Few people reading this magazine are not familiar with 5.11 Tactical Series锟? What started as a relatively small venture making pants has turned into a company diversified into a major player in the industry of tactical clothing, equipment and accessories. While the company's tactical apparel has long been the flagship of the line, 5.11 has recently begun to produce a variety of other equipment including boots, watches, sunglasses, and most recently, load-bearing gear.
While 5.11 may have the design and manufacturing base to make a line of load-bearing equipment that would be considered "usable," officials realized that in order to turn out a product that was of 5.11's superior caliber, they needed to partner with someone with insight into what went on when simple load-bearing gear turns into "mission-critical equipment."
For this, they turned to Kyle Lamb. Lamb, who is the author of the recently published work "Green Eyes and Black Rifles," is a retired member of one of the foremost counter-terrorism units in the world. His unit, which is classified by the United States government as a "Tier One asset," has been involved in military actions around the globe.
Chanel Charm NecklaceLamb himself is a veteran of many of these conflicts, including multiple tours in Iraq and other places around the world where his unit has been involved. To say that Lamb has some idea of what is needed in a piece of load-bearing equipment is a vast understatement. Lamb, who is the president and chief instructor for Viking Tactics锟? also known as VTAC锟? helped to create and test a well-thought-out line of equipment that includes a wide variety of much-needed products.
VTAC LBE Vest
One of the premier offerings in the 5.11 Tactical Series web gear catalogue is the VTAC Load-Bearing Equipment (LBE) Vest. Designed by Lamb, the unit differs from other tactical vests on the market in that it is made of a reinforced, stiffened mesh that allows for air to pass through - a huge plus in conditions when heat is not only a detriment to peak performance but could possibly be a killer. The vest, which is available in both standard black as well as flat dark earth, is covered in molle-compatible webbing with a zipper in the front. The vest is then doubly secured using two male / female buckles.
The tactical vest also features hidden document pockets and a grab handle that is located on the inside of the back of the vest at the collar. The reason that the grab handle is located on the inside is because when placed on the outside, it may provide a handle for an opponent to grab from the rear. By recessing the drag handle to the interior, those problems have been alleviated while still retaining the rescue feature. No one who tested the unit could tell any appreciable difference in the time that it took to reach or the ability to use the drag handle.
Plate Carrier
While the LBE vest is a good piece of field gear, many officers do not need an entire vest. In fact, a vest may be contraindicated by other gear. For officers working uniformed patrol or those who are in positions where they do not need a large "surface area" for mounting pouches and pockets, there is the plate carrier.
The 5.11 Plate Carrier, which also bears the VTAC mark, is a perfect example of a company designing and fielding different equipment for varied roles and job functions. For people who need to quickly "up armor" to rifle level plates, this is a perfect example of form following function. The Plate Carrier bears more than a passing resemblance to the LBE vest in its construction in that it, too, is made of stiffened, reinforced mesh.
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