WHAT WE STAND FOR
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BUILT TO LAST
We aim to build the last upland vest you’ll ever buy; one that you’ll proudly pass down to your grandkid when you’re too creaky to walk the prairie. Just like your side-by-side or a wool Pendleton shirt, our vests are not built for a few seasons; they are built for a lifetime and then some.
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MADE IN THE WEST
We believe you can’t fake the real thing. To build exceptional Western wingshooting gear, you have to live in the West and truly love chasing birds. We live the life we make products for and this passion and time outside infuses every aspect of our business. A big part of this is our home in south central Idaho. Valley Quail can be seen in town and our team can be chasing chukar, huns and dusky and sage grouse fifteen minutes from the office.
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FOR THE BIRDS
We fully appreciate that our business and passion and those of future generations is based on sustaining wildlife, wild places and our upland hunting heritage. We see Wingworks as an avenue to support conservation advocacy, funding and even on-the-ground habitat work. Whether that means counting sage grouse for Idaho Fish and Game, donating 1% of our sales or letting our customers know how they can stand up for our public lands, conservation is at our core.
OUR HISTORY
It all started
In a garage in Hailey, Idaho in 2005...
Bob Welsh set out to build a bird vest. Not just any bird vest; one that could carry a lot. For day-long hunts in the high desert of Idaho, he needed to haul a gallon of water for his dogs, a few boxes of shells, a first aid kit, a training collar remote, wire snips, a jacket and, ideally, eight recently shot chukar.
Innovation
Carrying a Load
Conventional vests put all this weight on your shoulders. Bob wanted to move the load to your hips just like the packs he'd used to carry out hundreds of pounds of elk meat from the mountains. But unlike these packs, the shoulder straps needed to be as slim as possible so that they didn't interfere with mounting and swinging a shotgun. Similarly, water and shells needed to be close at hand and he wanted to be able to load harvested birds without taking off the vest.
The Industry Standard
The OG Western Strap Vest
With a background in sewing and a passion that put his creations to the test across the mountains, prairies and forest of the West, Bob set about perfecting his vest. The result was Wingworks. The vest quickly became the standard for western wingshooters who wanted a lifetime of performance.
2025
The Next Chapter
After 20 years in business, the company was acquired by Chase Millemann and Ford Van Fossan. Like Bob, Ford and Chase are passionate western bird hunters and committed conservationists who have made a life in south central Idaho. They were also early employees at First Lite, a performance hunting apparel company also based in Hailey, Idaho. Ford and Chase were a core part of First Lite’s explosive growth. What started as a few guys in a room above a garage ultimately became one of largest and most respected hunting clothing brands in the country.
The Future
Taking the Reins
After ten great years with the First Lite, Chase and Ford decided to take what they’d learned and apply it to one of the most venerable brands in upland hunting industry with a renewed focus on lifelong durability, quality Idaho-based manufacturing and a commitment to the conservation of wild birds, wild places and our upland hunting heritage.