Yesterday we kicked off #TacticalTrivia Week by tweeting a trivia question about Magpul Industries. We will be tweeting one challenging question a day from our Twitter account @tacticalgearcom. The first two followers who reply to @tacticalgearcom with the correct answer will pick up Propper International’s new STL 1 Pants. Followers are encouraged to track the hashtag #tacticaltrivia for giveaway updates and winners.

Part of Propper’s all-new LS1 collection, STL 1 Pants are designed to meet the needs of the tactical athlete. The pants feature a stretch fabric that combines nylon with spandex for extra mobility. Additionally, a crotch gusset adds to the range of motion. With 11 pockets, the STL 1 Pants have room for both magazines and mobile phones. In fact, its two external cargo pockets boast an ergonomically driven design with specifically designated dividers for magazines. Additional security pockets have been added above the wallet pockets.

Propper’s STL 1 Pants

Through the course of the week, we will give out 10 pairs of Propper’s STL 1 Pants to 10 lucky winners. To officially enter, followers must be sure to reply to @tacticalgearcom with the correct answer. The winners will be announced at the end of each day with a tweet. The giveaway is open to U.S. residents only.

What’s the toughest tactical trivia question out there?

One of my bugaboos right now is there is little, if any, integrated training currently for “civilians” that combines firearms and empty-hand techniques into a cohesive whole.

I can go the the range and practice and train with a gun, and I can go to the dojo and learn to take (and throw) a punch. But there are precious few trainers out there that are bringing the two together and teaching it in a way that is replicable outside of the dojo/range.

Part of the problem, I think, is what we use to train ourselves. How can we in the “civilian” world talk about integrating guns and empty-hand techniques in a “force continuum,” when we don’t have a target system that allows for a variety of responses? We shoot at IPSC, IDPA, etc. and practice with our firearms shooting at paper targets, and then throw punches and kicks at an entirely different type of target in the dojo.

Maybe we need a one-size-fits-all target. Something that can respond to punch or a kick like a heavy bag, and at the same time, take a pistol or .223 round without requiring major surgery. Something like that will allow us to judge our responses by the target’s threat (or non-threat) and not by what the target is made out of. We’re training ourselves to shoot paper and punch heavy-duty PVC; we need to think in terms of threat itself, not what the target is made out of.

Thinking more about things, the place where we do our training influences also what we’re learning. I know going into the dojo that I’m going to learn punches/kicks/throws, and the most we’ll deal with firearms is maybe a blue gun or two. I know walking onto the range I’m going to work on solving lethal force threats with a gun, and for safety reasons, I’m not probably not going to do anything physical while I’m armed.

What if we didn’t know what we were training for until we got to the training site?

What if a range was set up so that people could train with airsoft and/or empty-hand in one side and safely practice live-fire on another side? How would that affect how we integrate concealed carry and empty-hand defensive techniques? Is what we’re using for practice targets and where we’re training affecting our approach to armed and unarmed self-defense? What are your thoughts? 

Guest author Kevin Creighton is the voice behind Misfires and Light Strikes: An Arizona Gun Blog. He describes himself as fitting in with Gun Culture 2.0 and continues to expand his firearm knowledge on and off the range. You can follow him at @ExurbanKevin.

We have officially added Under Armour products to our comprehensive retail offering. For those not familiar with the brand, Under Armour is a performance gear and apparel company that has outfitted athletes for more than a decade.

But its for more than just athletes. Under Armour has a specific tactical division to equip police officers and tactical professionals with technical, efficient and functional gear in a stylish package. It strives to keep elite operators cooler or warmer, lighter and drier, and more comfortable so they are able to perform at their peak day after day.

Drawing from its experience as an athletic footwear manufacturer, Under Armour has outfitted its duty line with advanced comfort and innovative technologies. Its footwear boasts traits such as lightweight EVA cushioning and athletic-inspired outsoles to ensure a better fit for on-duty action.

Under Armour Valsetz

The Under Armour Valsetz, one of its most popular tactical footwear offerings, was designed specifically to increase speed. Engineered to be both lightweight and comfortable, the boots feature Armourbound and Armourlastic EVA foam to provide extra cushioning. With a fit more similar to running shoes than duty boots, it carries aggressive tread to keep wearers surefooted and ready for action. Available in men’s and women’s sizes, the Valsetz comes in a variety of styles to fit individual preferences—such as low, mid and tall variations.

