Well, what do you mean by tactical clothing?

Personally, I wear practical clothing, which means tough, comfortable clothing with plenty of pockets.

80% of my clothing is Carhart brand of one kind or another. I don't know if its 'tactical' but it's pretty functional. It comes in plain colors, is built to be able to move in, and not wear out right away.

For boots I USED to buy Bates insulated waterproof boots as my only footwear, one pair a year, for about the last ten years.

But more recently I have found Maelstrom brand, which seems to be equal quality but about 1/3rd the price.

Probably few here do this...but essentially all my clothes are 'uniform' as when I buy them I buy them in batches. For instance, I will get four pairs of Carhart ripstop cargo pants, and half a dozen Carhart T shirts, all in the same color, all at the same time, and do the same again when those wear out. I own almost no other clothing. It makes getting dressed easy.

I don't want to get in a fire fight in my Saucony's. Then I though maybe we should start with bullet proof vests first.

No, you definitely need boots first.

Boots, Pants with pockets, don't have to be cargo pants but something LOOSE with pockets, made from a tough fabric.

Shirt, with pockets. Jacket.

GLOVES. Don't forget gloves. Almost any SHTF you can imagine needs gloves to deal with broken glass, rubble, hot stuff, cold stuff, ropes, etc.

Worry about vests once you have your basic 'uniform' figured out. Armor is a whole other category than clothing.

You will no doubt soon see someone mention "5.11", which is fine for some but my personal experience is that its overpriced and low durability.

Look at what your local mill workers, mechanics, welders, etc are wearing and think in that direction.

 

Well, what do you mean by tactical clothing?

Personally, I wear practical clothing, which means tough, comfortable clothing with plenty of pockets.

80% of my clothing is Carhart brand of one kind or another. I don't know if its 'tactical' but it's pretty functional. It comes in plain colors, is built to be able to move in, and not wear out right away.

For boots I USED to buy Bates insulated waterproof boots as my only footwear, one pair a year, for about the last ten years.

But more recently I have found Maelstrom brand, which seems to be equal quality but about 1/3rd the price.

Probably few here do this...but essentially all my clothes are 'uniform' as when I buy them I buy them in batches. For instance, I will get four pairs of Carhart ripstop cargo pants, and half a dozen Carhart T shirts, all in the same color, all at the same time, and do the same again when those wear out. I own almost no other clothing. It makes getting dressed easy.



No, you definitely need boots first.

Boots, Pants with pockets, don't have to be cargo pants but something LOOSE with pockets, made from a tough fabric.

Shirt, with pockets. Jacket.

GLOVES. Don't forget gloves. Almost any SHTF you can imagine needs gloves to deal with broken glass, rubble, hot stuff, cold stuff, ropes, etc.

Worry about vests once you have your basic 'uniform' figured out. Armor is a whole other category than clothing.

You will no doubt soon see someone mention "5.11", which is fine for some but my personal experience is that its overpriced and low durability.

Look at what your local mill workers, mechanics, welders, etc are wearing and think in that direction.

Take stock with what he says.

 

To start I would look at body armor.

Get a low visibility or undercover style of vest or hard plate carrier. These can be worn under shirts. The sizes you see are not your shirt sizes but they are the sizes of the plates or armor you would wear in them.

There is a large variety of brands and levels but for the soft or hard armor you are going to want it National Institute of Justice Certified.

If you are only concerned with pistol rounds soft armor level 3A will probably work.

If you are concerned with rifle threats you will want level 4 hard plates, they can take a .30-06 AP round. Hard plates are either stand alone or in conjunction with or ICW. A stand alone plate will contain the spall or fragments of a bullet that strikes the plate where as a ICW plate has to have soft armor behind it. Some plates are multi hit rated and some are single hit rated.

Hard plates are heavy for the most part and come in two basic styles ESAPI or Shooter Cut. ESAPI stands for Enhanced Small Arms Protective Insert. The ESAPI will be a rectangle with the top corners at a 45 degree cut. The shooters cut has less armor at the top sides but that makes it easier to move in hence shooters cut name.

