By John Markwell | Contributing Editor
From the “why didn’t I think of that?” file; Galco has introduced a unique leather item for use by citizens concerned with their personal safety when traveling in environments where going armed is not possible.
We’ve all read the articles on improvised weaponry; you know, those rolled up newspapers, writing implements, a roll of quarters held in your fist, nail clippers and hair brushes etc. Well, who ever thought of using a change carrier as a defensive weapon? The design folks at Galco Gunleather obviously did and their take on this age-old item is a winner.
In days of yore it was common for law enforcement officers, bar tenders and others to carry a small weighted impact tool in their hip pocket. Usually made of leather and loaded with lead shot, these were referred to as blackjacks or saps. This modern iteration of an age-old defensive tool is unlikely to draw any attention from even the most hardened TSA agent.
Constructed from two pieces of leather that form an elongated pocket or sleeve, the Change Carrier has a slot which allows the fattest end of the pocket to be stuffed with pocket change adding weight to wide end. The narrow end of this unique accessory serves as both a hand grip and, using the attached “pull the dot” snap, forms a belt loop so the Change Carrier can be looped over and secured to one’s belt.
When carried in such a manner, the Change Carrier is as innocuous as a cell phone case, yet is ready to deploy as a make shift impact defensive tool. The “pull the dot” is very secure yet allows for quick detachment of the carrier from the belt. We loaded the Change Carrier with quarters which brought the weight of the fat end up to ten ounces. When held by the small end and wielded with some speed the impact from the load of quarters in the wide end would certainly get the attention of anyone struck with it. As citizens concerned with providing for our own safety, many have chosen to go armed on a daily basis. However, the reality of today’s America doesn’t always lend itself to doing so. In some places even the carrying of a pocket knife is forbidden. The Change Carrier from Galco Gunleather is a low-profile replication of a historic defensive tool that’s very unlikely to cause any concern of the powers that be. Check one out at your Galco dealer. MSRP is $59.00
High Ready Chest Holster
We have been a big fan of chest holsters for toting large/full sized handguns in the field for quite some time. It was a natural transition for us to give up on the old Tanker design (ours were from El Paso Saddlery) after years of use when we discovered the chest rig. In the ensuing years we’ve used chest rigs from Diamond-D, Badlands Leather, J. Gossart, DeSantis, Galco Gunleather and a few others that we can’t recall at the moment.
Our buddy Mike Barham at Galco just sent us their newest chest holster; the High Ready. This holster is designed for large framed handguns and the model Mike sent to us is for a Glock 19 (the 1911 model is still in the works). The first thing one notices about the High Ready is the Cobra style quick release buckles used for attaching the holster to the suspension and the aluminum sliders used for adjustment of the web harness. Almost all the other chest rigs we’ve used have polymer hardware attached to their harnesses/holster. The good news is we’ve never broken any of these fittings, many of which are made by Fastex. They are quite tough and are standard fare on most packs and much of the load-bearing gear sold throughout the country.
However, there’s a reason most quality outdoor shops stock replacement Fastex buckles. The metal fittings, both sliders and the quick release Cobra buckles, on the High Ready holster exude a rugged confidence and look to be failure proof. The buckles in particular are great. They click together with authority and are solid and silent. Purposefully pressing the two subdued release levers smoothly disengages the female from the male section of the buckle. Depressing just one, by the way, will not cause the buckle to release, so inadvertent detachment from the holster is highly unlikely.
The holster body is a combination of modern materials. Starting next to the wearer’s body, there is a back plate of closed cell foam covered in ballistic nylon. The back of the plate is covered in Galco’s Comfort Cloth which is “an Adaptive Performance Mesh™ that provides padding and moisture wicking”. The pistol is held in place with a precision molded, open top, Kydex holster pocket that is riveted to the back plate. The holster pocket provides for a secure firing grip upon presentation and easy re-holstering. The key here is that the back plate is cut so as to not interfere with the strong hand thumb when one has a solid firing grip on the pistol. The holster also provides complete slide coverage and will accommodate pistols with red dot sights.
Being a torso-worn holster that is suspended from the shoulder and secured against the body the suspension of the High Ready needs to be comfortable. The 1.5-inch tubular webbing of the harness, unlike leather harnesses, needs no break-in; it’s soft and conforming from the get-go with the weight of the outfit and the handgun evenly distributed. The side release buckles are attached to three pivot points on the holster allowing the whole unit to move and flex as the wearer’s body moves; there is no binding at all.
We.ve only had the High Ready for a short period and have been using it while we did a bunch of Spring work around our place on both the tractor and the mower. Our Overstreet Custom Glock 19 rode well in the High Ready’s Kydex pocket and the foam back plate was extremely comfortable and didn’t absorb too much water when we were caught out in a thunderstorm. The whole rig dried out quickly by the way; even the Glock.
Many folks have the need (or simply want) to carry a large-frame handgun afield for various purposes. Hunting is the most obvious reason but others include security (or the feeling of) while hiking, camping, fishing, horseback riding, berry picking, wood cutting, shed hunting etc. in bear country. We won’t open the handguns vs. bears debate here for obvious reasons. But, if readers feel the need (or just want) to tote a handgun to address real or perceived threats to their person, that’s their right as Americans in most states. And lastly, there is that “plinking” thing, which needs no justification at all except that it’s fun.
If a large-framed handgun meets any of these needs, Galco’s High Ready Chest Holster is a very secure and comfortable option for toting said blaster in the fields, streams or forests. Well designed and constructed from high quality materials, the High Ready is a modern iteration of the classic chest holster that has served many outdoors folks for a lot of years. The high ready rides high enough on the chest for wading and will not interfere with a pack’s waist belt or shoulder straps. Available for either right or left-handed users in your choice of black or black, the MSRP for the High Ready Chest Holster is $169. See galcogunleather.com
