Back to blog

Holster Retention Levels Explained: Level I, II and III

By Matúš Koleják, Braňo Hrivňák 12 min read
Holster Retention Levels Explained: Level I, II and III
In this guide

The short version

A holster's retention level counts the separate hand movements needed to release the pistol. On Safariland duty holsters, Level I is the ALS thumb lock, Level II is the SLS rotating hood, and Level III is both together. A higher level makes a gun grab harder and the draw a little slower and more demanding to train. For the range or competition, Level I is enough. For uniformed patrol, Level III is the norm.

This guide explains what the numbers on a duty holster mean, how Safariland tests them, how each locking device works, and how to choose a level for the job you actually do. We use Safariland holsters as the examples because the retention level system is theirs and because they are what we sell. Where something is our opinion rather than Safariland's, we say so.

Retention levels at a glance

Level Security devices Hand movements to release Typical user Examples in our shop
Level I ALS thumb lock 1 Range, competition, armed citizens in low-risk settings, plain-clothes carry 6390RDS, 7390RDS, 6395RDS
Level II SLS rotating hood 2 Armed security, some police agencies 6280, 7280, 6285
Level III ALS and SLS together 3 Uniformed patrol and other open carry where someone may try to take the gun 6360RDS, 7360RDS, 6365RDS, Ballast
Level IV ALS, SLS and SLS Sentry 4 Specialist roles that require it by policy Not stocked as standard. Ask us.

What a retention level actually measures

Safariland rates its duty holsters by one thing: the number of distinct hand movements it takes to defeat the security devices before the pistol can come out. One device that needs one movement is Level I. Add devices, add movements, and the level goes up.

Safariland retention levels I to IV shown as a ladder, with the security devices and the number of hand movements for each level
Each level adds a device and a hand movement. We stock Level I, II and III duty holsters.

A level is not just a count of parts, though. To carry the Duty Rated label, Safariland says a holster has to pass its own retention test, which it describes as "a six-part simulated thirty-second 'grab and snatch' initiated by an adversary". It must pass while mounted on an approved Safariland belt loop and duty belt. That last condition matters more than it sounds. The rating belongs to the whole system, so a Level III holster on a soft trouser belt or a home-made mount is no longer the thing that was tested.

Two points that are our reading rather than Safariland's wording:

  • The levels are Safariland's own rating, earned on Safariland's own test. Other brands use the same words, but we would not assume a Level III from one maker is equal to a Level III from another. Compare levels within a brand.
  • A higher level is not a better holster. It is a different trade between security and speed. The right level is the lowest one that is adequate for the risk you face and that your agency's policy allows.

The locking devices, one by one

Every Safariland retention level is built from the same few devices. Once you can recognise them, the model numbers make sense.

Safariland 7360RDS Level III duty holster with the SLS hood, the SLS mechanism and the belt loop labelled
A 7360RDS from the outside. The ALS lever is on the body side, where your thumb finds it.

ALS: the Automatic Locking System

ALS is an internal lock that catches the pistol as soon as it is holstered and holds it in every direction. There is no strap to close. The release is a lever on the body side of the holster, under the thumb of the shooting hand. Your thumb presses it back as your hand takes the grip, and the gun comes straight up. On its own, ALS makes a holster Level I.

Safariland 6390RDS open-top ALS duty holster, Duty Rated Level I Retention, on a mid-ride belt loop
The 6390RDS: open top, ALS only, Level I. Nothing covers the back of the slide. Photo: Safariland.

SLS: the Self Locking System

SLS is a rotating hood that sits over the rear of the slide. Safariland's instruction is that the hood only releases when it is pushed down and rotated forward at the same time. On its own, SLS makes a holster Level II.

Safariland 6280 SLS mid-ride duty holster with the rotating hood closed over the pistol
The 6280: SLS hood only, Level II. Photo: Safariland.

ALS and SLS together

Put both on the same holster and you get Level III, three hand movements in total. Safariland describes this as the most common configuration for patrol and general duty, and on its own blog it calls Level III the current standard for law enforcement. The hood stops a grab, and if the hood is defeated the ALS still holds the gun.

