I cannot stress the importance of carrying your firearm every day. If you have the ability to, as a concealed carry permit holder or as an off-duty law enforcement officer, you should carry everywhere. No one is responsible for your safety; that solely falls on you. When there’s an imminent threat that has the potential to cause injury or death, having a firearm will give you a much better chance of surviving that incident.
I carried a multitude of different types of pistols over the years, and during the beginning, I felt like no single pistol platform stayed as my primary carry choice for long. It seemed like I was moving onto something new every year. That was due to the fact that most compact and subcompact pistols around 20 years ago were not that much smaller than their full-size counterparts. They were still just as thick as a full-sized frame; they just had shorter barrels, grips, and therefore magazines, which meant less capacity. There is always a compromise when carrying a concealed firearm.
In 2018 SHOT Show, Sig Sauer debuted the P365, meant to be carried 365 days. I was there that year, and I got a close look at it at their booth. I couldn’t wait to get my own. I purchased one as soon as I could. It still is my primary carry pistol today. I even got another one this year to have as a backup. Once I chose the P365, I really haven’t looked into anything else.
The P365 was revolutionary with its capacity to hold 10 rounds of 9mm in a flush-fitting magazine, or 12 rounds in an extended magazine. They have added numerous different models of the P365 over the years, which have increased magazine capacity to up to 21 rounds with the P365 FUSE. However, you won’t be concealing a P365 FUSE with that magazine very well.
My preferred model is the P365X or XL; these are well-balanced with a flush-fitting 12-round magazine. It has enough grip length for my hands to hold onto without having to adjust my grip to reload, something that I had to do with the standard P365 with the short grip.
There’s a good reason that it has stayed as my go-to pistol to carry concealed. It is relatively easy to shoot for a micro compact pistol of its size. It is still a 9mm with snappy recoil as you would expect for a lightweight pistol. The trigger is decent for a stock pistol.
Not only is it great for concealed carry, but it could also be used as a primary pistol in a pinch with the magazine capacity that nearly matches compact and some full-sized pistols. It is a very versatile pistol with the Fire Control Unit being the serialized firearm; you are able to swap out the grip module and slide for aftermarket options. This ability allows the end user to change it from a P365 standard to any of the various models that seem to continually grow as time goes on.
Thankfully, there are a lot of holster offerings from Safariland to fit all the different methods of carrying. From inside waistband (IWB) to outside waistband (OWB) to overt carry with the QLS platform, you have options.
I have a large collection of holsters for the P365 platform to cover the different setups that I can run. I will focus on three of the Safariland Holsters for the Sig Sauer P365 that I have used over the years.
Schema
Let’s start out with the most low-profile, basic, and least expensive offering from Safariland. The Schema is a unique inside waistband or appendix inside waistband holster that is skeletonized with a barrel plug. It is one of the most minimalist holsters that I’ve seen.
This holster will fit the P365, P365X, and P365 XL models, with or without a red dot sight. The setup must be slick; otherwise, it will not accommodate any weapon light attached or slides equipped with suppressor height iron sights. It is only available for right-handed shooters as well.
The ride height and belt attachment angle are adjustable. It has a little wing where the trigger guard area is, which helps push the grip into the body, assisting in minimizing printing from clothing. The Schema is easy to put on and take off, it is comfortable to wear all day long, and has good retention of the P365. This makes it one of my favorite holsters for a discreet and lightweight method to carry that day.
The retention level is not adjustable; you can hear an audible click when holstering. You need a deliberate draw, and that will overcome the resistance for a clean draw. The barrel plug keeps it in place and stable. If you are right-handed and want a minimalist and simple holster for your P365, this is a great choice. For the price, it is hard to beat.
I conceal this setup with a t-shirt with no issues. It is good to have one in your collection of holsters, because if you are like me, you will have different setups that you may want to run. Since it is a minimalist design that isn’t very adaptable, it is limited to a slick setup. If you’re left-handed and always run a weapon light, this holster isn’t for you. There is another option that will cover you below.
IncogX
This was a collaboration product between Safariland and Haley Strategic Partners. I was fortunate enough to attend the debut at SHOT Show a few years ago, where Travis Haley explained all the thought that went into the design.
The Incog X is the opposite of the minimalist Schema. It is a customizable AIWB holster system to fit your specific setup. The IncogX that I have was made for my preferred P365X setup, with the Streamlight TLR-7 Sub weaponlight, and is compatible with red dots as well as suppressor height iron sights.
There are many different custom features to choose from with the Incog X:
Optic: Micro Red Dots on carry pistols are more common and very helpful with targeting and accuracy.
Weaponlight: WMLs have gotten much more compact, and the TLR-7 Sub is an excellent WML with 500 Lumens. If you are able to have one on your carry pistol, you will be able to identify your target much easier and maintain a two-handed grip than with a separate handheld light.
Color ways: It is available in several different color ways: Grey, Multicam Black, Multicam, and M81 Woodland.
Draw Hand: Unfortunately, this too is only available for right-handed users.
Mag Caddy: This is an optional addition and an easy way to carry that spare magazine that is also attached to the holster.
The IncogX is a bit bulkier with Boltaron and weighs more than the Schema. It uses two clips to attach to your belt. The body side has a micro suede lining that makes it very comfortable against your body. It is very stable and ergonomic, making it easy to draw from.
The retention level is adjustable by tightening or loosening the tension screw. It comes with 3 different sizes of concealment-enhancing clip strut shims that will push the grip of the pistol into your body. Even with the thicker profile, I found the IncogX comfortable to wear all day long, and it does a great job of concealing my P365X fully equipped without printing.
You can really make this your very own custom holster to fit your exact setup and preferences. It is a well-made and full-featured concealment holster that is easily concealed with a t-shirt.
Gravity
If IWB or AIWB isn’t for you for whatever reason, the Gravity was made for you. It is a low-profile outside waistband (OWB) holster. It is made from a durable Boltaron material and is Cordura wrapped.
Like the Schema, it will accommodate an RDS but will not work with a WML. It has many more color ways than the previous two holsters: Grey, Black, Green, Multicam Black, Multicam, Tigerstripe, and M81 Woodland.
It comes with a paddle holster attachment but is compatible with the QLS system. The paddle holster goes well with a 3 or 4 o’clock position. It has a low profile for being an OWB holster, but I am unable to conceal it with a t-shirt; I need to wear a collared button-up shirt to successfully conceal it.
I installed the QLS system and now have the option to put it on an over-the-duty rig when I want to run the P365 on the range for practice. Since it does have a decent magazine capacity, the P365 could be run as a secondary gun if it is the only pistol you have available.
The P365 is an excellent platform for concealed carry, and Safariland has a wide variety of holsters to support it. These three have served me well, and hopefully left-handed models will be available in the future.
With any equipment, especially concealed carry holsters, you must get a lot of dry fire practice with your draws. Drawing from concealment requires more steps than with a duty holster, so make sure to continually train with your gear!
