Kydex or leather for EDC AIWB?

For AIWB specifically, **Kydex is the serious answer** and the leather-AIWB case is mostly weak. Here's why:

**Trigger guard coverage.** AIWB points the muzzle at major blood vessels. The holster's trigger guard protection has to be absolute — no softening, no deformation, no possibility of trigger intrusion. Leather softens and stretches with body heat and sweat over time. Kydex doesn't.

**Re-holstering.** You re-holster an AIWB pistol multiple times a day (bathrooms, vehicle entries, etc.). Each re-holster is a real moment where a deformed holster can collect shirt fabric or a drawstring into the trigger guard. Kydex holds shape; leather becomes soft over a year of carry.

**Sweat resistance.** AIWB holsters sit against your stomach. Leather absorbs sweat and deforms faster in this position than in OWB use.

**Wedge/claw systems.** Modern AIWB concealment relies on wedges and claws that tuck the grip into the body. Kydex supports these; leather generally doesn't.

**What leather AIWB is legitimately used for:** - Very light carry pistols where a leather AIWB pancake-style holster is functionally acceptable (J-frame revolvers, specifically) - Cross-draw-style AIWB configurations where the holster is not fully vertical - People who strongly prefer leather as an aesthetic

**For a modern striker-fired pistol in AIWB:** Kydex. Tenicor, T.Rex Arms, JM Custom, PHLster. These are the serious makers and they're all Kydex-primary for good reason.

If you love leather OWB, keep carrying leather OWB — that works fine. But AIWB and leather don't pair as cleanly, and the trigger-guard concern is serious enough that I don't carry leather AIWB despite owning a lot of good leather.