi]

Rick, was your ST in horsehide?

[rickmn50]

Nope...mine is the black cowhide. I have heard there have been cases where some guys claim the "black" has come off on clothes after a really sweaty day. I haven't experienced that issue to date. If that is a concern you might want to spend the extra $10 (?) and go with the horsehide.

[Wasabi]

Thanks,

I think I'm sticking with the cowhide. Again, I don't really care about the color or the extra $10 but want something that offers the most comfort.

[Tysonc]

OP - I reviewed a Minituck/PM9 on my site and the only recommendation I had was to get the horsehide - mineis cow. I am also in Florida and I sometimes get "the sticky holster rash" if I sweat too much and have the holster on bare skin. I usually have a tshirt between me and the cowhide now and use a cover shirt. That way is ridiculously comfortable.

[stevem174]

I bought my ST in horse hide. I put my ST within 15 minutes of opening the package. It was comfortable as soon as I put it on and has only become more comfortable the longer I wear it. I have found that it's comfortable without an under shirt.
I carry anytime it's legal to do so. The first time I mowed the yard I knew the horse hide was the right choice for me. I was surprised at how well the leather protected my firearm from the sweat.

[Snowman23]

My wifes Crossbreed holster is cow...comfortable right away. Mine is the horse..it broke in reasonably within a week...but at about 6 months of daily wear it really has changed for the better...far more comfortable than after that first week. Don't get me wrong, either cow or horse will be comfortable during the break in period, but the horse seems to have taken a few months to really get there.

[SenileDavid]

Here is some great info from Milt Sparks about the subject:

What is the difference between cowhide and horsehide?

One of the more notable properties of horsehide is its natural ability to repel moisture. This is due to the dense cell structure of the hide thus limiting its porosity. This natural ability to repel moisture makes it very useful for certain applications, particularly for use inside the waistband.

Unlike with cowhide, horsehides non-porous nature reduces its ability to fully absorb the casing solution during the forming process, making it much more difficult to get good crisp detail of the weapon when molding around the gun. Also for the same reason horsehide tends not to absorb the dye and finishing materials as evenly making it in my opinion, somewhat inferior in that respect to good cowhide.

Horsehide is also somewhat rustic in appearance in comparison to cowhide. Cowhide is graded at the tannery in direct relation to the percentage of scar, range marks and other surface imperfections on the hide. Grade (A) being the best, is what we order from the tannery and a true Grade (A) will generally, but not always, be devoid of any surface imperfections. Horsehide on the other hand, basically only comes from the tannery one way, un-graded and usually with plenty of the above imperfections. On the bright side, much of the scaring, stretch and range marks common on much of the horsehide we get today, is present in unique patterns much like figured wood. We actually set aside some of the more distinct pieces to be used in conjunction with exotic trim where exotic trim is an option on some of our holsters. Since horsehide is unpredictable in its grading, you must accept the fact that any horsehide product you order from us may exhibit some of the above characteristics and is not considered by us to be a defective product. Any horsehide we use in our products is guaranteed to be structurally sound, regardless of any natural markings that may be present on the surface. I guess the bottom line is if you expect from us a clean holster, devoid as much as possible of any natural markings, order cowhide.

On the durability issue there has been much BS circulating on the mythical wear characteristics of horsehide. I will not argue that a well made horsehide holster will give you many years and possibly a lifetime of good service, but with proper care a good cowhide holster will last just as long.

Some of our holsters combine the use of both horsehide and cowhide, taking into advantage the desirable attributes of each material. So which material is better?? That is a personal preference issue. Where horsehide is available as an option, the choice is yours.

[kapnketel]

Mine is horsehide and is extremely comfortable, especially in hot weather.