Just from my personal experience but I'd suggest starting with a narrow wide chainring (mounted inside) and see how it rides. I did mine with a worn out XT rear derailleur and I'd drop my chain occasionally in rough downhill sections. I went to an XT rear with a clutch and that solved my issues.
Quick edit: I used my existing cassette to save some $ and it worked fine.

 

It's the freehub that isn't compatible. You have a Standard Shimano HG freehub now and your proposed (Shimano?) cassette is only compatible with the new Microspline freehub.

You may or may not be able to retrofit a Micro spline but that would depend on the type of rear hub you have on now.

Alternatively there are some other brands of cassette (11-50ish) that will fit to the standard freehub you have now.

 

It's the freehub that isn't compatible. You have a Standard Shimano HG freehub now and your proposed (Shimano?) cassette is only compatible with the new Microspline freehub.

You may or may not be able to retrofit a Micro spline but that would depend on the type of rear hub you have on now.

Thank you for the response. So I'd need a new hub and wheel build then. Should the existing BB/crank setup work for the chain line, or does that require different spacing?

 

For the cassette to work with your current free hub, it will have to be "HG". There are SRAM NX and SX cassettes that will work HG that have a wide range, but with an 11 tooth being the smallest that can be accommodated. To get that 10-51 or 10-52 range, you'll need an XD free hub for SRAM and microspline free hub for Schimano.

As stated you'll want a narrow wide chain ring in front. This helps with chain retention. 1x is why narrow wide became popular.

Rear derailleur - you'll want to make sure it can accommodate the range of gears across the cassette you use. I don't know much about derailleurs. Hopefully others can chime in. Also a clutch helps with chain retention.

Your cranks should be be fine, but as stated you may wish to replace the chain ring. The only other thing here is chain line. You can live with a non-optimized chain line but its something to think about to get the best shifting experience possible. This is a good resource:

All About Bicycle Chainline

(edit moved to the right position)

Shifter derailleur compatibility - some SRAM work the shimano and vise-versa. Again not my area of expertise. Just something to think about. Lots of threads on this. Do some googling.

All that being said. I first went 1x by - removing the 44 and 22 tooth chain rings on my crank arms, and ditching the front derailleur. I didn't think about chain line, clutched derailleur, etc. but I kept my existing 11-34 cassette - and stayed nine speed. This kept my investment to nil, and anything I can climb, I can climb with 32/34. But this is on a 26" wheel. 29" wheels generate more gear inches for the same gear ration so that gearing requires more effort to push on a 29" wheel. Again check out Sheldon Brown:

Sheldon Brown's Bicycle Gear Calculator

A JavaScript calculator for analyzing bicycle gearing

www.sheldonbrown.com

 

Unless you are willing to replace the hub for a micro spline version (barring the rare case that you have a hub that has a replaceable freehub body) your easiest option is to find a narrow-wide 1x chainring that works with your crankset and get a Sunrace 11-46 10 speed cassette. That will probably work with your current derailleur but you might need a longer chain.

The next option is to upgrade to a 12 speed rear mech, shifter and chain (I would go with deore) but substitute a Sunrace 11-51 cassette instead of a shimano 10-51.

As far as chainline, if your crankset uses bolts to secure the chainring (it should if it's 2x) then you can mess with chainring spacers and longer bolts to optimize the chainline.

 

...but substitute a Sunrace 11-51 cassette instead of a shimano 10-51.

The Sunrace CSMZ903 12-speed cassette is (allegedly) the one compatible with Shimano's cassette pitch (3.55mm per cog). The others in Sunrace's lineup are for SRAM Eagle (3.65mm per cog), but might kinda work.

 

Are you currently running a 2x10 or 2x11? If currently 2x11 then all you will need is a NW chainring. What is the range on your cassette currently? Have you looked at a gear calculator to determine your needs for your desired final ratios? An 11-42 or 11-46 cassette for 1X are readily available for Shimano HG in Shimano, Sunrace, and Box Components. 30, 32, 34 NW chainrings are easily obtained although all sizes may not be applicable depending on your crank bolt center diameter (BCD).

 

For what it's worth my recommended set up for you would be the same as mine. 11speed for a simpler upgrade path. A Sunrace 11-46 cassette and 32t narrow wide chainring for enough low range for steep climbs and decent top speed on all out flat terrain pedalling.

Never converted a 2x into 1x so I won't comment on this as covered well by others so far. I always fit matching speed mech, shifters, chainrings, chains etc. so I'll leave that to the other more knowledgeable on the subject.

