Revolutionizing upland hunting with modular, field-ready performance.
INTRO
Chief Upland, born in small-town Wisconsin and led by lifelong outdoorsman Jake Lindemann, approached WERX with an idea: a front-loading upland hunting vest that redefined comfort, utility, and price. What started as a prototype and concept conversation quickly turned into a full collaboration to bring that vision to life.
GOAL
Our shared mission: design and develop a high-performing hunting vest that’s customizable, comfortable across body shapes, rugged in the field, and priced to disrupt the market. Chief didn’t just want a vest—they wanted gear that made hunters better.
PROCESS
WERX guided the journey step by step, starting with in-house prototyping to test fit, comfort, and adjustability. From there, we partnered with overseas factories to bring the vision to life, iterating through multiple sampling rounds and refining construction details until every element held up to real-world use. Alongside the core vest, we developed supporting gear to expand the system into a complete product offering, anchored in functionality and designed with precision.
RESULTS
Chief Upland’s modular vest launched to overwhelming demand, selling out runs before inventory even arrived. It earned top reviews and national press, quickly becoming a go-to in the upland hunting community. With product-market fit secured, Chief scaled rapidly, expanded its lineup, and built a loyal customer base.
WHERE ARE THEY NOW?
Today, Chief Upland continues to rapidly year-over-year, expanding its line and cementing its place as a leader in modern hunting gear. With a strong foundation and a loyal customer base, the brand is scaling with confidence, proof of what’s possible when a bold idea is guided through a clear, intentional process.
