Continuing The Legacy

In 2005 concealed carry laws expanded across the country and millions of firearm owners obtained CCW licenses. Mark Craighead was one of those new concealed carry permit holders, and when he set out to find an IWB holster for daily carry he was frustrated at the lack of quality holsters that were available at the time. Concealed carry was still in its infancy in 2005, and while there was a new crop of concealed carry handguns available (Smith & Wesson released their M&P9 that same year) holster options were still limited.

Craighead was new to concealed carry, but he was no stranger to firearms. His father was a police officer outside Denver, so by the time Mark entered the Air Force as a young man he already had experience with guns. But carrying a concealed firearm comfortably every day presented Mark with a new challenge. Instead of continuing to shop for a holster that suited his needs Mark decided to make his own.

CrossBreed Holsters didn’t begin in a boardroom or a chemical lab. Instead, the company started in the Craighead garage. The early 2000s were a period of change in holster design. Traditional leather holsters were being replaced by a material called Kydex, a thermoplastic that consisted of acrylic and polyvinyl chloride. Kydex was affordable and lightweight, and many gun owners thought it was the ideal material for creating lightweight, concealable holsters.

Craighead wasn’t particularly fond of the all-Kydex holsters he had tried. Sure, Kydex was inexpensive, lightweight, and easy to mold (Mark started forming holsters in his wife Carol’s oven, which she did not appreciate), but Kydex also had its faults. For starters, it wasn’t as comfortable and quiet as leather. Some early Kydex holsters were simply uncomfortable, and discomfort is one of the primary reasons many CCW permit holders don’t carry a firearm every day.

Craighead believed that by combining the best features of leather and Kydex he could create the ultimate EDC holster, so that’s what he did. His early design was the Super Tuck, a hybrid leather/Kydex holster that was affordable and durable yet comfortable for everyday carry. It didn’t take long for Mark’s design to catch on with other shooters, and he and Carol started their own holster company.

That company became known as CrossBreed, a name that not only pays homage to the original leather/Kydex hybrid design but also to Mark and Carol’s deep Christian faith. At a time when millions of gun owners were searching for a comfortable, durable, affordable IWB holster, the Super Tuck proved to be an excellent option. Demand for the Super Tuck and subsequent designs helped CrossBreed grow, and the company that Mark started in his home soon became one of the leading names in concealed carry holsters.

Carol’s faith would be tested when Mark passed away in 2012. During this difficult time decisions about the future of the company had to be made, and Carol was left to carry the brand forward.

“Mark’s passing taught us a lot, and we grew closer as a family,” Carol says. Although she had been alongside since Mark started CrossBreed, Carol had very little experience leading a company. The mother of three had worked in the medical field as a surgical technician for 18 years and had three children and a new home. The situation would have broken the spirit of many people, but Carol Craighead stayed the course. Supported by her faith, her family, and deep personal resolve she moved forward and took control of the family’s fledgling holster company. She was also supported by her loyal employees, without whom she says she could never have kept the company in business. Carol taught herself about every aspect of the holster business, from sales and marketing to manufacturing and distribution, all while maintaining a household and raising three children.

“When you’re in the middle of something like that you don’t realize you’re drinking from a firehose,” Carol says. Despite the hardships and the challenges of being thrust into the front office of the company Carol managed to weather the storm and kept the brand her husband started at the top of the holster game.

Moving Forward

It’s been 13 years since Carol Craighead took over CrossBreed, which means that she has now been at the head of the brand longer than her late husband. CrossBreed has remained a family affair, and today all three of Carol’s children work at the company. In 2020 CrossBreed took control of N8 holsters, a durable and economical addition to the Crossbreed family. 

CrossBreed is still based in Springfield, Missouri, and today the company employs around 50 people, which isn’t shabby for a brand that began with a guy baking plastic sheets in his wife’s oven. CrossBreed and N8 Tactical holsters are sold by every major outdoor retailer, and the company’s email list exceeds 1.2 million people.

The last 13 years have been a period of growth for Carol and CrossBreed holsters, but the holster industry has changed during that period as well.  

“It’s been exciting to watch the brand grow and to see holsters evolve,” Carol says. In 2012 when she took control of the company most every shooter carried their gun in the 4 or 5 o’clock positions. Not long ago, appendix became the preferred carry position because it offers rapid access to the firearm from almost any position, and guns can be secured and concealed in the appendix position even under light clothing.

