The new Cupolster – a simple and useful handgun accessory you wished you had thought of.
May 04, 2024
By Vincent DeNiro, Editor-in-Chief
I have to say that dropping a handgun into a cup holder (or somewhere else) while driving is something I have done since the 1980s. I like using car cup holders for a lot of things, and if you ever read any of my survival articles in Be Ready! magazine, you would know that I always travel with an ICOM R5 shortwave/VHF/UHF/AM/FM communications radio held in a cup holder mount. Cup holders are also great for pocket change, as micro garbage cans, and yes, they can also be used for drinks…
Many of us do this. Hit the brakes and it disappears! Over 30 years ago, when off duty as a deputy sheriff, I clearly remember me stuffing my pistol between the front seat and the console if no cup holder was available– something I still do now and then. I enjoy carrying my pistol in the small of my back with an inside-the-pants holster, this is mostly during warm weather when I’m wearing lighter clothing as I don’t “print” nearly as much. However, trying to draw my pistol quickly from this position, especially with a seat belt on, is very difficult. Even carrying in a traditional belt holster, at my four o’clock, makes it difficult to draw from especially if I’m wearing a coat –belt holsters are what I wear during the colder months. So, when driving, especially when approaching high crime areas, out comes my pistol so its “at the ready”. For off-body car carry, it’s better in the cup holder than having to lean over, open the glovebox, and getting it out from there. The problem has been, that many times, my gun went flying out when I had to hit the brakes or take sharp turn. Then, I’m like Mr. Magoo keeping my eyes on the road while feeling around the floor and/or under my seat to retrieve my pistol.
Enter Vets Tactical which has a great solution for flying guns, and it’s called the “Cupolster”. Vets Tactical is a veteran-owned company founded by Craig Washburn. I found out about Craig’s company through their marketing representative Laura Evans who runs Silver Bullet Marketing . I asked her to have them send me a couple of samples for a Smith & Wesson M&P Compact pistol in 9mm. This gun has been one replacement for my Beretta Px4 Subcompact that I “retried” after 15 years of carry due to sentimental reasons (I used to run international sales for Beretta USA and this gun was my demo gun – it has very special meaning to me, and I never want to lose it. I also did the marketing launch for the model with this pistol – I know you readers out there just love my trivia!). However, my main daily carry is a S&W Shield Plus.
DeNiro always travels with his ICOM R5 shortwave/VHF/UHF/AM/FM communications radio held in a cup holder mount. The Cupolster Bravo unit, with its angled feature, keeps the S&W M&P in the clear for drawing. I received two Cupolster models for the S&W M&P Compact, the Alpha and the Bravo. The Alpha allows pistols to ride at a 90-degree angle, so they drop straight in, while the Bravo has a 20-degree cant. The polymer construction appears to be very solid – like drop it off a cliff and it still works solid. The base is angled to a bottom which is sized to fit most cup holders (maybe all of them), and two rectangular foam pads keep it very snug and in place. There are also magnets inside which help hold the pistol in place although, the designers did a great job fitting these to the pistol I’m using for the review. Even better, my S&W Shield Plus works just fine in both models despite them being designed to fit the larger M&P Compact. However, Vets Tactical also makes models for micro-sized guns as well. For you white light guys, they have you covered and there are many models which will work with your light attached to your pistol. And for those of you carrying “boat anchors”, or full-sized pistols, those models are available on the website.
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The S&W M&P in the angled Bravo Cupolster Need to add a drink and like it in the cup holder further back? Then go with the 90-degree Alpha Cupolster and our pistol’s grip is out of the way when you want to quench your thirst. Executive Editor David Fortier and I discussed off-body car carry and the Cupolster. He likes the concept but brought up a word of caution. In a scenario whereby a sudden emergency would take place, such as a vehicle fire or exiting the car to save someone from disaster, it would be possible that one could be distracted and leave their pistol in the car, and that can be when they most need it. What about plain forgetting? It seems like every week a cop or citizen leaves their handgun in a restroom stall on top the toilet tank. The other issue I thought about is children in the car, or someone not “authorized” to be in possession of a firearm such as a prohibited person, the mentally disabled, or underage individual. So, keep that in mind.
His and hers! Or your buddy riding shotgun can join in. Shown is the S&W M&P Compact in the angled Bravo Cupolster out front, and the S&W Shield Plus in the Alpha in rear. Any Cupolster can be inserted at any angle you wish, and lock in tight. As for me, the Cupolster will be another gadget I use on long car trips as it will be in the car from now on. For RVing, car vacations, business travel, running around your rural property in your truck, or just going to the store, I think this is a great product which gives you some anti-carjacking “quicker-on-the-draw” options. Could the Cupolster also be considered riot gear? Probably! For more information, visit VetsTactical.com.
