Gear LAG Tactical: Big Little Kydex Maker Mike Searson March 12, 2016 Join the Conversation At RECOIL, we review every product fairly and without bias. Making a purchase through one of our links may earn us a small commission, and helps support independent gun reviews. Learn More They say that most Scottish food is based on a dare. Kydex Company L.A.G. Tactical (@lag_tactical) was based on a challenge. That challenge was to relentlessly pursue the redefinition of an industry that has been known for decades as being simply “good enough”. The name stands for “Like A Glove”, which is how these holsters fit. If you have ever dealt with a small Kydex shop, the only things you may have consistently dealt with are poor customer service, long lead times, and sub-par products. Evan, the founder of LAG Tactical, and an avid shooting enthusiast, experienced this first hand and realized that there was a huge opportunity to make things better. It was the year 2000 (Y2K) and the upcoming millennium spawned a huge “cottage industry” of Kydex makers. The success of some of these custom holster makers often pushed lead-times out by 6 months. In his own words, Evan thought this type of service was “repulsive.” Inspired by a quote he found from Sir Henry Royce, Co-Founder of Rolls Royce. “Strive for perfection in everything. Take the best that exists and make it better. If it does not exist create it. Accept nothing nearly right or good enough.” Evan got to work. Driven by a demand for the highest quality service and products, he began manufacturing Kydex holsters from his home in Reno, Nevada. With strict attention to detail, countless hours of research and development, and a ferocious drive to succeed; he set out to create the most comfortable, highest quality, and flat-out best holster on the market, all backed by unquestionable customer service. After the first year, the customer feedback was remarkable. Soon the need to expand and create dealer, distributor and wholesale programs became evident. L.A.G. Tactical is now sold in hundreds of stores nationwide and online, including major distribution networks as well. Their base model holster is actually two holsters in one and aptly named: The Defender. Attach the J clips and you have a comfortable IWB. Secure the standard belt loops and you are set up for OWB carry. We have been using one of their holsters on our Steyr S9A1 for close to three years. Just recently we switched over to the Shin-Tac Ninja Stealth loops and could not be happier with the end result. L.A.G.’s production process has changed greatly over the years. Many of the machines and equipment they use for forming and trimming their parts were designed and built in-house for the sole purpose of manufacturing holsters. We have toured the shop numerous times, but when we asked to take pictures for this article, Evan politely declined, saying: “We keep our production secrets closely guarded, so pictures of inside the production facility are rare. Having a 30 year engineer in thermo-forming on our team is a huge help as well.” The high performance team and partners at L.A.G. Tactical are highly capable and vary widely in experience and background. L.A.G. Tactical now employs more than 15 people, half of which are Veterans. L.A.G.'s newest model is the Liberator. It is completely ambidextrous and can be worn IWB, OWB on the left side or on the right “We have serviced many LE departments as well. As of 2015, L.A.G. is on the official approved gear list for the FBI having received multiple department orders for several locations, as well as Cal Fire, LAPD, DEA, DOD & many more,” says Evan proudly. Not just content to make holsters, he actually trains hard and puts his gear through its paces at LMS Defense courses Expect to see L.A.G. Tactical (online here) in major retail chains like Cabela’s and Scheel’s before the end of the year and find their stuff online at Optics Planet, GOVX, LA Police Gear, etc. Ellet Brothers and Gun Accessory Supply both keep an extensive inventory of their holsters in stock for immediate shipment to dealers as well. This has been a Small Business Saturday article. If you know of a reputable small business run by one or more good people, send us a message with a URL or some contact information. Regardless of what people like Daniel De Leon or David Korten might think about capitalism, the free market a common cornerstone of the richest, most powerful countries in the world — not least of which by any means the United States. Though it is becoming increasingly vilified, there is nothing wrong with a desire to succeed and to accumulate wealth. 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