CHIEF GEAR
Customer: Chief Upland
Category: Upland Hunting
Business Stage: Start-up
WERX Role: Design, Develop, Produce
One Powerful Combo
Burgeoned from an entrepreneur and outdoorsman, Jake Lindemann, Chief Upland was created to satisfy all shortcomings of almost all upland vests on the current market, and innovate further. Jake had a resilient mindset wanting Chief Upland to provide a vest that gave hunters, no matter their capability physically or experientially, a facility that maximizes capability.
Prior factories weren't cuttin' it.
The Chief Upland hunting vest was designed & developed by the WERX team with guidance and direction by Jake, combining our experience creating packs and gear in the tactical, hunting and outdoor space with his in depth knowledge of the needs in Upland Hunting. The vest features a modular design that allows for customization and easy integration of additional carry solutions and accessories.
In the summer of 2019, Jake approached WERX with the goal of creating the most innovative technical upland hunting vest on the market. Jake had already been working on the idea for the vest since 2018 and had a rough prototype from another source, but knew it was missing the design & functionality that he desired. Through several rounds of in-house and factory sample room prototyping and continuous improvement, the team was able to produce a market-disrupting product that was both high-performing and affordable, thanks to their relationships with factories and fabric mills that were able to provide the desired level of craftsmanship.
Simply put, your hunting vest should make you a better hunter while remaining comfortable.
As an avid upland hunter, the brand founder, Jake, was frustrated with the available options on the market and knew that by teaming up with WERX Design's, there was high potential that they could produce something unique and groundbreaking. The end goal for Chief Gear was to create a vest that excelled in comfort, durability, and ease of use while maintaining a competitive price point.
The Main Challenge
For Chief Gear was to produce a high-performing hunting vest that met the needs of comfort, different body shapes, and freedom of carry customization, while also maintaining a competitive price point. The challenge of producing a vest that met the needs of comfort, durability, and ease of use while maintaining a competitive price point, WERX Design conducted a market analysis to identify areas where popular brands were lacking and to understand consumer preferences.
Unmatched success in modularity and comfort.
WERX Design's modularity solution for the Chief Gear Vest was similar to what WERX had previously utilized in tactical bags, now creating a core upland hunting vest system and a selection of accessory carry pouches. WERX streamlined the process by utilizing in-house development using laser cutting, sewing, and construction prototyping techniques to flush out someone initial concepts to then hand over to one of our factory partners in Vietnam to turn the prototype into a commercially successful product. The vest was then refined until it met the desired standards.
Working with one of WERX's bag factories in Vietnam, together they developed Chief Gear's vest system into a commercially successful prototype that was put through several rounds of testing until it was perfected. The end product was a top-performing product in the market, with Chief Gear seeing tremendous success and growth of +300% annually.
Chief Gear's partnership with WERX Design has been integral to their success with hunting vests, and as a company. The initial production runs were a huge success, with the vest system even being recognized as the top option in its category by multiple publications. Chief Gear has continued to thrive, with self-sustaining profitability and an impressive annual growth rate. Jake and Chief Upland have been a fantastic partner to us, consistently helping us to improve his products to meet the needs of Chief Upland's customer base.