The Ultimate Introduction to Tactical Gear

Introduction

Everything from pants to plug-in carry gear is driven by the mission and purpose behind it. And, in this case, we're talking about tools and combat clothing for our military and law enforcement. While you may just put on a shirt and go ahead and make a loud statement, the purpose of Tactical Gear is to hold extra ammo and magazines, for some level of fire protection, or maybe even just to better accommodate the need to carry a firearm on your hip.

Tactical Gear: Purpose- and mission-driven gear for military, law enforcement, and rapid response personnel.

Once upon a time, the only people who used tactical gear were those who needed it. Of course, times have changed and now we can see that tactical gear can be found on anyone who can try to wear it and still afford the price.

Tactical Equipment history

When did the term "tactical equipment" come into being?

The term "tactical equipment" was coined as a marketing strategy to put surplus Military Equipment on the market, not by calling it military equipment, but by saying it differently. This allows the equipment to appeal to a wider audience, thus helping marketers to sell more of it.

As time goes on, the demand for this gear is growing. Top branded suppliers - including the likes of 5.11 Inc. - have identified the business opportunities presented by this growth in demand. At the same time, specialized units like the FBI have shown a demand for tactical gear.

Variants of the product developed for the FBI and other units were quickly adopted by regular police units. From there, tactical gear began to be delivered to rapid responders and eventually came into the hands of civilians. Rank-and-file police officers, rapid responders, and civilians are now a large portion of the tactical gear market.

Evolution of tactical equipment

Tactical equipment has evolved over the decades in response to changes in warfare and technology. The expansion of tactical gear into the civilian market is the latest twist in the evolution of this product category.

The desire to innovate on more tactical equipment and strong market competitiveness will ensure that these products continue to grow rapidly.

When did the term tactical pants come about?

Dan Costa is considered the godfather of tactical pants. He and business partner Francisco Morales founded 5.11, a company named after mountaineer lingo, and in 1992, they were called to a meeting at a large Marine Corps base sitting on 547 acres of land turned over to the FBI for use as a training ground in Quantico, Virginia."

The reason the FBI asked Costa and Morales to visit Quantico was so that the FBI and they could confer face-to-face about the May 11th overalls.

As it happens, numerous FBI instructors and trainees use these pants and have fallen in love with them. As a result, the FBI wants to make them standard equipment throughout the agency.

The 5.11 team was awarded a contract to produce FBI-specific, feature-rich pants, and the tactical pant was born as a product category.

What work pants and tactical pants have in common is that both have a deep, large pocket. But that's where the similarities end.

Typically, tactical pants have deep pockets with reinforced alignments that can withstand the heavy weight of the gun the user is carrying along with the gun belt. In addition, they are usually made of ripstop material and have reinforcements at the knees.

Back in the early 1990s, the 5.11 pants were considered revolutionary. Since then, however, tactical pants have evolved dramatically. The market demands that they provide basic features such as large pocket capacity, knee protection, and durability, but today's tactical pants must first and foremost provide outstanding comfort.

It was in 2012 that tactical gear took a huge leap forward. That year, UF PRO introduced the P-40 tactical pants. Now recognized as a classic among combat pants, the P-40 eschewed the traditional loose-fitting design of tactical pants at the time and replaced it with a special hybrid cut.

This innovation retains the functionality of traditional baggy combat pants while giving the pants user superior flexibility.

The comfort of the hybrid fit is achieved by incorporating a stretch fabric from an industry-leading brand into the hip area of the pants. The fabric comes from Swiss manufacturer Schoeller and is known for its extreme durability and excellent stretch properties.

Now, in 2020, this stretch material and hybrid fit - coupled with the unique way the pants are cut, the functional pocket configurations, and the modular knee pad system - make the P-40 an industry leader and a benchmark in its category.

