After a year off, the firearms industry — with some COVID-related exceptions — is gathering in Vegas again for the 2022 SHOT Show. Despite the challenges, the show is bigger than ever, with 13.9 miles of aisles and 800,000+ square feet of exhibit space. It’s even expanded into the Caesers Forum to allow more exhibitors in.

Check out a few interesting products we saw on the show floor on Day One.

 

1. Gear Keeper Bugle Tether

Elk hunters know that their bugle calls aren’t cheap, nor are they the easiest thing to carry around. Gear Keeper, which makes application-specific products that help you focus on your hunt rather than your gear, has a simple solution to keeping your bugle close at hand without losing it: a new tether (pictured above). With three connection options, it’s easy to attach your favorite bugle call to the tether and keep it from getting lost. A rubber stopper and a nice cord (not a cable) keep it quiet to use, and a quick disconnect feature adds versatility.

2. Hawke Optics Binocular Harness Pro Pack

This new bino harness from Hawke Optics is fully adjustable and features a mesh back for comfort. It has MOLLE on the front, bottom and both sides, and a removable rangefinder pouch that can be moved from one side to another as you prefer. A zipper pouch on the back adds to the versatility, and this pack will comfortably fit up to a 12x50 bino. MSRP is $89.

3. Fire Department Coffee

Founded in 2016 by a firefighter, Fire Department Coffee says the company leaders are passionate about two things: Roasting coffee and supporting first responders. More than half of the company’s employees are active or retired firefighters, and the company is veteran-owned. You already know there are a couple of other coffee companies that say they support veterans and the firearms community, but what sets this one apart is its line of spirit-infused roasts. Yes, the beans or ground coffee is infused with different spirits, and the alcohol roasts off, leaving just the flavor behind — so the product is non-alcoholic. They’ve mostly been an e-commerce direct-to-consumer company but are starting to aggressively pursue retail.

4. ATN X-Sound Hearing Protection

You know ATN as a popular maker of night-vision and thermal optics, but the company is branching out a bit with the introduction of its X-Sound hearing protection. These muffs are Bluetooth-enabled, so you can listen to music or take phone calls while you’re wearing them. They also feature an omnidirectional microphone and the ability to adjust the media and the hearing volume independently — so you can dial down the ambient noise without adjusting the volume of your music, and vice versa. They’re available now and will retail for about $200.

5. Pyramax Conaire Eye Protection

The latest trend in eyewear is retro-styled frames, and Pyramex’s Conaire is built to fit right into that trend, but with the added bonus of side protection. These shooting glasses are available in clear and gray lenses as well as UV400 blue block that helps reduce eye strain if you’d like to wear these while you work on your computer or phone. At an MSRP of about $6, how can you go wrong?

6. SOFHOLD Gun Magnets

Store your gun anywhere with this handy magnet from SOFHOLD. It’s made in America and strong enough to hold your gun — the company claims it’s 30% stronger than its competitors and can withstand up to 50 pounds of pulling force. It can mount (with screws) to a number of surfaces and is bound in leather to protect the finish of your gun, and it comes in a variety of leather colors and stylish faces. They retail for about $40.

7. TacRig Holsters

Designed to be flexible (literally) and comfortable, TacRig holsters have a modular design that lets you change your carry gun on the fly. They’re optics-, suppressor-height-sight- and threaded-barrel-ready with a flexible and breathable backer to help the holster ride comfortably on your body. The FLEX IWB/OWB package (MSRP $169.99) can be configured for IWB or OWB carry with unlimited mounting optics and dual-sided trigger protection. The Boltron shell restricts access to the trigger, even from the back of the holster, and you can move your firearm with you wherever you go, eliminating the need to draw and reholster during normal handling and transfer of the gun.

8. Bone-Dri Shotgun and Rifle Case

Bone-Dri represents an innovation in bags and soft cases — a unique Absorbits material that removes moisture. If you’ve ever left your gun in a soft case too long and later discovered the effects of trapped moisture, you’ll understand how useful a case that actually wicks moisture away from your firearm can be. Bone-Dri says you can actually keep your guns in their soft cases for weeks and months at a time. There are several cases and bags available, including the Shotgun & Rifle Case, designed with input from competitive shooters and members of the military. This case has lockable mil-spec zipper sliders, heavy-duty 800D nylon construction, and a lifetime warranty — and it will float. The Absorbits material is infinitely reusable — just dry it with a hair dryer or leave it out in the sun. The company’s slogan is “Goes in wet, comes out dry.” MSRP on the Shotgun & Rifle Case is $99.99.