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5.11-TACTICAL Nylon in collaboration with VTAC
5.11 has recently entered the nylon pouch market and I'll have to say most gear snobs offhand will be unimpressed. The gear is by no means deluxe, however I want to make sure people know it is also far from crap. The sewing and quality control is excellent. If I were to give a simple quality scale there is: airsoft crap at the bottom, 5.11 nylon in the middle, and high end deluxe gear at the top. Rather than trying to reinvent the wheel, the 5.11 stradegy was to take proven simple designs and offer them affordably. I think they totally succeed and the end result is gear that is safe to use in a tactical environment, yet won't blow the budget. The general feel seems lighter duty than coated 1000D cordura, however the main material they use is still 1000D nylon based. There is no attempt at overseas manufacture secrecy and "Made in Vietnam" labels are easily visible in the pouches.
When applicable, the Slicktick System is used for attaching to PALS/MOLLE webbing. Although the system is clearly still MOLLE-Snap like, it is easier and faster to use. Since the webbing straps are "floating" you can move them while installing so you don't have to bend and wiggle as much and they make pouch removal super fast. The down side would be the system relies on plastic glides on the main stress point which have much less breaking strength than all the other materials.
All gear is only available in Black and Flat Dark Earth. Black is easy to get right, but most people I show are not a fan of the 5.11 version Flat Dark Earth color. It appears to be a saturated version of Marine Coyote causing a bit more of an orange effect than most people want. When grommets are used, they are of an even more orange color. Not a disaster, but could have been better.
As long as one can accept the 5.11 line is not the best of the best, it is great functional gear for the price.
5.11-TACTICAL Slickstick System
5.11's MOLLE compatible system to mount onto PALS webbing.
5.11-TACTICAL 6.6 Padded Pouch
DIM: 6x6"
Like the standard 6.6 pouch, but with bonus padding. Size is good for a medium sized GP pouch. The padding helps for holding more delicate items such as electronics and tools. Includes external PALs webbing for attaching modular pouches.
5.11-TACTICAL 6.10 Vertical Pouch
DIM: 6"x10"
A good GP (General Purpose) size. Able to put a good amount of odds and ends items inside. Commonly placed on the sides of tactical vests. Height allows for more holding options. Includes external PALs webbing for attaching modular pouches.
5.11-TACTICAL 10.6 Horizontal Pouch
DIM: 10"x6"
Similar size to the 6.10 GP pouch, but done horizontal style. This horizontal style has a longer zipper area for a larger opening and makes for good placement on the front or back of tactical vests. If you find the right platform, this size is also great for adding to other bags for capacity expansion. Includes external PALs webbing for attaching modular pouches.
5.11-TACTICAL Cuff Case
Farily straight forward cuff case. Sleeve in the back with expanding main area. Velcro lid closure. Best used with 1 pair of cuffs, one half in the sleeve area and 1 in the main area to keep rattle noise to a minimum. Can tightly hold 2 pairs of standard handcuffs, however could not hold 2 pairs of ASP cuffs (shown in pics) since they are thicker. Optionally flex-cuffs can also be coiled up and put in this pouch.
5.11-TACTICAL H2O Pouch
Great size for holding a 32oz Nalgene Bottle. Plenty of other water bottles wll fit, but may flop around a little. Main flap has velcro closure with SRB connection for additional security and sizing control. Includes external PALs webbing for attaching modular pouches.
5.11-TACTICAL Stacked Single Mag Pouch (Double Mag)
Pouch for holding 2 NATO style 30 round 5.56 magazines. Also worked well with P-Mag and Lancer Mags. Main flap is velcro closure and the loop side has an extended flap to acommodate mags with attachments like Magpuls. This flap can easily be tucked down into the pouch if you find it to be in the way. Elastic around the middle keeps flopping to a miniumum when only 1 magazine is inside.
