About Safariland
Hey all, we here at True Shot Academy wanted to talk about Safariland today. The company is one of the premier holster manufacturers in the world and offers a variety of holsters which suit end users of all types. Our goal here is to provide a brief overview of the company while highlighting some of their offerings and products. Without further ado, let’s get into it.
Who is Safariland?
Safariland is a well-known force in the industry which has persisted since 1964. There are a variety of products which fall under the Safariland brand such as body armor, hearing protection, and holsters and holster accessories. The company’s products have served a variety of end users ranging from civilians, law enforcement, and military entities worldwide. In addition to manufacturing a wide variety of holsters, the company also provides a great deal of support for their holsters in the form of accessories. These come in the form of leg straps, mounting systems, and replacement parts to name a few. Currently, the company is best known for their holsters which accommodate a wide variety of handguns. These holsters range from options optimized for general range use, duty use, and concealment to name a few.
The Incog X
Safariland is a company that constantly develops new products and improves upon established favorites. Recently, the company has introduced their new Incog X holsters in a collaboration with Haley Strategic Partners. For 10 years, Haley Strategic Partners has produced Incog holsters in one form or another, developing and evolving the holster over time.
The Incog X holster is offered in multiple models which accommodate a variety of firearms. Select handgun models from companies such as Glock, Shadow Systems, Sig Sauer, Staccato, and Wilson Combat are accommodated by this holster line. The holster can be accompanied by a mag caddy, allowing a user to carry a spare magazine inside the waistband. A number of weapon mounted lights are also accommodated by Incog X variants. Lights manufactured by companies such as Surefire, Streamlight, and Inforce are compatible with the appropriate Incog X variant. Slide mounted optics can also be accommodated by the Incog X line of holsters. The holster features two clips which are adaptable to various belts.
Essentially, the newest rendition of the Haley Strategic Partners Incog holster from Safariland represents a versatile and accommodating inside the waistband holster solution.
Duty Holsters
The company is well-known for their duty holster offerings. If you own a pistol which has seen mainstream service use, odds are Safariland makes a holster for it. The duty holsters are available in models which accommodate attachments such as flashlights, lasers, and red dot sights. The retention systems utilize the company’s ALS and SLS systems and have four levels of retention. The number in the retention level refers to the number of deliberate and manual hand movements necessary to draw a pistol.
Level I Retention – Safariland holsters of this type will feature Automatic Locking System (ALS) method of retention. Essentially, the system requires a deliberate actuation of a thumb lever to release the pistol from the holster. While this is the only level of retention on these type holsters, they are by no means lacking in security. The company requires that all Level I retention holsters pass their thirty second “grab and snatch” Safariland Retention Level Test. Holsters of this type can accommodate accessories such as flashlights and slide mounted optics.
Level II Retention – Holsters of this type will feature Safariland’s Self-Locking System (SLS) and require two deliberate hand motions to draw the pistol. Essentially, one must depress a button with their thumb and then push the SLS hood forward to release their pistol. Level II holsters are available in variants which accommodate common accessories such as flashlights and slide mounted optics.
Level III Retention – These Safariland holsters feature three forms of retention. Both ALS and SLS mechanisms are utilized in these holsters, requiring three deliberate hand motions to release the pistol from the holster. These types of holsters are often seen in duty or patrol use due to their high degree of retention. A Level III Safariland holster is a common sight on the hip of law enforcement personnel. Holsters of this type can also accommodate optics and accessories such as lights as well.
Level IV Retention – These types of holsters from Safariland require four deliberate hand motions to free the pistol from retention. These holsters feature ALS, SLS, and SLS Sentry Guard retention methods. On top of the ALS and SLS systems, the added Sentry Guard adds an additional level of retention which must be deliberately disengaged. This makes the Level IV holsters the most secure holster types manufactured by Safariland. The company states that holsters of this type do not see use in patrol or general duty capacities and are typically used by corrections officers. Essentially, these holsters are intended to be used by personnel who have the highest risk of an attacker trying to steal their pistol. Like the other offerings from Safariland, some Level IV holsters will accommodate flashlights and optics.
Multi-Fit Holsters
Safariland also offers a number of multi-fit holsters for sale. These holsters will feature the company’s Grip Lock System (GLS) and are available in inside the waistband and outside the waistband form. The outside the waistband options can be had with paddle, belt loop, and belt slide mounting systems, allowing shooters to find an option which best fits their end use. While these holsters will not accommodate pistol mounted lights, there are some models which will accommodate slide mounted optics. It should be noted that while these holsters are multi-fit, they are not one-size-fits-all by any means. There are some pistols which are simply incompatible with the holsters offered by Safariland.
Mounting Systems
Safariland manufactures a variety of mounting systems which are compatible with the company’s outside the waistband holsters. The company offers their Quick Locking System (QLS) and MOLLE Locking System (MLS) which allow for rapid donning and doffing of holsters. Essentially, there are two types of QLS plates. The “male” QLS plate comes in the form of the QLS 19 fork while the “female” counterpart is the QLS 22 receiver plate. These two pieces can be purchases individually or as a kit. The QLS forks are meant to be attached to a holster while the QLS receiver plate will generally be placed on a duty belt or some other form of gear. The presence of a QLS receiver plate on a duty belt allows for an end user to utilize different holsters they may have. Shooters who alternate between a variety of pistols will find QLS plates to be useful. One can have a single belt setup and alternate between different pistols on the fly thanks to the QLS mechanism.
EDC Holsters
In addition to their well-known duty holsters, Safariland produces a number of holsters designed for every day carry (EDC). These holsters are available in both outside the waistband and inside the waistband form. It should be known that some of the outside the waistband concealment holsters are simply some of the company’s standard holsters that have been paired with belt loop systems more conducive to concealment. These holsters, especially the outside the waistband options, are versatile and afford the end user a variety of ways to carry a firearm. Whether one intends on concealing a pistol under a t-shirt or under a coat, holsters from this line will serve you well.
Holster Finder
On the company’s website, one will encounter the Holster Finder. This tool allows one to plug in information about their specific handgun and browse Safariland’s inventory for compatible holsters. The holster finder initially asks potential holster buyers to provide the manufacturer and model of their firearm. Once this information has been provided, it asks if slide mounted optics or lights are utilized on the firearm. The optic and light selections feature drop-down menus which list accommodated accessories. Once this stage has been satisfied, one must simply select “show me the holsters” and confirm their choices. This process streamlines the holster shopping process and shows end users exactly which Safariland holsters are compatible with their specific pistol.
Conclusion
At the end of the day, Safariland continues to be an innovative force in the industry. This is evident with their Incog X collaboration with Haley Strategic Partners as they have obviously listened to input from shooters when designing this product. The company’s wide range of offerings make them popular among shooters of various types. Recently, we here just got a batch of the new Incog X holsters in stock here at True Shot. Whether you are after one of these deep concealment holsters or some of the ammunition we carry, we are here for you. As always, happy shooting.
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