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Your Best Gear Purchases


Clampitt

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1) TAD Gear Ranger Hoodie. Like Cap stated earlier. It's TAD, nuff said.

2) TAD Gear ITW Rhino T-shirt. Always get compliments and oohs and Aahs when people see it :)

3) Recent purchese, though haven't tested it during a game. Oregon Scientific/ Pacific Concepts ATK3k Helmet Cam.

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For those who actually put more than just a little list, thanks.

 

For those who just type 3 things and leave it at that...this isn't just somewhere to list the cool stuff you have to gloat or written form of gear pron.

 

Put something with each item. How have you used it. What makes it special? When you say, Ranger Hoodie, I think a hoodie that has "Ranger" on it. And I'm not trying to bash any brand, but just because it's such and such, doesn't make it great. That's the equivelant of me saying that if Mercedes released a turd with wheels, it's awesome because it's Mercedes.

 

Not trying to be an *albatross*, but the point of this thread is to let people know about some really handy/useful gear, and provide some insight as to why it's so useful. Because, I'm not going to go and google everything listed just because it's there, but if someone explains breifly what it is, and why it might be helpful, who knows, I might have been looking for something like that and I now have a piece of dream kit that I would have never known about.

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Ranger Hoodie well is the TAD gear "Range Hoodie" What else are we suppose to do? Describe you the piece of article? Well when someone say "Peanut butter" I think about butter with peanuts in it. The name of items has little to do with the actually item.

 

Well people say "just because it is such and such" they are just referring to the public experience and opinion. Why should a bunch of people must repeat the fact the article of clothing is "well designed, fabric and materials are of great quality, etc." If it was a piece of turd, why would you refer it to public experience and opinion.

If Mercedes came out with a turd on wheels well how many would say it is awesome because it is Mercedes. Referring to the brand of the item doesn't make it awesome; the brand refer to the comparison of the item to the characteristics of all other items from the same maker.

 

TAD gear is awesome because over and over it provide great build, design, etc.

 

Anyways....

Josh make sure to upload some awesome footage of Frt Ord with Oregon Scientific/ Pacific Concepts ATK3k Helmet Cam when you get a chance.

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Will do. It'll be the first run for it.....I'm also tempted about putting some velcro on my dashboard of my car, and "taping" the drive to work. Kinda as a test of both sound and video.

 

Clamp If you need a explination, Here you go, but as for the TAD Stuff....people have already explained it in past posts and on the boards. Awesome gear, enjoyable to wear and use, and just turns heads depending on the patches you stick onto the velcro. No point in beating a dead horse after it's been beaten already by other members :) Besides, the thread is called " Your Best Gear" and the reasons will differ from person to person. I just like Tacti-Coll stuff!

 

As for the ATC3K, Like I've stated; I just got it, what else can I say about it? I just got it after wanting a helmet/gun cam to film events. After seeing the review on Military Morons and having no desire to build a camera rig that weighs a good pound, I wanted one. Simple.

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I know everyone has their favorite thing that they've bought, and sometimes it's an amazing find. So post your top 3 up here so we can all see, something posted could be the new end-all beat-all gear wise. Post your top three, what each is, why you got it, and how it's been. I'll start...

 

1. BlackHawk! Strike Molle Plate Carrier. I got it because i needed something to hold my molle pouches and i wanted something that provided good front and back protection. it was cheap too...$60. it has worked wonders for me.

 

2. Fox Racing Carbon Fiber bomber gloves. Knuckle shots hurt...what can i say. i like it because i play CQB and normal ranges are about 3 feet...at 400=hurt fingers/nails/knuckles.

 

3. Guarder Medium sized soft case. works as a regular hand carry or can be used like a back pack. capable of holding 1 full sized AEG(if using the additional coverage), 1 small/medium sized AEG (MP5A4 and smaller i believe), 1 pistol + mags, and 2 additional pockets to hold bbs, gas, batteries whatever you need pretty much. i had one for about 1 1/2 years and i just got another one today... ;)

 

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Well, let me put it this way, I've used the issue weather gear, and it works fine. What specifically about this TAD Ranger Hoodie makes it so great? What makes it worth the money? Is it lighter, smaller, warmer? Does it have a little slot to hold my keys and ID securely? Maybe I can plug in my iPod in a secret compartment for those long ruck marches. Does the zipper (or whatever closure) have any issues? What kind of abuse have you put it through? Everyday wear? Just the occasional airsoft game?

