It is enough that we need unique holsters for each of our carry guns, never mind magazine-specific mag carriers. Now, CrossBreed has developed two new magazine carriers that fit multiple magazines sizes…one of which goes in your pocket for the ultimate discreet carry.
by Rob Reaser
I admit that I haven’t been a steady practitioner of carrying a spare magazine as part of my EDC routine. The bulk from toting a micro-compact in the OWB carry style is enough of a hassle for me, but I’ve gotten used to it. Besides, the 11+1 or 13+1 round capacity I get from my micros seems sufficient — especially when compared to the “revolver days.”
Nevertheless, the state-of-the country today demands greater vigilance and preparedness than it did only a few years ago. We are no longer only concerned mostly with the solo stick-up artist; we now face the real possibility of defending ourselves against multiple attackers as the appetite for mob assaults continues to grow in our largest cities.
While anecdotal evidence suggests that most armed conflicts are resolved with relatively few rounds discharged, we’ve also watched plenty of patrol car and body cam footage suggesting that even those who are supposed to be adequately trained in armed defense can run through a full magazine and still fail to eliminate the threat.
That begs the question…is carrying a reload worth the extra effort?
The need to reload probably will never happen, but it might. Also, malfunctions do happen, and a reload may be the best solution for completing the task.
The risk assessment — to carry a spare or not — is yours to make. Prudence, though, guides us to the correct answer: carrying a spare magazine is the smart thing to do.
But it is not always the easy thing to do. That added weight and bulk must be accounted for. Further, you now have a second item to conceal beneath your clothing if you are running in discreet mode. Lastly, you must acquire a magazine carrier that fits your gun’s magazine — not always a simple or elegant solution.
CrossBreed Holsters and the company’s subsidiary brand, N8 Tactical, recently came out with two new magazine carriers that address some of these issues. Both carriers are designed to accommodate a broad range of magazine styles and sizes, effectively eliminating the problem of buying individual magazines for each of your carry guns with significantly different mag profiles. What’s more, one of these new mag carriers takes concealment to its ultimate form.
CrossBreed Confidant Multi-Fit Mag Carrier
Typically, I have found that “universal fit” anything is a compromise in performance. A holster or a magazine carrier that broadly works for multiple gun or magazine styles doesn’t do as good a job as ones that are specifically made for a model application. The fit is usually too loose, too tight, or somehow not exactly right and you learn to live with it.
The new Confidant Multi-Fit Mag Carrier from CrossBreed, though, bucks that convention. Here is a universal-style carrier that does a terrific job of securing every mag I tested it with, from slim single-stacks to pudgy double-stacks.
I used the Confidant exclusively during our three-day rodeo at Gunsite Academy while getting familiar with Stoeger’s line of STR-9 handguns and the carrier worked perfectly. It fit neatly on the belt, held the magazines in a good draw position, and proved itself wholly suited to the EDC mission.
The Confidant has a simple construction. The body is a two-piece clamshell design held together by a flexible polymer ribbing on both sides. In back is a belt clip with a molded hook to prevent it from slipping off the belt during the draw.
The polymer ribbing is the key to the carrier’s multi-fit performance. The material stretches as the magazine in pushed into the carrier, providing positive retention for magazines of varying sizes.
Inserting the magazine takes some finesse. You can’t just shove it into the carrier. Instead, you must simultaneously push and twist it in place, making sure to fully seat it. Once in position, the magazine stays put until you’re ready for the draw.
While the Confidant covers most single- and double-stack magazine styles (and all that I tested it with), CrossBreed does caution that it may not work with some .22- and some .45-caliber double-stack mags. It also does not fit S&W Shield EZ .380 and 9mm mags.
For my purposes, the Confidant is a winner. No matter which gun I’m carrying for the day, one carrier covers all possible mag configurations.
N8 Tactical Magna-Clip
When the new N8 Tactical Magna-Clip arrived unannounced in my mailbox — with no description or instructions included — I was a bit puzzled. Yes, the embedded magnets grabbed onto a test magazine like a black hole, but I couldn’t see how this was a good idea for carrying on a belt. Even super-duper, Magneto-level magnetic attraction couldn’t keep a magazine secure if it brushed hard enough against something.
Eventually, slow me realized this carrier wasn’t designed for the belt but for the pants pocket. Pretty cool! Clipped to the inside of a pocket, the carrier looks like any pocketknife clip. That’s stealthy. And the L-shaped construction means that it will work with any magazine size.
The Magna-Clip boasts three neodymium-grade magnets, so it works with any steel-body magazine or any polymer mags that feature a steel lining, such as those made for the GLOCK.
I tested it using my G43 mags and it worked perfectly. To use, secure the Magna-Clip into your weak-side pocket with the clip on the outside. Grasp your magazine with the floorplate up and the bullets pointing forward and slide it into your pocket, allowing the magnets to suck it into position.
The magazine will ride low enough in your pocket to be hidden yet high enough that you can easily grab it and draw. In this orientation, the magazine is in the proper orientation for a fast, no-fumble reload.
If you aren’t carrying a reload as part of your EDC program, you should certainly think it through. A spare magazine certainly adds bulk and slight complication to your outfit, but you might find upon careful consideration that the “when you need it, YOU NEED IT!” thing may outweigh the minor inconvenience. Should you decide to go for it — especially if you routinely change-up your carry weapon — either the CrossBreed Confidant or the N8 Tactical Magna-Clip multi-fit mag carriers will serve you well.
