SIGSauer "Duty Holsters"

January 06, 2024, 05:58 PM

92fstech

I did not realize Sig was partnering with Aliengear to sell branded holsters. That explains why our Sheriff's department has been looking at the Aliengears. They evaluated a couple and have said good things about them. The retention devices function differently from what I'm used to with the Safariland ALS/SLS...not necessarily better or worse, just different. They do seem to function ok, but IMO they haven't been using them long enough to really test their durability. When I asked what's wrong with the current 6360s and why they would consider switching, I was told the Aliengears are cheaper.

From what I saw of them, I'd be pissed if you took my Safariland and replaced it with one of those things. I didn't get to actually use one myself, but I got a close look at a couple and got the impression that the overall build quality was not on par with the Safariland offerings. I've been picked up and thrown around by the gun in my Safariland duty holster in training, and I have full confidence in that piece of equipment. Normally I'm all for having options, but when it starts tempting administrators to cut corners to save a buck on something as important as a duty holster, it doesn't make me happy.

January 06, 2024, 06:31 PM

parabellum

Ken Hackathorn calls this type of holster "buckets".

January 06, 2024, 06:49 PM

Chowser

Wow. I thought the Safarilands were huge.

January 06, 2024, 10:30 PM

YooperSigs

I usually get a Safariland ALS Holster for any pistol I buy. Not crazy about their design or bulk but they are durable and they just work. I would pass on the Sig holsters until they have the track record of Safariland.

January 06, 2024, 11:08 PM

jljones

Aliengear has been spending a lot of money with influencers to try to take a bite out of Safariland business. Money must be good because a couple of guys talk non stop about it on their social media channels. It’s gotten almost as annoying as Mantis.

January 07, 2024, 09:36 AM

pedropcola

I usually have one or more ALS holsters for my duty style guns. Beretta 92, Glocks, HK's, 1911 even. They are gun buckets but they also protect the gun, retain the gun, cover the trigger (no wml types here, I was trying the sell that one), give very fast draws. In fact I find them to be about the fastest draw of any holster I use. The ALS hits my thumb perfectly and there is ZERO drag on the draw ever. I can't say that about any leather or kydex holster I have ever owned.

I set up both my belts with the QLS forks so I can use any number of guns with my belt setup.

One thing I discovered is that if you remove the bulky QLS stuff and just attach a simple Safariland belt slide, it isn't that bulky. In fact side by side with a leather OWB holster the difference is minimal with a significant uptick in retention, ease and speed, and certainly durability.

I love Safariland. (Except for their shitty bottom of the bucket website, yikes it is awful)

Edited: I pulled out my ALS 6378 for my HK P30. It has a simple belt slide. It is probably quarter inch thicker than a leather belt but snugs up very nicely to the body so it feels like less. YMMV I also find the faux leather lined ones feel less "bucket-ish". I like both though.

January 07, 2024, 09:55 AM

RogueJSK

Every few years, another company attempts to woo departmental beancounters by undercutting Safariland with a duty holster product that is cheaper (both in cost, and in quality). Just in the last decade or so, Blackhawk tried it, 5.11/Bladetech tried it, and now Sig/Aliengear is trying it.

So far, nobody has been able to make much of a splash. Safariland retains their near-monopoly of the market.

January 07, 2024, 10:42 AM

car541

Safariland needs some competition.

Their quality has suffered. I hate the 73xx series of injection molded holsters. Once they put out the bulletin saying that you should replace the 7360 I after being involved in a fight while wearing it, I was kinda done.

January 07, 2024, 10:48 AM

RogueJSK

Yeah, the 7-series are a big step down in quality. Luckily, they still offer the superior 6-series.

January 07, 2024, 11:23 AM

Speedbird

quote:
Originally posted by jljones:
...Money must be good...

^ This for sure, just like the $250 floor mat package every new car comes with; a huge cash cow

Last go; everyone in my company issued an M17 also had to sign for the Blackhawk holster; a big multi-configurable kit that could do drop-leg, OWB or attach to MOLLE; nice I guess, but really bulky, (Most guys bought something much slimmer on their own). Anyway, IIRC the value of what we were signing for was almost $300 (Damn, were not talking aerospace or weapon grade, its mass produced plastic and nylon). That was definitely one item they took back before demob.

January 07, 2024, 12:00 PM

rscalzo

quote:
Originally posted by 92fstech:
I did not realize Sig was partnering with Aliengear to sell branded holsters. That explains why our Sheriff's department has been looking at the Aliengears. They evaluated a couple and have said good things about them. The retention devices function differently from what I'm used to with the Safariland ALS/SLS...not necessarily better or worse, just different. They do seem to function ok, but IMO they haven't been using them long enough to really test their durability. When I asked what's wrong with the current 6360s and why they would consider switching, I was told the Aliengears are cheaper.

From what I saw of them, I'd be pissed if you took my Safariland and replaced it with one of those things. I didn't get to actually use one myself, but I got a close look at a couple and got the impression that the overall build quality was not on par with the Safariland offerings. I've been picked up and thrown around by the gun in my Safariland duty holster in training, and I have full confidence in that piece of equipment. Normally I'm all for having options, but when it starts tempting administrators to cut corners to save a buck on something as important as a duty holster, it doesn't make me happy.

Sig has sold the linwe in the shop for some time. Marketing must have decided to put it out to the public.

As far as "duty", I doubt anyone is going to leave Safariland, which is specified for most agencies to move to them. Maybe some shooting competetive events might go with them,

January 07, 2024, 12:29 PM

Fredward

Any chance this holster was chosen in response to the unintentional discharge complaints we've heard, especially from LE? I thought it might enable Sig to respond, "We recommend this holster, we even sell it." Were I a suit at Sig, I'd research or maybe even have designed a holster fully compatible with the gun to eliminate the mechanical factor and leave only the stupid factor.

January 07, 2024, 02:39 PM

YooperSigs

Like pedropcola I use the belt slide adapter. It will conceal under a vest or jacket pretty well but not so much with a t-shirt.
The paddle adapter sucks.

January 07, 2024, 06:20 PM

jljones

quote:
Originally posted by RogueJSK:
Yeah, the 7-series are a big step down in quality. Luckily, they still offer the superior 6-series.

Hate the 7 series personally.

January 07, 2024, 06:25 PM

92fstech

quote:
One thing I discovered is that if you remove the bulky QLS stuff and just attach a simple Safariland belt slide, it isn't that bulky.

I really like the idea of the QLS adapter. I tried using it so I could carry my duty gun in my duty holster for some off-duty security details that didn't require a full uniform and belt, and it was really convenient. Unfortunately, I have very bony hips, and the Durango isn't wide enough to accommodate me and the holster (stupid Chrysler built giant side bolsters into a seat designed for a squad car, and by extension guys wearing duty belts

), and that QLS attachment was leaving bruises when I wore it on duty. I'm back to the fixed belt attachment, which while narrower and more comfortable, is still digging a hole in the seat...