5.11-TACTICAL Double Mag Pouch with Bungee
Shingle style double mag pouch for holding 2 NATO style 30 round 5.56 magazines. Also worked well with P-Mag and Lancer Mags. Instead of traditional flaps, bungee cord holds the magazines in place. Insertion can be a bit of a hassle, but moving the bungee out of the way and grabbing the magazine is faster than traditional mag pouches. As a note I feel the pull tabs attached to the bungee cord should be longer. There isn't a lot to grab onto, especially if wearing gloves. Includes external PALs webbing for attaching modular pouches.
5.11-TACTICAL Large Drop Pouch
DIMS: 10" Height x6" Diameter when open, 500D nylon
Solid pouch based on the popular fold up dump pouch designs. The folds make this design lay flatter, but taller than most other pouches out there. Easy to pull open the main flap, expand the pouch and ram the flap down inside to put the pouch in ready mode. Velcro inside the pouch will securely hold the flap. Opening size can be adjusted with a shock cord and cord lock setup. This cord setup unfortunately is placed right above the main flap velcro and can get in the way when using main flap closure. Not a show stopper, but could be better.
5.11-TACTICAL 6.6 Medical Pouch
DIMS: 6"x6", 5mm padding
Based on the other 6.6 pouches this version has a little bit of padding and a clamshell style opening for full access. The interior has mesh pockets with zipper openings to assist in organization. In the very middle of the inside are 3 small elastic loops. Although you can put whatever you want in here, these type of organizational aid features are intened for medical supplies. A cute little medic cross is on the outside to help label the pouch.
5.11-TACTICAL Single Pistol Mag Pouch
Pouch made to hold 1 pistol magazine. Elastic around the middle helps retain the magazine if holding a single or double stack magazine. Uses velcro for main flap closure. Typically this size is also good for holding flashlights and multitools.
5.11-TACTICAL Double Pistol Mag Pouch
Double version of the pistol mag pouch. Pouch made to hold 2 pistol magazines. Since created together, a little bit of width size is saved over using 2 separate single mag pouches. Elastic around the middle helps retain the magazine if holding a single or double stack magazines. Uses velcro for main flap closure. Typically this size is also good for holding flashlights and multitools.
5.11-TACTICAL Rush 24 Backpack
Tactical 1-Day pack. Includes modular H2O pouch.
5.11-TACTICAL Rush 72 Backpack
Tactical 3-Day pack. Includes modular H2O pouch.
5.11-TACTICAL 36" Gun Case
Carbine / Rifle case. Includes modluar double rifle mag pouch.
First Impressions by guest reviewer: Evan C.
The flat dark earth brunt orange coloration continues to bother me. It's interesting because the nylon used in the interior of the case is coyote!
The 5.11 Tactical line of single Gun Cases are designed for a single carbine or long gun. Available in 36", 42", and 50" sizes, the single Gun Case is constructed from a 1050-denier nylon and is available in Black or 5.11's Flat Dark Earth. The case is outfitted with top and bottom compression straps and a removable shoulder strap that use National Molding UTX Duraflex hardware. The front of the case is equipped with PALs loop capable of accepting any PALS compatible pouches. The case's main and front compartments are equipped with durable YKK double zippers. The main compartment is surrounded by thick 20mm padding and features envelope dividers in the corners that allow the user to quickly store and retain a weapon. The main compartment is also equipped with four hook and loop lashing points that allow the weapon to be stored in any position. The front smaller compartment is also padded on all sides and contains divider panels with additional PALs loop that allows the user a convenient place to store optics and smaller pouches. The exterior of the smaller compartment also features a small rubberized section that allows the user to write his name on the case with a permanent marker. Both sides of the case offer small sections of loop tape for a name tape and flag, unit, morale patches. Additionally, the back of the cases provide the user a windowed panel to insert a business card or ID. Currently, all the case come with a free VTAC Double Mag Pouch that retails around $20.
Plan on going to the range with it some time during this week or on the weekend. I'll write up a quick review after we've put it through the paces a little. I plan on discussing:
- Appears cheap, preforms well.
- Binding tape PALs loop in smaller compartment, could cause issue in the long haul.
- Good case for the price, competitor's cases that do the same job and retail for around $130
- Some organizational pockets in the smaller compartment would be nice, can't afford the time to be swapping kit on my gun case or the money to spend on dedicated pouches.
