Many professionals and hobbyists use tactical gear in their day-to-day operations, including military, law enforcement, survivalists, and more. If efficiency and readiness are a concern in your applications, tactical gear and equipment are often required to achieve your goals in your applications. Below we’ll take a deeper look at tactical gear, what it is, who uses it, and what makes it different from other types of gear you might find on the market.

What Is Tactical Gear?

Tactical gear refers to the clothing and equipment used by the military, law enforcement, outdoor adventurers, or tactical enthusiasts. The purpose of using this type of gear is to improve efficiency, performance, and safety in various settings, especially in rigorous or tough environments. Since this gear is designed to handle challenging situations, it’s the go-to choice for a wide range of applications.

Some examples of tactical gear include:

●Clothing: You can find a wide range of clothing options for your tactical applications, which may vary based on whether it’s part of your career or a hobby. For example, service members and law enforcement will wear their required uniforms, while an outdoor or tactical enthusiast may wear camouflage, combat-ready apparel, or tactical vests.

●Protective gear: If your tactical applications take you into hazardous or dangerous conditions, you might use something like a helmet or bulletproof vest to keep you safe.

●Footwear: Tactical applications often take you outdoors or other locations where the terrain is uneven, meaning you can’t wear any old shoes. Instead, you’ll need a sturdy boot or shoe that gives you plenty of mobility while making it easier to navigate difficult terrain.

●Bags: Just like the clothes you wear, the bag you’re using to carry your gear is equally as important. You can find a wide range of bags to carry your supplies depending on what you’re carrying, including assault packs, backpacks, weapons storage, duffles, and more. A lot of tactical bags include MOLLE systems that allow you to attach more gear or equipment directly to the bag or pack.

●Survival and first-aid kits: Many tactical professionals or enthusiasts keep survival kits and first-aid kits in their arsenal. These kits include supplies that can be used in emergency situations, and are often found inside med packs or bugout bags.

Other tactical gear you might bring with you may be unique to your operations. For example, military and law enforcement have access to gear that’s critical to their operations but not always readily available to civilians. With the right bag, it will be easier to haul the gear you need, especially for your longer applications.

Who Uses Tactical Gear?

Tactical gear is used by many people and has nearly endless applications, so it’s not limited to just one or two groups. However, some people use more tactical gear than others, especially when their work revolves around tactical work and operations. Some people who may use more tactical gear than others include:

●Service members or veterans

●Law enforcement

●First responders

●Survivalists and outdoor enthusiasts

●Travelers

●Hunters or shooting sports enthusiasts

If you don’t fall into one of these categories, it doesn’t mean you can’t use tactical gear. You’ll just find the highest proportion of tactical gear users in these groups.

What Makes Tactical Gear Different From Other Types of Gear?

Tactical gear functions differently from regular clothing or equipment, which makes these items essential for the military, law enforcement, and tactical enthusiasts in this world. For example, the bags you find for tactical use will be significantly different than what you might find for civilian use, which are often designed for fashion rather than practicality.

Below, we’ll talk about what makes tactical gear stand out from other types of gear or clothing and why it’s so important for tactical applications.

1. Durability

Tactical professionals and enthusiasts will often find themselves in tough situations, so it’s important that their clothing and gear are just as tough. Genuine tactical gear is made to withstand extreme conditions and wear since it will often be exposed to harsh weather and conditions.

When you’re looking for tactical gear, you’ll notice they’re made from fabrics or materials like ripstop nylon or polyester with a high denier count. You can also find boots and other gear made from ballistic nylon or strong leather material, and gloves may come with thermoplastic rubber for extra reinforcement.

Gear with higher durability is more likely to last longer, meaning you can trust it to last through multiple different operations without having to replace it. However, just because the gear is of higher quality doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take care of it to prevent unnecessary wear and tear. Make sure to care for your gear once your operation wraps up by cleaning it and performing any necessary maintenance.

2. Functionality

Tactical gear is designed to be highly functional, meaning they often have features like:

●Extra pockets and storage compartments

●Customizable layouts

●MOLLE webbing and modular attachments

These features and many others make tactical gear more likely to perform well in high-pressure scenarios, including military operations, law enforcement work, and other tactical applications.

3. Protection

A lot of tactical gear is designed to protect, whether it’s meant to protect you in combat scenarios or to protect your gear from the elements. Gear like bulletproof vests or helmets can be life-saving, while tactical backpacks can prevent unnecessary damage or wear and tear to your valuable supplies and equipment. When you invest in high-quality tactical equipment, you can trust it will last during the extent of your operations while keeping you and your gear safe.

4. Concealment

Tactical gear is often designed so it can stealth in different environments. You can often find tactical gear in a wide range of camos and colors, including Multicam OCP, digital desert, digital woodland, coyote, black, and olive drab. These colors blend into specific environments, making them harder to spot. Concealment is especially important for our service members in combat zones, but it’s also a significant factor for law enforcement and tactical enthusiasts.

5. Mobility

Most tactical gear is designed to improve your comfort and keep you mobile so you can handle the rigorous movement and maneuvers you’ll encounter in your tactical applications. Tactical gear often uses a lot of features to improve mobility during intense operations.

For example, many tactical backpacks use load-bearing straps to help balance weight when maneuvering through uneven terrain or quickly. Tactical clothing is also made from flexible clothing to accommodate a wide range of movements.

6. Adaptability

Tactical gear is designed to accommodate a wide range of applications. After all, your next mission likely won’t be a replica of your current one. You can often customize tactical gear to meet the current demands of your operations, especially if your gear uses a MOLLE system where you can attach different gear and pouches as needed.

7. Weapon Accommodations

In many cases, someone who’s carrying tactical gear will likely also want to carry a weapon, especially those who are in law enforcement or the military. You can find a lot of tactical gear that’s designed to accommodate weapons while keeping them concealed. For example, you can find tactical clothing that comes with holsters or backpacks featuring a CCW compartment.

8. Cost

A noticeable difference between standard or civilian gear and tactical gear is the price point. Most high-quality tactical gear will be priced higher than a civilian counterpart, but the major difference is the quality. You get what you pay for, and tactical gear is designed to last longer and withstand tougher conditions than civilian gear. Not to mention all the extra features tactical gear often has.

If you’re investing in gear for tactical applications, it’s best to go with high-quality tactical gear so you don’t have to worry about replacing something too soon or it failing on you the moment things get tough.

Show Up Prepared for Your Tactical Applications With Gear From MLC

If you’re looking for high-quality gear to assist you during your tactical operations, Military Luggage Company has what you’re looking for. We offer a wide range of tactical equipment, including assault packs, chest rigs, bugout bags, EDC bags, weapons storage, and more. We’ve personally vetted each of our products, so you can trust they’re built to handle some of your toughest operations. Get started by browsing our entire catalog, or contact us with any questions!