Gear essentials you've probably never thought twice about
The beauty of forums is to learn for the experiences of others.....good or bad. And while i'm sure:
"Which holster?", "Which chest rig/plate carrier?", "Which sling?", etc. have been beaten to death....many times over. Here some things to consider before purchasing and deploying a few things that aren't really discussed much.
1) Pants. Yeah, that's right we're gonna talk pants for a minute. Aside from being comfortable consider:
-their composition....nylon/cotton? polyester/cotton? I opt for the nylon/cotton blend personally. I feel it's softer, and lighter than anything with polyester. Your decision will effect:
- heat/cold/moisture performance? Know when you do or don't need base layers. Does the material resist water or soak it up? How does it fare in warmer weather? Against wind? And God forbid...do you know how the material reacts to flame?
- Color/pattern. While I tend to lean towards greens and tans so I can wear them day-to-day and not look too stupid in public, i'm not against an appropriate pattern. But remember Mulicamers and digicam groupies, it's about function, not fashion.
- Pockets/pocket placement. Does your holster/gear cover your cargo pockets? Can you easily access your gear in its respective pocket under various conditions/positions, and is it secure in said pocket?
2) Drop pouches. This kind of goes along with the pants pocket issue. During training, they keep partially full mags from tac loads much more accessible than a random pocket. And considering we all have special little pouches for darn near everything, it's good to have a place for that extra piece of kit you grabbed at the last minute. When you don't need the pouch, it takes up very little room.
3) Multi-tool. How often do you use your screw drivers or pliers at home? I know I shouldn't have to say this stuff, but this is the internet and anyone who has seen my videos knows my feelings about internet people.
