Too dangerous to buy Incog X for the M&P 2.0 (Light-Bearing)

Verdict: Do not buy.

I usually start holster reviews by saying holsters are personal, and what works on my body may not work on yours. That’s still true. But this review isn’t about fit or comfort. It’s about safety, and on that front this is possibly the worst holster I’ve ever bought.

What it is

The Incog X is a collaboration between Safariland and Haley Strategic Partners. It’s an appendix IWB holster made from Boltaron, a thermoformed polymer, wrapped in a microfiber suede exterior. I bought the light-bearing version for my M&P 2.0 with the mag caddy (sidecar). That setup runs around $130.

The good

There are really only three things I liked:

The suede exterior. It’s soft and comfortable against your body. Easily the best thing about this holster. The wedge. It’s an interesting concept. The claw doesn’t need a screw. Nice touch.

The not so good

Price. For $130 you can easily get a Tier 1 Concealed or a T.Rex Arms holster. Both are proven, well established and great.

Thickness. The material is noticeably thicker than my Tier 1 or my T.Rex. For appendix carry, that bulk matters.

The dealbreaker: the trigger is accessible

On my holster, there’s a flare around the trigger guard that opens up. With the gun fully seated, the trigger is still accessible. A holster has one job that isn’t negotiable: completely cover the trigger. This one doesn’t.

If you carry with a round chambered, I wouldn’t touch this holster. Whether it’s a design flaw, poor quality control or a lack of attention to detail, I don’t know. What I do know is that I don’t want my trigger accessible at all when I’m carrying, and you shouldn’t either.

Customer support

I called Safariland numerous times and got three different explanations:

The holster was too old. It was manufactured last year. The opening is there to accommodate the light. After speaking to an engineer, it’s required to accommodate the mag release.

None of these hold up. On the light: I own other light-bearing holsters, and every one of them fully covers the trigger guard. On the mag release: first, the Safariland doesn’t even cover the mag release. Second, as you can see in the photo of my Tier 1 Concealed, a well-made holster can fit flush around the mag release with no obstruction at all.

If you already own one

Check it. With an unloaded gun (verify it, then verify it again), seat it in the holster and see if you can reach the trigger through that gap. If you can, stop carrying in it.

Bottom line

Nice material, an interesting wedge and a tool-free claw. None of that matters when the trigger isn’t covered. This is a horrible product, and in my opinion it’s not safe to be sold. Spend your money on a Tier 1 Concealed or a T.Rex Arms instead.