All posts in Tactical Gear

Tactical Lifestyles from Smith Optics Elite

Smith Optics Elite Lifestyle ballistic eyewear gives you the protection you need but with a stylish look. The Hideout Tactical Eyewear is available in clear, gray, Polarized Gray and the new Brown Polarized sunglasses. Smith Optics has been around for a very long time and making quality eyewear is something Smith Optics has proven. Having tactical clothing and gear that is comfortable and durable is something that the tactical community has been asking for and the Smith Optics Elite Tactical Lifestyles has achieved that.

It’s always best to be able pickup things like this at a stocking dealer so you can try them on.  All of the tactical lifestyles Smith Optics Elite ballistic eyewear are used by our local Law Enforcement and Government Security officials.   Tactical Teams and Swat teams a like use the Boogie Regulator and Smith Optics Elite Outside the Wire ballistic goggles like the Lo Pro goggle and the Turbo Fan goggle. There are big differences between this line of eyewear compared to others that are priced less.  The best thing to do is stop in our Broomall, PA location and try them on for yourself.

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Some feedback for customers that wore Eotac or Woolrich Elite Shirts

I’m not going to bash either product because if you really want an opinion about those three products, they are all well made tactical products but they really are more about the mission or the preference you have in your work space.   Here in Pennsylvania, I’ve told people many times, that we can get all 4 Seasons, Summer, Fall, Winter and Spring.  And when i mean all 4 Seasons, I mean zero degrees to 103 F in the same year.   Which tactical polo is going to work well for you in that situation?  I have some customers that love the Woolrich Elite Polos because they are a looser fit, but some customers don’t like them because they are heavier in weight compared to 5.11, Tru-Spec or Eotac stuff.

Many of the products we sell from Tru-Spec are very well received.  Even though we are clearing out some other tactical apparel product lines, many of our customers are trying to move away from the 5.11 tactical clothing and we have been successful in moving the Tru Spec shirts that have been coming in.  There will be a new line of the Gunny approved Tru-Spec product line in the coming weeks.  There are also new backpacks and lightweight tactical vests coming in with the product line.  We are hoping to add more and more lightweight products including the new gunny pants that have slight differences, yet improvements to the 24/7 series.

 

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Range bags and something else for carrying handguns

I have several range bags that I’ve used over the years and they seem to keep getting bigger and bigger.  I have lots of experience taking guns to the range and realizing I forgot a certain caliber handgun or forgot to bring a sight in tool and pretty much spoiled my range day by doing that.   Nothing sucks worse than bringing a rifle to the range and knowing it’s not sighted in and not having the ability to correct it.   My Elite Survival Medium range bag was a step up from my Uncle Mikes range bag because it had a few better thought out features.

One thing I have learned to do is pack the bare minimum of firearm accessories, hearing protection and eye wear.  If I am taking a training course I usually use my Elite Survival bags like the 4 gun pistol pack.   I have modified that firearm bag to just use my combat or primary weapons.  It is outfitted with the  molle attachments that pertain to that caliber magazine, radio or other tools.   This Elite Survival bag can easily handle 4 large frame handguns and magazines.   My Beretta 92FS, Sig 229, Springfield XD and my Ruger GP100 all fit very well in this gun bag.

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More Boogie Regulator Feedback

These have been one of the hottest selling pieces of eyewear in recent years and it’s been fun watching the diverse groups of people show up at our door looking for them.   We feel we’ve gotten enough feed back from customers that we can actually answer our other customers questions with honest answers.   The Boogie Regulators are hot sellers because they are very reasonable priced compared to the rest of the Smith Optics Elite product line.  I personally prefer the Smith Optics Elite Eyeshields due to their broad visibility and lack of having any blind spots.
The Smith Optics Elite eyewear has covered a lot of ground since we first started carrying the product line.   These new Boogie regulators have continued to be hot sellers but we’ll be honest about what they are good for.  Many SWAT Teams and tactical teams have used these but they are really meant for moving operators and you may have some issues with them fogging up due to the fact they are closed optics.  The vents can be opened and closed and if you are constantly moving, jumping out of an air plane ect. they are really good to  use.  If you are dealing with hot temps you may want to stick with the eyeshields.

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Otis gun cleanings in stock!

You won’t find a more compact cleaning kit for your firearm than an Otis gun cleaning kit. They are specialized for various types of firearms and not just caliber specific like many other cleaning kits. You can get a Universal cleaning kit for multiple calibers or get one that is specific to an M16. Everyone knows how much a chore the M4 and M16 family of firearms are to clean and carrying a cleaning rod with you is impractical. There are videos on the internet and CDs that you can watch while you learn about your Otis gun cleaning kit. They will take a little time to get use to using because the gun cleaning kits are mini tool boxes that can vary depending on the configuration you order.

The military configurations are very practical for anyone that owns an AR15 or M4 variant. You can cut down on the amount of time you spend cleaning and get more use out of your cleaning patches if you properly use your Otis cleaning kits,  The Otis product line is geared towards the hunter, the target shooter, the gun collector and military applications. The Otis M16 butt stock cleaning kit fits where it says it goe. You will appreciate being able to clean a pistol or rifle out of something that can fit in your hand and can easily be stowed in a range bag or tactical vest. Cleaning brushes and cleaning patches are all in there so do some research into what you really want in a cleaning kit and pick amongst the kits that are available.The Otis sniper cleaning system is a great companion to a DMR or bolt action rifle.

