I’ve been writing full-time for just over a year, and it’s been an incredible experience. It’s not easy (it’s incredibly difficult, actually), and betting on yourself isn’t for everyone (everyone enjoys soul-crushing anxiety, right?). But I’ve always believed that hard work, determination, and above all, faith, will lead to good things.
Recently, something good happened—I was invited to attend a Safariland X Haley Strategic Partners (HSP) event to launch the INCOG XS holster.
Only a small group was invited (with big names from Recoil, TFB, G&A, GunsAmerica, and more). Each person was exceptionally accomplished and well-known. I look up to many of them, having read their work for years.
THE TRAINING
The event had two parts—an abbreviated HSP pistol class focused on concealed carry, followed by classroom time, including Q&A on the new product. In total, it was a 36-hour trip, and it was awesome. Travis and head instructor Jered Segraves follow a unique teaching methodology.
Rather than traditional military or law enforcement methods, HSP adopts a sports science approach, emphasizing biomechanical and psychological aspects. HSP characterizes their training as an integration of the disciplines of human learning, biomechanics, and neuroscience to explore how the body, brain, and weapon system function together under pressure.
As a concerned citizen, I believe this is the best training approach. While we’re not professionals, we are individuals ready to protect and serve whenever needed. For any citizen who carries a gun as part of their constitutional right, I recommend taking classes. These include a concealed carry class (often required in many states before applying for a carry license), a pistol class, and a force-on-force class (the closest we can come to replicating an actual event with stressors and threats).
SPORTS SCIENCE?
What we took at HSP was a revised version of a D5 Handgun course. The D5 course, as described on the HSP website, “is designed as a foundational course to accelerate the learning curve of all students regardless of background or experience level. The majority of courses within the shooting community simply focus on the gun. Our multiday course formats focus on the science of the human body, brain, and handgun…”
As someone who’s never served in the military or law enforcement, this makes sense. Shooting is a skill, like anything.
How do you become a better athlete? You train. If you follow sports, you might understand the science behind it (anyone remember the show Sports Science?). Why not bridge that to shooting? You condition your mind, and everything else follows.
In traditional training (like a lot that I’ve taken), it’s very tactics-based. And that has a place. But when the majority of your clientele is regular people, not Tier 1 operators, does that make sense? Haley says no.
Next time you head out for a practice session, think of it this way: the range is a lab experiment. Fail. Get better, and figure out the why. I golf a lot. Whenever I go to the driving range, I don’t just go and hit a bunch of golf balls. No, I go with a plan, I go in with things I want to try, and I get better.
Why do we treat shooting any differently? That’s what Haley focuses on. He put it this way, “Stop stuffing shooting into your life, put life into your shooting.” We are all busy, don’t make excuses.
Of course, training was only half the story—the real reason we were there was to get hands-on with the new INCOG XS.
USE IN CLASS
In short, I like this holster a lot. But I’ve always struggled to find the right holster to fit my body. The INCOG X is a little larger than I prefer and takes up too much real estate on my belt line. I’m about average height and weight for a male in the US (okay, I just looked this up, and according to the interwebs, I am slightly above average in both categories!). I prefer a simpler holster design with less going on. The INCOG XS is just that.
The holster features a streamlined profile that minimizes bulk while maintaining control and draw consistency. Compared with the standard INCOG X, it’s quite a bit smaller. I have an INCOG X, and it’s a bit bigger than what I’d like. I like the XS’s smaller profile.
During the class, we were using Gen 6 Glock 19s, and I had no issues with concealment or drawing. For me, the Glock 19 is a big gun to carry. So, the fact that I didn’t struggle says a lot about the holster design.
MY FIRST IMPRESSIONS
This isn’t a full-scale review; I need more time with the holster before I can give long-term thoughts, but here are a few things I really like:
- The Microfiber Suede Wrapped Boltaron feels very comfortable against your skin. A more comfortable holster increases the likelihood of carrying it. So far, it has passed the sweat test (I sweat a lot).
- The Clip Strut. You can configure the thickness of the strut with shims (1/8”, 1/4”, and 3/8”). This makes the holster customizable.
- It is compatible with red dot optics, open-ended for threaded barrels or compensators, and features a wider channel for suppressor-height sights. This should be standard practice by now, but you’ll still find holsters that don’t accommodate these common accessories.
- You can easily change position from Appendix to 3-4 o’clock carry. It’s not difficult to do. This makes the INCOG XS adaptable. You can change it based on your clothing, which is cool
The holster is currently offered in Glock 17/19 sizes and for Sig Sauer P365 MACRO/FUSE pistols. Customers can select either left- or right-handed versions. The price is $102.50, comparable to other custom holsters available. I’m excited for the upcoming fits to be released and look forward to the additional surprises planned for this holster series.
Zooming Out
Travis Haley and his team at HSP have developed a training methodology that counters the popular narrative. It’s not about tactics. It’s about science. For years, we’ve invested money, time, and energy into sports science to become better athletes. Why wouldn’t we bring that over to the shooting world? It just makes sense.
Speaking of things that make sense, the collaboration between HSP and Safariland does. The INCOG XS builds on its predecessor and offers a more compact, streamlined package, which is something I’ve been looking for. We are always searching for the perfect holster. Maybe I just found it.
Stay tuned for more on Haley Strategic and the INCOG XS holster.
