Origins of the Tournament Vault
We Introduced the Original Version of the Crushable Vault (the #1) in 2015 and since then we have become the market leader in helping people to secure their shotguns while traveling and in their vehicles. We have continually tweaked our product line making it better, more efficient and user friendly. Our second-generation Field Vault line has been a great success with a simplified internal locking mechanism and its rich looking, upgraded 18 oz. waxed canvas fabric. Now we are delighted to introduce our Tournament Vault. This is a product several years in the making with lots of testing traveling to real life tournaments around the globe.
One of the first things that stood out in terms of security at the 2021 Nationals in San Antonio was that we needed to make it easier for tournament shooters to move their Field Vaults in and out of their vehicles. This was my first time at this tournament & I was not quite sure what to expect and truthfully, I was a kid at Disney. The Nationals is attended by roughly 3,000 shooters from all over the world. They come for the targets and return for the camaraderie. But at this event I noticed that Tournament Shooters may have concerns not addressed by the Field Vault.
The Field Vault was great to travel with and provided that discreet security we needed, especially on a long road trip driving from Bucks County, PA to San Antonio, TX. We have heard too many stories of guns being stolen from the back of a vehicle while people are checking into their hotels or at a pit stop. At the Nationals we have also heard countless warnings of vehicles being marked and the thieves tracking the vehicle. Later on, they would break the windows in a classic smash & grab. The Field Vault was designed to keep your guns safe during this type of attack. But it was evident that it was not enough to secure your shotguns in the back of your vehicle, because vehicles were being stolen at an alarming rate.
This was a concern for many shooters. They really liked the Field Vault, but in packing it with several shotguns along with their 4-barrel sets, it was quite heavy. I noticed this too. I was traveling with my Krieghoff K-80 with its 3 barrels as well as a Beretta 692 for a friend. I also had a couple of 20-gauge SxS’s since you cannot drive from Pennsylvania to San Antonio in the fall without stopping to chase come birds along the way. I used two Field Vaults to secure these four shotguns in the back of my Ford Expedition. And they worked great, but yes, they were heavy.
The Field Vault is intended to stay in the vehicle, and you can slide your shotgun cases in and out of it with ease. You can also unlock it bring the entire Vault up into your room and that is what I found myself doing. My hotel room seemed more secure than the parking lot, and I felt better securing these guns in the room rather than leaving them under the bedspread and hoping for the best. I locked the Vault to the built-in desk and I was all set. But because of the combined weight, I found myself going for a luggage cart each time coming back & forth from the National Shooting Complex and that was somewhat inconvenient. Out of this experience, we designed and have been using/field testing the Tournament Vault when traveling to this type of event.
The Tournament Vault is designed with the traveling shooter in mind. It is streamlined to accommodate the thicker Negrini style cases, such as the Negrini Multi-barrel gun case for shoots that include sub-gauges. When competing in Europe, we really like the Negrini Single Shotgun Luggage Case as it enables you to pack your 12-gauge as well as your hat, vest, chokes and other gear all together in one case. And for the upland bird & duck hunters, the Tournament Vault will also accommodate the Negrini Two Shotgun Travel Case for those destination bird hunts where you would like to bring along a second gun, or a semi-auto case up to 40” long.
We gave this new Vault heavily padded shoulder straps so it can be comfortably backpacked, leaving your hands free to manage your other gear. We added a Velcro sleeve on the top of the unit to secure the exterior cable lock. We utilize the same heavy duty, 10mm cable locking system to secure your shotguns inside the unit and to a fixed point inside your vehicle or in your hotel room. These new Vaults have the same classic styling as our Field Vaults with 18-ounce waxed canvas, oversized solid brass YKK zippers and leather trim, or they are also available in heavy duty ballistic – just like our Field Vaults.
I was able to put our initial prototype to the test in Orvieto, Italy in July 2022 at the World FITASC. Orvieto is an incredible ancient town built on the top of a rock cliff in Umbria – between Rome & Florence. Incredible architecture, restaurants and hotels that have been around for hundreds of years. Of course, that also meant streets and parking to match. I had to park well over a ½ mile away from the hotel, the Grand Hotel Italia. Thanks to the Tournament Vault prototype, this walk was manageable in the 90-degree weather. It also led to some tweaking of the product design – such as beefier straps for backpacking over longer distances. BTW, this was an amazing event and I would highly recommend it. At this event, we started sponsoring the US Sporting Clays Team through the NSCA, and I became an Honorary Team Captain. I have had the privilege of traveling with the Team since then and I really got the chance to appreciate the challenges they faced when traveling so extensively around the globe with a shotgun.
The Tournament Vault makes getting through the airport much easier. TSA admired the design and the ability to lock down my shotgun after inspection. The shoulder straps have a dedicated sleeve for storage that enables snag free progress through the luggage carousal. The Vault protected my Negrini case from the baggage handlers and the carousal where so many pieces of luggage get damaged. Once collected, I easily secured my shotgun in the back of my rental vehicle utilizing the 10mm internal cable locking system. Then I backpacked it up to my room and secured it to a huge desk, leaving me free to explore the town. It is also nice to have your luggage tag locked deeply inside the case where it cannot be found.
After field testing Tournament Vault at several events, we made our tweaks & modifications following the 2022 Nationals, several local tournaments, driven partridges in Spain, the 2023 World English at Churchill and the 2023 World FITASC in Gant, Hungary, the 2023 Nationals and the 2024 Western & Southeast Regionals, we determined that we were ready for production.
We debuted the production version of the Tournament Vault at the 2024 World Championships hosted by M&M Hunting & Sporting Clays in Pennsville, NJ. Sporting Accessories, LTD designed a customized version of this all-new Tournament Vault for the USA Sporting Clays Team – so as they are traveling to tournaments with their shotguns it will be a little easier and considerably more secure. We donated one of these Tournament Vaults personalized for each member of the US Sporting Clays Team.
The Tournament Vault makes it easier to trek to the tournament with your shotgun, lock it down after TSA inspections & getting through the airport, secure your shotgun in your rental vehicle and then to carry it up to your hotel room & secure it again in your room.
With dimensions of L 40’x H 6 ½” x W 10”, this Tournament Vault consists of a soft-sided shell. This version is made of 1680D Ballistic nylon – a super tough basket-weave synthetic and one of the most durable fabrics available. It is further lined with a 600D lining, providing additional durability and nice interior finish. The Vaults are designed to fit a Negrini-style, multiple barrel gun case (1646 series) or a Negrini double shotgun case (1622 series). Chances are your current gun case or the case that came with your shotgun will fit just fine.
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