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Ballistic Eyewear in Stock

There are only a few optics companies that are approved by the United States Military and Smith Optics Elite are one of them. The Outside the wear goggles are used by many military and Law Enforcement. Many of our customers are active military and when they have the option to try out something other than what they are issued, they are choosing the Smith Optics Elite. There are replacement lenses for the Outside the Wire googles and improved ballistic protection.

The OTW Turbo Fan solves a problem that many optics run into. When you are in a situation where taking your safety gear off and your goggles are fogging up the silent Smith Optics Elite turbo fan will reduce fogging immediately. For law enforcement, the Smith Optics Tactical Lifestyle glasses come in clear, gray, Polarized gray and the Ignitor for all of the glasses. The Director, Lockwood, Hideout series all have a unique feel and look to them as well as the other styles. They will give you UV protection so you can keep your eyes on your job without eye strain.

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More survival items in stock

We have a good inventory of the Elite Survival Systems new product line which includes the Recon Sleeping bags.   This type of product is new to us but they started selling right off the bat when we brought them in store.   These sleeping bags are very small and compact especially for what they are designed to be used for.   There are design features like having a area in the bottom of the bag for you to have space around your feet.  In a survival situation one of the worst things you can do is get entangled in your own sleeping bag not be able to move your feet.   Keeping your boots on inside the sleeping bag gives you faster response time and less worry about uncomfortable positions.

We were at a local event where we sold several of these to hikers that just wanted a compact sleeping bag and  that was that.  All of the recon sleeping bags that we sell have a different rating for survivability and in all realty the differences between the Recon 2 and the Recon 5 are considerable so if you are in areas where the temperatures change, you may want to consider buying different rated sleeping bags.  The Recon sleeping bags are available in an olive drab color and have a easily attachable strap for molle or other backpack attachment.

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Going green with your gun cleaning and your lasers and sights?

Funny how often we make jokes at work about how our business is going green, but in a different way.   Many of the Trijicon optics that we sell use to be with Amber reticles and red crosshairs but not so much anymore.   The whole reason many are swithing over to the green reticles is  not that it’s a fad or anything, it’s that it is a scientific fast that the human eye picks up the green lasers and the green illumination better than red colors.   Now that this Country has over 10yrs of testing out various military style optics and weapons, there are some pretty big changes taking place.   Right now our biggest seller is the Trijicon TA31F-G combat optics.  Many of the flashlights and combo flashlights and lasers are going green.

I’m not the biggest fan of putting lasers on everything, but when you have Navy Seals walking in your store with them, and  you know they just came back from deployments there must be a reason they are using them.  Our primary staple for lasers has always been Crimson Trace laser grips although there has been a lot of traction made with the Viridian flashlights and their laser/light combos.   Streamlight makes a nice product with the TLR flashlights with various laser, lights, and strobe features but there are better things out there.   For home defense especially with less trained shooters, lasers can add more confidence to their shooting abilities.  Do your product review research and stop into a stock dealer and ask to check them out.

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When you are putting hardball ammo downrange with a 45acp

It better be a 1911 if you ask me.  I have several handguns in my collection but I am really bored with most modern 45acp guns because they are too bulky or just to darn heavy for my tastes.  I’m also not a big fan of short barreled guns or compact 1911s.   They are too much maintenance and the slower cycle action seems to make them more prone to having malfunctions.  If you have to ask me what the next best 45acp handgun is, I’d probable have to say the Sig 220 which is also another single stack gun.   Many 45acp guns like the Springfield XD and Glock 21 are too much bulk for my taste and having to hold that up for any extended period of time will make me want a single stack gun.

Many guns issuing warrants or doing house clearing in Iraq and Afghanistan are using the 1911.   When we get feed back from  our customers it’s almost always Wilson Combat or Chip McCormick magazines that they are using.  Both magazines have a long history of working well in the 1911 and both can be had for under $35 dollars.  I rarely use the 7rd magazines because that extra 8rd magazine barely extends out of my guns and the not quite flush fit doesn’t bother me at all.  Having 8rds of 45acp is something that will get the job done if you look at the stats on which caliber gets the job done, magazine capacity is rarely an issue for police or self defense shootings.

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Brick and Mortar stores for tactical gear and clothing

There use to be a well known Army Navy Store here in the Philadelphia Suburbs that was family owned and we use to go there to get our cub scout gear.  They had shovels camping gear, sleeping bags and war props.   Those were fun days for us but that industry just faded away in South Eastern Pennsylvania.  It’s hard to even find a place where you can check out a Swiss Army Knive.  The internet is a booming industry but there is still so much competition amongst brick and mortar stores.  I have friends that shop at Victoria’s Secret for clothing for their wives because shopping online is too hard.  In this industry the same things happen for women trying to find the correct style and color of tactical clothing.  Many will ask what multi-cam is and what color is coyote brown.

On the other hand the average guy will have no idea how to explain what color turquoise is and is going to want to walk into a store to see it.   Backpacks and duty bags are Mission driven and tactical clothing is no different.  The differences between 100% cotton ripstop pants, Blackhawk Polycotton ripstop pants, Tru Spec Polycotton ripstop and 5.11 lightweight tactical pants are also very different.  Pocket designs are unique, some are good for a knife, others have different cargo pockets and may or may not work for you.  We got asked this question all the time about the differences between Eotac and Woolrich Elite tactical clothing.  All of these products  have their pros and cons and it really depends on what your needs are.

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