TexasCHLforum.com

Just curious to see how many forum members out there wear a tactical or photographers vest on a daily basis.

I'm not totally convinced that they scream "GUN" to the average Joe, but maybe I'm wrong.

I've only actually seen two people wearing a "tactical" vest or photographers vest that I actually though might be carrying a CCW. Their tell-tell's were a USCCA bumber sticker on one vehicle and an NRA sticker in the window of the other, by the way.


JLaw

Guess I'll start it off.

I voted 'Sometimes' because I wear a 5.11 when shooting IDPA, which includes on the way there and on the way home. But that's about it.

JLaw

I wear one my own vests.

They're simply another option.

If it's too warm, I pocket carry.

If it's too cool, I'll be wearing something heavier than a vest.

So my answer would be that when they are appropriate climate wise.

I definitely think they're out of place in July or August.

I had a 5.11 on the night we had the conflab at Diode's shop.
I wear it when it is pretty chilly & need something to cut cold wind or turn the drizzle.
The rest of the time I have one of Mom's vests on.
I am seldom w/o a vest of some sort as good as Mom sews.
BTW she has 2 new ones cut out for me right now.

Mike 1951,
July & August when I am not at work I will wear a colored sleeved T-Shirt or a T-Shirt w/ patriotic writing or troop suport saying.
My cover is a simple vest made from a Wrangler heavy cotton "welding shirt" that has been modified a little.
Take the sleeves out at the seems & cut is square at the bottom.
That is long enough to cover my 5" 1911 in a OWB Tucker HF1.
They are cool & I get a lot of compliments on them in the country. Dont know about how it would go over in the big city though.

longtooth wrote:I had a 5.11 on the night we had the conflab at Diode's shop.

That's right, you did! And if I recall didn't you effectively conceal the 4" revolver you bought and 3 (?) large oranges in that vest??

JLaw

To and from the range.

I have a couple of photog's vests and I wear them once in a while. But I tend to favor leather vests. They go with the bike and don't look "gun" at all.

I have worn a vest of some type almost all of the time, whether I am carrying or not, since well before I got my CCW permit. About the only exception are those days that are so cold as to require a heavy jacket. Usually even in the winter I will wear a vest in preference to a jacket, keeping the jacket in the truck for when I must be in the cold for longer periods. In the summer, a photographer vest is not noticably warmer than just a shirt. If nothing else, the vest covers the suspenders that are required by my build, again whether or not I am carrying.

I wear one of Compvest's vests (at least I better or I'll be sleeping on the couch) I also occasionally wear a 5.11 vest around the property.

Never.

JLaw wrote:

longtooth wrote:I had a 5.11 on the night we had the conflab at Diode's shop.

That's right, you did! And if I recall didn't you effectively conceal the 4" revolver you bought and 3 (?) large oranges in that vest??

JLaw

Forgot about them oranges.
Yes I did.
Had the GP100 in the vest & my Kimber under it on my belt for a part of that time.

I have two 5.11 vests that I bought when I first got my CHL and I wore one of them once and the other has never been worn!

Not because the scream "gun" or not......just because either a Jacket or Shirt over my carry is really all that I need.

I often wear one of Compvest's vests, or less often I wear a 5.11. I bought the 5.11 at the NRA Store at NRA HQ because I ran off without my Compvest. The 5.11 has a nice NRA patch, so if someone doesn't realize its a tactical vest, the NRA patch pretty much serves as a "backup" to make sure they do. As far as I'm concerned, a vest keeps me legal and I suspect the only people who realize what I'm doing are either fellow CHLs or COPs.

Chas.