Some are single curved, some flat and some triple curved. All this means is the plates have a slight curve on the side next to your body to help make it more comfortable to wear.

Bottom line and just my opinion go with a low vis carrier that will accept soft armor and plates. The plates should go in a separate pocket in the vest. Get stand alone plates even if you get soft armor because if you want to drop some weight in your vest you can drop the soft armor if your anticipating rifle threats and not worry about spall. Make sure the armor is NIJ certified.

Just google terms like Low Vis Plate Carrier and Level IV Plates you'll find plenty out there

Now for clothing that depends on your area. I would stick with what styles you are both wearing now. Draws less attention to you. If you plan on staying exposed to the elements outside you need to think about COLD - Clean-is it easy to clean? Can I keep it clean?, (avoid) Overheating-Can I vent this? Does it have zippers? How easy is it to take off and on?, Loose and in layers - Is it loose enough to allow a layer of air to be trapped but not so much it gets caught on stuff or is bulky?, and Dry-Does it dry quickly or keep me dry?. Primarily this train of thought is useful for cold weather but it can be applicable to most environments.

Your clothing is your first line of shelter if you don't have anything else.

Look like the natives if you are going to move into an area that you are not normally you want to blend in as much as possible without sacrificing your ability to carry anything you're going to carry such as firearms or survive the elements.

 

As stated by Aerindel, I'd recommend going with off the shelf durable clothing unless there is a true need for the tactical variety. Work clothing tends to be durable, available in a array of styles and colors and be much cheaper. The only thing that you would gain from tactical clothing is that a fair amount of it, not all, is fire retardant. That's not a feature that you would likely need in anything short of a modern battlefield where explosives are the casualty producing weapon. So go with work clothing. Or MilSurp BDU's if you want Camo.

Boots are important but you don't necessarily need true, military style combat boots. A good set of hiking or work style boots will do the trick. Just make sure that they are durable, pliable, able to be cinched up tight, and have aggressive tread and you will be fine.

So far as armor, or really any of this, goes, think about your likely needs. This is a large topic that i can go on and on about, and will on request, but the question for you to consider is this: Will you have it on when you need it?

Unless you are going to be kited out all the time, you need to be aware that you need it on and the time to get it on. Are you likely to be aware ahead of time? Are you going to we walking around in a vest at all times? Is it just for home defense? Operating out of a vehicle? These all play a role in what you chose. I would argue that for most folks there is not a need in armor, but if you are one of the outliers that do there are a lot of factors to consider. If you can give a little more info, I'll try to help you out.

 

Why would you want to look tactical? Looking like your in the military isn't a bad look if your in the military, but if your the only soldier in the room then people are gonna notice

 

That you somehow gain some advantage from specialist clothing?

But in which case I would still go a decent pair of sneakers over boots. Maybe without reflective strips.

Long pants and long sleeves?

 

I dress very similar to Aerindel except I use Duloth fire hose pants (2 different colors, both summer and winter weight)

And I buy my T shirts in bulk packs of different colors, and wear danner boots.

I've had people comment about "how I never wear bright colors"
It's not a uniform, doesn't stand out, but I could use it all in the field or the city.

 

Pricey, yes, but the Duluth Trading Co. pants, etc. DO last. When I don't have to dress for the office (I'm going to miss that when I'm not teleworking any more) I wear either Carhart "carpenter"-style pants (LOTS of pockets) or the Duluth Trading "Heirloom Gardener" overalls. Pockets on top of pockets, roomy (for my second pair, I actually went a size DOWN) lightweight (great for Arizona heat), and dry pretty quickly when they get wet. VERY comfy.

 

The only thing tactical you want is training, wear clothing that is durable, comfortable and has the ability to hold stuff aka lots of pockets.



Plate carriers, gun belts, and packs are a different story

 

I read a lot of people are looking for plates and plate carriers, wearing those things gets old real quick...LOL.

 

Getting shot in your lungs gets old even faster.

