S&S was founded in 2007 and is owned by veterans, a factor that weighs heavily on their designs, manufacturing and end products. Their products are made for use by Military Units, Federal Government and Law Enforcement Professionals. The expanding company employs various engineering and technical specialists and their products are shipped worldwide.
For more info – visit S&S Precision website.
Why S&S Precision?
Secondary weapons are whilst not a necessity to all deployed troops, are utilised by and one of the key staples for Bravo team. Continuing with the break down on 1st Line Gear in use by SEAL Teams’ Bravo, I dived back into the details in the holsters. I previously covered the S&S Precision Gear Retention Track & Holster Extender, Belt Adapter and Webbing Adapter in a detailed blog and noted that in as well as the Holster Extender a common item used was the Trifecta Connecta, securing the holster to the 1st Line Gear. The use of the Trifecta Connecta was near consistent through the 4 seasons and is commonly seen in use by all of the team as shown in some of the images below.
The Trifecta Connecta is one of the range of additional parts that can be utilised using the Gear Retention Track designed and manufactured by S&S Precision. Additional accessories can be found on the Gear Retention Track & Accessories page of the S&S Precision website. Purchase of the Trifecta Connecta enabled a further step towards a screen accurate replica of the 1st Line Gear used by Bravo, whilst remaining a necessary and functional item. S&S Precision have manufactured a large variety of products a number of which HAHO has reviewed below;
S&S Precision Grenade Launcher Holster
S&S Precision Skeletonized Magazine Retention (SMR), Dust-E & GRT Webbing Adapter
S&S Precision V-Lite Multi-Mode
S&S Precision Manta Strobe MS-0015
S&S Precision Gear Retention Track & Holster Extender, Belt Adapter and Webbing Adapter
Product details
Herein lies the product descriptions from the website;
The Trifecta Connecta™ is S&S Precision’s solution for attaching your holster utilizing the Gear Retention Track™ (GRT). The hole design pattern makes the Trifecta Connecta™ compatible with Safariland®, Blackhawk!®, and G-Code® holsters. With the included spacers and screw kit, you will be able to get the standoff you need to make your preferred holster function properly. Features include:
- Lightweight, low profile
- Gear Retention Track™ modularity
- Snag-Free Design
P/N: TC-0001
Packaging
The Trifecta Connecta (Tri Con) and accessories are all packaged in a clear plastic tough bag with the S&S Precision product sticker on the front detailing product colour and Product Number (P/N). The Tri Con is only available in black and therefore as seen, the P/N is TC-0001. On the rear of the bag is the ‘Made in the USA 757’ sticker which reference a collective of small businesses based in the Hampton Roads, Virginia, USA region.
Parts included
The Trifecta Connecta package includes a number of parts;
- Trifecta Connecta
- Operators sheet
- 18x screws = 3 each of the following (.1875″, .3125″, .5″, .75″, 1″, 1.25″)
- 2x Spacers
Product exterior in detail
The Tri Con is small, lightweight and manufactured of lightweight high grade anodized metal. Designed to be attached to the Gear Retention Track Webbing Adapter (WA) or the Belt Adapter (BA), it feels like a small yet solid item. The Tri Con as mentioned in the product details above and detailed below in this blog show that it can be used with a number of different holster manufacturers meaning it’s compatibility shouldn’t be an issue. The surfaces are anodized preventing light scratches to the surface and it bears the S&S Precision manufacturer mark as well as the P/N on the front. The rear of the Tri Con has the S&S classed ‘male’ vertical self locking component (elevated platform rail guides) which are designed to slot into the ‘female’ slot (rails on the WA or BA).
Tri Con Measurements
Height 9.6cm
Width 5.5cm
Depth 1cm
The Tri Con weighs a total of 33g.
In addition to the Tri Con, the package further includes 2x spacers which allow the Tri Con to be attached to a number of manufacturers holsters. These spacers are manufactured using a toughened plastic which ensures that they’re lightweight and not easily breakable. Much like the Tri Con design, as much excess material has been removed to reduce weight whilst maintaining structural integrity.
Spacer Measurements
Height 7.7cm
Width 5cm
Depth 0.8cm
The Spacer weighs a total of 8g.
Fitting Spacers to Tri Con
It is worth re-iterating that the Trifecta Connecta is compatible with Safariland (left), Blackhawk (middle), and G-Code (right) holsters. Depending on your holster you may or may not require use of the one or both of the spacers to ensure that the holster stand off is correct from the belt line. (Image sourced from S&S Precision website)
As mentioned, the Tri Con package comes with the Tri Conn and 2 additional spacers. On the face of the Tri Con you can see as shown in the second image that the screw holes are ‘stepped’. In the third image showing the face of the spacer, you can see that the screw holes have raised ledges. The rear of the Tri Con also has stepped screw holes (likely designed to reduce weight).