The Under Armour Tactical Zip boot is another noteworthy addition to TacticalGear.com. Its full-grain leather upper can easily be polished, while its ballistic mesh panels deliver breathability. Constructed for swift movements, the anti-friction lining prevents blister-causing hotspots. The traction rubber outsole can grip slick surfaces and discourages the caking of mud and debris. A push-through protection plate keeps feet safe from hazards.

Currently we carry the bulk of Under Armour’s tactical footwear line. Keep your eyes peeled as we add apparel, hats and gloves in the coming months.

What’s your most crucial piece of gear from Under Armour?

I say: Why not use both?

Let’s look at what each does well and doesn’t do well.

Pistols are handy to have. They are good for moving about and other tasks where a free hand is needed, like opening open doors, leading people to safety and/or holding a flashlight. But they’re kinda lacking in the firepower department compared to a long gun.

A shotgun or a rifle brings A LOT more firepower to the table that a handgun just can’t match. Unless you’ve got an Ithaca Auto & Burglar by your bedside, you’re going to need both hands to work the gun. An AR-15 makes a dandy home defensive firearm, but be warned: They are LOUD in enclosed spaces. If it’s legal to do so where you live, consider buying a suppressor. Elsewise, some active hearing protection for you and your loved ones might not be a bad idea if you’re thinking about an AR-15 for home defense.

I have a Mossberg 500 in my safe room loaded with #4 buckshot, and I have a pistol (usually one of my CCW guns) on or near me at all times. The shotgun is for defense of the safe room, and the pistol is there to move around the house if needed. On my shotgun, I have a shotshell holder with extra buckshot and a few slugs. I figure 13 rounds or so rounds of #2 buckshot*, a couple of slugs plus the content of my CCW pistol(s) will be enough to stop most threats outside of a rampaging bungalow—or at least enough to hold them off until help arrives.

I consider both a shotgun and a pistol to be integral parts of my home defensive plan, much like I consider a fire extinguisher and a smoke alarm to be parts of my plan for a home fire. Each has its role to play. My primary plan is to get everyone to the safe room ASAP and wait there with my shotgun until help arrives. If for some reason I need to move about my house, it’ll be with a pistol and a flashlight if it’s at night. My primary plan isn’t to go from room to room clearing my house: I’ll leave the professional tactical work to the professional tactical people.

Recently however, I noticed a flaw in my thinking. In my safe room, I had the means to stop a threat, but I didn’t have the means to stop bleeding. The nearest first aid kit to my safe room was downstairs in the hall closet.

Whoops.

Fortunately, there’s a bunch of different options out there. I bought a Maxpedition Versipack and filled it up with an Infantryman’s First Aid Kit (IFAK), copies of my driver’s license and CCW for easy identification if (God forbid) I needed them. I keep an old unused cell phone nearby as well, because any working cell phone can call 911, regardless of whether it’s on a current plan or not.

I keep all this stuff in our safe room because I don’t want to clear my house, going from room to room with catlike stealth. I want to get my family to my safe room ASAP and keep them safe, healthy and secure until help arrives.

So what’s your preference? Pistol, shotgun, rifle or some combination of all three?

*Why #2 instead of 00 buck? I live in the suburbs, and over-penetration through thin drywall into other houses is definitely a concern of mine.

Guest author Kevin Creighton is the voice behind Misfires and Light Strikes: An Arizona Gun Blog. He describes himself as fitting in with Gun Culture 2.0 and continues to expand his firearm knowledge on and off the range. You can follow him at @ExurbanKevin.

The super-low profile tee fits like a compression shirt, which means it’s supposed to be tighter. The next-to-body fit will keep your weapon secure and stop it from moving around. Wear it under a polo or button-up shirt, and no one will have a clue you’re packing.

The most versatile holster shirt on the market, its hook and loop systems lets you customize the whole setup. How you might ask? On either side of the shirt, there is a reinforced mounting pad that accommodates a holster, magazine pouch or accessory pouch. The holster and pouches attach to the mounting pad with industrial hook and loop, which means it’s beyond customizable. Whether you want a gun on each side, a gun and a magazine or a maybe just a knife—the carry options are endless!

Image via eBay.

A lot of thought went into its development. The sleeveless shirt allows for a wider range of motion and won’t restrict you when drawing your weapon. The shoulders and arm holes are also reinforced to prevent shirt sag.

What is the preferred draw method? The shirt is designed for a cross draw, so righties should stick their holder on the left side of their body. If you’re a lefty, that holster goes on your right.

