Case Study
Secure, Smart, and Stylish Protective Carry for Outdoor Family Adventures
Challenge
When heading to the lake, beach, or a family lake house on private property, responsibly carrying a firearm becomes a serious concern—especially when children are present. Traditional options—leaving the gun out in the open or stashing it in a car—pose multiple risks: theft, accidental access by kids, and potential legal complications.
For one of our Texas customers, none of these options were acceptable. Whether canoeing, grilling on the dock, or relaxing inside the cabin, he needed a secure, discreet way to keep his firearm nearby—but completely inaccessible to children and unauthorized users.
Solution
Our customer needed a solution that combined secure firearm storage with convenience and portability. We developed a sleek, trackable, and portable gun safe designed to blend seamlessly into outdoor gear while keeping firearms secure and accessible when necessary.
Key features include:
Phone tracking for easily locating the safe in outdoor environments.
Integrated music playback to enhance the outdoor experience.
Built-in charger to keep devices powered during long days on the water.
Manual override mechanism for emergency access.
Lightweight and low-power design tailored for active use.
Services Rendered
Research and Development
User interviews (ie. comprehensive personas)
Process mapping (ie. end to end user journeys)
User-driven product requirements
Competitor product analysis
Design and Creation
Prototyping Software (low fidelity) (eg. Balsamiq)
Hand-drawn industrial designs
Photoshop renderings (ie. customer feedback)
Solidworks with PLM (ie. Complete rendering and creation)
Software Development
Embedded Linux (eg. high level device operation)
FreeRTOS (eg. C++)
Automated Testing and Build (eg. Github Actions)
Dead Reckoning with GPS
Project Management
Modified Agile Hardware Design (MAHD)
JIRA CMMI for internal work tracking
Harvest Integration for project budgeting and oversight
Design & Compliance: Collaboration with UL and Legal Standards
Understanding the importance of safety certification, we engaged closely with Underwriters Laboratories (UL) to guide our design process. UL is the recognized leader in gun safe testing, offering several UL ratings that evaluate a safe’s resistance to burglary and forced entry.
Based on insights from UL’s standards (including UL 1037 and UL 687), we ensured the product met rigorous criteria for:
Lock strength and tamper resistance, protecting against unauthorized access.
Durability under real-world conditions, especially for outdoor and mobile use.
Secure locking mechanisms that allow both smart access and manual override in emergencies.
Because this product is frequently used near water—whether on a boat, dock, or shoreline—we went a step further:
We engineered the safe to be watertight, guarding against accidental submersion, rain exposure, or high tide conditions.
Rubber seals, internal pressure management, and waterproof charging ports were tested to prevent moisture ingress that could damage electronics or compromise firearm safety.
This level of engineering required close collaboration not only with UL but also materials and component specialists to meet both security and environmental resilience standards.
Additionally, we ensured full alignment with California’s secure firearm storage laws and best practices outlined by the California DOJ Gun Safe Program, giving our customers confidence in both compliance and personal responsibility.
The Result
Superior Safety: The safe’s UL-aligned design prevents unauthorized firearm access, especially by children, reducing safety risks on family outings.
Enhanced Convenience: Smart features like phone tracking and integrated charging provide seamless user experience outdoors.
Legal Assurance: Compliance with UL standards and state regulations supports responsible firearm ownership and liability reduction.
Customer Quote
"Finally, a solution that lets me protect my family and my firearm without sacrificing fun or safety. I love that I can track the safe from my phone and still enjoy music on the water—all while knowing my kids can’t access it."
