This page is going cover gear that we have determined is the best value for price. Some of the equipment will be quite cheap, while others will be expensive. You know what they say. You get what you pay for. Each section will be broken down by purpose. You’ll see tactical gear, equipment for the gym, guns, and more. The vast majority of the approved gear list is stuff that I’ve used for years and have really enjoyed. I’ll also include links to full gear reviews if I’ve written one for the item.
We have an affiliate business relationship with many of the companies we link to. That means that if you purchase these items from these companies we receive a small referral fee at no cost to you. There are also companies that we receive no compensation for recommending their products. It doesn’t matter, I will only recommend products that I’ve used, and think are great, or have a proven track record. You won’t see any garbage gear on this page. Without further ado!
Table of Contents
- Tactical Gear
- Head Systems
- Helmet Accessories
- Plate Carriers
- Backpacks and Bags
- Tactical Apparel
- Handguns for Self Defense and Concealed Carry
- Tactical Rifles
Tactical Gear
In this section we’re going to use our expertise from our DEVGRU, Delta Force, and Ranger Regiment Loadout articles. Give those a read, and you’ll quickly come to the determination that there are only a few gear vendors that make high quality, bomb proof equipment. First we’ll cover the head systems.
Head Systems: Helmet, NVGs
First is the Team Wendy Ballistic Helmet. They make an excellent helmet that will stop 9mm projectiles. It’s also one of the lightest offerings on the market. It comes in several colors and has one of the most comfortable harness systems as well.
Team Wendy Helmet and PVS 31 Night Vision Goggles
The PVS 31 night vision goggles are the current offering for the majority of US Special Operations Forces. They’re quite expensive, but they are the best. If you want a more affordable NVG option check out the PVS 14 goggles below. True, they are monoculars but they work well, and can be mounted on a rifle with the right accessories.
PVS 14 Monocular and Mount
Helmet Accessories: Strobes, and Electronic Hearing Protection
This section will cover some quality hearing protection that can be mounted to the helmet. The Peltor Comtac 3 headset has been time tested, and is still being issued, years after it was first produced. You’ll also see a great IR, and visible light strobe that can help identify your position in inclement weather, or at night.
Peltor Comtac 3 and Manta Strobe
Plate Carriers
In this section we are going to cover a variety of plate carriers. These items have a proven track record and are currently issued to various law enforcement, and military special operations forces. Most of these plate carriers come in many different sizes in colors.
Crye JPC and LBT 6094 Gen 3
Next we need to consider which pouches are best for the plate carrier. Crye Precision makes an excellent smart pouch suite that covers everything from ammo, radios, and other general purpose items. I personally recommend Esstac mag pouches, both for the belt, and your plate carrier. They have excellent pistol pouches, and rifle pouches that comes with a built in kydex inserts to retain the mag. I’ve used them for several years and they’re the best I’ve used.
Crye Pouches and Esstac Mag Pouches
Now we need to cover the most important item in any armor setup, the plates. I’m going to recommend two different types of plates, a level III+ plate that will stop almost all rifle cartridges. The level 3 plates weigh only 2.7lbs per plate, which is unheard of. I will also recommend a level IV plate, that will stop everything up to 30-06 armor piercing rounds.
Level 3 and Level 4 Plates
Backpacks, Bags, And Assault Panels
In this section we’re going to cover a wide variety of bags, backpacks, and assault panels. This is one of the few pieces of kit that you really can use everyday, so it’s imperative that you pick something that fits your needs. First, we’re going to cover bags that I like to call mixed use bags. They can be used for tactical operations, but they don’t scream military, and aren’t dripping with pals webbing.
Vertx Overland and Arc’Teryx Leaf Assault
I’ve used the Vertx Overland for a few years, and it’s what I use to carry my everyday stuff for work. It features a discrete back panel where you can store tactical equipment, including firearms, first aid items, and magazines. It also features some exterior molle webbing that covered by the outer flap. I most often use this to store jackets and loose items.
The Arc’Teryx Assault pack is very high quality, and can be fitted with several inserts for different mission loadouts. It certainly is meant for military and tactical use, but it’s not super obvious, and can be used for every day carry (EDC). There is also a larger 45 liter size bag if you need something with more storage. Next, let’s look at some more overt bags.
Huron DS Assault Pack and Mystery Ranch Metcalf
The Tyr Tactical Huron pack is a very small assault pack. It features the ability to attach it directly to body armor with a molle zipper accessory from Tyr. You can also carry it as a traditional pack with shoulder straps. If you need to carry a helmet, it has a removable beavertail that goes over the exterior of the pack.
The Mystery Ranch Metcalf is a hunting pack, based off of the same load carriage system that their military packs use. This pack is about 4000 cubic inches, and allows you to move the main pack away from the frame to carry bulky objects closest to your back. This is important as tactical users often need to cary odd objects from digging equipment, to mortar and rocket rounds.
Tactical Apparel
In this section we’re going to cover several different types of tactical clothing. We’ll cover combat tops and bottoms, as well as more subdued clothing that doesn’t scream operator. These items do come in a variety of sizes, and colors, so click on the images or links to see if they have what you’re looking for.
5.11 Defender Pants and Kuhl Ramblr Shorts
I typically wear the older version of the 5.11 Defender Flex pant for day to day activities. They don’t look super weird, and they have several useful features, like a separate pocket knife pocket, and a spot to put an AR magazine, if you find yourself on the range.
I’ve also included the Kuhl Ramblr short because it does get hot out and you can’t wear pants all the time. These have pretty good reviews, and seem to have some useful pockets. Kuhl also has a strong following amongst outdoor enthusiasts. Next, let’s take a look at some combat rated apparel.
Special Forces soldiers are issued Crye G3 combat tops and bottoms in multicam. In fact, most US Special Operators are issued Crye Combat apparel. Having used these myself for several years, I can whole heartedly endorse them. They are very comfortable and have incredibly rugged stitching. This is crucial, as I can’t tell you how many other tactical pants I’ve ripped because of their lack of quality. Now, let’s move on to pistols.
Handguns for Self Defense and Concealed Carry
These guns have all been around for many years and have bullet proof reliability. They can handle even the hottest +P rounds that are commercially available. I’ve done reviews on the Heckler and Koch VP9, and the Sig P365. You can read those for all the data you want. Otherwise you can click on the links above to pick up your pistol.
Tactical Rifles
In this section we’ll cover tactical rifles in a variety of calibers. You’ll some general purpose AR15 rifles, some specialized rifles for long range, and some great short barreled pistols and rifles. These rifles are duty grade or better.
LWCR IC A5 5.56mm
POF Minuteman 5.56mm
I’ve put thousands of round through various LWRC rifles, and I believe they’re some of the best piston driven AR15 rifles available. They’re a must if you plan on shooting suppressed. You can easily put 300-500 rounds suppressed through the rifle and the bolt carrier group looks about like a normal non suppressed bcg. I love them!
I also own a POF Renegade Plus in 300 Blackout. That is my bump in the night gun, as it has some great features and is very light weight. It also has one of the best factory triggers you can get, and I’m a huge fan. The Minuteman has almost all the innovative features that the Renegade has, but it’s about $300 bucks cheaper. It’s a great value for a DI AR15.
