Safariland SLS Vs. ALS

[FishingFool]

Deleted

[halfcocked]

I've been using the 6360 (SLS+ALS) for 2 years on patrol duty and I like it. It is very quick on the draw (but not as quick as an ALS only). The retention is outstanding. I've been through several force-on-force DT sessions and even two-on-one I have yet to have someone get it out of the holster. I've been told by the DT staff that when our department was using the 070 that the instructors were routinely getting guns from cadets in DT sessions but that they rarely are able to disarm them now since switching to the 6360.

Still, if I were allowed to pick (which I'm not), I would probably opt for the ALS only. The draw is definitely faster with the ALS only and I found the ALS is what really kept the gun in the holster during retention drills--not the hood. I would trade the slight gain in speed for the slight loss in retention with the ALS.

[John_Wayne777]

I'm a high drag, low speed type...but the first time I used an ALS holster I wondered why in the hell it took them so long to think of it. Push....>CLICK< and she's not going anywhere. Admittedly I've not had a 250 pound steroid gobbling ex-con trying to wrest my weapon from the holster, but I have tried to yank the weapon out of the holster without using the lock and I haven't been able to do it.

I'm particularly fond of the ALS because the holster for the light mounted guns will still work even if there's no light on the gun since the lock engages around the ejection port.

[ToddG]

i don't mind it (i'm just a civvie and i use this holster at the range, where we run drills that involve running around, etc). the SLS hood can just be left rotated forward as if it weren't there, and the holster used as an ALS model only, if you feel that there's a need to draw in the very near future. then, the SLS hood can be rotated back if you feel the need for extra security (crawling, running etc).

The problem with this approach is that if you spend most of your time practicing to draw with the hood down, it's going to cause you substantial problems if something happens and you need to draw the gun while the hood is up. It's no different than departments that used to allow officers to start qual strings with their hands on their pistols, retention disengaged... and then learned that their guys, under stress, couldn't draw from a properly engaged retention device.

[tpd223]

What Todd just said. Seriously, leaving the hood down sometimes but not others is a bad idea.

I've been using the ALS off-duty style for a couple of years now (forget the model #) and the 6360 on duty as well.

IMHO the 6360 is the finest duty holster ever, made by any company, ever.
It pains me to say so since I've been pissed off at BAE/Safariland/ABA for a couple of years now, but I calls em likes I sees em.

It is fast to draw, fast to reholster, very secure in defending the pistol against gun grabs, tough, well designed, and comfortable.

[condoor]

I'm eyeballing the 6320 right now. I noticed it has a sheild to protect the als. Is that shield necessary to protect the als from accidental bumps or is it more of a little retention shield?

I have a similar holster with the SLS+ALS, plus the hood you described above. I removed the hood. I don't think it's necessary to protect the SLS or ALS, but YMMV.

[militarymoron]

The problem with this approach is that if you spend most of your time practicing to draw with the hood down, it's going to cause you substantial problems if something happens and you need to draw the gun while the hood is up. It's no different than departments that used to allow officers to start qual strings with their hands on their pistols, retention disengaged... and then learned that their guys, under stress, couldn't draw from a properly engaged retention device.

todd, i totally agree with you that it can cause problems in the real world vs. hobby/range use, and it's better to always be consistent. when i'm using the 6305 at the range, the hood is always down and i use it as an ALS-only holster. i'd liken it to aimpoint or scope flip-up caps where you keep them open if you think you're going to need them, and down if you don't.
for newer holsters that i bought, i went with the 6378 ALS only, as i also felt that the hood plus ALS was unnecessary for my particular use.

[ra2bach]

for those that have the SLS, do you find the hood protects the pistol from wear?

I've seen pics of holsters/hoods that had serious gouges on that I would not have been happy if that was on my pistol...