Apex Defense Unlimited Kydex Holsters: 7-Week Review

In today’s article, author Robert A. Sadowski reviews several Kydex holsters from Apex Defense Unlimited. The holsters were provided to the author by Apex Defense Unlimited for this review.

An every day carry (EDC) holster needs to be practical as well as functional. It needs to be functional in the sense it needs to conceal and safely hold your pistol, yet allow you instant access to it. Practical in the sense that it needs to be comfortable to wear every day, all day long.

Apex Defense Unlimited offers a number of Kydex holsters for Springfield Armory pistols. In this review, the author examines the Thoroughbred (left) and the Appaloosa (right).

We all know the adage that an EDC should be comforting rather than comfortable, but we all know we won’t wear an uncomfortable holster. Another important quality is the ease of wearing and taking off a holster.

In search of a holster (or holsters) that fulfill these needs, I recently ran an extended trial with two Apex Defense Unlimited Kydex holsters. One holster was the Apex Defense Appaloosa IWB for an Echelon, which I wore appendix style. The other was Apex’s Thoroughbred IWB for the new TRP 4.25″ CC (Carry Contour), which I wore on my hip. I alternated between these two holsters for a little over seven weeks to see how they performed.

Kydex vs. Leather

I like a leather holster for large heavy guns, like full-size 1911 pistols and wheelguns. I think leather is a great option for certain guns, but I am personally a firm believer in using Kydex with polymer-framed pistols. It allows for fast draws and keeps its shape well.

sweat guard on holsters — The Thoroughbred (shown at left) offers a full sweat guard as an option on the holster.

A downside is Kydex doesn’t flex like leather, which can make it less comfortable to wear than leather. Leather, on the other hand, needs to be broken in like new boots, and that takes time. Kydex is good to go out of the box.

A Little Background

Located in Oklahoma, Apex Defense was founded in 2024. The team has over 10 years of experience in the holster manufacturing industry, and all of their products — they make medical gear, too — are made in the U.S., using parts sourced and manufactured domestically. They stand by the quality of their work, and offer a limited lifetime warranty on everything they produce.

So, let’s dive into the details.

putting on IWB holster — The Thoroughbred is a traditional inside-the-waistband (IWB) holster with a pair of loops to anchor it to your gun belt.

Carrying a micro nine appendix-style is pretty easy, depending on your waistline size. However, carrying a full-size pistol like the Echelon can be more challenging. Would the Apex Defense holster be able to do it well?

As part of this project, I opted to carry the Echelon appendix-style with the Appaloosa IWB holster. This holster is offered with a high or low sweat guard, and I decided to try the low option. This means the back of the slide touches skin or a t-shirt. I also opted for one soft belt loop, which was smart since the loop was easy to insert behind my belt. The snap closure is very strong, too. Not once did the snap pop open when I moved. The finish is a unique color that Apex Defense calls Liquid Metal Kydex Copper. It looks like the holster has a copper jacket, like an FMJ bullet.

Kydex thickness — Kydex is a rigid polymer that has proved itself as a reliable holster material. It can be precisely molded for each gun model so that retention straps are not necessary for concealed carry.

The second holster is the Apex Defense Thoroughbred IWB. By now, you likely have noticed that Apex Defense names their holsters after horses. The Thoroughbred IWB holster is equipped with two soft belt loops and a high sweat guard. The finish is a smart-looking Carbon Fiber Coyote Brown.

I used the Thoroughbred IWB to tote around the new TRP 4.25″ CC. This new TRP is built on an aluminum alloy receiver and is lighter than comparably sized 1911 pistols with steel frames.

Hands-On

Both holsters passed the retention test. I inserted empty pistols into the holsters and turned them upside down to see if the pistol would fall free. The retention was set perfectly at the factory to keep the pistols in place while still being able to draw smooth with no hang ups. Retention can be adjust via two screws on both the Appaloosa and the Thoroughbred.

shake test during holster review — You do not want your defensive firearm to come out of your holster accidentally. Many people recommend the “shake test” as a base line of retention (with empty guns, of course!).

For both holsters I used my go-to concealed carry belt, The Foundation Belt from EDC Belt Co. This belt is made out of Cordura and reinforced nylon webbing, and is 1.5” wide. The two things I like about this belt is it’s purpose-designed to be stiff enough to support the firearm and distribute the gun’s weight, but not too stiff so the belt is comfortable for extended wear. The second feature is the low profile Tri-Guide Buckle, which allows for quick and easy adjustments to a holster. It uses a hook and loop closure. This belt is good for both appendix and strong side carry.

The Thoroughbred

I set up the Thoroughbred holster for the TRP with a forward cant and wore it on my right hip in the 4o’clock position. The outside of the Kydex is slick, so the holster was easy to slip inside my waistband; I didn’t have to wrestle with hooking the soft loops around the belt.

Apex Defense Unlimited Kydex Thoroughbred holster review — Carrying a gun securely is only part of a holster’s duties. It must also allow you to easy withdraw the gun from the rig should you need it in an emergency.

I like the high sweat guard and didn’t experience any pinching as I moved from getting in and out of a vehicle to sitting at a desk to walking the dog in the neighborhood, along with long hikes in state game lands. I wore it from morning to evening, and it is very comfortable to wear as well as take on and off.

The mouth of the Thoroughbred holster is slightly belled-out like a funnel, so re-holstering the TRP was easier than with a Kydex holster that has a narrower mouth. In my experience, 1911 pistols with accessory rail drag, creating friction inside a leather holster. That’s the reason I opted for the Apex Kydex holster to carry the TRP 4.25” CC.

I wore it wearing just a thin t-shirt and a thin hoodie. The cut-off butt, Carry Contour feature really helped to conceal the full-size grip.

At home, I practiced my draw with the TRP unloaded countless times. The Apex holster proved to be slick on the draw. The holster covered the magazine release, so there was no chance of an accidental magazine dump. The high sweat guard also shielded my skin or shirt from the extended thumb safety. At the range, I repeated my draw and performed the Failure Drill.

The Appaloosa

The Appaloosa holster was easy to put on and off, and there was no extra Kydex to jab you if you moved wrong. This was a comfortable holster to wear for extended periods.

Apex Defense Unlimited Kydex Appaloosa holster review — The author found that the Apex Defense Unlimited Appaloosa holster allowed him to get a full grip when drawing from concealment.

During practice draws, the Appaloosa gave me full access to the Echelon’s grip. It felt like the Kydex was spitting out the Echelon on the draw, which was slick and fast. During live fire draw, the Apex holster was slick to draw from, allowing me fast access with no snagging and just the right amount of retention.

If there was one change I would make to the Appaloosa, it would be to add a small wing to hold the full-size grip closer to my body so it wouldn’t print when wearing lighter clothing. Otherwise, I wouldn’t change a thing!

Conclusion

There are numerous Kydex holster manufacturers that tout comfortable and practical holsters. After all these weeks toting around full-size pistols in Apex Defense Unlimited Kydex holsters, my opinion is that these are practical, good-looking and extremely functional offerings.

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