I’ve been testing an H&K VP9 for our agency for a few months now. One of the challenges of testing a new gun, is of course finding holsters for it. After some waiting, I was able to secure a 6360 ALS from Safariland for duty use, but needed something a bit less bulky for plain-clothed assignments, training days and occasional off-duty use (my primary off-duty rig is still a Glock 19 or 26 in an Alsaker Cutsom IWB).
For just under $50, I came across the Safariland 578 GLS “Pro-Fit” holster. Safariland states the holster body is constructed from “SafariSeven” material, “a lightweight, state-of-the-art nylon blend [that] is completely non-abrasive to a gun’s finish, tolerant of extreme high and low temperatures.” I am not sure the manufacturing process, but it feels similar to other companies injection-molded polymers. I was a little concerned when I first took it out of the package, as I am used to the hard, rigid, kydex duty holsters Safariland makes, but my fears were unwarranted. This holster has so far proven to be extremely durable and well made. I subjected the holster to a fair amount of stress both with the gun inside and empty. I wouldn’t try to run it over with my car, but with it empty, I stepped on it with nearly all of my 200 lbs – it flexed and returned right back to shape.
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Safariland 578 GLS Pro-Fit with H&K VP9
GLS stands for “grip locking system,” and like the ALS “automatic locking system,” the gun is automatically locked into place when holstered. Where the ALS locks the gun’s ejection port, the GLS system locks the gun in place using the front of the trigger guard. To release the locking mechanism, the shooter depresses a lever with their middle finger as they acquire a grip on the pistol. Especially after a few draws, it is a very easy system to operate. The shooter really doesn’t have to change how they grip the gun to draw – if you start with a good grip in the holster, you should have no problems releasing the mechanism. It’s intuitive, quick to learn, and quick to draw. I wasn’t able to draw quite as fast as I could from an open-top, competition style kydex holster, but with some practice I was able to get my draw down to just over one second, about half a second faster than I can do with an ALS/SLS duty holster.
The other side to that coin is if someone sneaks up behind you to grab your gun while you’re in condition white, there is a fair chance they will release the retention device if they manage to get a decent grip on your gun. This really holds true for any holster with a single retention device, so it’s important to remember that your first level of retention is YOU. I did put the holster through its paces, tugging and twisting in an attempt to pull it from the holster without deactivating the retention device, and it would not release. I didn’t push my luck by attempting to do pullups on it as Safariland shows you can do with some of their duty holsters, but I think I gave it a fair shake.
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Left – unlocked position. When the gun is inserted, the trigger guard flips down the visible tab, rotating another tab around (RIGHT) which grabs around the inside of the front of the trigger guard. The mechanism appears to be sturdy and can only be released when the GLS level is depressed.
The coolest thing about this holster is one holster can be used for a variety of different pistols. The 578 model I purchased will work for a number of popular pistols including: Glock 19,23,38; FNH FNS 9/40; Ruger SR 9/40/45; S&W M&P 45 4in; S&W 99; H&K P2000 9/40, P30, 45C, USP 9/40, VP9, a number of Sig Sauers (with an additional shim), Walter P99 and PPQ; plus a bunch other less popular firearms. I carried both my Glock 19 and the VP9 in the holster and it worked great for both. It also held my G26 just fine, though I don’t know how it would work with other manufacturers sub-compact models. There is an adjustment screw on underside of the holster to increase or decrease the tension of the gun in the holster. This screw pushes a panel up against the bottom of the rail area. It does NOT adjust the retention device as one can do with an ALS, simply how much play there is between the gun and the holster. Speaking of play, there is a little up/down movement of the gun inside the holster, similar to what you’d find in a regular Safariland duty holster. It’s not excessive, and I guess if that bothers you, you should stick with leather.
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The very same holster with a Glock 19… no modification needed
I was pleased to see the holster came with Safariland’s concealment style belt loop as well as a paddle. Both are injection molded, and attach to the holster body with three Allen screws, allowing the cant of the holster to be adjusted. The screws also provide a much more secure mounting system, compared to some companies who use inexpensive rivets to attach these parts.
I generally don’t like paddle holsters, but I’ve been wearing it as such for the easy on / off that comes in handy sometimes while teaching. I was pleased with how solid the paddle held to my belt. There is a good sized hook that slips under your belt, and so long as you wear a study belt, it’s not going to move around much. The belt loop is more solid of a mounting system of course – not much to say about it, it’s a simple design and works well.
Finally, I was happy with how well this holster concealed a medium sized pistol for an outside the waistband holster. You won’t conceal it particularly well with just a T-shirt, you really need an IWB for that kind of concealment, but it disappears under an unbuttoned sport coat, vest, or even a loose fitting fleece. Compared to the more rigid, ALS concealment holsters I have used in the past, I felt this holster did much better at concealing a pistol.
Image may be NSFW.
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All things considered, I’m impressed with this holster and really couldn’t find anything to criticize. I’m even happy with the $50 price tag. I cringe whenever I see a student show up for class, or worse, a detective on duty carrying their gun in a cheap Serpa or Fobus holster they probably found at the local sporting goods store. They should be embarrassed but they don’t know any better. Spending $30 on a holster for a $500 gun is like putting cheap tires on a Corvette. The system is only as strong as the weakest link. For just a few dollars more, the Safariland GLS Pro-Fit is a heck of a lot better option. Plus, by showing up to class with a respectable holster, you’ve at least eliminated one variable that might otherwise make your instructor see you as “that guy” – and you just can’t put a price on that.