The first one I ever built shipped to a man up in Kodiak, Alaska — and at the time, this chest holster didn't even have a name yet. Talking it over with him, he said we ought to just call it the Kodiak, since the first one was headed to Kodiak Island. That's what we did, and the name stuck. Close to twenty years later it's still the holster I'm known for, and I still build every one the same way — by hand, one at a time, for your exact firearm.

The thinking behind it is simple. A heavy revolver has no business on your hip in the backcountry — sit down in a saddle or a truck, shoulder a pack, and the gun is either in your way or out of reach. The Kodiak carries it high on your chest instead, riding square and clear of your gear, where your hand falls without looking. For a lot of the folks I build for, that revolver is bear insurance — and in bear country you want it up on your chest where you can reach it, not buried under a pack belt on your hip.

Every one is cut from full-grain Wickett & Craig leather — the oldest vegetable tannery in America — and lined with a second layer of 3 oz. Wickett & Craig, so it holds its shape for good and never marks the finish on your gun. Then it's wet-molded to your revolver or pistol, from a .500 Magnum down to a compact 9mm. The fit is exact because it's cut for one gun: yours.

The harness adjusts from both sides with a simple pull tab — no tools — so you can dial in the fit in seconds, over a summer shirt or a heavy winter coat. There are no loose tails hanging off it either; the webbing is self-contained and stays clean. A hammer thong secures a revolver; a snap strap holds a semi-auto. The gun stays put through the hardest day, and it comes out fast and clean when you reach for it.

Offered in brown, black, and mahogany, made to order in my shop, and built to outlast the gun you carry in it.

Current lead time: approximately 4 months. Every Kodiak is made one at a time for your firearm — that's the only way I build them.