Safariland's ALS rig offers combines good weapon retention and speed. It is shown here with the author's Kimber Aegis.

Safariland is one of the most recognized brands in law enforcement. And with good reason; it has been an innovator in the retention holster and accessory business for as long as I can remember. The firm was recently among a number of brands purchased by defense conglomerate BAE Systems, but that hasn't stopped Safariland's commitment to providing quality holsters and accessories you can count on and afford.

Duty rigs present an interesting problem: They need to be readily accessible but secure at the same time. Safariland has long been an innovator in that department. Its SLS system--a hood that flips out of the way--is one of the firm's more popular systems because it is faster and easier to manipulate and more secure than a conventional thumb break. This year, Safariland added the ALS or Automatic Locking System to the line.

The ALS consists of an internal device that engages the ejection port. It requires nothing more than a straight push into the holster to secure it. However, it requires a push of a small button to disengage. The release is positioned between the holster body and the holster's Hood Guard, where it is protected from gun grabbers or unintentional activation, yet it's easily depressed by the thumb during the draw.

The new ALS line can be ordered with the SLS and the ALS device, or with just the ALS. Holsters with both are classified as Level II Plus thanks to the rotating hood (SLS), the Hood Guard and the ALS.

The holster I received for testing, the Model 6325, is equipped with just the Hood Guard and ALS, so it does not qualify as a Level II holster. I ordered the standard ALS because I've never been a big fan of ultra-high-retention holsters. Though they work well for certain high-risk assignments, they also make for a slow draw. Still, weapon security is essential, so the ALS intrigued me because its design seemed to offer speed and ample weapon retention.

To test it, I wore the new Safariland rig around the house and office for the better part of a week. The only duty belt I had on hand was a relic from my academy days. It seemed to have shrunken a bit over the years. Fortunately, the ALS slid on it more easily than that belt fit around me. I started by holstering and drawing a Kimber Aegis repeatedly for a solid half-hour. I was impressed with the ease of re-holstering and the speed of the draw after such a short training period.

I ordered the ALS because I expected it to be fast, but I wasn't sure how it would hold up during my retention evaluation. To test it, I had my training partner try repeatedly to rip my blue training gun out of the rig.

On duty, he wears a Safariland rig, but his lacks the ALS. He had a little more knowledge than the average scumbag, but it didn't help. I really felt it as he pulled and yanked on the butt of my blue gun, but he couldn't get it out.

Next, I showed him how to work the holster and challenged him to get my training pistol. I wasn't going to escalate it into a fight, but I warned him that I wasn't going to just stand there and let him take it either.