Shoot-Me-First Vests & Backup Sandwiches

[Jamie]

I confess that I used to wear Banana Republic vests, then KAVU back in the 90's to mid 2000's.
I did get asked a time or two if I was a "photographer guy" or "do you fish a lot?" but no one ever mentioned guns.
I found them handy to haul gear even when going to work wearing scrubs...maybe especially so then.

Kilts...
I lived in extreme Southwest MS (Picayune) until 2005. The first time Gomez and Barrick (Paul & Paul) came over to go shooting at an outdoor range near my home, Gomez was wearing a Utilikilt.
Barrick was more conventionally dressed in 5.11 style attire (vest and cargo pants).
I wasn't expecting the Kilt when I met them at a local gas station near the interstate. Gomez caught a few looks LOL. He was a unique individual and a great guy.

Smart phones weren't a thing back then, but Gomez bayonet charging a target while dressed in a kilt remains etched in my mind.

Gomez and Barrick came to my house after we finished shooting for the day. So the first time my wife met Gomez he was kilted. She never batted an eye. She was married to me after-all.

God keep them all. RIP

Loved the video. Backup sandwich! I like it.

[Hambo]

I'd rather get shot than wear one of those vests.

We'll see what you say when the HamboVest comes out. Not one, but two sub sammiches fit in the tubluar coolerator pockets.

[MountainRaven]

SCOTTeVEST should design and manufacture a SCOTTeKILT, so that we can defiantly wear a KILT-on-the-STREETZ.

5.11 makes one. They even make it in the very fashionable MultiCam Black for this year.

I confess that I used to wear Banana Republic vests, then KAVU back in the 90's to mid 2000's.
I did get asked a time or two if I was a "photographer guy" or "do you fish a lot?" but no one ever mentioned guns.
[snip]

How would you approach a random stranger you think may be carrying a gun and ask them about it?

[Glenn E. Meyer]

Ask the OC folks who get their gun grabbed. Ever a report like Mas said about a vest guy getting a grab? To answer a question, did the NTI three times. Quite a training experience. Experiences like that separate out our debate about training by yourself and video. That might be good for gun handling games but not for lethal force usage. A car jacking with sims is not a make ready beep. More bruises in the first.

[Jamie]

How would you approach a random stranger you think may be carrying a gun and ask them about it?

Well I can't ever recall doing that.
But I don't necessarily approach everyone that catches my attention. If the person bears watching I'd watch them. As a civilian I've not had reason to ask someone if they are armed. I've removed weapons from patients in the ER's where I've worked, but I'm an RN, not LEO.

But in the context of my post, my mode of dress was not unusual for the time and location. I worked in New Orleans for almost 20 years. I also wore "tourist or Hawaiian" shirts a lot. Loose fitting layered clothing helps with 90+ degree temps and matching humidity.

The couple of times I mentioned in my previous post I simply said it's because I like the pocket space.

The photographer question came from a waitress, the fishing vest question was in St. Benard parish...lots of fisherman.

[UNM1136]

I have one I need to drag out now and rethink. Particularly for travel with the "one carry on" crap. It is a Wollrich Elite, and I got it off of fleabay from a guy.. When the package came the name was familiar...BHD Delta vet, pseudonymed in the book IIRC, but when he hung out his training shingle he told part of the story...I had researched his training outfit when he was in the area for a class.

pat

[rathos]

I love these:

https://www.propper.com/mens/outerwe...hell-vest.html

Doesn't look like a carry vest unzips from the bottom to allow you to pull the vest up better if you are wearing it zipped and I can wear it in cold weather or warm weather. Cop buddies always commented on how it didn't look like the typical shoot me first vest.

[medmo]

A note pad, a pen, a back up note pad and a back up pen. Analog Vest.

[Hambo]

Particularly for travel with the "one carry on" crap.

That's the best reason I can think of to have one now. I did own a Woolrich (I think) before I moved to Florida. Down here there are maybe ten cold days a year when I would wear it without people thinking I'm armed, insane, or both. So many people wear various bags or packs that they're a better option.

ETA: Appendix and JM Custom allow me to carry a Beretta 92 and a spare mag under a golf shirt.

[wsr]

Open carry without actually open carrying