Our dear leader is a big fan of carrying an extra magazine. Not a spare, but an extra. The way he figures it, a magazine is the most likely thing to fail, so carrying another one is a smart move. The issue that I soon encountered carrying an extra mag is likely the same everyone runs up against — where do I put the damn thing? Blackpoint has an option with their M.A.P. that might fix what ails ya’ . . .
I tried carrying an extra mag in my pocket at one point, but like most, I found out quickly that it was never where I wanted it to be. And with some pants, the question soon became, “So, you happy to see me? Or is that a mag in your pants?” I never got a chance to check out one of those cool clippy things, but given the amount of crap that’s usually in my pockets, the only viable location for a spare mag is off my left hip.
The issue there is that the belt-mounted mag holders have all been driven by some sort of competition focus. These are usually super fast on the draw but print like crazy. They’re also really bad about ensuring the magazine floor plate digs into the middle of my ribs. Again, great for those times when I need to reload, but for the other 99.99% of the time, an enormous pain in the ass.
As you’d imagine, things that are a pain aren’t carried, and before long, an extra mag, snug as a bug in a rug, sat in a belt-mounted holster in my truck’s center console. Black point’s M.A.P. has reinvigorated my desire to carry an extra magazine by doing it in a true holster. It has two sides of Kydex, two belt clips, and the leather wing system that adorns most of their holsters. It can be adjusted slightly for ride height, but once it’s set, it helps full-size magazines virtually disappear. I had no problem wearing a light T-shirt with this, and nobody was the wiser.
The M.A.P. is also unique in that it is supposed to be part of a daisy chain of accessory pouches. So, if I got serious about carrying a flashlight, a multitool, or (no shit) a dip can, I could add those accessories to the flappy little wings. Weirdly, the model that Blackpoint sent me is set up for IWB carry, but the photos on their website show OWB usage of their pouch system. I guess if you’re setting up an IDPA rig off your belt, or if you want to have a pretty serious collection of gear to show off at the next open carry rally, you could go that route. For me, the IWB clips were perfect and tuckable!
A brief note on speed. Now that I finally own a shot timer, I’ve been using it more and more for evaluating products. I found that the Blackpoint system, set up as an IWB rig was a touch slower than my OWB belt clip models. That’s a tradeoff for a much more discreet and comfortable method of carrying an extra magazine. Looking at video of myself reloading, I found that the having the magazine higher and further away from my body resulted in an easier time grasping the magazine. The M.A.P. seems to hold the mags lower, and tighter to the body (duh), but also with a bit more force. As you can see in the photos above, the holster covers better than half of the magazine and that’s a lot of contact area vs. my competition holders which only touch the very end of the mags. You’ll be a little slower on the reload, but you’ll likely have a magazine to reload from, because it is so dang comfortable.
Specifications: Blackpoint M.A.P. (Modular Accessory Pouch)
- Shell Material: Kydex
- Hand: Right and Left
- Bullet Direction: Forward or Back or mixed (multiple pouches)
- Inside Colors: Dozens
- Outside Colors: Dozens
- Leather Colors: 5
- Adjustable: Ride Height
- Pouches: Anywhere from one to six
- Guns: Most models
- Lights: Surefire, Fenix, Klaris, Streamlight models
- Tools: Multitasker, Gerber, Leatherman, SOG
- Others: Dip Can
- Price: Variable $45 for the tested model up to nearly $200 depending on number of pouches and color selection
Overall Rating * * * * *
I know I should be carrying an extra mag. I also know I’m supposed to eat leafy greens and walk 10,000 steps every day. I often don’t either of those things. Blackpoint has successfully created a magazine carrier that’s comfy and unobtrusive enough that my only reason for not carrying an extra magazine is my own inherent sloth. Just like the tourniquets that are stashed all over my house and every day carry backpack, an extra magazine is worth its weight in gold when you really need it. AT $45, this is a pricey little bugger, but it gets me carrying a spare, so it’s probably worth it.
Pretty big thing to strap to yourself for a little Mag. E
Seems like at that size, you could carry a NY reload.
I consider a spare mag to be a “must,” but not in a carrier that large.
I agree, huge footprint.
The clip-on single mag pouch from AHolster_dot_com is superb. Inexpensive, durable and small.
More gear to strap on:-(. Since I shoot left handed my full sized 1911 goes on left side. Tactical folder hooked to right pocket of jeans and the extra 1911 mag fits snugly in the watch pocket of my Cinch jeans on the right just above the Cold Steel AK-47 folder. No extras to strap on.
When I leave the ranch to venture into “civilization” I throw an extra mag into the jean pocket where knife is clipped. Not as tactically accessibile as the watch pocket mag, but I figure by the time I am needing a third mag I better be behind cover, as I now need to carefully think of E&E and ammo conservation if still getting incoming.
