You already know you need to keep your guns secure. If you have young offspring or grandchildren, they need to be stowed where the little critters can’t possibly get to them. And no, hiding your guns doesn’t work. If you’ve ever been a kid or you’re familiar with the species, you know they’re mighty crafty little buggers. They can and will find everything you don’t want them to touch. When it comes to guns, that’s decidedly no bueno.
The problem is, most handgun safes look like handgun safes. They may be functional. They may keep your gun(s) away from those who shouldn’t have them, but looks weren’t a major consideration during the design process. They’re purely functional and they scream, THERE’S A GUN IN HERE! That’s not the case with the SnapSafe’s GlideVault pistol safe.
It has an attractive, low-key, neutral design that blends in and doesn’t attract much attention. You can put it on a shelf, stack some books or magazines around it, put a picture or a plant on top and most people probably won’t ever notice it. It’s large, but it would certainly be at home on a nightstand (assuming yours is big enough) or in a bedroom closet.
The GlideVault’s other distinguishing feature is it’s sturdy. As in very. It has a solid, one-piece housing that’s made of 16 gauge steel. That much steel makes the GlideVault heavy. It weighs 26 pounds empty.
Simple instructions for setting the combination are printed on the inside of the slide-out drawer (you can also find them here). Choose your own combination of four, five, or six digits. If it takes you more than about two minutes to program your combination, you’re probably still wearing a COVID mask.
The GlideVault is powered by four standard AAA batteries. Like my smoke detectors and red dots, I have an OCD habit of changing my batteries on January 1 each year. That would also be a good time to change the GlideVault’s batteries if you own one. If you forget, though, and the batteries run down, never fear. The unit has two backup options.
The SnapSafe logo plate is held onto the glass on the front of the drawer by two magnets. Pop it off and there’s a USB port behind it that you can use to power the GlideVault, enter your combination, open the drawer and install four fresh batteries.
SnapSafe also gives you a non-electronic entry option. The GlideVault ships with two barrel keys that will open it as well. Note the slot next to the keyhole on the rear of the housing. You can use that with the five-foot steel cable that comes with the GlideVault to secure it to something solid and keep the entire thing from being carried off. The housing is also pre-drilled so you can use screws to anchor it a solid surface if you want to go that route.
The storage area inside the drawer is roomy, measuring 13.5″ by 9.5″ by 3.1″. That’s enough space for a couple of pistols, a light, a blade, spare magazines, your passport, some jewelry…whatever valuables you want to protect.
The numbers illuminate when you touch the center area of the tempered glass panel. Once they’re lit, enter your combination, press ENTER and voila…as the name implies, the sprung door glides smoothly open.
The drawer is lined with a removable pleather mat on the bottom to protect your goods.
The GlideVault is an impressively solid unit. It stores and protects the things you want to keep protected and stored while giving you quick, sure access when you need it…all in an attractive, low profile package you can keep just about anywhere.
Specifications: SnapSafe GlideVault Pistol Safe
Exterior: 15.9″ x 12.2″ x 4.4″
Interior: 13.5″ x 9.5″ x 3.1″
Housing: 16 gauge steel
Power: 4 AAA batteries, USB and key backup
Weight: 26 lbs.
Made In: China
MSRP: $291.99 (about $240 retail)