TFB Review: Safariland Solis Holster, ALS Security For EDC
Safariland has long been known for their rugged and durable holsters and gear. In their pursuit of giving gun owners a plethora of options, they introduced the Safariland Solis holster. The Solis is designed as an OWB (Outside the Waistband) holster that sits tight against the wearer’s hip, which led Safariland to bill the Solis as a concealment holster. While one could conceal the Solis under winter clothing, I tend to consider it as bridging the gap between duty holsters and deep concealment holsters. Let’s go on a safari to see the Solis in action.
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TFB Review: Safariland Solis Holster, ALS Security For EDC
The Safariland Solis holster is constructed of SafariSeven™, which is said to be a “non-marking nylon blend.” I found the material to be slightly flexible when squeezing the empty holster, but that likely adds to its durability. The holster body is made of two pieces held together by two large Chicago screws and two smaller Phillips head screws. The ALS (Automatic Locking System) consists of a one-piece plastic or nylon lever and lock that blocks the forward cut of the pistol’s ejection port. The ALS piece utilizes a steel return spring to stay in the locked position unless activated by the thumb of the wearer’s weapon hand.
At the time of this writing, the Safariland Solis is being offered for the SIG P365, including the Fuse, X, XL, and XMacro. It’s also being offered for the Glock 17, 19, 43, 45, 47, 49. The design can accommodate compact weapon lights and pistol optics, as well as Glock Gen 3, 4, and 5 models. The Solis is also being offered in black, flat dark earth, and olive drab.
The Solis comes with two carry methods; a paddle and a belt slide mount. I hadn’t seen many paddle holster mounts for a while, but the Solis paddle was extremely secure as it includes a special hook that positively latches to the underside of the wearer’s belt from inside the pants. It was so secure, it took some effort to get the holster off most times. One option when ordering the Solis is to have the paddle mount only, or you can order it with both the paddle and a belt slide option. The Solis also utilises Safariland’s standard three-hole belt attachment mounting system, which gives an even wider selection of options for securing that big iron on your hip.
Is The Safariland Solis a Duty Holster?
As I eluded to above, in my opinion, the Solis seems to bridge the gap between being a duty holster and an IWB holster. Therefore, I don’t consider the Solis to be a dedicated duty holster, perhaps with the exception of low-intensity security needs where the chances of someone trying to grab your pistol are very low. Safariland lists the Solis holster under their concealment category, while it’s absent from the selection of duty holsters. All that being said, the three-hole mounting system will physically let the wearer press it into a duty role.
If the aesthetics and style of the Solis catch your eye, the SafariVault holster is more robust and is billed under the duty holsters section. It is also offered in single or double retentions, while the Solis is single retention only.
Safariland Solis, As Reviewed
The Solis configuration I chose to review was for the Glock 17 Gen 3-4 MOS and Surefire XC-1 weapon light. I knew this would fit both my personal Glock 22 with its grip chopped to model 27 length, as well as my department-issued Glock 22 (yes, still). I discovered early on that even if the Solis is molded for a weapon light, it doesn’t require a light to be mounted on the pistol to lock in. Not only are you not required to have a light for locking, but there isn’t any wiggle of the pistol once it’s locked in, which I find refreshing.
I wore the Safariland Solis with the supplied paddle mount and belt slide hardware. Both were comfortable and secure. One interesting note about the plastic paddle is that the body side is completely smooth, so even though I had my belt on the tightest hole, there was still a little bit of vertical play on the rig. Between the two mounting options supplied, I prefer the belt slide, but I like that the holster can be removed easier with the paddle mount installed.
I have a few Safariland duty holsters lying around, so I had to try out the mid-ride offset belt mount too. I used this combination on my battle belt, and although I said the Solis could be a limited-use duty option, it felt and worked great.
The ALS system works wonderfully. Holstering my Glocks, the Solis gave an audible “click” letting me know that the ALS system engaged. If I rode my thumb along the left side of the pistol, the click disappeared, but the pistol was still locked in, confirmed by a slide tug on the grip. The ALS release lever is intuitive and simple to use with a rearward pull from the strong hand thumb, the pistol can be drawn up and out of the holster. I read one product review online that stated that if the ALS lever is pressed forward while the holster is empty, the return spring would fall out. I tried to do this, but I was unable to get any forward movement on the lever or the system.
Sadly, I didn’t have good access to a Glock equipped with an optic. Safariland does state that the Solis will not accommodate the RMRcc optic.
Final Thoughts
The Safariland Solis is a solid OWB holster that adds extra retention for the pistol being carried. While OWB rigs aren’t always easy to conceal, the Solis’ retention, versatile mounting options, and professional aesthetics land it as a top contender in the OWB holster market. The current downside is the lack of pistol models it accommodates. Within the Glock catalog, the Solis has a good showing of offerings, but I look forward to seeing S&W, CZ, Beretta, 1911s, and more in the future, perhaps.
The Safariland Solis has a listed price between $85-$100, depending on options and add-ons when ordering. You can find the dedicated Solis page HERE, or visit Safariland.com to view their whole lineup of holsters, magazine pouches, belts, armor and more.
Safariland Solis Holsters
What do you think about the Safariland Solis holster? If you’ve already purchased one, let us know how your experience has been in the comment section.
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Doug has been a firearms enthusiast since age 16 after getting to shoot with a friend. Since then he's taken many others out to the range for their first time. He is a husband, father, grandfather, police officer, outdoorsman, artist and a student of history. Doug has been a TFB reader from the start and is happy to be a contributor of content. Doug can be reached at battleshipgrey61 AT gmail.com, or battleshipgrey61 on Instagram.
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I'd hardly call it a 'deep concealment' holster in winter or any other time. Many people actually spend time indoors where the gun is hidden beneath sweaters and a coat to cut the chill. Even in the northern climates where winter requires preheating engines as temps drop well below 32 dF, we shed our coats indoors... exposing an OWB holster for the world to see.
people who carry like this are nothing more than "look at me"s and try hards.