Collaborations & Product Design
Survival .22 pistols have been a pet project of mine for over two decades. They are a true game-changer for putting meat in your dinner pot. I’ve carried everything from ultralight .22 revolvers to semi-custom target pistols in the woods and have customized them to suit my needs. Equipped with micro red dots, a survival pistol is a potent and highly capable tool for hunting. Even with the best survival pistol, I always struggled with the best way to carry one. Firearms carried in your pack are secure but slow to access. We also can’t always have a pistol in hand and we shouldn’t replace our self-defense EDC pistol. The issue is carrying a survival pistol for ready access while remaining out of the way until needed. The solution is the BlackPoint Tactical Bandolero Holster.
I’ve spent a good amount of my personal time in the woods hunting, fishing, paddling, and backpacking. Many Americans participate in the same activities in their down time. A .22 pistol is an excellent addition to an emergency/survival kit for these outdoor pursuits. Bandoleer carry of a secondary or survival firearm is a logical solution as clothing and equipment changes from one activity to another and from season to season. Kydex is lightweight, weather resistant, secure, and low profile making it the ideal material of choice for unpredictable weather conditions. The shoulder strap is easily adjustable for wear inside the jacket or outside the jacket carry and the strap can be equipped with loose round pouches or additional survival equipment.
If you have never thought of carrying a survival .22 pistol, consider the tradeoff of weight, accuracy, ease of use, reliability, effective range, cost of ammo, and now the ease of carrying one with the Bandolero holster. Consider the sound signature of a subsonic .22 round and the advantages it offers. Consider the available protein out on the land that could be taken with a well placed shot that otherwise would be difficult to trap. If you’re one to travel into the wilderness on a regular basis, the .22 pistol makes a great companion. As the old expression goes, “it is better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it.” This holster allows you to have it.
Special thanks to Harvey Cheek and the crew at BlackPoint Tactical, the Sayoc Kali Tribe, my closest cadre of instructors for their input, brotherhood, and expertise, and to my family and my girlfriend for their unwavering support. Thank you to the readers of my book and magazine articles who continue to reach out to me inspired to train and become stronger versions of themself. Thank you to all my past students since 2007 when I became a professional survival instructor for trusting me with their training. It truly is my passion to educate, equip, and empower others.
Mentor Field Knife
My late mentor, Marty Simon carried a Bark River Fox River. He loved the shape and Marty was one of the most important figures in my career as an outdoor educator. He hired me as an instructor for his school in 2007 and we remained friends until his passing in 2020. The Winkler mentor has many similar design attributes to his EDC.
Pamana Tuhon Chris Sayoc of Sayoc Kali inspired me in many ways. He always spoke to my future self and the lessons shared at the table are lessons that have stuck with me over the years. Even though he passed in 2017, his legacy lives on in the next 10k hands. Sayoc is the highly sought-after Filipino Martial Arts System and the RnD Tomahawk developed by Tuhon Rafael Kayanan and Daniel Winkler can be seen in the Terminal List series by Jack Carr, Tuhon Raf also designed my personal burning star logo that appears on the box, in my book, and on other products since 2013. It was the connection with Sayoc that created the relationship with Winkler Knives when I first met Daniel at BLADE Show in 2014 along with Dom Raso who spotted my shirt.
Of course, my first teacher, friend, and mentor was found in my father. He is a true survivor, my inspiration, and someone who encourages me in all that I do. My father purchased my first knife for me when I was a little kid and he taught me so many lessons I have shared with others.
This knife honors my mentors. It has been over a decade in the making and 4 years from the first email I sent to Daniel in the summer of 2020 asking if he wanted to collaborate. May this blade be a constant companion in the great outdoors as you build experiences with your mentor(s) or mentee(s).
The Mentor Field Knife is sold on a pre-order basis multiple times a year. Contact Kevin to get on the list.
What can you fit inside one of the handwarmer pockets of your jeans? You don't get much carrying capacity in most EDC garments. This is why more "tactical" looking pants are becoming popular to carry flashlights, tourniquets, spare mags, multi-tools, etc. At some point though, you start to realize that pants carry gets uncomfortable. Drop to the prone and land on your keys or attempt a sprint and test the limits of your belt. Carrying off body becomes a consideration, but you run the risk of leaving your kit behind.
Enter the utility vest. If a vest is designed well, it should carry your loadout evenly and distributed on the front and the back. The weight rides on your shoulders and not your hips for easier carry. You can even layer an additional rucksack over the top. As summer winds down, I'm looking forward to sporting this Sleeping Indian Wool vest once again as l travel. When I wear it, I know I have all I need to address survival needs in most scenarios.