5.11-TACTICAL TDU Belt 1.5" plastic
Based on the original TDU belt, but with a light yet durable plastic buckle for ease of use going through airports with no hassle. Clean execution and more than enough to keep your pants up.
5.11-TACTICAL XPRT 8" Patrol Boot
High strength composite Kick Toe
5.11-TACTICAL TDU Pant - Ripstop
Although I had some sizing issues with these at first, I'm really digging these pants now. One of the unique features that works well for most, is the self adjusting elastic waist. Sadly this part didn't work out too good for me. I got my desired size and everything fit how I wanted, but the elastic was putting some serious pressure on me. After a little thought, I decided to cut the frontal elastic. Luckily on the design it still keeps the side elastic and pants structure intact. After this I was able to quickly go back to appreciating. I soon did some what would have been stain disasters, but the teflon treating gives the pants a bonus water and stain repellant quality. I like the cargo pocket design a lot. They are roomy and have been sewn with a divider to hold 2, 30 round mags. These spaces are also great for flashlights, multitools, and more. Loop velcro is in there as well to work with 5.11's Back-Up-Belt System to allow attachment of gear specific pouches / holsters. The flaps are velcro closure which are a decent compromise of ease and security. Another great feature is that knee pads come STANDARD. They are neoprene and are inserted through a slot inside the pant to keep things looking clean and simple on the outside. I recently found out the knee pad areas will accept ballistic inserts as well. The fly is a zipper with a metal snap top and backup classic button. The main side upper pockets are roomy and the right one even has a mini sleeve inside to help hold smaller items. The back pockets have velcro closure like the cargo pockets and I find them to work well. They retain the basics like loose change well but are still easy to open. The belt loops are nice a beefy so you don't have to worry about them wearing down. The leg openings have basic pull strings available if you need to close things up to keep out debris. As for suggestions, I'd like to see a D-ring or connection point somewhere since the belt loops are so thick. The two frontal belt loops seem a little close together, but there is probably a reason for that. Maybe it is just me, but I'd like to see two more exterior frontal upper pockets like on my Specwargear pants. With most areas triple stitched, these pants are in it for the long haul. I highly recommend these and at $45 standard price, these are quite a deal considering the quality and included knee pads.
Recommended place of purchase: <www.lapolicegear.com>
5.11-TACTICAL HRT Urban Boot
In a time of Desert Boots, it was nice to check out this Urban style boot from 5.11 tactical. I'm still working them over, but wanted to give a thoughts so far heads up. Materials include: 100% waterproof USA leather and lined with a Sympatex® Waterproof and bloodborne pathogen- resistant membrane. The heel features non-metallic construction and Armortex®. First impressions are that it is well padded. It has a sports shoe feel all the way up to the ankle. I'm not sure what the shoelaces are made out of, but I like them a lot. They feel like usual laces, but have great non-slip qualities to them that make lacing tight easy. The tread is mostly made up of medium sized divisions which seems to work well for varied terrains. On the con side, one thing I did notice was the stitching down the middle of the heel can be a felt hard point. Perhaps more padding or not stitching down the middle would have been better. As a counterpoint this likely makes the area more durable. Most of my sport shoes give out in this back of the heel area. The inner heel half is made of a more texturized material like the sole to resist scuffing. I wish there was a pull strap on the back to assist with putting boots on. Currently available in black. More to come as I keep wearing...
5.11-TACTICAL HRT Advance Boot
Based on the HRT design, this is a nice mid-height variant. The usual fancy 5.11 materials are used being lined with Coolmax® and Drilex® including a Suede and nylon upper. The end result is a good middle ground of a pretty comfy, but breathable boot. The laces and sole appear to be the same as the Urban HRT boot, but the zipper is one of the features unique to the HRT line that makes this boot the Advancer. I like the zippers a lot for allowing me to put them on and off quickly, however, after a long day, the zippers do sometimes slide down on their own. A simple velcro tab or snap would solve the zipper drift problem very easily. I'm always a fan of the pull tabs on the back, but I would like to see a bigger loop. My finger, which is pretty small, has trouble fitting in the loop. It is not an issue, but I thought I would note the soles make a more "clappy" noise on hard surfaces when running than most boots. Currently available in Coyote. More to come as I keep wearing...
