Our Story

The Name

The surname Wilde has Irish, English and German origins that refer to violent, savage and untamed men.  We thought it fitting to have a Viking as our new logo.  The Vikings were fierce warriors and are a fitting representation of the warriors of past and present that use gear Built For Battle.

The Beginning

I grew up around three generations of great seamstresses.  My great grandmother, grandmother and mother were all very adept at sewing.  As a kid, I would get dragged to family quilting parties.   As a young boy I hated it.  “Hold this, do that.”  Ugh.  I didn't have an appreciation for the skill of sewing until much later in life.  My mom made many of her own clothes, curtains for the house and other wonders with her trusty Kenmore sewing machine. 

Experience

Right after high school I left for boot camp.  A year later I found myself in the middle of the Gulf War.  Two enlistments later, I left military service for a career in law enforcement.  I have retired after nearly 24  years of law enforcement service.  I was a member of a tactical team for over a decade and served as a primary firearms instructor and high-risk entry tactics instructor.  During that time, I have had the opportunity to use a variety of nylon gear and I have seen nylon gear from all over the world.

Valuable Lesson

Sometimes you need (some say want) a new piece of gear.  I fell prey to the cheap gear devil.  I asked myself, "How bad could it really be?"   Let me tell you.  I was preparing my gear for an operation.  I run a modest collection of rifle magazines on the outside of my entry vest and wanted a new magazine configuration. I loaded up my newly acquired "budget" magazine pouch with my magazines and put my vest on.   I decided on the proper placement and began practicing drawing the magazines.  A few minutes later, I realized the stitching on one side of the pouch was coming apart and the material was tearing.  I could not believe it.  I felt cheated.  I just bought this basic piece of gear and it failed before it's first real use.  Thankfully, the lesson was not learned sitting in the stack on an entry.

Solution

I drew on my years of sewing-by-association experience.  I bought my first industrial sewing machine and got to work.  I started very small and only made gear for myself.  Friends and colleagues requested pieces of gear when they saw what I had made.  Word spread and soon I was spending most of my off time sewing gear.  Friends suggested I get a website.  I designed my first website to display product examples and capabilities.  In 2011, I was awarded a small contract for external body armor carriers for uniformed patrol officers for a small police department in the Midwest U.S.  That prompted me to expand and move the operation out of my home and into a business location.  We have been moving full speed ahead ever since.

The Future

As we grow, I will always keep the operation small enough to oversee myself.  I hope to pass it down to my son one day.  I will never outsource overseas.  Ever.

I run this business under three core principles: