Tactical Gear, for most people, is probably seen only in one light: equipment used by the world’s military and law enforcement officers.
However, that is not the case! With the opening of online tactical enthusiast stores like Point Blank Life, the market for high-quality tactical gear has only continued to grow; welcoming a wide variety of customers.
Today, we’ll be talking about tactical gear and why it’s become such a big trend with consumers. By the end, you should be able to decide whether this is something that you’ll be interested in checking out personally!
What Is Tactical Gear?
Let’s start with an overview of tactical gear and the shape that it has taken over the years:
Definition of Tactical Gear…
Tactical gear, as it is seen by mainstream consumers is a bit of a mishmash. Latest fashion trends have gone on to distribute some of their outfits as ‘tactical gear’-themed.
This so-called tactical apparel mimics the look of the kind of clothing often worn by military service members. With the key component being that much sought-after military aesthetic!
Fashion aside, however, tactical gear, while no longer strictly used only by the military or law enforcement officers, still encompasses the original definition of the term: gear with purpose! Or, gear that was created to perform a certain task, and do it in the best way possible!
Tactical Gear vs Regular Gear!
Tactical Gear is gear with a purpose! This is the basic definition, but how does one distinguish a tactical gear outfit from regular clothing? Doesn’t that also serve a purpose?
This question can be asked no matter what kind of equipment one is talking about: tactical boots vs regular boots, tactical knives vs regular knives, tactical bags vs regular bags, tactical vests vs regular vests, and so on and so forth.
Even the most generic gear serves its own purpose, doesn’t it? If tactical backpacks were made to carry items, don’t regular backpacks do the same? So, what’s the difference?
These questions can be answered by learning about the distinctive characteristics of premium tactical gear:
The Characteristics of the Best Tactical Gear:
How does one measure the ‘tactical-ity’ of tactical gear over regular gear? There are several characteristics to consider:
1. Durability
The durability of materials is usually taken into account. True tactical equipment is created in order to withstand the environment that it is expected to be used in.
This could be talking about the weather, in which case waterproof material may be required. It could also be talking about the amount of force or damage it could withstand. In which case, things like tactical pants or tactical vests are usually made with kevlar or padded to provide more protection.
2. Efficiency
Another one of the critical elements to be considered is efficiency. In order for something to be considered tactical equipment, it needs to be good at what it does.
Tactical apparel must be able to provide a better and more solid protection than ordinary clothing. A tactical backpack must be able to carry more items with less burden and protect its cargo more effectively than a regular backpack. A tactical knife has to be able to perform better than your average folding knife.
In short? Tactical gear must be better at what it does in all aspects!
3. Functionality
Functionality also comes to play when it comes to tactical gear.
Think of it this way, military gear should be able to perform at its best. It has to in order to protect the honorable men and women that protect our rights. And, for that, sometimes it’s necessary for one tool to be a master of more than one thing. Military personnel and law enforcement officers, no matter how much training they get to carry heavy loads, will constantly be facing emergency situations that require urgency.
In this case, the number of body armor and the tactical equipment that they’re carrying should be maximized. It can be something as simple as their tactical folding knife also working as both a can opener and a screwdriver. Or something like night vision goggles having extra protection from the wind or debris.
What Types of Tactical Gear Are Out There?
Tactical gear encompasses a wide variety of military-grade equipment. But, there are usually two categories that you can use to distinguish them:
Tactical Clothing or Outfits!
This one is fairly self-explanatory. Tactical clothing is any type of gear that can be worn:
- Tactical clothing (i.e., cargo pants with deep pockets, tactical boots for brought terrain, tactical gloves, etc.)
- Body armor (i.e., bulletproof vests, combat shirts, body armor with plate carriers, etc.)
- Tactical holsters (i.e., gun holsters, knife holsters, etc.)
- Tactical belts (i.e., belts for carrying things.)
Most civilians probably have no need for the heavy-grade type of tactical clothing used by the armed forces or law enforcement officers. However, having a tactical belt or tactical shirt isn’t out of the question. Products like gun holsters are also approved for civilian use!
Tactical Equipment
Tactical equipment for self-defense is the other category. This encompasses things like tactical knives, advanced scopes, multi-tools, flashlights, tactical bags, and other tactical accessories and tools.
Why is Tactical Gear So Popular?
Tactical clothing and equipment have grown in popularity because they are useful. For some tactical enthusiasts, perhaps the appeal is all in the look. But, for the majority?
They buy tactical gear because they see a use for it. Whether it is something they can use in the present or something that they believe they can find a use for in the future.
How to Purchase Tactical Gear?
Well, first things first! Don’t worry, tactical gear is perfectly easy to acquire. Not only because of the lack of laws blocking the purchase of such equipment but also because there are plenty of premiere sources of high-quality tactical clothing and equipment available.
As mentioned in the beginning, there are premium online stores like Point Blank Life opening their doors everywhere. Some of them will have their own specializations though (for example, Point Blank Life aims to sell tactical knives, gun holsters, etc.) So, make sure to explore your options carefully!