5.11-TACTICAL Holster Shirt
The holster shirt is a unique spin on a compression shirt including 2 pockets on the sides for compact or smaller pistols. I display in my pictures a SIG SP2022 which fits pretty well, but is pushing the size limit in which I can barely use the velcro pocket seal. Smaller pistols will go in nice and easy and allow a solid pocket seal. Overall the functionality is pretty solid. The extra padding allows for pistols that fit to be worn comfortably. It is not meant to be a speed draw system, but if you want to get to your weapon as quickly as possible, you will need to make sure and have buttons open on any outer layer clothing. When going super low profile the outter layer of clothing is important since the holster shirt gives a less than casual wet suit / compression shirt look. If not covered, people will be able to see the shine of the shirt and think you are going clubbing soon, or up to something when you'd rather be blending in. The length of the shirt is nice and long so you won't have any trouble tucking it into any pants and still have the option to pull it up some to make the fit more loose. From wearing around, I noticed a slight draw back is that the shirt gets a little itchy on the lower sides where a good deal of stitching occurs. Back to plusses, the shirt can be used for any other items you can fit in the pockets: phones, mp3 players, handcuffs, and more. The 80% polyester/20% spandex fabric sports moisture-wicking, antibacterial and quick-drying qualities. Currently this shirt is available in white or black and also in V-neck.
Recommended place of purchase: <www.lapolicegear.com>
5.11-TACTICAL Level 1 9" Sock
These are some plush socks to help out those poor tactical feet. Fabric includes moisture-wicking Coolmax® fibers to help circulate the foot funk and keep you dry. Although these are a nice balance of warmth and cushioning, Level 2 socks are also available which are thicker and warmer. So far these socks have been a little quick to get fuzzy threads on the outside, but no hole issues. A nice upgrade from run of the mill department store socks. Currently available in white, coyote (as shown), and black.
Recommended place of purchase: <www.lapolicegear.com>
5.11-TACTICAL Tac-A Glove
A medium weight glove, these are more padded than most of the shooter gloves I have used. They aren't very tactile due to the padding, however the padding makes them more comfy for hard contact applications. A free silver caraibineer comes with the packaging to assist with connecting gloves to yourself when not in use. On that note the pull tabs work great for assisting in putting the gloves on and also for having a connection point. They work pretty well for rifles, however when using pistols the thumb seam is unfortunately where I press the mag release making it more difficult. The wrist arch when holding firearms is good, but during radial deviation (palms parallel to the ground, hands moving inward, towards the arm) the glove closure strap restricts movement. If the strap is not too tight, the restriction is minimal. I also had to trim the inside a little since hook velcro from the strap was exposed. It was only on one of the gloves, but the velcro was scratching me everytime I took the glove off. The palm is mostly made of rugged materials, however the top of the glove uses comfortable, but less durable materials. The fleece like side thumb area in particular is quick to fuzzy up.
Recommended place of purchase: <www.lapolicegear.com>
5.11-TACTICAL Professional Polo, Short Sleeve
A simple polo shirt but done proper. The shirt will not shrink and will keep its color much longer than typical shirts. Using 100% cotton pique knit, the shirt has a nice soft feel. Other features include a no-roll collar, pen slot on left sleeve, and the fabric is great for embroidery. Looks like this one will last a while, will keep you updated on durability. Many classic and mil colors available.
Recommended place of purchase: <www.lapolicegear.com>
5.11-TACTICAL Men's Tactical Pant - Cotton
These pants are a nice variant from the TDU and BDU style pants. The main style is that of a typical cargo pant, but one of the features that makes it stand out is the slash / diagonal pockets on both upper front and back. This makes the back pockets very easy to get to and they are deep enough to fit a 30 round mag. The right back pocket also includes a nice big strap as a solid connection point for your small tactical goods. The belt loops are nice and wide and spaced away from the sides to give room for belt connections. Back to the front is a small d-ring and a flashlight sized pocket on the front-upper left. The cargo pockets are pretty fast and easy with velcro closure, however I wish they were longer since a 30 round mag must be rammed in horizontally to fit in the pocket. Solid and affordable pants so far, they are available in 8.5 oz., 100% cotton canvas or 7.4-oz. nylon in mostly MIL colors.
