Chest Holsters

[WAB]

IMO chest holsters are the best solution for heavy activity. I spend a lot of time on a chain saw and tractor. I haven’t found anything else that keeps the gun as accessible and out of the way. When I lived in Alaska I did a lot of remote fishing. I’m not sure there is another solution for keeping a pistol handy while wearing waders.

 

[HankBuck]

this could be an outrageously long post... so I'll do my absolute best to keep it to a minimum...

Im giving some thought to investing in a small business that makes chest holsters (among other pistol related things)..

I currently use a "litepath" chest holster for my G40, 10mm Glock made by 2A Holsters.. Its far and away the best designed and best built holster Ive ever used for "outdoors" type activities (hiking, fishing, hunting, backpacking, etc)...

2A was sold a few years back, but the prior owner retained intellectual property rights to some designs, techniques, etc.. since 2A was sold no litepath or "outdoorsman" (basically the same holster, but heavier built with thicker/wider straps and webbing, etc) has been made...

Ive got an opportunity to be involved in getting these products back on the market (along with other things).. but I honestly have no clue what the market looks like, how many people really like or prefer chest rig type holsters, etc..

just because I love mine doesnt mean anyone else wants to use one or thinks the idea is a good one...

I also have quite a bit of experience with kydex and other thermoplastics.. I have worked with kydex for several years, built hundreds upon hundreds of knife sheaths out of it and other types of kit.. and know how to turn out a pretty decent product...

This would NOT be a new "job" for me.. at the end of the day, I'd have to be in a position to sell tens of thousands of products annually to get remotely close to making the same sort of salary that I do in the position I currently hold.. and honestly, while I enjoy tooling around in my shop making an occasional knife, designing an occasional new kydex product for me, my wife, or my friends to use, etc.. I dont really see myself as being the sort of person that would enjoy being out in a small manufacturing facility somewhere for 8-12 hours a day overseeing the build, inventory, shipping, etc.. of dozens of line items of inventory, etc..etc..

What this would be is an opportunity to provide a small quantity of extremely high quality product that is specific to the outdoors/firearms industry, at a very competitive price (extremely small initial investment and start up capital is needed) ... next to no money would be made in the endeavor (Im actually ok with this).. but I think a really nice product would be provided to a community I care about (hunters and outdoorsmen)... which is really the motivation (I think).. Clearly I dont want to just throw money into an endeavor that has no value and never pays me back.. but, as descibed above, I also dont really care if it "makes" $500 a year, or $50K a year.. thats not going to be life changing money in any way.. Im much more interested in doing something good/nice here if possible..

Which brings me back to the statement about not having a clue what level of demand is out there for this sort of thing.. Of all of the hunters I hang around and/or know.. Im the only one that Im aware of that wears a pistol in a chest rig while hunting (in the US).. and while I do know a few more people that own chest rigs, I truly dont have a clue as to when they wear them or under which circumstances, etc..

So.. with all of that said....

Does anyone else here use a chest rig with any frequency? or have an interest in chest rig type holsters? Or see other people using them with any frequency?

Thanks!

@mdwest - as a “Lefty” I am always looking over “scraps & crap” whenever I shop for a Holster and very use to seeing photos of great looking holsters followed by the words “Not available in LH”. SO, I would be interested in your NEW Shop if IF you make LH holsters of fine leather and light weight, comfortable, etc.. As afar as righties go - they have a lot to choose from and no idea what the market is for your product with “normal” people !! Best of Luck on your endeavor.

 

[WyoBull]

I love my Gunfighters Inc Kenai chest holder. I use mine to carry my Glock 29 10mm.
Living in Wyoming where I spend time in Grizzly infested country, I really like being able to carry where My pistol is easy to access as well as comfortable to wear all day working outdoors, hiking etc.
I will wear mine whenever I am in the country whether it be in my truck, in my side by side or on foot. I believe a chest holster is the best solution for carrying in these situations.
I also wear a Badland bino chest pack with my Leica Geovid 10x42’s and the times when I want both, since the two are not integrated I will switch the Kenai should strap to the opposite shoulder and this drops my pistol a little bit to the side where it is easier to access with my bino pack in place.
So, what I would be interested in is an integrated bino pack/chest holster that is as slim as it could be but also very solid against my body.
Best of luck to you.

 

[mdwest]

@mdwest - as a “Lefty” I am always looking over “scraps & crap” whenever I shop for a Holster and very use to seeing photos of great looking holsters followed by the words “Not available in LH”. SO, I would be interested in your NEW Shop if IF you make LH holsters of fine leather and light weight, comfortable, etc.. As afar as righties go - they have a lot to choose from and no idea what the market is for your product with “normal” people !! Best of Luck on your endeavor.

I’m a lefty.. so lefty in everything absolutely available

 

[mdwest]

My apologies. I mis- interpreted your initial question.
Obviously, you cannot put a monetary value on helping a friend, or continuing a legacy. If you are approaching this venture as a hobby, please disregard my comment and do what makes you sleep well at night. As I stated foremost in my response, I was addressing your inquiry with a strictly business forward viewpoint.
Best of luck with your very-well intentioned endeavor.
Spike

No apology necessary! Very astute advice for anyone considering a business endeavor… this should probably be approached like one honestly.. I’m just functioning for on the 80% emotion/feeling side of things and only about 20% on the analytics/business side of things…

I don’t want invest time and money into a project/hobby that goes nowhere at all…

But at the same time don’t really care if it really makes any money..

I know.. really doesn’t make a lot of sense…

I’m just at a point in my life where I recognized how blessed I’ve been.. have plenty of money to keep my family comfortable… and occasionally look for ways to pass a few blessings on to others…

I think there might be sn opportunity to do that here… especially after seeing the responses in this thread..