I recently tested the Safariland 7TS Holster, a lightweight nylon holster made of SafariSeven, a proprietary nylon blend from DuPont.
My tests concluded that it was impervious to the elements and offered great protection for the duty gun, but the part I liked most is the reason why the 7TG Series of holsters will be readily adopted by law enforcement: This is Safariland’s best application of their ALS (Automatic Locking System) yet.
Fire and Ice
The injection-molded 7TS holster is lightweight and pretty high tech. It has a subdued finish that resists scratching, does not stain, and is easily cleaned and/or sterilized.
The straight draw works smoothly for tactical (thigh mount) applications and belt loop options. I anticipate the durability and flexibility will be attractive for a future military application.
Because the 7TS is designed to be impervious to extreme weather elements, I decided to try to freeze it before I used it. After two weeks of repeated questioning from my family about when I was going to remove the holster from the freezer, I packed it in an ice chest and departed for the range.
I pulled it from the cooler and into a balmy 107 degrees on the range floor. SafariSeven can actually handle about 300 degrees, but I melt at a much lower temperature, so 107 will have to do for the purposes of this test.
I repeatedly tossed the holster on the range floor. It didn’t lose its flexibility or crack. I soaked it, and then checked it for smoothness under water; the 7TS draws underwater as easily as it does bone dry.
High Tech Performance
The 7TS uses an internal riser system. Internal contact points cradle the gun and very little of the holster body actually contacts the firearm. This explains the smoothness of the draw under water. In environments where debris or dust may be an issue, the gun will still draw freely.
The internal lock is easily accessed with the thumb. I found that acquiring the master grip was natural and any portion of the thumb, from the pad to close to the web of the hand, commanded a smooth release.
This ensures a fairly uniform feel for most users, regardless of their hand size. The lock engages the recesses of my Glock in the ejection port area. I found that a serious attempt to snatch the gun is hindered and the angle of the release is hidden enough to preclude anyone but the wearer’s access, at least from an initial deliberate grab. This feature should not be confused with higher level retention, but it is my preferred level for duty use.
The Safariland 7TS Holster is relatively quiet on the draw and my Glock 22 did not rattle around in it. It accommodated aftermarket XS Sights and Crimson Trace Lasergrips.
This holster has a quick unlock and the gun floats into its presentation with virtually no drag on the draw stroke. I could easily find the mouth of the holster without looking — there was no break in and the learning curve was easy.
Having said this, however, I would never put any holster on the street without practicing 500 or more draws. Since this holster was consistent from the beginning to the end of the test, this should be an easy train up.
Like most Safariland holsters, the holster part fits a variety of platforms. I find that the Safariland 7TS Holster is one of the best applications of holster technology in the industry, and I’m certain many agencies will swear it in for duty.
