Safariland
Safariland, LLC is an American designer and manufacturer of protective equipment, including holsters, body armor, duty gear, and tactical communications devices, serving law enforcement, military, public safety, and sporting markets.[1][2] Founded in 1964 by Neale Perkins as a small holster operation in Sierra Madre, California, the company has grown into a global leader headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, with a mission centered on life-saving innovation.[1] Safariland pioneered key advancements in personal protection, such as the first commercially available soft body armor in the 1970s and the inaugural Level III retention duty holster, enhancing officer safety during high-risk encounters.[3][1] Its products, including concealable armor developed for the Los Angeles Police Department and advanced holster systems, have demonstrated real-world efficacy, with the company's SAVES CLUB recognizing over 2,035 documented instances where gear prevented fatalities from gunfire or other threats.[1][4] Now a principal brand under publicly traded Cadre Holdings, Inc., Safariland maintains ISO 9001 certification for quality and continues to field-test equipment through sponsored competitive shooting teams established in 1985.[2][1] While celebrated for survivability contributions, the firm has faced scrutiny over less-lethal munitions produced by affiliated brands, notably in contexts involving crowd control at the U.S.-Mexico border during prior ownership.[5]