Safariland 7360RDS 7TS ALS and SLS mid-ride duty holster, Duty Rated Level III Retention, cut for a red dot sight
The 7360RDS: ALS and SLS, Level III, with a cut for a slide-mounted red dot. Photo: Safariland.

Sentry, ALS Guard and the step to Level IV

Some holsters take an extra lock as an option. The 6280 and 6285 Level II holsters can be fitted with an SLS Sentry, which Safariland says turns them into Level III. A holster with ALS, SLS and the Sentry together is Level IV. Concealment models such as the 6378RDS offer an optional ALS Guard for a little more security without a hood. Fitting one of these changes how you draw, so it needs the same retraining as buying a new holster.

Which retention level do you need?

Safariland's own guidance lines up roughly like this: Level I for competition and for everyday carriers in low-risk settings, Level II for some police and armed security, Level III for law enforcement and high-threat open carry. Our version, with the question we would ask first:

Decision chart for choosing a holster retention level based on open carry, contact with the public and agency policy
Start with whether the gun is visible to people who might try to take it. Then check the policy.
How you carry Our suggestion Why
Range, training, competition Level I (ALS) Nobody is trying to take the gun. One movement keeps the draw fast and simple.
Plate carrier or battle belt for training Level I, or Level III if you also wear it on duty Train with the holster you will work with. Changing level means changing the draw.
Plain clothes, concealed ALS concealment holster Concealment is the main protection. A hood adds bulk under a jacket.
Armed security, visible to the public Level II or III An open holster in a crowd is a target. At least one device should resist a grab from behind.
Uniformed police patrol Level III, or what policy specifies Close contact with people every shift. This is what Level III was built for.
Tactical team, drop leg or carrier Level I or III, depending on role Teams often accept Level I for speed when the holster is rarely within reach of anyone else.

The cost of a higher level

Each extra device adds a movement to the draw, and each movement has to be trained until it happens without thought. Safariland is open about both points: the extra movements add time, and a Level III holster needs more training. We do not have our own timing data and we are not going to invent any. What we can say is that the slowest draw from a Level III holster is the first one after you bought it, and the fix is repetition with an unloaded, checked pistol, not a lower level.

The reverse cost is real too. An open-top Level I holster on a uniform puts the gun one thumb press away from anyone who gets a hand on it. If your work brings you within arm's reach of people who may resist, speed is not the only thing being tested.

Our duty holsters by level

All the holsters below are Duty Rated by Safariland and come on Safariland duty belt loops for 2 in (50 mm) or 2.25 in (58 mm) belts. Check the width option when you order, because not every model comes in both. The RDS versions are cut for a slide-mounted red dot.

Level I: ALS

The 6390RDS is an open-top ALS duty holster and the one we used in the battle belt setup guide. The 7390RDS is the same design in SafariSeven, and the 6395RDS is the low-ride version for wearing under armour. Browse the full range of Level I retention holsters.

Level II: SLS

The 6280 is the classic SLS duty holster, with the hood guard fitted as standard. The 7280 is the SafariSeven version and the 6285 is the low-ride one. All three can take the optional Sentry to become Level III, which is useful if your agency raises its requirement after you have bought the holster. See all Level II retention holsters.

Level III: ALS and SLS

The 6360RDS and 7360RDS are the patrol holsters Safariland itself names as Level III examples. The 6365RDS is the low-ride version. The Ballast is Safariland's newest duty holster, with a slimmer footprint on the belt, a guard over the trigger area inside the holster and a cantable belt loop. See all Level III retention holsters.

Safariland 6360RDS ALS and SLS mid-ride duty holster for pistols with a red dot sight
6360RDS in SafariLaminate. Photo: Safariland.
Safariland Ballast duty holster with ALS lever and cantable belt loop
Ballast, Safariland's newest duty holster. Photo: Safariland.

6000 series or 7TS: does the material matter?

The retention level is the same between a 6360 and a 7360. What changes is the shell.