“One of the fastest growing trends in concealed carry is off-body carry,” Carol told me. She says that for years we were told that off-body carry was not as effective as on-body carry simply because the firearm was not physically attached to the person. This created a risk that the gun would be lost or stolen, but today’s hip and shoulder packs are secure and stable and offer rapid access to your firearm. Modern holster designs like CrossBreed’s Modular Systems allow for improved versatility and make it possible for today’s gun owners to carry their firearm in multiple ways to meet their changing needs. 

Comfort is Crucial

Although concealed carry holsters have changed over the last two decades one principle that remains unchanged is that comfort is crucial for any holster design. If a holster isn’t comfortable, you won’t wear your firearm, and a gun left behind in your home is of no use when you’re in public.

One product that remains in the Crossbreed line is the classic Super Tuck, the leather/Kydex combo holster that started it all. I’ve carried multiple guns using Super Tuck holsters over the years, and this is still one of my favorite setups because the firearm stays securely planted on the hip and the holster is always comfortable—just as Mark Craighead designed it. The leather backing allows the holster to ride close to the body, and I know that my firearm is concealed even when I’m wearing light cotton shirts in summer.

The Super Tuck is the holster that started it all, but Crossbreed’s current line of holsters has expanded far beyond the flagship Super Tuck. The company’s site offers both IWB and OWB holsters as well as chest, ankle, and pocket holsters. Several years ago, I tested holster systems for runners and other endurance athletes; CrossBreed’s Modular Belly Band proved to be the most comfortable, stable holster in that test (the company currently offers their Modular Belly Band Package 2.0, an updated version of their best-in-class belly band). For deep concealment there are few better options than the MBB, and it secures your firearm more firmly than any other belly band I’ve tested. 

Under Carol’s leadership Crossbreed has extended beyond traditional holsters. The company’s Bedside Backup Holster provides rapid access to a holster positioned right beside your mattress, and CrossBreed’s Pac Mat secures your firearm inside a backpack. The Purse Defender offers a secure platform for storing a firearm in a purse or other handbag, a far better option than leaving your firearm in a loose holster that is hard to access and easy to lose.

There’s a holster for every handgun owner on the CrossBreed site, but the company’s award-winning MultiFlex IWB/OWB holster deserves a special mention. When CrossBreed announced the MultiFlex I was more than a little skeptical—after all, we had seen “multi-fit” holsters before, none of which revolutionized the market. But we hadn’t seen one from CrossBreed. The MultiFlex is the only multi-fit holster that hasn’t disappointed me, and when CrossBreed claims that the holster can be adjusted to fit almost 300 different pistols they aren’t exaggerating.  While filming television last year the MultiFlex became the workhorse holster because with a few adjustments and tweaking it could be made to fit any gun. If you carry multiple handguns (even if it’s simply to the range to shoot) the MultiFlex is the most versatile and affordable carry option.

Over the years CrossBreed has branched out into multiple product families, including belts, and the company’s Minimalist Nylon Belt is my go-to carry belt. The trim design, stiff spine, and thin buckle were designed by someone who understands the challenges of daily carry. In addition to their holsters and belts, CrossBreed has collaborated with Vertx to offer holster/bag combinations that allow you to carry all your gear in an inconspicuous bag while still having rapid access to your firearm.

Looking to the Future

I’ve touched on just a handful of the new CrossBreed products that I find particularly appealing, but an exhaustive look at their catalog would take far more length than I have been allotted for this article. There are very few companies that offer such a wide range of quality products at competitive prices (my nylon Minimalist belt set me back less than $20, and I’ve worn it almost daily for a year without any damage), and that’s just one of the reasons why CrossBreed is so successful.

I can’t imagine how difficult it must have been for Carol Craighead to pick up the pieces and move forward following the loss of her husband in 2012, but she didn’t just keep her late husband’s company afloat. Instead, she helped expand upon his initial concepts and reinvested in the brand, offering up new products that appealed to every type of handgun owner.

Now the second generation of the Craighead family is poised to take control of the CrossBreed brand, and they’re in a prime position to maintain one of the top spots in the holster industry. So long as the company keeps offering up innovative products that gun owners want, I suspect you’ll see Crossbreed holsters on store shelves for generations to come.