For Christmas, I picked up the Woolrich Elite Fleece Tactical Vest
because I wanted a more discreet way to carry a full size handgun without having to resort to the “I’m a photographer/going fishing” vests that I have.
As I mentioned previously, up here in the Pacific Northwest, a dude in a fleece vest is about as inconspicuous as you can get. There’s really only one month out of the year where it might look slightly out of place, but even in the summer we get temperatures that are chilly enough to justify wearing the vest. It’s comfortable, warm, and serves my purposes quite well; allowing me to effectively conceal my Gen4 Glock 21 all the time. It even has a nifty side-zipper on the flank of the garment. I can unzip that and then put an outer jacket over the vest but still have relative easy access to the gun.
Of course, the real value of the vest is that it’s a form of camouflage. Much like how you’re less likely to get a speeding ticket driving a silver Subaru Forester than you are driving a red Dodge Charger with chrome wheels; the fleece vest blends perfectly into my local environment. If I wear it with a long sleeve shirt and some silly REI hippy-hiking pants, I become absolutely indistinguishable from 90% of the other people walking around downtown Seattle. “Oh look, a nondescript white guy dressed appropriately for a cool January day” is what I want people to think when they see me, or better yet I want them to not notice me at all.
Concealed means concealed – and while the fleece vest may not be perfect camouflage to blend in down in Texas or Florida, there are concealment options for almost every climate that don’t draw attention to you. This isn’t because I think you’ll be targeted by criminals, but rather because I don’t think it’s a great idea to stand out from the crowd* when you’re carrying a gun. Just thinking strategically.
*Note: While I frown on carrying a gun as a means of gaining attention, using your car to do that is perfectly acceptable.
I find it interesting how regional this is. You’d stand out like a sore thumb pretty much any time of the year in the midwest in that getup. I guess we spend less time in the “cold enough for a vest but warm enough to not wear a coat” range.
That said, a local college football team jersey makes a decent concealment garment as well.
“silly REI hippy-hiking pants”?
You mean the cargo pants that most folks couldn’t distinguish from “tactical” pants without the label? ;-)
Sounds about right. Living in N. Idaho as I do, you pretty much described my daily attire. Though I have a plethora of vests. From fleece to carhart. All work splendidly
Plethora? Plethora? Do you know what a plethora eees? I would hate to theeenk you would tell me I have a plethora, and you do not know what a plethora eees!
I haven’t seen that movie in ages!
That’s my regular spring/fall go-to cover garment. A 30-something guy in a fleece vest in the Denver metro area is WELL within the baseline, especially in hiking boots and well worn jeans.
The only time my “tactical / gun” vest goes on is if I’m teaching or need it at the range for a match.
Flannel shirts never really came back for the under-50-and-employed crowd out here but work pretty well, too. Now I just need to get my Dad (in the PacNW) to stop sending them to me every Xmas. ’92 was a LONG time ago. :-)
You should have “North Face” or “Columbia” embroidered on it. For extra camo-ness.
Not a vest guy, but a hooded sweatshirt does well enough when it’s cold enough to justify it. Here in NC you’d stick out, kinda like a Subaru Baja with a Gadsden flag on it (much less the Coexist sticker made of gun makers logos).
“And since I’m not silly enough to pay the extra 4 grand premium to Ford to get an underpowered coupe with a pony badge on it, I knew it was Dodge or nothing for me.”
412 HP out of the box, no mods necessary. Wanna race? :D (I would truly love to have a Challenger convertible, but they don’t make one.)
Caleb cars are like you pay for what you get HP costs Id rather have the supercharged stang weight and looks but I guess I am kinda a ford man Id rather push a ford than drive a chevy or dodge beauty is in the eye of the beholder kind of like opinions are like A_ _ _ H _ _ _ S everyone has one!
I’m about 1000 air miles north of you and wear a vest pretty much all year round. When I started wearing vests to conceal my carry weapon, I found that too many vests were only waist length-too short! Then my wife suggested I get a Long sized vest-problem solved.
Wow – got socks and sandals to go with that! Eek!
I carry a larger pistol under a large jacket in the Pac Northwest in the winter (it ALWAYS rains here, and/or a Rohrbaugh R9-S in a wallet position in my back pocket, even in the summer. Rob me? OK, let me grab my “wallet”…
That was one of the considerations I had when deciding on my default carry position (strong side, behind the hip). It’s not only comfortable, readily accessable (unless sitting with my back against something), but I carry my wallet in my strong side hip pocket. The difference between “reaching for my wallet” and “beginning my draw stroke” is minimal.