How To Choose Tactical Clothing

Tactical Clothing

How to choose tactical clothing

Tactical clothes initially designed solely for military purposes have become a popular wear style today. You can see military and tactical style clothes on virtually everyone now: on men and women, on young girls and worldly elders. However, this does not mean tactical clothing has lost its original purpose. Many people go to a tactical clothing

store for a sole reason: to purchase a wear that is good enough for some specific applications like law enforcement, tactical operations, sports, hunting and so on. Do you know how to choose tactical clothing? In this article we will guide you through the basics of this process.

What does “tactical” mean in the first place?

Tactical clothing is a type of outdoor wear specially designed to

simplify tactical activities and modified to make clothing more functional. Compared to conventional everyday pants and shirts, tactical clothes do not impede your mobility, allowing for more

freedom of movement in various situations. Also, such clothes are more comfortable in everyday tasks due to special fabrics and designs used. What’s also important, tactical clothes are typically highly practical and durable.

The whole purpose of a tactical outfit is to make it as functional as possible. Literally, tactical clothes are the second most important factor after body armor that allows you to have an edge in many potentially dangerous situations. That is why it is so important to pay close attention to selecting your tactical clothing — your mission, your abilities, and even your life may depend on that!

What are types of tactical clothes

While manufacturers offer a wide range of tactical clothes for every part of your body, in general we can consider these main tactical clothing types:

● Tactical shirts. Tactical clothing designed for maneuverability and comfort in battle, during tactical operations, when working at range etc.

● Tactical pants. A well-known “cargo” design that perfectly blends wearer’s comfort with extra durability and versatility.

● Tactical footwear. Sturdy yet comfortable boots designed for better balance while shooting and extra grip while climbing with additional waterproof capabilities.

● Tactical gloves. Unlike your everyday gloves, tactical ones simplify aiming and shooting and deliver ultimate protection in close combat.

● Tactical apparel. This category includes sunglasses, backpacks, tactical belts, wristwatches and so on.

● Tactical Jackets. Tactical Jackets to provide warmth and keep you dry during the cold weather conditions.

Here is what you should pay attention to when choosing tactical clothing

Selecting the right tactical clothing and gear can be a frustrating experience, especially if you aren’t particularly savvy. On one hand, you want to maximize your efficiency, and on the other hand you’d prefer to not waste your money purchasing merely a mimic of tactical civilian clothes with little to no real tactical value.

Here are some points to consider before you buy a set of tactical clothes.

1. Utility

The first thing to ask yourself is: what is the purpose of tactical clothes I am going to purchase? This may sound silly at first, like, “The purpose is to get myself decent tactical clothes, of course. What else?” Well, there are tactical clothes and there are tactical clothes, if you know what I mean. And this makes a lot of difference. What is your primary activity the clothes are intended for? Is this law enforcement? Tactical operations? Patrol work? Are you a security officer or a policeman?

Shooting sports, training, hunting or hiking — all have their own peculiarities you should consider.

For example: tactical operations require better mobility so you can react quickly to any threat, so you should prefer clothes that do not hinder your freedom of movement in the first hand. And shooting sports may require more civil-looking tactical clothes because you probably don’t want to look like a gunslinger when you’re on a parking lot or in a mall.

2. Fabric

The fabric tactical clothing is made of varies greatly from model to model and from brand to brand. Overall, you should prefer synthetic fabrics over natural cotton. Nylon, spandex or polyether quickly absorb moisture and pass it away from your body keeping you comfortable. At the same, synthetic fibers are easier to clean and wash, especially outdoors, and are more durable.

However, avoid sticking to 100% synthetics. Combined fabric (cotton plus nylon) offers all the advantages of synthetic fiber, but also makes

sure clothing fits comfortably on the body. Also, pure synthetic tactical clothing melts when exposed to flames resulting in extra burn damage to the wearer.

Depending on your job and its conditions you may want to consider tactical clothes made from different fabrics. For example, sleeves of a combat shirt can be made from a tear-resistant fabric to ensure better durability in a variety of situations, while the torso part can be 60/40

synthetic for more efficient thermoregulation and more comfortable fit.

3. Fit

One of the most important factors to consider is how tactical clothes fit. It is more than just feeling comfortable. You want your wear to become your second skin, metaphorically speaking. Freedom of movement is one of the most crucial factors. For instance, have you ever crouched and felt that peculiar tension on the knees of your

jeans? This is exactly what we are talking about here: your mobility was hindered by your everyday clothes. Proper fit of your tactical clothes ensure comfort, maneuverability, as well as unrestricted aiming. Unlike civilian clothes, tactical clothes have specially designed elements such as articulated knees on pants or raglan sleeves on a shirt for enhanced freedom of movement, or elastic waistband for better fit in dynamics. Read More