I have a dedicated 1x SLX M7000-11-1 crankset with a non Boost 49mm chainline on a Boost frame for optimum chainline as I have plenty of chainring/chainstay and chain/rear tyre clearance.

My non Boost crankset with a Boost frame choice was based purely on this interesting article, worth a read @dharris and makes perfect sense to me but a Boost chainline would be acceptable if you have a boost frame.

Boost Chainline and 1x Boost Chainring Selection

Boost Chainrings, Chainline and 1x Boost Chainring - science, explanation, and selection.

www.wolftoothcomponents.com

 

Thanks to everyone for feedback and suggestions, I believe I’m on the right track now!

 

I've completed two 1x conversions in the last year my 2006 era Cannondale F5 hard tail and my Cannondale Quick 4 (also done a drop bar conversion).

For the MTB I went with an 11 speed XT derailleur and shifter, Sunrace 11-50 cassette and a OneUp narrow-wide chainring. I ended up having to install the Wolftooth Components Goat Link to make it shift cleanly, but now it works well.

For the Quick 4 I went with the the Microshift Advent X, 10 speed with an 11-48 cassette. I'd already put this drivetrain on my son's bike, and Microshift make brifters for a drop bar install.

Another option is the new Deore 12 speed (M6100). It uses the HG hub with an 11-51 cassette.

Your biggest challenge might be your crankset. Both the bike I converted were 3x9s, but only the MTB had a bolted crankset which allowed me to buy just a chainring. The Quick had a riveted crankset so I had to get new cranks and then I had to upgrade the BB because you don't get many 1x square taper cranksets!

Hopefully those SLX cranks have removable chainrings.

 

I'm going off of what Vital MTB lists for your bike specs, namely that you are running 10sp with a 38/24 crank and an 11-36t cassette. The simplest 1x implementation would be a N/W 30t chainring and the M4100 11-46t cassette. This will give you a slightly better climbing gear (30x46) than what you have now (24x36) at the expense of a lower top gear. Double check that your derailleur can handle a 35 (46-11) tooth range. Run that for a bit and see if you need a chain tension device or clutch derailleur.

If you know that you want a shorter climbing gear, you can get an M5100 11-51t cassette that will fit on your HG free hub, long cage derailleur (SGS), 11sp shifter, and 11sp chain (or 12sp to get some HG+ shifting benefits) in addition to the N/W 30t chainring.

I was late to the 1x party as well but it is absolutely worth attending. No worries about cross-chaining, no chain rub on front derailleurs, simplified cockpit, no more chain breaks, etc.

Another option is the new Deore 12 speed (M6100). It uses the HG hub with an 11-51 cassette.

The M6100 cassette requires a Microspline freehub. You were probably thinking of the M5100 11sp cassette that I mentioned above.

 

I’ve done a few 1x conversions. You’ll need to replace everything except the cranks. Your current rear derailleur won’t work with 12spd, 11spd, or a 50t cassette because it’s 10spd and probably maxes out at 46t with the B-screw all the way in. I learned the hard way that an 10spd derailleur won’t work with a 11 or 12 speed shifter - it just won’t move over all the cogs, it will be one short. 11spd Shimano cassette is available, but you’d need a Sunrace cassette for 12spd to fit on your HG hub. A narrow-wide chainring with appropriate bcd will work fine with the right size chainring bolts.

So, at the least, you’ll need a new shifter, cassette, NW chainring, chain, and derailleur. Make sure you verify the maximum largest cog your derailleur can handle. I vote for 11 speed 30t front, 46t rear for compatibility. I’ve done it 3 times on non-boost bikes.

 

I've done a few 1x conversions. You'll need to replace everything except the cranks. Your current rear derailleur won't work with 12spd, 11spd, or a 50t cassette because it's 10spd and probably maxes out at 46t with the B-screw all the way in. I learned the hard way that an 10spd derailleur won't work with a 11 or 12 speed shifter - it just won't move over all the cogs, it will be one short. 11spd Shimano cassette is available, but you'd need a Sunrace cassette for 12spd to fit on your HG hub. A narrow-wide chainring with appropriate bcd will work fine with the right sise chainring bolts.

So, at the least, you'll need a new shifter, cassette, NW chainring, chain, and derailleur. Make sure you verify the maximum largest cog your derailleur can handle. I vote for 11 speed for compatibility.

Not sure why you're saying this. I've also done a lot of conversions and there are options for 1x8, 1x9, 1x10, 1x11, 1x12. On a 27.5 bike like the OP is talking about, I don't even see the need for going above 46. There is a path to do a conversion while keeping the shifter and mech and it doesn't sacrifice all that much.