What do you guys use for a IDPA vest or cover garment? Shot my first match in Oct. 2012 in Mid Missouri. Used a flannel shirt over a T-shirt. Comfortable. I seen several vests. Now when it gets hot what do you use? I seen a mesh vest that I think would work for me. I am 5'11" 200 lbs. Looking for suggestions, tips, etc. Don't want to spend a ton of cash on it.

Thanks for your input.

It's stupid, but I wore what I normally wear! Might as well. It won't slow you down much, unless it does, in which case you might want to consider a real world change. If you start placing near the front of the pack and are a definite threat to win your class, then it's time to consider how far you want to "game" the game. I ended up doing "fairly well" after a year getting used to the format, and my equipment never got fancy. In fact I would often show up with really ancient stuff. Even a Colt 1902 .38 ACP which fit the box like it was built around it.
(ETA: The flannel shirt is also one of my normal outside covers. It's a little floppy, but unless it gets a hole in it in a "bad" place, can be no great hinderance to a smooth draw with some practice at home.)

I'm not a big time Gamer...I simply shoot for the ongoing training aspect and for fun. Refreshing to see a pair of fellow shooters going "real world" like I do.

I've shot a few matches with my 2" M-60 just for fun. Shot everything from full sized 1911's to my 229 sig, my BHP, even shot my PPK/S one time.

For me...it's about proficiency and FUN.

I wear a loose fleece jacket when it's cold and a loose fitting Filson 4 oz cloth shirt when it's hot. Doubt I'll ever buy one of the silly vests. May as well put a sign on the back of those; "I'm Carrying".

Wife & I addicted to it for fun & we do have a great time, I normally use a 629 / 625 wheelgun or anything from a Luger to a Colt Custom Combat Govt, have to play with the toys & everyone has a crummy tupperware piece.

I wear an old military shirt w sleeves cut off for cover, big pockets work great for speedloaders.

5.11 vest. I compete to win, and the stiffness of the canvas material sweeps out of the way on the draw much faster/more reliably than an overshirt or sweat shirt.

They are pricey, but there is a reason that most of the top shooters choose them.

If you are aren't so focused on the game aspect, then use whatever is comfortable.

I competed to get better. And it was easier to get better whilst nipping at the heels of the top shooters. Once on top, progress seemed to slow. But I only shot at one venue, generally. Sometimes a real "big fish" would come along and show us all "what for". Oddly, the GIs on base would rarely place well, but one of the medical officers was super good!

Thanks for the input so far. My club hosts the Bianchi Cup every year. Last year the Chapman Academy started again at my club. I took the intro and advanced classes. Never took any training before that. I was very pleased. My club hosts a bunch of venues if you may. I wanted to stay focused on what I had learned so I shot a IDPA match. I liked it alot. Didn't know what to expect. BTW I came in the middle of the pack on my first match. Too old to be competitive like the younger crowd. Just want to stay tuned, meet some people with the same interests as I, and have some fun. BTW Frank237, I would never wear a vest like that in public as your thoughts mirror mine! I have a child hood friend whom lives in Billings that sometimes wears a suit to a match as it is what he wears at work! Here in Mid MO it gets pretty steamy during the summer. Hot, high humidity, no wind. I had seen a mesh vest that looked like it would fit the needs.

This year..... Shoot SSR and CDP in IDPA. I competed in CDP last year. Don't own any Tupperware guns. Would like to try IPSC, and Action Pistol. Probably take the Chapman Academy intro again with a revolver. And I like to shoot with better shooters than I as I can learn from them.

I guess I will just wing it on the clothing.

This was my squad leader on my last shoot. And the vest that I liked. I guess I will have to ask him what the vest was. This was not the match I shot.

IDPA - Jim -5-6-2012 - YouTube

And before I get flamed for something like you can't use it because you can see through it on like a regional, state, national match, etc. save your fingers or breath. It just looked cool. Not like really cool but cool the temperature.

I am stoked for this upcoming year!

The cover garment can be a challenge, especially in Warm Weather. I am in the same general area as you. I am Club President at the Big Piney Sportsman's Club near Houston Missouri.
We had a match on 2 February. I wore a Deluth long sleeve Henley tucked in with a tee shirt under it, and a large over shirt as a cover garment.

In warm weather:
A vest is not a bad plan.
Short sleeve shirt unbuttoned will work. Nylon Fishing shirts are not a bad choice.
A Larry the Cable Guy Shirt constructed from a BDU Shirt sounds like it would have some potential for an econo cover garment.