Look, you are probably not going on a hike in a set of plates, but most people spend most of their time sitting down in a chair, or in a car and its easy to wear plates all day in situations like that, and have them on for the few minutes of high intensity conflict that you may really really want them for.

 

With all the social unrest and where that may or may not lead husband and I are amping up one of the last areas of our preps. Neither one of us have any tactical or possibly life saving clothing or armor.

It's unlikely we can purchase everything we need in one fell swoop so looking to this forum to offer recommendations on 1) what we should purchase first, second, third, etc. and 2) what brands might be recommended for each of us.

Yeah. I will keep saying the same thing until I have new info. IMO the ECWS cold/wet layer upper and lower outer shells are great to have in most weather conditions. The military stuff old acu patterns I think arnt used by anyone anymore so if you can get it surplus you might get it for way less than commercial equivs.

With that said I am doing sock reviews mostly over the next month or so.
Right now I am testing out LINER, and thermal type combinations.
Here is my first review, more will come in my gear review section I am starting feel free to subscribe and keep an eye out for my sock reviews. For a good hiking sock.

I've done some other gear reviews in the past I'll see if I can link them when I find them, but check out my two channels for kit reviews. Mostly just for casual use but most stuff I talk about I do so based on my views, nothing is a paid promotion.

Depending on weather consider something like https://www.ebay.ca/itm/GEN-III-ECW...SA-Made-Size-Medium-Regular/333387776318?hash=item4d9f75c13e:g:iZ8AAOSwX-Zdwapg


the camo is really secondary but the material and deisgn are important.


Try to find a cheap version of this
https://www.ebay.ca/itm/FIRSTSPEAR-...d-Jacket-Soft-Shell-Breaker/114194193246?hash=item1a96811b5e:g:WjkAAOSw92henqqj


I will be testing a poncho/tarp, but I can tell you up front that this thing makes life so much easier for cold and wet days. If a fleece layer it keeps you so warm, it substantially outperforms other lessor forms of outerwear.


https://www.ebay.ca/itm/Double-Side...273629166808&pmt=1&noa=0&pg=2047675&algv=default&_trksid=p2047675.c100008.m2219


https://www.ebay.ca/itm/ACU-GORE-TE...ANTS-Xlarge-Suspender-loops/254578085642?hash=item3b46094f0a:g:vYEAAOSwNzReokyJ


https://www.ebay.ca/itm/US-Military...al-Cammouflage-Gor-Tex-Bivy/174290705789?hash=item2894891d7d:g:93cAAOSwBHJdUeE5

 

Aerindale is pretty dead on.

I would specifically suggest backpacking boots, they're made for traversing rough terrain on foot with heavy loads, and if nothing else provides excellent ankle support.

As for wearing what welders and etc. wear, they tend to wear a lot of cotton. Which is fine, until it gets wet. If you live in a rainy or humid area, 100% cotton may not be the best choice.

 

Tactical = Target. I agree with Aerindel. Sturdy pants. I choose ****ies carpenter jeans as they fit my big ass well and allow me to move while having enough pocket space.

I like button up shirts with a tab that allows me to roll up the sleeves and secure them. A tshirt underneath. This combo easily allows outside the waistband carry by leaving the shirt untucked as unbuttoned in warm weather. Traveler style shirts are great as they have a couple of secure discrete pockets also. I usually wear neutral earth tones for color. This does not stand out in a crowd or in the woods.

Comfortable boots are a must. I really like some of the wolverine boots out there. They fit me well and come in wide sizes. Your millage may vary with boots.

Edit: Haha, I see the clothing line of ****ies is blocked think Richard-ies.

 

Firstly, my apologies for using the incorrect term of Tactical. What I was thinking was exactly what most of you have offered. The best form of clothing to be wearing if we find ourselves in a bad situation. Living outside the capital city with recent protests (nothing like other cities have experienced but still unsettling) and the possibility of local gangs wanting to join in for the fun of it we have been on high alert for a few weeks.