The classic design features a crew neck, but Ridge recently added a V-neck to the mix. Available in black and white, it’s made of comfortable, breathable pre-shrunk cotton. It’s also low maintenance. Just take the holster and/or pouches off, and throw that shirt in the washing machine. Easy peasy!

Holsters and pouches are purchased, so make sure to load up on those while ordering your Packin’ Tee. And remember to only put one holster or pouch on each side. If you overload your Packin’ Tee, you will definitely blow your cover.

How do you conceal carry? 

So what kind of knives are we talking here? Well, all blades have to measure less than 2.36 inches long and less than 0.5 inches in width at their widest points. Additionally, these knives cannot be of the locking or fixed-blade variety—think Swiss Army knife. Leave those box cutters, molded handled knives and locking blades at home because those are still on the banned list. Check out the below table to see what kind of knives will be permitted.

John Pistole, a TSA admin, announced the change in police at a recent aviation conference.

“Through TSA’s layered approach to security, and to align more closely with International Civil Aviation Organization standards, effective April 25, 2013 TSA will allow knives that do not lock, and have blades that are 2.36 inches or 6 centimeters or less in length and are less than 1/2 inch in width, novelty-sized and toy bats, billiard cues, ski poles, hockey sticks, lacrosse sticks and two golf clubs as part of their carry-on baggage. This is part of an overall Risk-Based Security approach, which allows Transportation Security Officers to better focus their efforts on finding higher threat items such as explosives,” reads the TSA website.

Still not sure what you can carry? Check out the small knives guidelines illustration. Unfortunately, our knives aren’t quite small enough to sneak into your luggage, so remember to leave these tactical knives at home or pack them in  your checked bags.

Check out the full rundown here.

What do you think of the change? More importantly, will you carry a pocket knife onboard after April 25, 2013?

Learn something new. 

I took a two-hour sporting clays class earlier this month and had a blast. I’ve never really had any instruction on wing shooting and those two short hours helped me bust more clays than I did before. Is it tactical? Probably not. Is it fun? Oh yeah. Next time, I’ll shoot a round with my Mossberg 930SPX just to get in a little bit of loading practice and work on those popper/flying clay pigeon combo targets that are so common in 3 Gun.

In a similar vein, why not take some time and get reacquainted with your rifle? No, not the AR-15 that has enough stuff hanging off its rails to decorate a Hanukkah bush. I’m talking a RIFLE, a bolt-action or semi-auto gun in a major caliber (bigger than .223) that can reach out and touch someone beyond where your M4gery can reach. After all, you’ll want to find out whether you need to update your rifle with something like a cheek protector or new sling NOW, not when you really need to make the shot. Besides that, the slow pace of a precision rifle work means you won’t burn through your precious ammo supply at a fast rate. Also, you can find hunting calibers (.30-06, .243, 7mm and so on) right now, even if the more common calibers are all gone from the store shelves.

Practice without ammo.

Sure, there’s dry fire practice. Dry fire practice can be very good for things like quick reloads and finding out the best location for all your daily carry items. Dry fire practice is also very good for getting rid of any latent tendency to jerk the trigger (and I let you know how good when I get rid of mine…). But caveat emptor: Repeating a mistake in dry fire over and over again means you’ll repeat that mistake over and over again with real ammo.

Airsoft is another option for practicing without ammo. You can find gas or electric action airsoft guns that feel and work just like most common semi-automatic pistols and rifles. This means you can practice with all those accessories you bought, like holsters and mag pouches, but you do not have to wear ear protection while doing so. Again, it’s not the same as real ammo, but it sure beats sitting around waiting for your back-ordered .45 to show up.

Those are just two suggestions. What else are YOU doing to get through this current ammo shortage? 

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Guest author Kevin Creighton is the voice behind Misfires and Light Strikes: An Arizona Gun Blog. He describes himself as fitting in with Gun Culture 2.0 and continues to expand his firearm knowledge on and off  the range. You can follow him at @ExurbanKevin.

The glossary includes terms that describe the special features, fabrics or materials found in tactical gear and apparel. Not sure what MOLLE is? There is an entry that explains the system. Can’t remember the name of the newest camouflage? It lists the latest variations of camouflage patterns. Helpful for even tactical experts, it takes the guesswork out of purchasing gear online.

It also incorporates the common words used by tactical industry experts, gun enthusiasts and those employed in the public safety arena, such as elite operators, law officers, SWAT teams or security professionals. For example, the word standardize is defined as “to bring into conformity with a standard” in the dictionary. That same word in the Tactical Glossary has a more specific definition: “To organize your gear in a fashion that ensures it’s always in the same place. This is especially helpful during high-pressure missions or situations.” The glossary outlines nuances unfamiliar to newbies and potentially even some veterans in the field.

