When you hear Tasmanian Tiger you generally think of Law Enforcement and Tactical gear. Tasmanian Tiger makes a great line of Chest Rigs, Plate Carriers, load bearing gear, pouches, and more. Their backpack line is generally large bags made for long deployments in the field, when you have to carry everything with you.
Their new Urban Tac Pack 22 is geared more towards everyday discreet civilian use. Their website describes it as an “inconspicuous daypack with modular options.” I’m a big fan of discreet gear so I asked Tasmanian Tiger and was supplied with a pack to test out.
From the Tasmanian Tiger website: “Inconspicuous look, perfect for civilian use”
The Tasmanian Tiger Urban Tac Pack 22 is a 22-Liter capacity backpack that has some nice features.
Padded Back-System
An inconspicuous daypack with modular options
Inconspicuous look, perfect for civilian use
Completely removable main compartment features MOLLE hook-and-loop so it can be modularly arranged
Transparent mesh zipper pouches in the main compartment
Front pocket with side access
Removable hip belt
5 internal pockets
Hydration compatible
The pack is extremely well made – the material used is high quality and there are no errant threads anywhere from the sewing. The straps are all very comfortable and adjust easily. The zippers are quality and the pulls are sturdy. The Back system is very comfortable when carrying a decent sized load. There’s a hard shell inside that contours nicely to your back and makes carrying the pack extremely comfortable. The Chest belt helps make it very comfortable, however the hip belt is essentially useless – 22 Liters of capacity means you’re really not carrying that much on your back.
The Hydration Bladder pocket with the hard plate for back support.
The pack itself has a fairly limited capacity as it’s only 22 Liters. The MOLLE/Velcro backing is good for mounting pouches, however it leaves “everyday civilian” use a bit limited. The MOLLE webbing is fairly tight – almost too tight to properly add pouches. There is no laptop pocket or anywhere for a laptop or tablet to sit well. The mesh pockets on the front section are not quite capable of holding a laptop charger and zipping closed. They can hold a cell phone/battery pack, or chargers, some pens, and other miscellaneous items, but they generally have to be pretty compact. If a hydration bladder is used, the amount of space available inside is further limited as well.
Pouches and a 14″ Laptop with charger sit inside the bag.
On the outside again – Tasmanian Tiger gives you a bungee cord you can string on to the pack for optional storage, but it’s use is limited and it tends to detract from the inconspicuous look of the bag. It has come in handy to hold an umbrella, but as there’s no actual dedicated pockets on the side or anything to really hold items in, it’s use is fairly limited. There are no side pockets to hold water bottles, umbrellas, tripods, or any other equipment.
As a light use pack – I will definitely use the Tasmanian Tiger Urban Tac Pack 22. It’s not quite as discreet as a regular backpack, but it will be good in a pinch. I may set it up as a “Get home bag” and keep it in my car. My every day use backpack is a 5.11 COVRT 18 – which holds a significant amount more, and is geared more towards every day use. If you’re in need of a nice light duty pack – I would definitely recommend the Tasmanian Tiger Urban Tac Pack 22.
Tasmanian Tiger Urban Tac Pack 22 (22 Liter) vs a well-used 5.11 COVRT 18 (32 Liter). Which one is more discreet/covert?!
If you’ve ever looked for biometric quick-access gun safe, you’ll know there are many options out there. Each has it’s own pros and cons. I currently use a SentrySafe Quick Access Biometric Pistol Safe QAP1BE as a drawer safe and wanted to test out some more options. I obtained the WINCENT Biometric Gun Safe for Pistols V2.0 to test out and compare.
The WINCENT Biometric Gun Safe for Pistols V2.0 is a fairly large quick access biometric safe. There are 3 methods to get in to the safe – biometric via the fingerprint scanner, number code via the keypad, and keyed lock using the override key. This is the standard for biometric quick access type safes. One nice feature that the WINCENT safe has is an emergency USB-C port. If your safe runs out of battery (It takes 4x AAA batteries, which are included), you can plug in a USB-C cable connected to a battery pack or charger to gain access without having to find the override key. The safe offers the standard pre-drilled holes to secure the safe to a drawer or another location, as well as a security cable. This actually comes in quite handy if you were to use the safe for travel. The WINCENT Safe is both TSA Approved (it’s a hard-sided locked container), and a CA DOJ-approved firearm safety device.
The WINCENT Safe is larger than the SentrySafe by a good amount, yet it’s slightly lighter.
