Every firearm owner faces a vital challenge: ensuring immediate access to their weapon while prioritizing safety. It’s a delicate balance, with high stakes on both sides. Innovations like the Alias System are bridging this gap, offering solutions that are both swift and secure.
Balancing Speed and Safety
In the critical moments of a self-defense situation, every second counts. The ability to swiftly access your firearm or spare magazine can be a lifesaver. Here’s why quick access is so important:
Immediate Threat Response
Emergencies don’t come with a warning. The quicker you can respond, the better your chances of safeguarding yourself and loved ones. Tools designed with rapid access in mind, like the Alias System, become invaluable in these situations.
Muscle Memory and Training
Consistent positioning and ease of access allow for efficient training routines. The more fluid and instinctive your actions become in practice, the better equipped you are in real-life scenarios.
Maximizing the Element of Surprise
An assailant rarely anticipates their potential victim being well-prepared. Concealed yet accessible tools can offer a strategic advantage, keeping you one step ahead.
Reduced Risk of Disarmament
Hesitation or struggle to access your equipment can provide assailants an opportunity to get the upper hand over you. Smooth and rapid retrieval minimizes this window of vulnerability.
The essence of self-defense lies in readiness and strategy. The gear you choose, such as keeping your firearm secured nearby, can subtly enhance your preparedness levels, making all the difference in critical moments.
OWB Basics: Belts, Holsters & Mag Pouches
The first thing most gun owners think of when aiming to balance security with rapid access is whether they want to carry outside the waistband (OWB) or inside (IWB). Since most traditional holsters and mag pouches are one or the other, this is a critical decision and can determine the course rest of your setup.
OWB carry typically starts with the belt. While there are an almost infinite number of ways to customize your battle belt, duty belt, or tactical belt, having the right setup for quick access usually revolves around a few key elements: the belt itself, your holster, a pouch for extra mags, and an IFAK.
The Belt Itself
Battle belts, or “war belts” as they are sometimes called, are convenient starting points for OWB since they can hold all the essentials and can be built out for more serious use cases.
Most battle belts work the same way, but they are not all equal. Regardless of which belt you choose, it should check a few key boxes:
- Proper Width: Try to find an EDC battle belt that is around 1.5” – 1.75” in width so it can fit easily through your belt loops for EDC use.
- Reinforced Frame: Your battle belt should have a reinforced frame made from Tegris or similar material to support the weight of the gear you will need to attach to it.
- Durable Material: The material should be durable on the outside. Cordura is usually the most popular option.
Holsters & Mag Pouches
While there are a few holsters that are both IWB and OWB compatible, most are one or the other. The problem with most OWB holsters or OWB Mag Pouch + Battle Belt combos lies in the sturdiness of the attachment point. IWB holsters tend to be a bit more secure since they are being supported by the waistband itself, but they can also be pretty uncomfortable. OWB is a whole different story – we have all seen OWB holsters flopping around looking less than secure on the belt, requiring some other retention mechanism on the holster to ensure the firearm doesn’t fall out unintentionally. This severely slows down access, especially under stress, and also puts you and others at risk. Ditto with the mag pouch.
Stop the Flop with the Alias System
The Alias Clip stops the flop. The receiver clip mounts securely onto your battle belt, and the holster clip mounted to your Kydex holster locks into place – simply replace your holster clip with the Alias holster clip that fits your kydex holster.
While you don’t necessarily need the Alias EDC belt to reap the benefits of the Alias Belt System, you will need the holster clip, the belt receiver, and a belt that is 1.5”-1.75” wide. The clip and receiver work together to keep your holster tight against your waist with no flopping or sagging, and drastically reduces imprinting (depending on the size of your firearm, of course).
Beyond the Belt: Alias Off-Belt Options
Alias System Modularity
This clip + receiver system doesn’t stop at the belt. Utilizing the modularity of the Alias system, you can keep your carry gun nearby and safely in its holster in a variety of off-body situations. If my gun is not on me it’s secured next to me in a backpack using the Hook & Loop Receiver, or under my desk, on my nightstand, or even in my vehicle in a Hard Mount Receiver. We make a lot of different receivers so you can keep your gear secured anywhere.
As for the Mag Pouch, the NeoMag magnetic magazine holder offers a more streamlined, discreet, and efficient option for today’s gun owners. Made to slide neatly into your pocket, the NeoMag completely eliminates the need for a mag pouch on your belt at all. No more floppy pouches when you are walking around while maintaining the easy access and quick draw capability of an on-belt option.
Rifle Safety and Convenience
While much of our focus has been on the immediacy of handgun access, rifle owners face their unique set of challenges in balancing quick access with safety.
An improperly managed rifle sling can become a hindrance, potentially getting caught on objects, leading to safety hazards, or slowing down the user in critical moments.
This is where NeoMag’s Sentry Strap steps in, bringing the principles of quick access and safety to the rifle community.
Features and Functionality
- Magnetic Retention: Building on NeoMag’s legacy of magnetic innovation, the Sentry Strap securely holds your sling to your rifle using two powerful magnets. This ensures that the sling stays attached, reducing potential risks from snags or entanglements.
- Quick Deployment: The Sentry Strap promises rapid action. When it’s time to deploy your sling, you simply grab and pull. The strap intuitively breaks away, facilitating a seamless transition to a state of readiness.
- Versatile Sizing: Designed with adaptability in mind, the Sentry Strap can be adjusted to fit various parts of a rifle, from a thin 1″ buffer tube to objects up to 11 inches in circumference with strap extensions.
- Lightweight: Adding a mere 0.8 oz to your rifle setup, the Sentry Strap is perfect for those on the move, ensuring minimal additional weight while maximizing utility.
- User-Friendly Design: Secured with Velcro, the Sentry Strap ensures firm attachment, while its magnetic sling catch offers compatibility with a range of sling types, from padded variants to simple webbing straps.
Installation is a breeze. The magnet can be positioned at the bottom of your rifle’s rail, and once in place, you simply wrap the sling around it. Alternatively, for those with additional rail attachments or based on personal preference, the strap can be affixed to the rifle’s stock or brace.
Most importantly, the Sentry Strap ensures that all rifle controls remain easily accessible. Whether you need to charge your rifle, access the bolt release, or shoot, the design of the Sentry Strap ensures no interference. When it’s time to deploy the sling, a swift “grip and rip” action releases it, making you ready for action.
Putting Safety First
While traditional tools have set a solid foundation, innovations like the Alias are propelling us into a new era of firearm preparedness. By blending sleek design with functionality, the Alias offers a compelling solution for those seeking discretion without compromising on speed or security. As gun enthusiasts, our quest for the optimal balance never truly ends, but with tools like the Alias, that balance feels more achievable than ever.