Featured Vetrepreneurs: zZz Custom Works Patrick Vuong November 11, 2015 Join the Conversation At RECOIL, we review every product fairly and without bias. Making a purchase through one of our links may earn us a small commission, and helps support independent gun reviews. Learn More Find out more about how we test products. It’s one thing for a college kid with a hair dryer and some sheets of plastic to craft a pistol holster for himself. It’s a whole other beast to make high-quality custom Kydex gear that’ll hold up to the rigors of intense combat or duty use every day. That difference comes in experience, and the founders of zZz Custom Works have plenty of it. Patrick “Bags” Baglietto and Martin Zatrapa — the two former U.S.Marines at the head of this small business located in Oceanside, California — were deployed all over the world as U.S. Marines and have been applying the nearly 40 years of combined military service to their design and fabrication of Kydex holsters, magazine pouches, knife sheaths, and other accessories. “Our highly trained staff of dedicated professionals has decades of experience in military, law enforcement, contracting, and nuclear security fields, and understands the importance of every piece we produce,” Bags said. “We combine expert knowledge with practical designs for the most efficient quality accessories available.” Bags had seven sea-service deployments, from the Middle East to Southeast Asia. Zatrapa, who served in the California Army National Guard after his time in the corps, said this of his service: “I think it would be easier to say where we did not deploy. The polar regions and the Land Down Under were places I did not get to see in person.” The depth and breadth of their experiences have no doubt informed the quality of their products. RECOIL can attest to the quality of their plastic thermoforming skills. We had the chance to test out one of their Glock 17 holsters and some mag pouches during an advanced tactical class taught by another veteran-owned company, Khyber Interactive Associates, and found they performed flawless. A couple of years later, the zZz gear is still a part of this author’s primary range kit. As a service-disabled, veteran-owned small business, zZz Custom Works’ goal is to not only provide high-performance equipment to cops, troops, and civilians, but also to become a dominant name in the Kydex game. Considering the quality of the company's kit and the breadth and depth of its partners' military service, we don’t doubt it'll happen. Company: zZz Custom Works LLC Primary Focus: Custom design and fabrication of Kydex holsters, pouches, and accessories Contact Information: Website: www.zzzcustomholsters.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/ZZZCustomWorksCA Instagram: @zzzcustomworks Why you can trust RECOIL Since our founding in 2012, RECOIL remains the premier firearms lifestyle publication for the modern shooting enthusiast. We deliver cutting-edge coverage of guns, gear, accessories and technology. We go beyond basic reviews, providing no B.S. buyer’s guides, hands-on testing and expert analysis on everything from firearms and survival equipment to watches and vehicles. Our reviewers are the backbone of our operation and come from diverse shooting backgrounds: Former law enforcement, military veterans, competitive shooters, seasoned hunters and plain old firearms enthusiasts. Furthermore, we’re not just gun experts, but dedicated journalists who adhere to the strictest standards of our profession. At RECOIL, editorial independence is the foundation of everything we publish and the cornerstone of reader trust. Our editors, writers and content creators make all editorial decisions independently, free from outside influence. That boils down to: advertisers don’t dictate our coverage, the outcomes of our reviews or what we recommend in our buyer’s guides. First and always, our commitment is to our audience—ensuring every review and article is accurate, unbiased, and driven by real-world experience. Whether you’re selecting your next firearm, upgrading your gear, or exploring the latest innovations in the shooting world, RECOIL provides the trusted insights you need to make informed decisions. Learn more about our Editorial Standards and how we review products. NEXT STEP: Download Your Free Target Pack from RECOILFor years, RECOIL magazine has treated its readers to a full-size (sometimes full color!) shooting target tucked into each big issue. Now we've compiled over 50 of our most popular targets into this one digital PDF download. From handgun drills to AR-15 practice, these 50+ targets have you covered. Print off as many as you like (ammo not included). Get your pack of 50 Print-at-Home targets when you subscribe to the RECOIL email newsletter. We'll send you weekly updates on guns, gear, industry news, and special offers from leading manufacturers - your guide to the firearms lifestyle.You want this. Trust Us.