 

Just because their usual stuff is good, doesn't mean anything, you can't rely on public opinion to as proof that a specific item is great, you said it yourself in your own post. Sometimes there's a turd among a great company, but no one realizes if they don't have it. That's why people like brief reviews. You spent the money to see if it's any good, so explain why it is or isn't worth the money.

 

And also, like you stated, the name of an item usually doesn't have a whole lot to do with describing the item, so how can you expect people to just know what something is? Peanut butter, as you brought up, is something people know because it's such a common item. A Ranger Hoodie, isn't. So, like I asked before, what makes it so special? Why pick that over a similar item from another brand? That's where describing it comes in. Something more than "well, it's TAD, nuff said" is useful. I'm not saying anything negative about any brand, or anyones choice in gear, but if your choice in gear is specifically because of the brand, than I'm going to take your opinion with a major dosage of salt.

 

Just a line or two about the item means a lot more than just "it's tacti-cool" or "because it's _____"

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Points read, comprehend and acknowledged. Wasn't trying to defend the reason the not to post "mini-review" of the their items. Was simply defending the reason why people will post "because it such and such". I do hope you do understand my part.

 

Clampitt, what you want is in literature term is "analysis", correct? A definite why, how come, why not, etc. Totally understandable, most people aren't gear nuts that read Military Morons and other gear reviews and well enjoy checking out the new items out there. For me and others some gear is common knowledge.

 

So pretty much everyone:

You spent the money to see if it's any good, so explain why it is

-----

Regards to the Triple Aught Designs "Ranger Hoodie" (http://tadgear.com/x-treme%20gear/apparel%20main/ranger_hoodie.htm): As majority of T.A.D. articles, factors such as design, materials, and functionality is supbre. As long with excution of the whole item in my opinion. With numbers of pockets designed at certain placement points, storage area is always within easily reach. "Ranger Hoodie" are made with Malden Mills WindPro which provide great warm in climate of lower temperature and remain very low profile when coming to the factor of sound. With other items of purchase, brand does play a role when coming to decisions, especial reputation. Regard to iPod, some eyelet for running string/headphone/wire through.

 

Pro: Design, materials, functionality, reputable brand. "Gear Nut cool factor"

Con: Not yearly wear in areas of great climate change (ie. California valley; really bad to wear say mid summer if it is 95 out no breeze) For some, Price.

 

Hope that help with TAD ranger hoodies.

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kay.

 

1. ESS ICE 2.4

it's an ESS, fits real fine, and everyday use is not a problem (i use it on the beach, outdoor activities, and driving)

 

2. Mechanix wear Original Glove

fits my hand like it were a second skin. i can even typing SMS on my Treo while wearing this glove.

 

3. Casio G-Shock DW6600

my everyday watch, simple and easy to read displays, shock proof, and water proof.

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1. LBT 1961a. My issued vest is *suitcase* and I have to wear it during garisson training and when I go on course, but picked this 1961a up for a very good price and for my SEAL impression. It's a chest rig made of pure simplicity and it is awesome.

 

2. VelTye Hugger. What more do I have to say? Just like the 1961a, its pure simplicity and works very very well.

 

3. Anything Oakley. Whether it be M-Frames, gloves or boots, they all rock and I get a very nice military discount from them, so they make things very easy on the wallet.

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1. RealSword Chicom - Load bearing kit is often something that has a real Zen aspect to it. While it may look cool to run around with a full SAAV or Weesach, it's often expensive and (in my personal experience) not really necessary. Running a Chicom was absolutely perfect as I could carry all the things I really need (Mags, dead rag, ammo bottle, and a knife) on my chest and just throw a pistol belt and water bottle on my hip. It may not be for you, but for me it works out great.

 

2. Merino Wool - From my SmartWool socks, my IceBreaker base layer to my TAD Flux Hoodie it is ace. Wicking when you are sweaty, warm when you are cold and more importantly still warm even when soaking wet.

 

I've only got the socks but this sums it up excellently.