6000 series (6280, 6360, 6390) 7TS (7280, 7360, 7390)
Material SafariLaminate, thermo-moulded SafariSeven, a nylon blend
Inside Suede lining on many models Non-abrasive nylon with raised stand-offs, so dirt and water drain away
Temperature Normal duty conditions Safariland rates it structurally sound from -50 to 300 °F (-45 to 150 °C)
Water Wipe clean Safariland states it keeps its shape even when submerged
Our view Fine for most patrol work in a European climate Worth it for wet, cold or very hot work, or if the holster lives in a vehicle

Ride height is a separate choice. Mid-ride models (6360, 6390, 6280) sit at the belt. Low-ride models (6365, 6395, 6285) drop the holster to clear body armour or a crowded belt, which we cover in more detail in the drop leg holster guide. If you need to swap a holster between mounts, look at the duty belt loops and quick attachment systems, but remember that the duty rating was earned on an approved Safariland mount.

Common mistakes with retention holsters

  • Buying the highest level available and not training with it. An untrained Level III draw is slower than it needs to be and more likely to fumble under stress.
  • Choosing by level only and ignoring fit. The pistol, light and optic decide the holster model. Order for the exact combination, or ask us to check it.
  • Putting a duty holster on a mount it was not tested with, then trusting the rating.
  • Switching between levels for duty and training. Your hand learns one draw. Keep the same holster, or at least the same devices, for both.
  • Assuming a concealment holster with ALS is a duty holster. The lock is the same, but concealment models are not sold under the Duty Rated label.
  • Holstering with a finger or clothing in the way. The ALS locks as soon as the pistol is seated. Look the gun into the holster and clear the opening first.

Frequently asked questions

What is a Level 3 retention holster?

A holster that needs three separate hand movements to release the pistol. On Safariland duty holsters that means the ALS thumb lock plus the SLS rotating hood, as on the 6360RDS, 7360RDS and Ballast.

What is the difference between Level 2 and Level 3 holsters?

Level II on a Safariland duty holster is the SLS hood alone, two movements. Level III adds the ALS lock, so even if the hood is defeated the gun is still held. Some Level II holsters, such as the 6280, can be upgraded to Level III with the optional Sentry.

What does ALS mean on a holster?

Automatic Locking System. It is Safariland's internal lock that holds the pistol as soon as it is holstered and releases with a lever under the thumb. On a duty holster, ALS alone is Level I.

What is the difference between ALS and SLS?

ALS is an internal lock released by the thumb. SLS is an external hood over the back of the slide that must be pushed down and rotated forward. ALS gives Level I, SLS gives Level II, and the two together give Level III.

Is Level 1 retention enough?

For the range, competition and most training, yes. For open carry in close contact with the public, it is the minimum, and most police agencies require more.

What retention level do police use?

Safariland says Level III is now the standard for law enforcement, and that some agencies still use Level II. Your agency's policy decides, so check it before you buy.

Are retention levels the same across brands?

Not necessarily. The levels described here are Safariland's, earned on Safariland's own test with an approved mount and belt. Other makers use similar names and their own tests. Compare levels within one brand.

Does a higher retention level make the draw slower?

Yes, every extra device adds a movement. With enough dry practice the difference becomes small, but it never disappears. That is the trade you make for a holster that is harder to take from you.

A note on law and safety

Rules on owning, carrying and transporting firearms and holsters differ between countries, and many agencies specify the retention level and carry position their officers may use. This guide is about choosing equipment for lawful duty, sport and training use. Check the rules that apply to you. Do all dry practice with an unloaded, checked firearm or a training replica.

About the authors

This guide was written by Matúš Koleják and Braňo Hrivňák of Combat Defender in Bratislava, Slovakia. We sell the Safariland holsters shown above and supply them to police, military and security customers in Europe.

The definitions of each retention level, the description of the test and the device names come from Safariland's published material, linked below. Material and temperature figures come from Safariland's product descriptions. The suggestions on which level to choose are our own judgement, and we have marked them as such. If something here is wrong or unclear, tell us and we will correct it.

Last reviewed: October 2026.

Sources

Back to blog