Correct, the main value of std::out_ptr is the exception safety. There is no gap between the call and when you wrap the value in a smart pointer where something

Correct, the main value of std::out_ptr is the exception safety. There is no gap between the call and when you wrap the value in a smart pointer where something can happen and cause a leak. Is it strictly necessary in all cases? No, but it's a nice to have because it makes code less error prone if there are multiple paths. You can ensure the resource will be released when the scope ends. A code reviewer could look at the deleter to ensure it was the correct one for the use and be satisfied in most cases.