 

3. Ex-Officio "zip off" pants - Being able to switch into shorts when convenient is a Godsend in 103F/40C weather. The lower parts of my pants are simply rolled up and stuck into an empty pocket on my Chicom. Yeah, it might look a bit "odd" but it sure feels great.

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1. Altama jungle boots: I have skinny feet and hate ankle support. they are skinny boots with no ankle support.

 

2. Blackhawk mk2 kneepads: Comfy as hell and tough. Served me through 2 operational tours.

 

3. Warrior assault systems 901 recon harness. no matter how many other rigs i use, i always go back to the recon harness. Its simple and can carry everything i need, plus the cross strap design make it the most stable rig ive ever owned.

 

Darkchild

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I'll describe my choices then.

 

 

 

 

1. TAD Stealth Jacket -

 

My number one purchase I've made in the last year has to be my TAD jacket. It was VERY expensive but worth every penny. Every day I put it on I appreciate how good it looks, how functional it is, how well designed it is and how much it's really worth. I don't wear it in the field, I don't want to ruin it, I have an MCU jacket for that. I bought it to wear around the city, wear at games (just not while moving through the woods), and wear everywhere I go. It's been my rain jacket, my lightweight "it's not too cold out but i'll take it anyways" jacket, my cold weather zip-up-the-pit-zips-and-sinch-up-the-sleeves jacket and everything inbetween. It has never failed and I don't forsee it doing so as it's American made. That also means I've supported my economy, not every Arc-Teryx is made in the US! My ONLY regret is that I didn't get the hood. At another $50 I said, skip it, but now that I see how great TAD is, I would give them my money again in a second.

 

 

 

2. VTAC sling -

 

Best, sling, ever, seems to be the best way to put it. I see people using 3 points and I gawk. The adjustable 2pt design is simply the cutting edge of technology and makes you quicker, more comfortable, and less bulky. Anyone who is gettting annoyed or fed up with their current sling should try one of these. I'd have to say, for patrolling there is no equal. In CQB, I still use a one point because it's still better but for fighting in the woods and the long patrols involved in that, you NEED this sling.

 

3. Merrell Moab Boots

 

I've always had a fetish for Merrells and so I got a pair of Phazer Peaks. Well I really liked those but they felt too big and bulky and not flexable enough. Since getting the Moabs, I've felt I found the sweet spot in footware when combined with superfeet insoles. I've never had a single complaint about my feet ever after up to 4 day games where you're on your feet almost all day, bless these boots.

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1. Tactical Tailor MAV - either the one piece or the two piece with X-Harness. Incredibly comfortable, very durable, and cheap. Plus, it has enough room to carry more than I have ever needed.

 

2. Bolle T800 - great goggles and they rarely fog, which is such a huge thing as I can fog pretty much any goggle given the chance.

 

3. Bates Desert Contractor Boots - Long lasting and incredibly comfortable. They fit my feet like they were specifically designed for them from the ground up.

 

4. LBT 3 Day Assualt Pack - had to add a fourth item as this pack is simply amazing. Its incredibly durable, can haul a decent load, and the shoulder straps are so comfortable.

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General kit:

1-Shemagh. Hands down, the best purchase ever. After using one, it quickly becomes clear why large pieces of cloth with no set purpose are popular among peoples and nations who have to make due with what they have at hand. I like mine so much that I'm planning on getting a large silk bandanna, to serve the same purpose, only silk works better as an insulator than cotton does.

 

2-CamelBak reservoir. Preferably just the reservoir, as the carrier systems are more difficult to store in a freezer. I use one whenever I go out hiking, backpacking, hunting, or airsofting.

 

3-Timex Expedition watch. The best $35 I've ever spent on a watch. The original wrist band is gone, but the watch itself is tough as nails and very accurate. The day the batteries die, I shall weep. If only until the batteries are replaced.

 

Footwear:

1-Oakley SI Assault boots. An excellent boot, if a bit expensive and slow to get on, even in the 6" variety.

 

2-Danner Made in USA military boots. Best boots I've ever owned. The sizing seems a little weird to me, but they're tougher than nails and superbly built. When I can wrangle them onto my feet, they are much faster to lace than the Oakleys.

 

3-Magnum boots. Cheap and cheerful. Excellent boots and not too spendy. They just need to be broken in and then they fit like a second pair of socks.

 

LBE:

1-TT MAV 2-peice. Excellent base for MOLLE kit, especially with the X-harness.

