Black Point Tactical Outback Review: Off-Road Warrior

In his work The Structure of Scientific Revolutions, Thomas Kuhn took an ax to the idea that “science” has progressed through time in a smooth, linear format. Instead of a long lineage of steady growth, he points out that the history of science follows a pattern where one at a time, the dominant paradigm of the era will collapse, only to be replaced by another. The vestige of his writing persists in our use of the phrase “paradigm shift.” The same concept can be applied to holsters, where a dominant trend will proliferate scene for a while, at least for the common EDC types. While many holsters are captured by this cycle of rise-fall-rebirth, others thrive outside of that environment and are the closest to timeless as they can get. The Black Point Tactical Outback survives the passing holster paradigms by seeking to solve specific problems.

By its namesake, the Black Point Tactical Outback belongs in the wild. Out in the wilderness, on the trail, attached to a hunter, hiker, or mountaineer looking for a little added protection from predators, bipedal or otherwise. This isn't an EDC holster, it's for adventurers.

The 3-strap system takes a little getting used to, but securing the pistol to the chest makes room for rucksack straps, and allows a cummerbund to rest on the hips.

This Black Point Tactical Outback was taken on a deep-country elk hunt in the event mountain lions decided to make a move. When scaling the sides of mountains, it remains in place, not swaying or shifting the wearer's center of balance. The shoulder strap, if left unattended, can start to rub on the side of the wearer's neck. While climbing, hiking, and navigating the mountains, the holster moves just enough that it should be worn over a collared shirt or with a neck covering of some sort. Since tactical turtlenecks are still not in style, stick to plaid.

Underneath a ruck, the straps feel nonexistent, and the weight of the pistol is typically dwarfed by whatever is carried on the back. Going for a fully loaded Glock 19, complete with RMR, Surefire 300, and a Shield Arms mag extension, when the weight of the handgun approaches duty-carry levels, it can start to sag the pistol closer to the ribcage. Without a ruck on, the holster sits comfortably over the left side of the ribcage, not dead center, but once a backpack is donned, it shifts closer to center mass.

The shape of the holster features a slight flaring from the drawing side. While this does aid in re-holstering a drawn firearm, it has a side benefit for Glock carriers using a KAGWERKS Slide Release. The slight flare just barely dodges the raised and extended slide release. A small, niche benefit, but it counts.

Constructed of Kydex, the Black Point Tactical Outback can be made to fit multiple different handguns and light combinations and comes in a suite of color options. Each one is made to order and can be tightened by the user for their preferred amount of retention. Each of the three straps is held in place by a Chicago screw. This can create a problem, for once set, the user ought apply some heavy-duty thread locker, as with all the jostle of climbing a mountain will almost certainly back out one or two of the screws.

The Black Point Tactical Outback isn't designed for everyday use, but rather, emphasizes the deliberate nature of its purpose. Thankfully this suggests that before the holster is put on, each of the screws are tested for tightness.

Outside of hunting and hiking, the Black Point Tactical Outback solves a long-standing issue for those who ride. We like to combine our interests, but one place where motorcycles and CCW holsters don't mix is Appendix carry. Although some can make it work, after a long ride, the discomfort stretches beyond manageable. Whether on horseback or cruising over 2 wheels, shifting the pistol from the beltline to the chest improves the comfort of the ride without sacrificing the ability to draw on demand. Flat enough to easily fit under a hoodie or jacket, the holster should be tightened a little if taken on an offroad trail.

A holster for action, the Black Point Tactical Outback won't see the same amount of everyday use as other holsters, but it can do what most others cant. Ideal under a ruck in pursuit of game, or off-the-belt to free up range of motion, this holster knows its place in the paradigm, and owns it.

Black Point Tactical Outback Light-Mounted

Fits: Arsenal, Canik, Beretta, CZ, Diamondback, FN, Glock, HK, Honor Defense, Hudson, IWI, Keltec, Kimber, Classic 1911's, Mossberg, Ruger, SCCY, SIG, Smith & Wesson, Sphinx, Springfield, Stacatto, Steyr, Taurus, Walther, Zev.
Colors: More than Just the Usual Suspects.
MSRP: $155
URL: https://blackpointtactical.com/

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