Coyyote
Mmm, the 5th “watch pocket” on jeans is great for lighters or small pocket knives but shouldn’t be used for magazines or other items that you can’t afford to lose. If the purpose of a Kydex holster is to securely hold the pistol in the same place even if you get knocked down… the purpose of a mag pouch is to do the same with that crucial extra mag.
Agree you don’t want to lose it. Have carried mine like this for years, hiking, hunting, unloading/loading semi full of hay, riding cutting horses……anyway you get the picture. Works for me, but not for everyone obviously.
Don’t like kydex for holsters either, but that is just me.
Remora makes a niffty mag pouch that is made of the same “sticky” material as their holsters. It’s the definition of minimalist. They often have sales where they include the mag pouch with any holster purchase. Usually at a cost of $25.
I found that two 9 mm 1911 mags fit side by side in the Remora magazine pouch like it was made specifically for them. Granted, this pouch may be stretched out a bit from holding my wife’s Pepper Blaster, but I was surprised at how well they fit. Stays very flat in my front pocket and looks like the profile of a smart phone.
I prefer to carry 2 – 3 guns. No reloading necessary…. (hopefully)
Pretty big rig to carry just 1 mag. Might as well carry another piece.
yeah, they can keep it. I got a fobus one that holds 2 1911 mags for 1/4 the price.
I carry my spare 18 round 9 mm mag, a small flashlight, a pocket knife, and a few band ads in an old universal belt clip cellphone case.
People tend to see what they expect to see. So when people see my cell phone case on my hip they expect a cell phone and do not give it a second glance. Should someone look closer they might see the knife on one side and the light on the other, but they still could not see the magazine under the Velcro attached top.
I use this because about 5.75 by 3.5 inches it is far smaller, more comfortable, and more versatile than any other magazine carry system I have seen.
I like the mag carriers I got from http://www.kytexgear.com. They’re small and have held up fine for me the last six months. A t-shirt covers them without any trouble. If they do print or peek out under your shirt, they look as much like a phone case as anything else. And they’re less than 20 smackers.
I was just going to say this. There is nothing with a smaller footprint or more minimalist on the market than the Kytex mag holders. Also especially if you neednmag holders for a non mainstream pistol the price is a bargain. For someone that finds carrying a single mag so onerous that carrier is absolutely ridiculously big and excessive. I could carry 3-4 Kytex mag carriers in the same space that takes up.
No offense intended here, but that setup looks pretty overkill. Where the tactical belt over laps in front, wtih that massive buckle, the two layers look over a half inch thick, and the belt loops are stretched out to a big box shape – how do you even find pants with loops big enough to accommodate all that thickness? Then the mag pouch, as others have said, take a slim mag and turn it into a monster.
Sorry, there are a lot better solutions. Try something made of leather – cows have been wearing it for thousands of years and it works for them. Makes great holsters and mag pouches, too – rugged, dependable, and with a bit of flex to fit better. The setup in the photo (you?) looks like what my dear departed Dad would call, “Forty pounds of potatoes in a 20 pound sack.”
Is it just me or is TTAG starting to seem like the gun rags where anything reviewed gets glowing coverage? I don’t see anything new, improved, or unusual here.
I disagree that the mag is the item most likely to fail; it’s likely the simplest, most basic in operation component in one’s carry system; having said that I carry an additional loaded magazine. Train with your system and identify when, how, and why equipment fails; fix it or replace it.
A question; How many of you (author and respondents) have been in a shootout other than military? I truly hope none of you travel by boat. I have a fair amount of weapons and experience and I do not carry a tac lit, three mags, two knives, and etc. I do carry one small weapon, a NAA .22 wmr from pants on til pants off . When in the big city I carry the minimag and a small nine or .380 and of course my edc knife. So, why do you carry all that stuff?
Living on a ranch in the Colorado mtns I do encounter mountain lions and bear so prefer 1911 with hardball. In fact did have a defensive gun use with an mtn lion at very close range 3 years ago (3 rounds, 3 yards, over in a couple of seconds – no need or time for 2nd mag). So smaller calibers don’t work for me. And since you live in Wyo, where I was born, you probably know you cannot get thru a day of ranch work w/o a knife – Cold Steel AK-47 is a one handed folder that comes in handy when the other hand is busy. That said I too like a minimalist approach.
Not the same. A cat or bear or even a wolf have no concept of what a gun can do. A BG KNOWS what a gun can do. “Would you like to be shot?” More people that can shoot and hit would be better than a person carrying a cops load out and out of shape. I do carry an EDC, a Kershaw Leek. In the woods one of my fixed blades. I did some work as a USFS packer. I now work as a watermaster. Thanks for the reply.
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