We invite all you experts and novices to scope out the Tactical Glossary, and let us know if we left anything out! Comment directly on the glossary page or leave feedback on our Facebook wall.

Do you have problems shopping for gear online? What kind of resources do you think would help? 

From the newest holster on the block to the latest in watches, Blackhawk had some real showstoppers housed within their booth walls. Luckily, we got a chance to talk to several product managers about the intriguing products that have already come out or will launch later this year. So if you’re in the market for some awesome tactical gear, you’ll want to scope out the following videos.

Deep Sea Operator Watch

Years in the making, the Blackhawk Deep Sea Operator Watch will impress even the most hardcore of tactical professionals. Meeting ISO 6425 water-resistant standards, its scratch-resistant sapphire crystal is precisely milled for maximum waterproofness. For more on this durable timepiece, check out the video below.

Diversion Racquet Bag

Sometimes you just don’t want to be noticed. Transport your firearms the stealthy way with the Blackhawk Diversion line of bags and packs. Designed to look like commercially-used products like racquet bags, gym duffels and board packs, these bags discreetly carry various styles of firearms.

For more on the concepts behind the line and the Blackhawk Diversion Racquet Bag, please view the video below.

GripBreak Holster

The super-new Blackhawk GripBreak Holster has a low-profile appearance, while offering retention. The premium Italian leather design provides a smooth draw thanks to the simple thumb release lever.

For the full rundown, see what the product manager has to say in the below video.

Which Blackhawk product are you most excited about this year?

But a gun is not enough. In fact, a pistol is just the end of the journey, because chances are you’re not going to need it, thank God.

So what should you have with you besides your gun?

1.) A Flashlight

We spend half our lives in the dark — a flashlight isn’t just a good idea, it’s an absolute necessity. In the past, I relied on the flashlight app on my iPhone, but after some testing, I found the flashlight app just isn’t anywhere near as powerful as even the smallest dedicated flashlight.

After filting around with a few different lights, I’ve settled on a Streamlight Microstream. I absolutely love it. Why?

• It’s small, which means you’ll carry it with you more often.
• It’s BRIGHT for it’s size, brighter than a AA Maglite and bright enough to light up a doorway from across the street.
• It’s cheap, so you won’t be heartbroken if you misplace it.
• It’s rugged. Mine has survived two trips through the washing machine and the dryer (don’t ask why) with no issues whatsoever
• It takes one AAA battery, which means you can find spare batteries for it everywhere.

2.) A Knife

Quick! Open up that clamshell plastic packaging without a sharp object … I dare you! Oh, what’s that you say? You can’t quite lever out the jammed paper in the photocopier? And now you’ve ripped the “easy open tab” off your microwavable entree, and you’re faced with the prospect of an unintentional day-long fast or some a jaunt outside of the office for lukewarm, lackluster fast food. Knives make too much sense not to have one on you. Besides, they’re a pretty decent self-defense tool as well.

3.) Extra Ammo

Make a quick list of everything that can go wrong with a modern semi-automatic pistol. No, go ahead. I’ll wait.

Done? Good. Now, how many of the items on your list are related to the pistol’s magazine? And you don’t carry a spare magazine on you because….?

I use a Blackhawk! Single Mag Pouch when I carry my CZ P07, and it works like a charm. I’m not planning on shooting 32 rounds of 9mm in a defensive situation. But I figure if something goes wrong with my gun and I have to reload, I can.

4.) A Smartphone

We can have the “I just want my phone to be a phone and make phone calls” discussion some other time. The fact is a smartphone allows you to have a Red Cross First Aid Guide and an Emergency Radio Scanner and a GPS and a weather alert radio and a whole bunch of other useful information at your fingertips. Plus, we now know that when an emergency happens and the cell phone towers are overloaded with traffic, text messages can go out when phone calls can’t. A smartphone also has a camera to document what happened for the police and/or insurance companies, and you can always play Angry Birds on it while you wait for the other first responders to respond.

What other items should a well-prepared person have on them besides their gun?

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Guest author Kevin Creighton is the voice behind Misfires and Light Strikes: An Arizona Gun Blog. He describes himself as fitting in with Gun Culture 2.0 and continues to expand his firearm knowledge on and off  the range. You can follow him at @ExurbanKevin.