One of the major barriers to considering a new handgun mounted light is the availability of holsters for that light. The flashlight manufacturers with the largest market awareness aren’t always the ones pushing the limits of lighting technology. There are innovations coming from light manufacturers many “tactical” consumers may not have even heard of or would consider buying. Holster makers have little incentive to tool up for a light that few people will buy and buyers won’t buy a light for which they can’t get a holster. This feedback loop has the potential to scuttle the success of otherwise good weapon lights.
The Olight PL-2 Valkyrie weapon light has received some solid reviews and boasts a whopping 1200 lumen output. However, until recently, it had little holster support. There are some holster makers who can accommodate the PL-2 but you’ll have to dig a bit to find them. That changed when BlackPoint Tactical introduced the PL-2 as an option for many of their holsters. They are likely the highest profile holster maker to date to add the PL-2 to the line up.
I don’t know that this is the first step toward broader acceptance of the PL-2. I haven’t even tried one of them. However, as a consumer, I appreciate when a company is willing to try to fill a potential market gap even if it is small. As holster makers continue to streamline and modernize their processes, I hope to see more of this.