WINCENT Safe Dimensions: Exterior Dimensions: 13″ Wide x 10.2″ Deep x 3.2″ High Interior Dimensions: 12.5″ Wide x 6.9″ Deep x 2.6″ High Weight: 9.6 lbs (weighed on scale)
SentrySafe QAP1BE Dimensions: Exterior Dimensions: 12.1″ Wide x 9.9″ Deep x 3.2″ High Interior Dimensions: 9.7″ Wide x 6.7″ Deep x 2.2″ High Weight: 11.9 lbs
The size difference is more noticeable when you place pistols inside. The WINCENT can hold 2 full sized pistols with some room to spare. The SentrySafe can only hold a Full Sized pistol and a subcompact – and it’s a tight fit.
The differences become more apparent when you look at the safes when they are open. The SentrySafe has a single latch while the WINCENT has 2 latches – this makes it more secure and less easy to open by brute force. The hinge is also internal on the top edge on the WINCENT, while the SentrySafe has a gas piston inside, which takes up additional space. The SentrySafe gas piston has also been a known issue – they have been known to go bad (however SentrySafe will send a replacement unit if this happens – mine has been replaced with the upgraded version). The WINCENT safe opens to a full 90 degrees, but takes a second to open while it swings up. The gas piston on the SentrySafe opens slightly faster, however the door does not open a full 90 degrees. Another nice feature of the WINCENT safe is that it has an internal LED light which provides some illumination of the contents.
Comparing the methods of accessing the safes – the WINCENT safe is extremely quick and easy to access. You simply place your finger on the scanner, or enter the code on the 5-number keypad, and the safe will open. The SentrySafe is slightly more difficult. The fingerprint scanner is the swipe type – you have to move your finger down the swipe reader vs simply placing it on the square. It’s also a 4-button combo pad – which does not have numbers, so you need to remember the pattern. The biggest issue I have with the SentrySafe is that the safe goes to “sleep” – you must actually press one of the buttons or swipe your finger on the biometric reader for the safe to “wake up” then accept a finger swipe or the button code. This can take a little more time if you’re not used to fumbling around for it in the dark. Both safes have a backlit fingerprint reader and buttons that light up after a fingerprint scan or button push.
Unfortunately, I found a slight drawback to the WINCENT safe – requires a good amount of room around it to be able to open. In my drawer, the SentrySafe is nestled up right against the corner and is touching the sides. The design of the door has it opening without issues. With the WINCENT safe – the design requires about half an inch of space on each side of the safe, or it will not open fully. The door rubs against the side of the drawer and the hinge needs space to open. The override key location is also on the front of the unit, and the USB-C Emergency port is on the right side. The override key is a straight-key design which will require some clearance on the front in order to access it if necessary.
The door on the WINCENT Safe requires some clearance on the sides and back in order to open.
These drawbacks are not a show-stopper. The WINCENT Safe is meant for general access while the SentrySafe is designed to be used as a drawer safe. I actually prefer the WINCENT Safe’s security and capacity. I will be using the WINCENT safe for general access around the house as this has the capacity and ease of access that I prefer. The ease of use of the fingerprint scanner and keypad is another reason to keep it around in the house and for travel.
Dry fire training allows you to practice your firearm handling skills at home. You can practice holster draw/firing/re-holstering, reloading, strong hand firing, weak hand firing, malfunction clearing, and more. When dry fire training at home, you should always remember the fundamental rules of firearm safety, and ensure that there is no live ammunition around.
The older Mantis X systems use a picatinny rail mounted laser that works in conjunction with the MantisX smartphone/tablet app. You can print your own targets and trace your muzzle movements and shots. Mantis released their Mantis X training system several years ago, and I got to test this out at SHOT SHOW 2020.
The next level is the Mantis Laser Academy. The Mantis Laser Academy comes in 2 versions – the Standard Kit (shown below), and the Portable Kit (which is actually included in the Standard version). The Standard Kit costs $149 and the Portable kit is $99.
The Portable Kit contains:
Pink Rhino Laser (Caliber Specific – available in 9mm, .380 ACP, .40 S&W, .45 ACP, .38 Special, .357 SIG, and .223/5.56)
Set of 5″x7″ Smart Targets (w/ blue reusable sticky putty)
Mini Tripod & spring loaded Smartphone Holder
Laser Cartridge Extraction Stick (a wood dowel)
Carrying Case
The Standard Kit adds on:
Large Tripod & screw-adjust Smartphone Holder
Set of 8″x11″ Smart Targets
Target Stand Holders (5)
Both kits contain a Pro access code to the Mantis Laser Academy App. This is extremely useful as this grants you access to the full suite of drills, including multiple target drills and even 2-person Duel drills.