To fit the two together, connect both the face of the Tri Con and the face of the spacer, with the raised ledges of the spacer fitting into the stepped screw holes of the Tri Con. The two will fit together as shown in the first image below and when pressed together, fit tightly.
Tri Con + 1 spacer Measurements
Height 9.6cm
Width 5.5cm
Depth 1.8cm (TC – 1cm + Sp – 0.8cm)
Tri Con + 1 spacer fitted weighs 41g.
If a further spacer is required, the face of the new spacer fits into the rear of the already attached spacer as shown in the first image below.
Tri Con + 2 spacers Measurements
Height 9.6cm
Width 5.5cm
Depth 2.6cm (TC – 1cm + 2x Sp – 1.6cm)
Tri Con + 2 spacers fitted weighs 48g.
The images below show the stand off of the Tri Con on the holster with; no spacer, 1 spacer and then 2 spacers attached.
Fitting Tri Con to GRT WA
The fitting of the Tri Con to the GRT WA is simple. Due to the material of the WA and being new it is tough to fit, but once fitted, both are completely rigid and don’t move. The rear of the Tri Con with the raised rails can be slotted into the rails on the WA and some force is required to pull the Tri Con down until an audible click is heard. Over time, wear and use will start to wear down the polymer rails slightly, resulting in installing / uninstalling the Tri Con becoming easier.
Fitting Tri Con to Holster
The process of fitting the Tri Con to a holster is simple and requires; holster, Tri Con, screws, screwdriver and the GRT WA or BA. The holster I’ve used is the Safariland 6378. The Tri Con is laid face down onto the rear of the holster with the screw holes in the holster lined up with the 3 relevant holes on the Tri Con. Once in position the screws are tightened and both the holster and Tri Con are fixed together. Next is to slot the Tri Con rear rails into the WA rails pulling down until an audible click is heard.
To uninstall the holster and Tri Con, the tab on the GRT WA mentioned above must be pressed down with force from the front and the holster simultaneously pulled upwards.
Testing
There was honestly little to test with this product other than attaching the Tri Con to the holster and fixing it to the GRT WA for use.
Walking pace – there was no movement from the holster (weighted with a Glock 19) as expected.
Fast paced walking – as above, there was no movement from the holster as expected.
Jog – the entire GRT WA and holster didn’t move in the belt, but it’s presence was known purely down to the weight of the Glock 19.
Run – as above, the weight of the combined GRT WA and Glock did have some very slight movement but at no point did it feel insecure or cause me any concern of disengaging from my belt.
Due to the depth of the Tri Con being only 1cm and lightweight, the holster felt tightly fitted and did not feel as though it would be moving at all. The holster is by design pulled close to the belt and does feel more solidly connected than if using the Holster Extender for example.
Thoughts and opinion
The S&S Precision Trifecta Connecta is a seriously simple piece of kit purely designed to be lightweight, sturdy and useful for a number of applications. Cheaper than the Holster Extender, the Tri Con is again a reliably crafted and manufactured S&S Precision product. The purpose of the Tri Con for me was for it to be used in conjunction with my holster and 1st Line Gear bringing the holster closer to the belt and ensuring that it felt a part of the gear and body when moving or in use. It does exactly as it says on the label and the bonus of it being compatible with 3 holster manufacturers products (not all holsters are compatible, research is required before purchasing) that’s a positive in my book! Having used the Tri Con, GRT WA and the 6378 holster combination on the range a number of times, it remains fixed in position and doesn’t ride out or catch if drawing the pistol.
Everything that you purchase is your own choice, based on budget, requirements, reviews etc and I’ve said it before and I’ll continue to say it, that if you spend money on real steel genuine kit and equipment, your money will be paying for peace of mind. This product is no different.
Having now added the Tri Con onto my 1st Line Gear this has again provided me with a tried and tested gear system that I know won’t fail me when it’s critically needed, and it joins a multitude of other S&S Precision gear that I own that I’m immensely proud of.
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Final Note
I am not paid for my blogs by the manufacturers or companies that I purchase my items from. I am not offered freebies to promote a product. These blogs are purely written from my own experience in truth to help advise and inform others who may wish to purchase the items or understand more about them. If I am sent a freebie to review this will be stated at the beginning to make you aware.
HAHO 