Recommended place of purchase: <www.lapolicegear.com>
5.11-TACTICAL Tactical Polo, Short Sleeve
Similar to the pro-polo, this shirt variant includes mi-clip pockets on the shoulders and a mic-clip loop is placed at the bottom of the placket at the sternum level. Comprised of 100% smooth cotton interlock fabric causes this shirt to be a little stretchy helping ease of movement. Like on the other polo, the no-roll collar and pen slot on the left sleeve are standard. Will not shrink, is very fade and wrinkle resistant. The shirt is also a good platform for silkscreen and embroidery. Mostly just law enforcement colors are currently available.
Recommended place of purchase: <www.lapolicegear.com>
5.11-TACTICAL Tactical Vest
Sorry I know the placement is confusing, but despite the name, most of my visitors do not think of this item when they hear tactical vest. In the past these vests have been known as safari or photo vests. For a low weight vest, this is great for the range. I can't say I like to look very much and it is by no means low-profile, but the pocket placement makes it functional and easy to use. Pockets are everywhere, but key areas include mag pouches on the lower left for the common right handed shooters, a mic clip strap, and 2 water bottle open pockets on the back which can also be used for mags. Interior central access pockets have the "back-up-belt" system so extra attachments can be velcro mounted. I found the connection not solid enough for a heavy pistol, but is fine for flashlights and other lighter gear. The velcro pannels of the back-up-belt system are attached by velcro themselves rather than being sewn in. Since the vest typically rides long, this causes a slight problem with mags in the front mag pockets and makes bending over difficult. The mags line up right in the middle of the waist pivot. Despite the gear specific sized pockets, the fact that most of the vest is tripple stitched makes this version more tactical rather than the usual safari vest. Currently available in black, OD green, and Khaki.
Recommended place of purchase: <www.lapolicegear.com>
5.11-TACTICAL Utili-T Crew, Three Pack
Another simple, but great product. 100% ringspun, 4.5-oz. cotton makes this shirt soft and comfortable. The shirt also has moisture-wicking properties to help keep the sweat off you when commonly used as a under-shirt. There is plenty of length so tucking in is easy and your able to adjust bagginess. The tag is printed rather than sewn guaranteeing no tag annoyance. Sold in 3 packs and crew or v-neck, these are very practical and affordable. Currently available in white, black, ACU-UCP tan, and navy.
Recommended place of purchase: <www.lapolicegear.com>
5.11-TACTICAL Trainer belt
The trainer belt is a solid BDU style belt with a custom harness adapter (metal hardware) instead of the usual surplus one. A generous portion of velcro allows for ease in adjustability and security of your extra slack. The end has been rounded off and coated or heat treated so it won't fray. This particular belt is fairly flexible for comfort and is 1.5" wide while the 5.11 Operator belt is 1.75" wide and more stiff.Although mostly meant for holding up your pants, if it came down to it, this belt could withstand the user's full body weight and then some.
Recommended place of purchase: <www.lapolicegear.com>
5.11-TACTICAL Response Jacket
This is just a quick overview with updates to come. From my use so far I find this jacket to be a great lightweight windbreaker. It really makes a difference on those days that aren't really that cold, but have rampant wind. The hand pockets are zippered and I like the chest area velcro side opening pockets a lot. Extra side pockets are in the interior of the jacket. Now what sets this jacket apart from others is that it can go from a very casual looking jacket to an organization jacket using the removeable and concealable ID pannels. There are velcro areas that hold these flaps on the back and one on each side of the chest. Each flap is zipper connected so other pannels can be used. I recommend going ahead and adding loop velcro to the pannels, however besides blank, 5.11 offers pannels with reflective text of SHERIFF or POLICE. I've been sporting a small and have passed on an extra large to a SF friend. Will keep you updated. * Added some more pictures of the ID system.