Mantis Laser Academy Standard Kit
While the Laser Academy Kit does not come with many instructions, setting up the app is extremely straightforward. You can see which drills are included in the Free version vs the Pro version. Once you create your account and unlock the Pro version using the code included, you have full run of the app.
Mantis Laser Academy App
I setup a couple of targets and started testing them out. The first gun I used was my SIG P226 with the RXP slide with the SIG Romeo 1 Pro Red dot sight. I found that the Pink Rhino laser was not quite the same as a laser boresighting cartridge – it was not quite lined up with my sights/red dot. This is adjustable by using the “shoot to calibrate” option in the settings of the app. I found myself using this a good deal as I tested the cartridge in 5 different pistols. Besides the P226, I tested this system using a Beretta M9A3, Walther PDP w/ Holosun HS507C, Glock 19 and Glock 48.
Handguns used for testing: Sig P226, Walther PDP, Glock 19 Gen 5, Glock 48, Beretta M9A3
I setup a couple targets using the stands as well as my phone using the tall tripod. I found that the tripod and phone holder were nice and compact, but the angle adjustment was a bit rough – either my phone was usually pointing too high or too low – not directly at the targets. When extended high, the phone would tend to shake especially while being used – so it was a little hard to hit buttons and adjust. This was definitely because the tripod has such a long center pole that it’s fairly unsteady at full extension. Once you are adjusted, however, it’s not bad – this is where the Start/Stop control target comes in very handy so you do not have to touch the phone.
Mantis Laser Academy App and 2 targets. Practicing Close Contact from Holster drill.
The drills had a great variety – I especially enjoyed the holster draw drills. Unfortunately, with striker fired guns you have to rack the slide slightly after each shot, so I tended to stick with the 2 double action hammer fired guns – the Beretta M9A3 and the Sig P226. They were easier to shoot multiple times without having to rack each time – I just had to deal with the long heavy double action trigger pull. A couple things I’ve noticed is that the app sometimes has an issue with reading targets if the lighting is not adequate. I also recommend measuring your distance to the targets, and calibrating the shots to that distance for maximum accuracy.
Sometimes the app would not recognize some of the targets. The middle left target is not highlighted in blue indicating a target area. it still detected targets hung sideways.
The calibration options in the app are excellent – and some are fairly needed. The shot calibration is key. I also played around with the shot detection feedback (the app would tend to hear shots when none were taken). For drills with repetitions – you can adjust the reset time – the time needed to re-holster and make ready. You can also change the number of reps and the countdown timer. One nice setting was that you could change the shot sound from normal loud shot to suppressed.
With multiple targets, you can create your own drill. In this, I shot each target once, then cycled through each again. The shots on multiple targets are color coded per target, and show your score and time in between shots.
The Mantis Blackbeard ($219) works well as an addition to the Laser Academy. It contains a special unit which replaces the Bolt Carrier Group and Charging Handle on a standard AR15. This is the self contained laser unit as well as the mechanism that resets the hammer on your AR15. The battery that triggers the laser and reset is conveniently located in the magazine portion, that is shaped like a 20-round magazine. The kit comes in a nice travel size case and includes a micro-USB charging cable and Allen key to adjust the laser. This is extremely important as you will need to sight in the laser. The switch on the unit changes the laser from momentary (when you pull the trigger) to always-on for sighting in. The battery has 5 LEDs which light up when charging, showing you the charge level of the battery. On full charge it should last about 10,000 “shots”. This is a nice hefty battery – it took overnight to charge to full power (when it arrived it was at 2 lights – less than half charge).
The Mantis Blackbeard Kit
The AR I chose to install this on is my New Jersey legal Non-NFA “Other” firearm. The bright red color of the Mantis Blackbeard shows up nicely so you can tell at a glance that it’s setup in training mode. When dry firing the Blackbeard makes a clicking type sound – you can hear it actuate and reset the hammer. The trigger feels exactly the same as if you’re firing live ammo – the pull and reset are exactly as I expected. When I sighted in the Mantis Blackbeard laser I had to take the height over bore into serious consideration. With a 50/200 combat zero, the dot should end up 1.9″ below the actual point of aim at 10 yards. If you use an AR15 for home defense – this is something you need to remember and train with, and the Blackbeard does help you visualize this in a way you normally can’t do while pulling the trigger in your own house. Another benefit is that you can train with your AR platform firearm through simulated room clearing or check the potential areas of engagement in your house and see where your rounds will be hitting vs where you’re aiming.