 

2-Chicom Type 56 and Type 82 chestrig. Cheap as chips, simple, to the point. Carrying capacity is hindered somewhat, but if you can handle that, you've got a very sturdy, lightweight, and to-the-point piece of kit. The utility of the piece can be evidenced by the shear number of vests and chestrigs patterned after it from Russia to Rhodesia to the United States and the United Kingdom.

 

3-USGI LBV-88 vest and clones (incl. Russian Grad vests). Generally cheap, they look the part and do it, too. They're sparse enough that they do not hinder perspiration but there's enough load-carrying capacity for all but the longest of skirmishes.

 

Gloves:

1-USGI Nomex flight gloves. The original, accept no substitutes. Cheap, comfortable, but still protective, and infinitely mod-able. These fit well with virtually any load-out from the late Vietnam-era to sci-fi and futuristic settings.

 

2-Hatch Operator gloves. Not nearly as comfortable as the USGIs above, they're much tougher, and provide more protection. Of course, they're also more expensive, but they look very tacticool.

 

2-Sitka Shooters gloves (2008). A splendid piece of kit. Might have too much padding on the palm, but we'll see. Very protective, yet very breathable. Hopefully, they're as tough as they look. But even if they aren't, they're covered by a lifetime warranty. What other glove on the market has that? The only thing holding them back is that they're made in China, not in the West. They're priced right, too, being a mere $10 more than a pair of brand-new Hatch Nomex flight gloves.

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1-Serpa for M1911

best holster ive used yet. ive got one on each of my Flaks, and they are great. ive also got a light bearing model for a real kimber with xiphos light.

2-VCAS sling

sooooo much better than any other sling ive used. instead of having 1 sling per rifle, i just have this with fastex buckles at each end, so i can put it on any one of my airsoft or real rifles, as they all have fastex buckles as well.

3-ESS ICE NARO

sooooo much better than standard ICE 2.4s. perfect glasses, especially with my issue inserts

4-Spartan II assault carrier

pretty much the best full armor carrier money can buy. holds EVERYTHING that i want for my grenadier kit. the spartan I is good as well, but the cummerbund on the II adds far more space.

5-ESS Advancer V12s

awesome full seal goggles. im having bitter end make me a set of mesh lenses as well, and with my inserts, ill have the best of both worlds

-Joe

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1. Eagle A-III pack

2. Eagle PC w/ C

3. 5.11 HRT boots

 

Honorable mention would be my Blackhawk knee pads which I really need to replace. After plunging down an 8 foot dead-drop in full gear my legs buckled from under me upon landing and all the force/impact ended up on both my knees. I ended up just bruising one knee, but if I hadn't had these (or even if I'd been using soft inserts) I would have seriously screwed up my legs.

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  • 2 weeks later...

CSM Dump pouch, best pouch ever if you quickly want to get rid of whatever during combat, gloves, mags wrapping of light stick, its like a personal trashcan that you can recycle later :)

 

Eagle Weapon Catch nothing worse then having to explain tactics with your weapon in one hand, or bouncing around on a sling. and putting it on the ground takes a lot of time. With this, you just secure it to the side of your vest and away it goes. If your vest fits quite good, you can even sprint and jump without really noticing the weight shift.

 

Mix of Gloves, Kneepads, boots and good eyewear I never and really mean NEVER play without these items anymore, doesn't really matter what brand, just as long as they give me grip, protect me from falling, stay on my head and give extra grip when using my replica.

 

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TSG All terrain knee pads. tactical? not especially, but tougher than old boots made of nails, saved my knee at a skirmish yesterday when i fell off my firing position down a 12 ft drop.

 

Oakley SI gloves. still got shot on the finger where theres none of the carbon fibre goodness, but at least i dont have chilly hands.

 

Oakley SI boots. I wear them every day, and they take my active lifestyle well.

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1. Serpas for my 1911 and my p226

2. G&P Single Point Sling for my CQBR (most comfortable and flexible sling I've ever used)

3. Riggers Belt with integrated emergency rappelling point (Never again will I get caught with "crack in the breeze" ;) )

4. Maxpedition Jumbo Versipack - Every guy needs a good manpurse and mine has been everywhere as either a go bag or a camer bag (I use it almost every day).

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