The birth of the term battle dress

In the immediate aftermath of September 11, the United States once again prepared for war in the deserts of the Middle East. This time, however, the U.S. military would focus its preparations on the development of new types of clothing and a review of existing camouflage clothing garments to be redesigned.

In January 2007, Desert Multicam and Nomex fire-resistant material combat tops became an integral part of the U.S. Army uniform.

Looking ahead, the next generation of materials for combat tops should be bulletproof. Researchers are using a combination of fibers and filaments to create materials strong enough to prevent penetration by low-velocity bullets.

From overalls to tactical pants

Overalls are hugely popular in the entertainment and music industry. Performers like Pantera and even urban hip-hop artists wear them on stage.

Work pants are loved for their functionality and their ability to punch above their weight as a fashion item. However, combat pants are not made for fashion. They are about the success of a professional's mission.

The genesis of combat pants began with a soldier modernization program called "Ideal Force Warrior," one of many similar programs in the 1990s.

The Ideal Force Warrior presented Crye Precision with an opportunity to embark on a path to develop high-quality combat uniforms - specifically combat pants - through partnerships with Juggernaut Defense and Artisent.

It was their continued work on combat uniforms, carry gear, and armor components that opened the door for CP to develop modern soldier systems and gave birth to the inspiration for elements such as integrated knee pads (which can be seen in the company's G3 and G4 combat pants to this day).

CP has now long dominated the combat pants market and has become the preferred choice of the special operations community. For years, it seemed that the only thing on the market were CP combat pants and their competitor's knockoffs.

This changed around 2015, when some law enforcement units, mainly in the European region, started switching to the UF PRO Striker combat pants.

What is the future of tactical equipment?

With the explosion of the EDC population, tactical gear manufacturers - both newcomers and old-timers - are driven by huge market demand to make innovative products that can become the most talked about in the marketplace.

As a result, they now regularly showcase their latest products at major event exhibitions such as the Shot Show in Las Vegas.

This pressure from huge profits will undoubtedly motivate manufacturers to use the most advanced materials and create the best quality equipment to put their products into the military and civilian markets.

Tactical equipment most commonly used by operators

         Boots 

1. Mobility is crucial for the operative. One of the most important items an operative needs to ensure mobility is a good pair of boots.

   A well-designed and well-constructed pair of tactical boots can accompany the user across many types of terrain and minimize the risk of strain and injury. From offense to retreat, a great pair of boots will always guide you in the right direction.

   Characteristics of a great boot should include the following features:

   -Lightweight design

   -Durability

   -Waterproof

   -Breathability

    

   Armor

   In a way, we can thank the increasing number of active shooter incidents around the globe, and the widespread media coverage of this, for reinforcing everyone's awareness of the important role that body armor plays in life-saving issues.

   Modern body armor can be versatile and used in inserted plate carriers as well as in special pockets in tactical suits and undershirts.

   Body armor is rated according to its ability to stop certain types of bullets. The ratings are given by the National Institute of Justice (NIJ). The NIJ ratings have the following five levels.

   Class IIA

   Capable of stopping low velocity 9mm and .40 caliber handgun rounds.

   Class II

   Protects against large-caliber, high-velocity rounds from 9mm to .357 Magnum.

   Class IIIA

   It can stop bullets up to .44 Magnum caliber. This is a fairly heavy grade of body armor that gives the appearance of durability.Class IIIA armor is popular and can be used for Kevlar shields and other non-wearable ballistic gear.

   Class III

   Capable of stopping rifle bullets, including 7.62 caliber bullets from AK-47s. Since this level of body armor is usually made of rigid materials, it is significantly larger and heavier.

   Class IV

   Resists penetration by armor-piercing rounds up to .30 caliber. This superior performance is usually achieved through the use of the heaviest hard materials and is generally common on heavy body armor designed for war or intense gunfights, IV-rated armor is so heavy that it is only used by operatives with sufficient strength and endurance.