Mantis Blackbeard installed shows up nicely with the red charging handle/bolt carrier/magazine to make it easily recognizable that the firearm is setup for training.
The larger 8″x11″ targets from the Training Academy made it much easier to engage targets with the Blackbeard from a longer distance. I was able to get 7 and even 10 yards of distance in my basement which worked out fairly well. The targets are meant to be engaged at a fairly close distance, but with the height over bore issues with a rifle, you really can’t do that very well. One slight nitpick is that you can’t easily transition from an AR with the Blackbeard to the Pink Rhino laser on the training academy without making some concessions for laser accuracy – you can only calibrate the app for accuracy by position for 1 laser, not multiple.
Shots are clearly visible at range
It’s very easy to just pull the trigger and keep whanging away at the targets since you don’t have to worry about changing mags or ammo costs. With the multiple target option in the Training Academy app, you can shift targets easily as well and still keep proper track of your shots. This also makes you quite aware of your trigger pull weight – as many shots can wear down your trigger finger! This AR is using a standard mil-spec trigger group. An upgraded trigger would definitely make a difference.
Engaging multiple targets at 7 yards range.
I thoroughly enjoy training with the Mantis Laser Academy and Blackbeard system. With these dry fire training aids, you can keep your skills sharp, and make a marked improvement on your skills without spending thousands of dollars in ammunition. Practicing concealed carry draw, holster draw, and practice engagements or room clearing in your house are all practical training you can’t replicate at home with live ammo, and this is the next best thing! Visit Mantis at https://mantisx.com/
The Mantis Laser Training Academy and Mantis Blackbeard were provided for testing purposes by Mantis.
I used to say, “I can’t appendix carry because I have a gut.”
After believing this for a few years, and from living in a state where it’s nearly impossible to get a Concealed Carry Permit, I was almost fixated on “small of back” carry. On the few occasions when I could carry (out of state), I always carried in the 4:00 or 5:00 position, primarily for comfort reasons.
I recently spoke to several other “heftier” gun owners (including a good friend who calls himself the “largest pound for pound firearms instructor in America”) and I received some recommendations on holsters and how to manage, particularly when you’ve got a beer gut rather than a 6 pack.
Crossbreed has always had a great reputation with their SuperTuck IWB holsters, but those always seemed on the large side for an IWB holster. The Reckoning holster seemed like a good compromise between size, comfort and conceal-ability. As I had recently picked up a new Glock 48, I figured I might as well try a new holster.
Crossbreed Reckoning holster with Accomplice Mag Carrier
I obtained the Reckoning holster system, along with the Accomplice mag carrier. The Glock fits in it perfectly, and the retention is great. The Reckoning holster is adjustable by tightening or loosening screws. After fitting it, I checked the Accomplice mag holder. Unfortunately, the mag holder is really set to hold a double-stack magazine, and while it’s adjustable, there are rubber spacers on the screws to keep it in shape, and I did not feel comfortable with removing them. I removed the Accomplice mag carrier instead.
Left – Glock 48 Magazine Right – Glock 19 Magazine
I adjusted the belt clips so that the holster rides lower on my body – this is a key factor for those of us with a bit of a belly. This way, the holster is comfortable when standing, and does not dig into you when you are sitting down. When wearing an undershirt, the holster fits nicely in the appendix position, and does not dig in. It conceals nicely without printing.
Appendix Carry
Carrying at the 4:00 position, you do need to be slightly more aware, as the magwell of my Glock tended to print ever so slightly. It may not be as prevalent with smaller guns, but the G48 is more of a compact size frame (albeit slim).
4:00 Carry
Even if the magazines did fit properly in the Accomplice mag carrier, I do not think I would use it in either position – it adds too much to the size and footprint. If I were to carry more at the 5:00 or 6:00 position, it may be something I might look into, however, it’s still not really an optimal location to carry a magazine for how I practice carrying.
After some adjustments and testing, I believe I may start actually carrying my G48 in the appendix position with the Crossbreed Reckoning holster. It’s more comfortable than I expected and I like the dual clip system. A single clip holster may be easier to use, but they do not fit me well and dig into my beer belly. After trying several different pairs of pants/shorts, the dual clip system did not interfere with my wardrobe at all.
In conclusion, the Crossbreed Reckoning holster is an excellent choice and definitely lives up to the Crossbreed name.
