Have you heard of a Cordura wrapped holster before? It’s becoming a popular feature on tactical and duty-style holsters. If you’re wondering what it is or how it works, here’s a quick rundown of this growing trend.
In the world of tactical gear, gaining an advantage often comes down to minimizing your presence. Cordura-wrapped holsters help reduce the visibility of your firearm under night vision devices. It’s not something most of us think we’ll ever need, but when you stop and consider it, it makes a lot of sense. And it’s not just for law enforcement or military—it can benefit any law-abiding citizen.
Safariland offers Cordura-wrapped holsters in multiple models for many of today’s most popular duty handguns.
What is Cordura?
Cordura is an abrasion-resistant fabric used in high-performance gear. It originated with chemical giant DuPont in 1929, initially as a form of rayon developed as an alternative to cotton, particularly for use in tire cords.
The fabric was used in military tires during World War II. This early application was a perfect testing ground for its toughness and durability.
In the mid-1960s, DuPont began producing Cordura from a new, more resilient nylon formulation. This air-textured nylon 6,6 fiber was much stronger in terms of wear resistance and strength. By the 1970s, a dyeing process had been developed, opening the door to a wide range of commercial uses.
Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, Cordura became the fabric of choice for brands in the outdoor and travel industries. Companies like JanSport and Eastpak adopted it for their backpacks because of its canvas-like feel and durability.
In 2004, the Cordura brand was acquired by Invista, a subsidiary of Koch Industries, which continues to develop and innovate the fabric for use in a vast array of products, from tactical gear and workwear to motorcycle apparel and everyday bags.
The Science Behind the Materials
The effectiveness of Safariland’s Cordura wraps in reducing IR signature begins with the material itself. The Cordura nylon used isn’t your average fabric. It is specifically selected and treated to possess infrared reflective qualities.
Instead of absorbing and radiating heat from the holster and your body, this material reflects a significant portion of that IR energy. This makes it considerably more difficult for thermal imaging devices to lock onto the heat signature of the gear.
The application of camouflage patterns like MultiCam also plays a role in this process. These patterns are engineered to do more than just blend into the visible light spectrum. Each color and shape within the MultiCam design is layered with a specific near-infrared signature.
This intricate design helps disrupt the solid outline of the holster, breaking it up and making it more difficult for IR detection systems to identify it as a distinct object. The combination of IR-reflective fabric and camouflage pattern work together to reduce the overall IR signature.
The Mechanics of Invisibility
So, how exactly does a Cordura wrap make a holster harder to detect?
The primary mechanism is reflectivity. The fibers and coatings on the Cordura fabric act like tiny mirrors to infrared radiation, bouncing it away from the holster. This reduces the overall thermal output visible to a thermal imager. Think of it as turning down the brightness on a thermal image of your gear.
In addition to reflection, the wrap provides disruption. The MultiCam pattern is expertly designed to break up the tell-tale shape of a holstered firearm. By scattering the thermal profile, the wrap helps the holster and gun be less visible.
Instead of a solid, recognizable heat signature, a person using a thermal device sees a more diffused, less defined shape that is less likely to draw attention.
Tactical Advantages in the Field
The first question a lot of people probably have is: Why do I need that? And it’s fair. But there are real-world scenarios where it makes a difference.
For law enforcement and military personnel, Cordura wraps are a clear asset. During low-light or nighttime operations, they can reduce the visibility of a firearm. Undercover personnel are great examples. A holstered firearm can be a significant source of thermal contrast against a uniform or other types of clothing.
For civilians, it can be beneficial when hunting, or even during large-scale civil unrest or riots. We often assume only the good guys use things like night vision, but that is not the case.
Criminals can (and do) use night vision devices to locate police and armed citizens. Even lower-quality optics may be enough to spot a standard holster. A Cordura wrap helps reduce that risk by softening the IR signature of the holster and the weapon it holds.
Field testing the Cordura wrapped holster
I wanted to test two holsters, one with Cordura wrap and one without. For this, I used a Sight Mark Wraith 4K night vision scope. With the help of a friend, we went to a field with no lights in the vicinity, and I walked about 50 yards out into the field. He used the onboard camera to capture what he saw with the Wraith as I put on each holster and walked through the field.
You can see the outline of the holster in both photos. But there is a big difference between the regular holster (above) and the wrapped holster (below).
The Cordura wrapped holster would have been even less visible if I had not worn black shorts. The holster basically turned the same color as my shirt, making that part of the holster hard to distinguish.
The key is that Cordura works best when your holster isn’t the only exposed element. If your clothing reduces IR signature and your holster doesn’t, it stands out. I wasn’t wearing IR-reducing apparel during the test, but the wrapped holster still blended better than the standard model.
As I was moving through the field, my friend noted that the wrapped holster was harder to see in real time than how it appeared in the photo.
Do you need a Cordura wrapped holster?
Not everyone will want or need a holster with this level of concealment. But unlike night vision, which is extremely expensive, Cordura-wrapped Safariland holsters are priced the same as standard models. When ordering, just click on the “Cordura” option and select the finish you want.
Even if you are not worried about someone spotting your sidearm with night vision goggles, the wrap is extremely durable and comes in a lot of great finishes. I especially like MultiCam and black MultiCam.
Another key advantage of Cordura-wrapped holsters is sound suppression. As you’re moving around, gear tends to knock together and make noise. The Cordura wrap helps to dampen the sound far better than standard non-wrapped models, making it a little quieter as you move around.
I think we’ll keep seeing Cordura show up in more firearm gear. You can already buy jackets and pants made with the stuff, so adding a holster makes sense.
To see what options they have, check out Safariland’s Holster Finder and see if one is available for your favorite handgun.