As was mentioned above the vest will sweep back out of the road helping your presentation. You can even have the vest starched to help it sweep out of the road.
I ran across a source once for a lady who custom makes an IDPA Compliant Vest. Seemed like the price was not terrible. Selection of colors, etc.
UP DATE: I just looked this up. Becky Sells, located in Conroe Texas
Home Page

Becky custom makes the vest to fit you. Rip Stop with a Mesh Back Panel is an option for warm weather. Custom Embrodery Work Optional. Lots of colors.

I have an old OD Green vest I have had for 20 years. It is plenty long enough to cover my 64 or 686. I like my vest to be plenty long.

I do wear my vest some out in public, along with my old Booney Hat. I am an Old Guy, and invisible.

I need to get up to the Cup this year. I keep planning to make the trip, and first thing I know it was over last week.
I shot on your range around 1976 or 1977. I was shooting IPSC back then. I had a Wilson Combat 1911 when Wilson Combat was the empty store beside his dad's Jewelery Store on the Square best as I remember.
It would be nice to be that young again.

Bob

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i need get the wife one of the custom ones i see shooters wearing in Pink & Purple or Pink & Black.

Here I am on a budget big pockets are nice for speedloaders

Smith and Alexander make nice vests.

Two questions: On the first video, the guy with the vest. I thought IDPA was supposed to be about concealment. At no time was his pistol completely concealed by that vest. In fact, in Texas, such a garment would be cause for loosing a CHL. How come he did not get a "failure to do right". Second, twice the shooter broke the 180, or at least from the vantage point of hte video it looked like he broke the 180. Is this considered safe in IDPA?

Buggs Bunny
Becky I mentioned above in my previous post makes them in Pink for the lady's. Also Purple, WalMart Blue, etc

Bob

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Harrison

In answer to your first question.

Page 40 IDPA Rules:

This is the part concerning the vest shown.

Competition only garments are prohibited. Competition only garments are defined as: vented or mesh vests that allow the firearm, holster, spare ammo or ammo carriers to be visible when standing normally,

This was probably a warm weather CLUB MATCH where the Rules were a little more lax, would be my guess.

Bob

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good answer....I am also a big believer in use what you got instead of going out and buying something when I already have something suitable in the closet.

Randy

PS. BTW..I a the one mentioned earlier that shows up in a suit and tie to IDPA shoots as that is how I actually carry concealed.

It was a LOCAL WARM weather match. Here in Missouri we have open carry and liberal Castle Doctrine laws. I am sorry that you have such restrictive laws in Texas. I do like your CCW qualifications, although . It's a model for the rest of the country. Sure beats some of the states qualifications.

The guy in the video whom was my squad leader in my last IDPA flamed me for muzzle sweeping my hand on one of the stages. He told me that if it occurred again he would kick me out. New guy. It gave me something to think about. New guy, new game. I really don't know about your alleged rule infractions that you eluded to. You could check out the stats on the clubs website.

Here is the high lights on the match that I attended.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G_Rbq1a1z94 I am sure that you could pick that apart!

All I wanted is some input on a vest or concealment garment.

Yep thats the place, made one for one of the gals we frequently shoot with who always has to look GOOD "Kitty"

I am hoping i can get them to manu one for my wife in a two tone with some personal logo's on the back..

in all reality I do not see an advantage over the poor mans old style military shirt I wear, but the ladies have to look good unlike us guy

We have shot NY Pa & Va, trust me some ranges are more lax with rules for monthly matches, their playground, play by their rules

I scoured the IDPA forums also. Should have done that initially. Thanks for all the advice from the members of the S&W forums.

Steve

i haven't shot IDPA, but i used to do quite a bit of photography, and still have a black photo vest i used long ago. took it out last week, and it has LOTS of pockets, ventilated back, and is long enough to cover my holster. think it might get some use this year at the range (club requires that concealed carry guns remain concealed, but they can remain loaded).

Tamrac is the mfr, not cheap, but full of function.

IDPA's own rules prohibit that vest. Are you saying that because it is a club match you throw the rule book out. The fact that it is a warm weather match is no excuse. What would you do if the weather is hot, shoot shirtless? You will not find weather much warmer than where I live in Texas, except maybe in the deserts of our SW states. The weather is no excuse for throwing the rule book out, nor is the fact that your state allows open carry. I shoot matchs in hot weather, I know all about it. Hundreds or maybe thousands also shoot matches in hot weather and do not throw the rule book out.

My second question was breaking the 180. Essentially consider straight ddwn range to be zero degrees. You can point your pistol 90 degrees each side of 0 degrees. Beyond that you are essentially pointing your pistol to your rear and endagering anyone to your rear. Avoiding 180 breaking is a major element of safety. Like I said from the video it looked like he may have broke the 180. If so, that should be an automatic DQ.

