Saddleback Leather Pistol Wrap–Review

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Saddleback Leather: https://www.saddlebackleather.com/

The Leather Pistol Wrap: https://www.saddlebackleather.com/leather-pistol-wrap

Read the another Saddleback review: https://www.gunsamerica.com/blog/edc-wallet-showdown-saddleback-leather-vs-hell-bent-kydex/

We see a lot of Kydex here at GunsAmerica. And there’s a place for it. I’m particularly fond of space age plastics, and love how they compliment plastic guns. But what about those with a more refined palate? Leather, once the go-to material for holsters, is getting harder to find. And when you do find it, the leather tends to have a mass-produced look to it, a slick, uniform finish that hides all of the natural imperfections of the original animal.

Yet there are some stunning examples of the old art, and not all of them look antiquated. Consider the work of Saddleback Leather. This is one of their Pistol Wraps. It isn’t a holster, exactly. It both is and isn’t a gun case. This is something altogether unique that wraps up a gun, protects it, allows you to carry it securely, and does it all with style.

The Pistol Wrap

When I say this isn’t a holster, I mean it isn’t designed to wear on your belt. It is specifically designed to hold a gun (and it comes in small and medium sizes). The one we have is a medium, and it holds large framed handguns nicely. 5-6″ barrels are no problem. A long revolver might push the limits a bit, but there’s ample room in here for autos.

The wrap does have straps on it that allow you to strap it to something, or even to your belt–in a pinch. Ideally, you’d use this for a semi-permanent placement of the gun inside the house, or in your truck. The Saddleback folk suggest it is even well suited for your Prius. This could be true, especially for those of you who have a western theme creeping into your hybrid.

That western look is definitely a part of this. Though it is hardly cowboy. The wrap has a unique style that isn’t pinned down by any one look. There are no hand-carved floral adornments. The woolly lining reminds me of winter in the Rockies–though here it is meant to keep the gun protected instead of warm.

And is there a better material for a nice blued gun? Sheepskin is ideal. It holds oils well (even the natural lanolin produced by sheep). This is good for traditional blued steel, and won’t hurt any gun.

One nice feature that Saddleback has built into this wrap is inherent in the name itself. Holsters are all sewn up, or riveted. A wrap is something that can also unwrap–and this one opens up nicely. With the gun tucked inside the case, it is well-protected for transport and storage. But once at the range (or out on the open range), you can open it up and have a nice spot to set down your gun while you load mags, or whatever.

When you’re finished, simply buckle the wrap back together and you have a gun case again. There’s even a pocket inside, which Saddleback describes like this: “front interior pocket for storing the ace of spades for when you need to whip it out, flick it high into the tense air over Main Street, and blast it full of holes. Also good for magazines and other accessories.” I highly suggest that you check out the Saddleback page, if only to read some of the best ad copy around.

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Construction

This is my favorite part of all of this. I geek out over design. So far, I’ve been pleased with what I see coming out of Saddleback. The design of the Pistol Wrap is solid, but the construction is too. The cowhide is oil tanned, which protects well while still showing off the unique elements of the hide itself. The inside is lined with pigskin. The sheepskin liner is secured inside, but also removable. Saddleback calls this trio “the barnyard reunion of firearm accessories.” The stitching is uniform and consistent, both on the binding of the liner and the edges of the wrap itself. And the buckles are not meant for decoration, as they are on too many of the hipster leather bags I see.

In short, this is the real deal. Prices vary depending on which size you get and begin at $209. Check them out. And stay tuned–we’re giving this one away. Details to follow shortly.

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