Carrying a spare magazine isn’t tough to do, but it can be cumbersome at times. Sometimes the traditional belt-mounted solution is impossible due to how you are dressed. IWB options exist, but I get tired of dealing with an IWB holster, so I don’t want an IWB mag pouch.
There are numerous in-the-pocket options on the market, and I’ve experimented and enjoyed a few. The head honcho at ExtraCarry got in touch and asked if I wanted to give their concealed pocket mag pouch a spin.
I’m always interested in new means of carry and also helping small companies get the word out about good products. I asked for a P365 variant and promptly received one. The ExtraCarry pocket rigs come purpose-built for various guns, and there’s a universal one designed for carrying most magazines.
The ExtraCarry makes carrying convienent (Travis Pike for TTAG)
Due to the various lengths of magazines, you’ll have to be specific. Since the P365 has so many magazine sizes available, you need to be sure to pick the right one. I pack an extra 15-round mag with my P365, so I went in that direction.
Why carry less ammo when more ammo is an option?
What The ExtraCarry Does Differently
There are a few different pocket mag options available, so you might wonder what ExtraCarry does differently. First, it uses an enclosed pouch at the bottom. Unlike other designs, the ExtraCarry is an actual pouch. The bottom is enclosed, and that protects the rounds and feed lips from all the junk and gunk floating around in your pocket. Your rounds can’t get dislodged.
This little pouch conceals the ammo, protecting it, and preventing rounds from dislodging
The ExtraCarry also prioritizes concealment. It sinks the carrier deep in your pocket without the tell-tale baseplate sticking out. It hangs low, and its clip looks like a pocket knife. The main base of the ExtraCarry is made of polymer and the clip is metal.
The metal clip fits tight (Travis Pike for TTAG)
The whole thing weighs almost nothing and drops right into your pocket. It’s fairly minimalist.
The metal clip rotates from side to side. You can add a little cant, but it also makes it easier to put the ExtraCarry on. That clip is tight, tight, tight. It does not move once in place, and won’t come out of your pocket when you go for your spare magazine. The easiest way to put it on and take it off is to rotate the clip to the side and then pop it on or pull it off.
The ExtraCarry In Action
I’ve been packing an extra mag for the last week almost 100% of the time. I don’t pack the spare mag on runs and when working out. Other than that, carrying a spare magazine has become part of my daily carry. The ExtraCarry makes it convenient and easy to slap it on and go about my day. You mostly surrender that pocket to the ExtraCarry, but that’s not a big deal to me.
The ExtraCarry packs the SIG P365 mag without complaint. I walk, climb, carry, sit, squat, and so on and so forth, and the magazine has never slipped out of my pocket. I thought about doing cartwheels to test retention, but it turns out I’m too fat and out of shape for that, so I settled for just wearing them during my daily life. In that role, it worked well.
Maybe after a few more runs, I can assume my proper role as a ninja in life, and I’ll revisit the cartwheel section.
Properly orienting the magazine in the pouch is your key to success. The setup is ambidextrous, so lefties are treated just fine here. Regardless of your dominant hand, you should place the magazine in the carrier so the rounds are facing your belt buckle.
You then channel your inner crab and form a pincer with your thumb and pointer finger. Jam them into your pocket and clamp the magazine. Draw, reload, and keep shooting.
At the Range
I’m not a fan of the old shoot one, reload, shoot one. So I used it while testing an optic and mixed it in with my new P365-XMACRO. The 17-rounders of the XMACRO fit perfectly in the carrier. Honestly, I might start carrying an XMACRO mag with the P365 since the magazines are compatible…and 17 is more than 15.
It takes a little practice to get quick with this setup. Positioning the carrier for a draw is easy, but obviously, your pants act as an obstacle you have to overcome. I felt awkward and silly at first, but after a few reps, it began to feel natural and less clumsy. I don’t think a pocket-carried mag will ever be as fast as a belt-carried magazine, but that’s the compromise for concealment.
The ExtraCarry releases the magazine without restraint. The retention, if you want to call it that, is really set by your pants pocket and gravity. There’s nothing tight to fight against when you pull it out of your pocket. Grip, rip, and reload. Replacing the magazine isn’t hard either, although outside of training, I don’t know why that would ever be a concern.
I think the magazine carrier could be a little shorter, and that would give you easier access to the magazine. Shaving a little length off would make it easier. I find it to be perfect with the slightly longer Macro magazine. It’s a minor complaint and the only one I have.
The Reload
I doubt I’ll ever use my gun, much less have to reload. I make smart decisions and adhere to the ‘avoid stupid people in stupid places at stupid times’ rule. Having to reload seems like it would be unlikely.
That being said, after the Greenwood mall shooting, maybe it’s not so crazy. I primarily carry a spare in case of a failure with my primary magazine or a complicated failure where I have to remove the magazine to get the gun into action.
Much like carrying the gun, the spare mag puts my mind at ease and adds an extra layer of insurance to my daily carry. You can check out ExtraCarry here. This specific model of magazine carrier has an MSRP of $55. Excuse me while I go practice my cartwheels.