The Leatherback Gear Story

We are often asked how we came up with the idea of turning a backpack into a personal protection system, within seconds to protect both your front and your back (the only patented design of its type in the world). The Leatherback Gear bulletproof backpack is the brainchild of a law enforcement & security professional while on active duty assigned to protection in the summer of 2016 when the UCLA shooting occurred. While live media coverage of the chaos and subsequent response by first responders to the active shooting, our founder (trained in prevention and protection), observed media live streams of droves of students (all wearing backpacks!) exiting buildings and milling around campus. The instantaneous thought, as if by revelation, ”What if we could take something that students are carrying every day and turn it into a tool that would convert it into a personal protective vest to keep them safe?” After trial and error, the result was a 100% functional backpack that had hidden within itself our patented personal protection system.

Who is Leatherback Gear?

Leatherback Gear™ was invented and designed by two brothers who are law enforcement first responders with real experience building security plans, protecting people and securing locations; preventing active shooter and terrorist-related incidents; and most importantly responding to an active shooting and putting the threat down before lives were lost. We create products and technologies designed for safety and protection at the forefront of everything we do.

Our Mission

Our mission is to empower you with simple and easy to use protection tools to keep you and your loved ones safe, in the event you find yourself, in an active shooting crisis. At Leatherback Gear™ we believe that when you are equipped with the proper tools and education, you become your first and best line of defense in any situation.

During an active shooting shouldn’t we wait for the police?

Absolutely let the professionals handle the situation…when they get there. But by their nature law enforcement and first responder personnel are reactive to threats. They only respond when the call comes out; how far away they are or how long it takes for them to arrive is situational dependent. This creates a gap between when the situation occurs and how long before law enforcement will be there. On average it runs 2 to 4 minutes before they arrive…that’s a long time when bullets are flying…trust us; we’ve been there. Your best strategy is to be ready with a personal protection system that you can deploy for safety and either Run to safety with protection on, Hide for safety with protection on, or as the last and final resort Fight with protection on.

What can I do to protect myself?

The best defense is having a good offense and plan of action in advance. Be alert and pay attention to the people and environment around you. Every individual can be proactive and reactive to assist in helping prevent a potential active shooter threat before it occurs as well as saving lives during the crisis. Being engaged with friends, family and co-workers, recognizing the signs of distress and appropriately and intelligently addressing the issue will have a profound impact on this epidemic. The Department of Homeland Security promotes, “If You See Something, Say Something.” In other words, be a good a witness but in our mind, please do it with protection.