Q5 Outdoor Products was founded in 2011 by Dan Priest, a lifelong birdhunter. A passionate perfectionist and innovator, Dan was in the habit of purchasing two or three bird vests from different makers, then taking them to a tailor to have them pieced together into a single vest that would meet his needs.
Eventually he decided to make vests for friends, then for the hunting community at large. After several prototypes he created the first Q5 Centerfire Bird Vest. What mattered most then – and what still matters most today – were two things:
- All belts and vests are made in the USA of highest quality materials, built to last a lifetime or longer.
- Designs and product ideas come from listening to birdhunters (because that’s where the best ideas come from), then they’re created by and for the upland community.
The original Centerfire design was followed by smaller half-day gear like the Upland Bird Belt and the Q5 Rimfire. The company became complete when Dan met Steve Owen of Quilomene Vests and they decided to merge their two operations. Operating under Q5 Outdoor Products the Quilomene strap vests became 100% US made and continues to this day.
Dan’s intention was always to be of maximum service to the community of hunters and hunting dogs. Our various hunting vests have been likened to “Hunting Systems” rather than simple overwear/accessories. We use high-tech environmentally-appropriate materials and feature everything you would want for a hard long-range day of wild bird hunting. We take the comfort and well-being of you and your dog very personally, so you’ll always find plenty of water and cargo pockets along with our hunt-oriented features.
The Kuipers family began operating Q5 in 2021 and have had a mission to keep items in stock at all times by investing in raw materials. While the timing of the acquisition proved to be a a very challenging time. Q5 has been able to reduce shipping times by keeping a larger inventory on hand.