   Tactical backpacks

   In recent years, there has been a proliferation of tactical rucksacks on the market for both operational personnel and civilians

   

   Regardless of who they're aimed at, these backpacks have a few things in common - from MOLLE webbing to standard Velcro patch areas. For example, tactical backpacks almost always have straps to assist in carrying a rifle.

   They also coincidentally come with hidden zippered pockets for storing concealed firearms.

   Another common feature of these packs is the deep containment capability - i.e. the ability to carry a large amount of gear. They also sometimes have some expansion capability and have areas to support carrying water bags as well as armor inserts.

   Holsters

   

   Regarding combat summaries, carrying something that shoots bullets is just as important as carrying something that stops them. That's why holsters are another key component of tactical gear.

   The best holsters provide the user with the fastest and easiest way to maneuver the weapon, resulting in a tactical advantage. Holsters can be designed to be open or concealed, and placement can be set on the belt (inside or outside), shoulder, or calf.

   Tactical Belt

   

   Tactical belts are designed to carry the weight of all kinds of gear - holsters, firearms, small attachments, large attachments, and anything else you don't want to hold in your hand all the time.

   Tactical uniform

   

   Remember what we said earlier about purpose-oriented clothing? Purpose-Directed Clothing is clothing you wear that both blends into your environment and performs optimally in that environment.

   That means clothing designed to do what it takes to keep you warm (or cool), comfortable, and free of uncomfortable chafing - even if you need to wear it for days on end and haven't had a chance to wash it.

   Remember. Camouflage clothing is about blending in with your environment, while combat pants are about carrying your gear.

   Mitten

   

   Climbing walls, grabbing ropes, and even digging holes in the ground, doing all this dirty work can cause serious damage to your hands over time. That's why gloves have become such an important part of your tactical gear. The more powerful they are, the better they are for your tender little hands.

   The counterpart to a good pair of gloves is a good pair of tactical socks that will protect your feet.

   Some tactical gloves also have padding on the knuckles that can be useful in combat.

   Tactical watches

   If you're an operative who takes your goals or missions particularly seriously, you usually don't want to be late either. It stands to reason, therefore, that you need to wear a high-quality tactical watch.

   Tactical watches are more durable than regular watches. The latest models can even incorporate biometric technology that can detect physical conditions and tell about one's heart and respiratory rates, body temperature, and other useful information about one's physical condition at the time.

   

   What do you mean by cool tactics?

   Tacticool is a term used to describe the convergence between the tactical community and the fast-growing EDC crowd - i.e., those who want and are ready to go the extra mile in the social realm.

   In other words, Dazzle Tactical is an expression that captures the desire to ditch the heavily armed BDUs in favor of khaki tactical pants that look just as good in the office as they do on the range.

   The crowd invested in cool tactics sees tactical gear as everyday fashionable attire, but tries not to feel like exaggerated survivalists or recent veterans on the road back home.

   So, enough with the folksy bullshit, tactical gear is a form of high fashion. It could be a nice hat with a tactical element logo, or it could be any kind of gear that loudly proclaims to the world your level of tactical awareness.

   Concluding remarks

   Born out of military necessity, tactical gear has evolved into a popular apparel choice for those who go the EDC route in their style of dress or look more hardcore. From backpacks to boots, tactical gear has been adapted for civilian use and has become increasingly high quality.

   We expect the popularity of tactical gear to continue to grow, and not just because the products are better made and more diverse.

   It's also because of the real threats that exist in our real world - the fact that people increasingly want the ability to keep themselves and their families safe in these turbulent times.

   What more can be said about tactical gear? Well, it's designed to be durable. It was also designed to carry weapons, which, ultimately, is its core function (civilians took the plunge into tactical gear for concealed carry and self-defense, having discovered this feature).

   Throughout history, civilizations have popularized clothing that mimics the attire of warriors and socially powerful people. Today is no exception. So you can rest assured that tactical gear is still in vogue, and the market that has sprung up to meet those needs isn't going away anytime soon.