This summer, we will be launching our first paternity gear. Say what? Yes, ladies and gents, OneTigris will be releasing a tactical baby carrier that’s MOLLE compatible with a loop panel for you to slap on morale patches that read “BADASS LIKE MY DADDY” or “DIAPER DUTY”. For those of you with better ideas in your head but can’t find the patches on the market, go to our online community 1TG and propose patch designs, because it’s patch worthy when you say it is!
So since when did OneTigris start making baby gear? Well, the designer, Adele, was inspired late 2017 by a story she saw on Fatherly, about a young American father who lost his arms in Afghanistan and couldn’t hold his newborn child when he returned home.
(Source: Google)
“This baby carrier is about that connection between the father and his child, when you can hold the baby close and let him/her listen to your heartbeat.”
Aw.
Adele is the proud mother of a 4-year-old little girl so she knows how important it is for the baby to feel safe when carried, and for the parent to feel comfortable when carrying.
The baby strapper is constructed from 500D Nylon that’s light but sturdy, with breathable and adjustable padded straps, solid back support, and felt lined areas to protect the baby’s skin.
Most baby carriers don't take much into consideration men's preferences, but when we designed this product we had the tactical dads in mind, as a majority of our customers are men/women with a military background or those who are great outdoor enthusiasts, so this baby carrier comes with webbing for add-ons for tools and extra gear, and in the near future, there might even be a baby carrier and backpack combo, as the parent will also need to hull around diapers and other equally important baby gear. More color options – multicam perhaps? – and funny patches to go with the gear are also on the agenda. You'll be able to spend a whole day out with your baby strapped to the front or back, giving him/her an education on tactical gear and preparedness at an early age!
One month ago when we gave our audience a sneak peek of the baby carrier, the dads in action and expecting dads were all giddy with excitement and freely posting about their kids and due dates to have a go at trying out the prototypes. Gear testing is ongoing at the moment and we’re expecting some more tweaks here and there before its release, which is hopefully by Father’s Day this year.
“A lot of our customers are military dads who are often away, so we want to launch as soon as we can. We hope to see some badass dad and baby duos in action out there!”
Adele goes on to talk about how she finds inspiration from the smallest things. She likes to read through people’s comments on Facebook, 1TG, Instagram, and sometimes just stares at shared photos with possibilities mixing and mashing in her head.
“If we do decide to launch more gear like this one, tactical baby gear might be some fierce competition for our dog gear because a lot of our users are proud parents of both hairless babies and furbabies!”
More neutral gendered gear or gear for women will also be a highlight for the tactical gear industry. The OneTigris SCREAM mask used to only be available in 6’’ but a smaller 4'' version was launched after female airsoft players complained about the lack of sizing options. Sling packs and backpacks also often come with straps too wide for women to comfortably use, and tactical gear is about preparedness and function regardless of gender and background, so Adele hopes to hear more from the female gear users to help her help them do more and go further. 2 questions she always asks hserself: What problem can I solve for our users? What are their wants and needs?
“Maybe we can set up live conversations at 1TG one day a month and let gear users speak directly with the product development team to rant or to share their ideas,” concludes Adele. “Because you know, a lot of times our customers come up with crazy good ideas. They're awesome like that.”