Thank you all who offered excellent advice. Husband lives in cargo pants in the winter and cargo shorts in the summer. His pockets are always full. I have never owned a pair of cargo pants and it never crossed my mind. And since we are range shooters I don't think either one of us have ever thought about getting gloves so that will go on my list along with boots for me, as a start.

Thank you all again for the very thoughtful comments and considerations.

 

Since starting my current job a few years ago, Ive been steel toe boots an carhartt for attire. I carry all sorts of tools and things.

If youre not used to cargo style pants/shorts, it takes some getting used to. I hate jeans so my alternative is cargo pants.

Unfortunately, carhartt are very durable but I still managed to rip a 2 year old pair at the crotch. However, Id suggest looking at a place that has carhartt factory seconds. I use one religiously and now have way more clothes than Ill need.

 

When I think of "tactical clothing" I consider these properties:

Durability
Mobility - The ability to move without restriction. Your clothes shouldn't restrict your movement.
Functionality - Pockets and quality fasteners
Invisibility - blending in
Protection - against the weather, bugs, cuts and scrapes

Brands I prefer:

Triple Aught Design - shirts, jeans (stretch), coats, jackets, long johns (merino wool) Alot of their product is USA made and most of it is amazing, though I wpuldn't recommend the wool undershirts

Prometheus Design Werx - pants and shorts in guide cloth ( 4 way stretch) Some of their product is USA made

Red Wing - water proofed boots and sneakers

MeUndies - boxer briefs

Thorlo - socks

I've owned and used in the past:

North Face

Arc'teryx

 

I'm an old fart. I bought good stuff years ago and still have a lot of it, Like Danner hiking boots, vasque boots and heavy coats. For the most part I buy at Costco. I like their denim pants. We shop at thrift stores and pick up good solid stuff there. As to cheap stuff? Big 5 has slip on shoes which last a couple of years. I pick a pair up every year or two as they are comfortable around the place. I pick up quality camo at thrift stores for hunting. I don't wear it any other place. I don't look at name, I look at product. My wife is a fantastic seamstress and can fix anything so, I do have an advantage there. She makes me the best fleece sleep shirts

 

"Tactical" is entirely situational, so your off-the-shelf seasonal attire will be "tactical" if you're out in the elements under certain conditions. Not sure about where you are located, but if discount stores like TJ Maxx, Marshall's, Sierra (same parent company) and others are open for business, you might be able to find a lot of what you need there. A lot of folks associate military gear with tactical use, but the civilian options are numerous and affordable. Furthermore, looking for off-brand stuff can save you a lot of money, as long as you know what materials to look for.

Things like boots/shoes are really hard to shop for online when it comes to proper fit, because unlike other garments, a poor fit can have serious consequences. The same could be said for plate carriers and body armor. I'm not what you'd call outlandish in terms of build (5'11" and 175 lbs) but finding a plate carrier that fits properly has been an exercise in frustration. Unfortunately, "try before you buy" simply isn't an option for most people and/or in most areas. That might be one spot where 5.11 and similar companies shine, because they are more likely to offer a flexible return policy if something clearly isn't going to work out for you. (A friend of mine is going through this right now, as a big guy who has 11"x14" armor plates on the way, but is having trouble finding a plate carrier to fit. There is a 5.11 store nearby, and if his plates end up not fitting or he doesn't like the carrier, he can return it for a refund, which other retailers wouldn't offer. Just saying!)

Some of the most durable gear and clothes I've bought have been unexpected. I've been wearing the same pair of Skechers boots daily for everything from work to running errands to yard work, for a year and a half, with plenty of life left in them. Merino wool socks are money well spent (not necessarily a lot of money, either) for keeping your feet dry. Don't neglect your feet!

 

For the best fit for a ballistic vest, if there is a police supply nearby, get it from them. Yes, it is NOT cheap, but they WILL take measure you, and build the vests based off those measurements. NOT cheap, but it WILL fit properly.

 

Soft bullet proof vest is not necessarily stab proof.