Recommended place of purchase: <www.lapolicegear.com>
5.11-TACTICAL Tactical Long Sleve Shirt - Cotton
This shirt makes for a nice fusion of a common work shirt and a BDU shirt. This version is mostly comprised of 5.4-oz. cotton canvas, but 4.7-oz. nylon ripstop is also available. Cargo style pockets are on the chest along with great side opening velcro chest pockets. The left shoulder has 2 sleeves for pens or similar items and the reinforced collar has a button down ability. In the rear is a ventillation opening to keep things cool, however mesh is used to keep bad elements out. 5.11 went the extra mile and most of the shirt is tripple stiched. Also included is a badge holder piece and Epaulet shoulder pieces with buttons. Sewing is required for adding these items. Sorry for the out-of-bag appearance on these pictures. I had to quickly take pictures when I met up with my SF friend who will be further using and reviewing the shirt.
Recommended place of purchase: <www.lapolicegear.com>
5.11 TACTICAL FIELD OPS WATCH: Rugged watch with ballistic computer
I don't have a lot of experience with watches so I was pretty easy to impress with the Field Ops watch. All the materials feel nice and rugged with a high-density polycarbonate frame. Even though it is a big-honkn' watch, I was able to put it on without issue or any offhand worry of banging it on my environment. The main thing that sets this apart from most watches would be the SureShot™ ballistic calculator and digital compass. The ballistic calculator is extensive allowing input of: • Temperature °F/°C • Altitude (Metric & US) • Height Above Bore • C1 Ballistic Coefficient • muzzle Velocity • Zeroed Range • Wind Speed • Wind Direction • Target Range • Inclination Angle • The firing solution may be displayed in MILS, TMOA, SMOA, or in number of CLICKS. Core features are: Chrono includes three time zones, alarm, stopwatch, countdown timer and day/date displays. To use with the compass, a turnable bezel with directional markings is standard. Although the watch is already big enough to accomodate most people with or without gloves, a quick release band extension is included. I only see the band extension being used on large people with cold weather gear on, but it is a nice accessory to have standard. The strap has a nice metal quick-side-release system and the pieces can be attached correctly or reversed. The core strap to watch connection is heavy duty with hex screws. Even the case it comes in is pretty swank and the instructions are well done. I have handed this one off to one of my SF buddies for a proper beating. I hope to keep you updated soon on ease of use and general handling.
Recommended place of purchase: <www.lapolicegear.com>
5.11 TACTICAL Range Ready Bag:
The 5.11 Tactical Range Ready Bag makes for, as the name states, a sweet range bag. At 24” x 16” x 10” one can also easily use it for a general gear bag. Made of mostly 600D polyester fabric the bag gives a nice quality feel upon first touch. Virtually every pocket is padded so you don't have to worry as much about metal and metal banging or rough handling of the bag. Starting with the front are 2 large square pockets. The right end has a similar pocket and a bonus ID area. On the opposite Left side is a slightly smaller rectangle pocket and a bottle holder. The back has a large rectangle pocket with a long sleeve and sleeves to put up to 8 magazines or similar items. The main flap is a dual zipper flap which lets you open it up quickly and get to your goods unobstructed. On the inside of the main pouch are padded dividers on the front and back walls. As a nice bonus, a "tote" bag is included which fits well in the main pouch. The tote was designed for ammo and brass in mind, but could be used for many purposes. The tote itself has adjustable velcro dividers and long zippered pockets along the walls. Attached to the tote is the removable brass bag which uses a standard cord-lock closure. The shoulder strap has a nice arc that is comfy to wear, however the snap hooks are pretty low speed plastic. From first impressions the dinky snap hooks are the only con I see so far. If one really loads this bag up with guns and ammo it will weigh quite a bit so I'd recommend going for full metal snap hooks. I've handed this one off to one of my SF buddies to beat up on. I'll keep you updated with hopefully some range pics.
Recommended place of purchase: <www.lapolicegear.com>