The same for sweeping, it should also be an automatic DQ. You should have been given a match Dq the first time you swept yourself with a loaded pistol, not given a second chance that match. Safety is not flaming. Safety is essential and mandatory, especially when people are running with a loaded, locked and cocked pistol.

Rulez Rulez ahh safety the "Golden Rule"

The rules are governed by the the peeps in charge, we had a State Level Match that had a SO who had not taken the SO cert course

see what I mean about rulez LOL

Dropping loaded guns LOL its ok its Tupperware

Having watched this video several times, my comment is that the RO is in a much better position to call a 180 violation than the camera man. I saw a couple of close calls, but I was NOT the RO.

Nor from the angle we are presented with from the camera did I see a sweep of the shooter onto himself or anyone else.

Being a revolver shooter myself I have had RO's become a little befuddled at the method of dropping out empties and re-charging the cylinder. At what point in the video are you seeing a sweep violation?

Also, the OP is NOT the person shooting in these video's...why is he being chastising for someone else's actions?

Randy

PS. I am an RO in many shooting disciplines.

To start with the original poster was not the shooter in the vidio.
Second he explained that he was new, looking for information.

I watched the vidio clip 3 times closely. I did not detect breaking 180 anywhere. Looked a little close going Left to Right infront of the barracade, but still OK.

The mesh vest. I looked it over pretty well. It being legal is a close call. It looks to have solid panels in the patch pocket areas on both sides extending back to conceal the handgun, and loading devices (Barely).
The shooter was not doing a good job of getting it to cover his handgun at all in the vidio clip. Especially when bending forward.

After watching the vidio 3 times looking the vest over each time. I am guessing this is an Summer IDPA Vest Custom Made to Game the Rules to the Limit. It is probably Legal, but just barely. The shooter had his revolver positioned a little far back for the vest solid panels to really conceal it well when he was standing at rest from what I could tell. With his revolver at 3 O'Clock and standing at rest the vest would probably pass inspection, barely.
The solid panels look to be duel purpose. Conceal the Revolver and Loading Devices, and also to provide a solid area to sweep the vest front back during presentation. The vertical cut outs on the back edges of the Solid Panels would help the vest to swing away from the revolver even more helping with the draw. I think the vest was designed to Game the Rules to the Edge, if not past.

Just My 2 Cents

Bob

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A button up shirt that I wear for work.

The vest in question is a clay target shooters vest. I have one just like it, that I use to shoot trap & Skeet. It is very flimsy and in my estimation would be a hindrance, although it is much cooler and lets any breeze through. If you want very picky rules and lots of them, IPSC is the game you want. Seems every RO walks around spouting infractions by the numbers. I was RO certified years ago, but lost interest as so many scenarios were too unrealistic. Never had the opportunity to shoot IDPA, I have been to the Chapman Academy to see the Bianchi Cup a few times. It's only 80 miles from my house.

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H Richards
I thought about it being a Shotgun Vest first, then I decided with no empty shell bag on the back, it was probably just bult like one.

You are probably correct about it being a Sporting Clays Vest used as a concealment vest in IDPA.

The shooter probably spotted the vest in a Sporting Goods Store or catalog, and the light came on. This will be cool in the Summer, and the solid pockets will work to meet the vest requirements for concealing the Handgun and Loading Devices. This Will Work!

How he is getting around the mesh being a problem is by weighting the pockets. I went back and watched the vidio again. You can tell he has something in the pockets on both sides that has some weight by the way the pockets hang. On the first presentation the vest swept all the way around on his back. The mesh construction is not a problem with the pockets weighted a little. Nothing in the Rules about weighting the pockets, just hold open devices.

Bob

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The mesh vest in the video is not compliant and would not be allowed at a major match.

I have a couple of different vests, one kind of long and floppy made by a club member's Grandma, needs starch; one regular 4-pocket vest bought on closeout.
I have been known to wear an aloha shirt for concealment in hot weather, even though it does not clear as well as a starched poplin vest.
I had a cheap sport jacket for special occasions, like indoor shooting with the local FBI agents. If I find another with bellows shoulders to allow shooting without binding, I will get it.

IDPA does not have a 180 deg rule. Some places decree it on local option.
The correct approach is to put out traffic cones or other high visibility markers as "muzzle safe points." They might allow a firing arc of 180 deg or 210... or 120, depending on the CoF and the lay of the land.

Warm weather - Hawaiian Shirt - 1 size larger than normal.
- bought at a Goodwill

Cool weather - Hoodie. I like the low pockets for easy stash when retaining.

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Keep Calm and Carry