Weapon Mounted Lights: Sig Foxtrot 1X vs Holosun P.ID

If you want a good light that falls in the budget category, Sig and Holosun both have some options. The P.ID and Foxtrot 1X are both in that $100 range, and both brands are reputable companies. Weapon-mounted lights are a standard accessory, just like red dot sights. But some lights can be expensive. Not everyone wants or can spend $300+ on a light. If you keep a firearm around the house for self-defense, it’s also a good idea to have a light.

You may also want a light for CCW when you’re out and about. So here we are with two lights in that budget-friendly category. Are there any benefits to one over the other? There are things I like most about each light, but I’ve owned both for a while, and they’re still going great. Let’s go over the details.

Sig Sauer Foxtrot 1X Weapon Mounted Light

What I like most about the Sig Sauer Foxtrot 1X is the size. It’s smaller than your typical duty-size light like the Streamlight TLR-1. I wouldn’t call it a micro-light, so we will just use the term “compact weapon-mounted light.” It only weighs 1.8 oz and is 2.4 inches long, so it’s nice for reducing weight on a CCW gun. The Foxtrot 1X is 450 lumens, runs on a CR123 battery, and has a run time of 1.5 hours. You can also replace the battery without taking the light off the gun. Just unscrew the end of the light, and the battery slides out.

Like some other lights out there, the Foxtrot 1X uses paddle-style switches to activate the light. This means the light is ambidextrous as there is a switch on both sides of the gun once installed. Sig Sauer advertises that the Foxtrot 1X has a 4-position sliding rail for custom installation. While it’s adjustable, I can’t get it to fit on several of my weapons. I would say this is my biggest complaint about this light. It will fit on my Glock 19 just fine, but none of my compact guns.

You get a second sliding rail interface to swap out for a different fit, but that is not all that easy, either. A small piece of plastic comes in the box marked as a tool. According to the instructions, you can remove the E-clip on the end of the tension screw, but mine won’t come off. After messing with it for a while, I gave up and left the MIL-STD 1913 interface on there. The idea is fine, but none of my other lights require any disassembly to swap plates for installation on a handgun.

Using the Sig Foxtrot 1X Weapon Mounted Light

When using the Foxtrot 1X light, there are two modes of operation: momentary mode and latching mode. For momentary mode, press and hold the activation switch, and the light will temporarily activate. When you let go, it turns off. Latching mode keeps the light on when you press and release the activation switch. This is common for lights with paddle switches. The paddles on the Foxtrot are a little stiff to push, but not enough that it’s an issue to use.

Sig also advertises a lockout feature on the light, which involves unscrewing the bezel until it breaks contact with the battery. If you’re going to store the light for an extended time, disconnecting or removing it is smart. I’m not sure I would call this a feature, however, as anything that takes a battery with a threaded bezel can be removed to break battery contact. Think of it as unscrewing a light bulb until it turns off.

Holosun P.ID

The Holosun P.ID is a little larger than the Foxtrot 1X and closer to what I would call a full-size light. It’s 5 oz and about 3.2 inches long. One of the most noticeable differences with this light is the rechargeable battery. Holosun uses an 18350 rechargeable battery that can be recharged without taking it out of the light. You get a charging cord in the box with a magnetic head that clips to the light. This makes it easy to charge the light wherever you store it each night.

Like the Foxtrot 1X, the P.ID uses paddles on each side of the light to activate it. You get 1,000 lumens of light on high with a one-hour runtime. The body of the light is made of 7075 T6 Aluminum with an anodized finish. While the P.ID is shaped a little differently than the Streamlight TLR-1, it fits in just about all my holsters. I use multiple Safariland holsters set up for a TLR-1 and some leather holsters. The P.ID fits in them all about the same as the TLR-1.

If you need to change the setup of the rail attachment, the P.ID comes with three adapters. Changing the adapters on this light is much easier than the Foxtrot 1X. You simply unscrew the tension screw until the adapter comes out. There is no E-clamp to try and remove from the end of the screw. The E-clamp is what I had trouble getting off the Sig light, and I think it could use a redesign.

Using the Holosun P.ID Weapon Mounted Light

Using the P.ID is about the same as using the Sig Foxtrot 1X, with one exception. The P.ID has two power modes to choose from. Out of the box, the P.ID is set at 1,000 lumens. Push on either paddle to activate the light. Just like the Sig model, press and release quickly, and the light stays on. Push and hold, and the light will turn off when you let go. To change the brightness setting, press and hold both paddles simultaneously. The light will change to 500 lumens and remain on that setting unless you change it back.

As I mentioned above, reaching the light is simple, and the charging port is on the bottom of the light. There are two small gold dots, and the cable will connect to them using a magnet. You can set your gun down to charge and, if needed, quickly grab it and go. The magnets will pull off, making it ideal for charging at night, even if you rely on the light for home defense.

Other Specs

The Holosun P.ID is rated at IP68, and the Sig Foxtrot 1X is rated at IPX7. An IPX7 rating means the item is rated for submersion for a period of 30 minutes. IP68 rating means it can be submerged for longer than 30 minutes.

Regarding the warranty, Sig may have Holosun beat, but that remains to be seen. Sig offers an “Electro-Optics Infinite Guarantee.” At first glance, it looks a little like Vortex’s warranty, which is the best I’ve ever seen. Sig states they will repair or replace the product, even if it’s damaged or defective, at no charge.

They don’t end there; however, they claim that it doesn’t matter whose fault it is or what happened to it; they’ll still honor the warranty.

However, the warranty sheet has a second paragraph titled “Electronic & Tritium Component Limited 5-Year Warranty. It explains that lights and electronics are only covered for five years.

These are two separate warranties, and my Foxtrot 1X box has both warranty logos, which confuses me. I’m not sure what would cover it if the light was damaged or defective. Holosun offers a limited lifetime warranty that covers repair or replacement but does not cover misuse or damages caused by the user.

Who is the Winner?

I like having a smaller compact light, and Sig’s light is a perfect size for CCW. Holosun’s P.ID light is also rugged, and I’ve used it for a while without any issues. Some will have different opinions on rechargeable versus standard batteries, and I fall in the middle of that category. If you’re out in the field and need to keep your light running, changing out a battery is best. For home defense or CCW, however, a rechargeable battery is convenient.

Holosun has a brighter light at 1,000 lumens and lasts for an hour. But even the Holosun’s second setting of 500 lumens is brighter than Sig’s 450. The water rating is higher on the P.ID as well. At $65, the Foxtrot 1X is the cheaper light for those on a tight budget compared to $135 for the P.ID. Both lights are good lights and worth their respective price tags. But if you can spend the extra money, I would go with the Holosun P.ID over the Foxtrot 1X weapon-mounted light.