How tacti-cool are you?

2014-12-27T22:26:08-05:00

As a young private or 2LT, perhaps you couldn't afford the finer things in life. But not that you have contributed 16 hard earned year of your life, you hopefully can afford some of the finer things. Are you now a name brand buyer? Gerber, Benchmade, Oakley, Oakley, Mercedes, BMW, Movado, Affliction, for example...or do have more the millionaire next door style.

Do you wear tacti-cool clothes now that you can out of service, or when you are on libo? If so, what is your favorite brand of gear?

I see tactical tee-shirts, tactical sunglasses, tactical knives, hell, I might create the first tactical civilian vehicle
....what about you, what tacti-cool gear do you buy, collect or wear?

Response by SSG(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 27 at 2014 10:35 PM

2014-12-27T22:35:11-05:00

Response by LTC Stephen C. made Dec 27 at 2014 11:11 PM

2014-12-27T23:11:34-05:00

I'm not very tacti-cool, SSG(P) Private RallyPoint Member! The only "Army" gear that I have and wear regularly are the original model Aviator Sunglasses by American Optical. I've worn them since 1973 (not the same ones, of course)!

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 27 at 2014 11:20 PM

2014-12-27T23:20:04-05:00

I wear a pair of military issue Oakley's, on top of my military issue ball cap (SOF type) if I'm indoors, I wear a rigger belt exclusively (unless a more formal belt is absolutely required), (and usually) some sort of cargo pants (think contractor), and also (usually) a pair of 4" tall issued boots (from Afghanistan), and finally, I carry a Gerber Combat Folder everywhere. Other than that, everything I wear beyond/outside of that, is either geared towards first aid/firefighting or motorcycle riding. Below is a picture of me in my "tacticool" -boots and Oakley's this time - on my range behind my house. (P.S.: I'm the guy firing the rifle).

Response by SSG(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 27 at 2014 11:24 PM

2014-12-27T23:24:09-05:00

Here is a pic of my KelTec PLR-16, it is a pistol, and therefore legal, and shoots the 5.56 and takes the M16 magazine...pretty cool little 'pistol'.

Response by CMC Robert Young made Dec 27 at 2014 11:34 PM

2014-12-27T23:34:34-05:00

After a couple of decades running fast boats, I can't leave home without my Oakleys, or a sharp knife (brands vary, Gerber, 5.11, Kershaw, but always a sharp knife). Other than that, not much extra gear lying around oddly enough.

Response by SSG(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 27 at 2014 11:39 PM

2014-12-27T23:39:52-05:00

My friends, this is the Yarborough knife, identical to an issue SF knife, made my famous knife maker Chris Reeve. $320 it is considered the combat knife of the 21st century. Another knife for my belt

Response by SSG(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 27 at 2014 11:45 PM

2014-12-27T23:45:12-05:00

A Tom Brown Skinner knife...if you need to skin anyone, I mean anything...

Response by Sgt Adam Jennings made Dec 28 at 2014 12:34 AM

2014-12-28T00:34:16-05:00

Does an Oshkosh 7-ton with a 20' expandable shelter converted into a RV count as tacti-cool?!? Just kidding, but one day my friends, I will make said beast and camp where backpackers have to hike in, lol.

Response by MSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 28 at 2014 12:34 AM

2014-12-28T00:34:17-05:00

Tru-Spec or Blackhawk tactical pants, Rocky S2V boots, Multicam and OD contractors caps w/flag, Kershaw Blur or SOG Flash, Under Armour T-shirts, Glaco pancake for the M11A1, Desantis pancake for the Nano, Fenix or Surefire flashlight, Spec Ops tactical duty belts, Blackhawk shooting gloves, leathermen or SOG multi tools. So no, not really very much!

Response by SFC Boots Attaway made Dec 28 at 2014 2:02 AM

2014-12-28T02:02:30-05:00

Only my AR15 is name brand (S&W M&P15) my 1911 is a Rock Island but everything else is not name brand and my 2 vehicles are a 00 Windstar and an 67 Buick Skylark. If it works why spend more for something that does the same thing. Spend less by not buying name brand and you can buy more food, ammo or fishing gear. Very seldom does a name brand or more expensive item work better than a mid range item.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 28 at 2014 4:06 PM

2014-12-28T16:06:57-05:00

I have some stuff that I have picked up over the years from training and especially Afghanistan but one thing I bought myself was a leather man MUT which has come in handy repeatedly. It's what your Swiss Army knife wants to be when it grows up.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 28 at 2014 4:26 PM

2014-12-28T16:26:53-05:00

I don't need anything to look tacti-cool. I simply rely on my boyish good looks and my full head of jet black hair.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 28 at 2014 6:51 PM

2014-12-28T18:51:44-05:00

The only fancy stuff (gear wise) that I have would be rocky boots, great set of paltors while at the range. have bunch of gear from past deployments but nothing fancy. but I also collect ammo because I already have most caliber weapons.

Response by Sgt Jason West made Dec 29 at 2014 12:33 PM

2014-12-29T12:33:59-05:00

I normally go the cheap route, with a few exceptions. My ARs are home built or cheaper brands (Core -15, and builds are of various makes and models). My AK is a Saiga with quite a bit of work, which did set me back a bit. My last buy though was a Stevens Savage 320 pump I grabbed at Wal-Mart for $120, so back to my cheap ways with some firearms. I also have other "cheap" rifles like Mosins, an Enfield, and a few others.

My sunglasses are el cheapo safety glasses. My cloths are just blue jeans and cheap polo/t-shirts. Almost everything else I own even down to my old truck is cheap. I just don't like spending money on things most of the time. When I do drop a lot of money, it's normally on a good pistol.

Response by Sgt Kate Ross made Mar 1 at 2015 9:10 PM

2015-03-01T21:10:25-05:00

Boonie hat and wrap around sun glasses, both due to light sensitivity. It's not uncommon for a Vietnam Era vet to explain to me that I'm wearing a boonie hat. And usually a Kershaw tucked away nice and safe, yet handy.

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Oct 3 at 2015 5:01 PM

2015-10-03T17:01:54-04:00

I go for the utility of what I am buying instead of wasting my money on looks.

Response by 1LT Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 4 at 2019 12:48 AM

2019-08-04T00:48:53-04:00

I have a grunt style sticker on my minivan... +1000 cool points.