All posts tagged Tactical Apparel

Looks like Woolrich Inc is out of the tactical apparel market

Tru-Spec 24/7 series tactical clothingWe were the first dealer in Pennsylvania to carry the Woolrich Elite Series product line and I can’t think of much out there other than 5.11 tactical products, but Woolrich Elite Series products were very well received.  At the time the economy was better and people were willing to spend $50 for a pair of pants, but now things are really crazy and many of our customers are telling us they are dropping over $60 a pair of pants for 5.11 tactical stuff.   We’ve seen the ceiling be about $50 for pants and once we go over that for a product, we basically loose out to 5.11 tactical or some other company.  I have no idea what people are going to do if they liked Woolrich Elite Series products or the Eotac line because after checking out the Vertx, Tru-Spec and Blackhawk Product lines, they are all overy different.

There is a whole bunch of drama that went down with the guys that original came up with the idea for the Woolrich Elite line and in the end it lost out to the competition because it just couldn’t keep up with the times.   Our best best right now is to sell what our customers want and the Tru-Spec 24/7 Series tactical clothing has a great quality product for about 20%-40% less than their competitors.  There are the new Truely Tactical products coming out that are less than $40 and we expect that this is a great idea considering the economy and the market drive.  There are several companies making stuff now but nobody likes to buy online for new clothing and most walk to walk in a shop and try them on.

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3yrs of customer feedback on Original Swat boots

We still get a large number of people in our store that have never heard of the Original Swat footwear company, but locally, there are more and more of our Police Departments wearing their products.  We have seen several improvements and re-designs with their products as well as some very new lightweight tactical boots.   I personally have worn the boots for over 3yrs and not a single one of them has been flawed or fell apart on me and I wear them 7 days a week.  There are differences in what people’s line of work is and not everyone is going to need wear waterproof or composite toe boots.  If you haven’t noticed, steel toe footwear is a thing of the past.

The SEK900 were a very popular all leather boot for us but for some reason they were discontinued.   The 1150 Original Swat Boots are still the most popular lace up boot and the 1152 and now 1312 Chase Low boots are the most popular side zip boots.  Boots are increasing becoming lighter and lighter as the materials have improved.  The Slip on Moc boots are also very popular with the EMS as well as our number one Paramedic boot the waterproof 1234 which is a waterproof version of the 1232 air boots. We have seen what Original Swat is coming out with this SHOT SHOW and are looking forward to the new Chase low womens footwear.

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Woolrich Elite nearing the end?

Its looking more and more like the Woolrich Elite Series Tactical product line is no more.  We’ve seen several clothing companies and various other tactical gear manufacturers pull out of China and the task of retooling the the machines and launching the products in a bad economy have been rough.   We recently heard that Tru-Spec is now making their clothing in Honduras which is a major shift from our standpoint because just about everyone making tactical clothing came in from somewhere in Asia.   India, Cambodia, Vietnam, China it seemed like everyone had a manufacturer over there, but cost increases have really hit some companies and from what we see it can cause a certain percentage of your customers to switch to another brand.

Now that we  have such a large Law Enforcement customer base, many of these guys and gals have a clothing allowance and increase the cost of tactical clothing by $10 per item means they may can few items.   The differences between 5.11 tactical and TruSpec shirts are considerable as far as pocket designs and such, but many of the Tru-Spec and 5.11 tactical clothing products are made of similar materials.   The differences are quality control and sizing consistency.  We here so many complaints about 5.11 products getting expensive and the truth of the matter, they are not the only ones, Vertx pants are usually over $60, Woolrich Elite $50 and from what we see Tru-Spec products from Atlanco are the best priced products.

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We have a clear winner for best priced tactical pants

And the hands down best pants for anyone with a budget are the Tru Spec tactical pants.   The lightweight poly cotton ripstop pant is an easy transition for anyone that has been wearing the 5.11 tactical pants, and more than a number of our customers have mentioned that the 5.11 tactical apparel line  has become more and more expensive.  We’ve so much turmoil and price increases with tactical clothing and it affects anyone that was getting their stuff made in China.   Cotton prices are up as well as shipping and transportation.   We are seeing UPS ground prices hang around $14 and that if for products under 3 pounds.    Two pairs of tactical pants, whether they are lightweights or standard weights are going to be over 3 lbs and most people’s sizes will be close to 2 pounds each.

If you factor in order 3 or 4 pairs of pants and they are each $50 a pair, that is $150-$200 for them.  If you got a pair of tactical pants that were just as good quality wise, and they cost $10 each, you will get them for $120-$160 dollars.  Those are pretty good differences in prices and for many of our Law Enforcement departments that are looking for something that doesn’t burn up all of their clothing expenses are going with Tru Spec over Blackhawk and 5.11 just based on cost.   If you are already getting the quality and the same basic material, what’s the point in tossing another $10 a pair in the trash.   There are always feature differences with tactical clothing so we’re not knocking 5.11 or Blackhawk, but saving money in a bad economy is very important.

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100% cotton ripstop pants and comfortable tactical pants

We’ve tested the waters in the last year after Eotac faded away, and we have over a years worth of feedback about customers that have moved on to Blackawk tactical pants, TruSpec tactical pants and even Vertx.   Vertx seems to have gotten great reviews but not everyone is moving in that direction.  I have found the Vertx product line to be the most well received tactical pants amongst our window shopping operators.  You should see more and more products like this on our inventory in 2013.  In the meantime, most of our customers have told  us that they want cotton canvas pants, 100% cotton ripstop pants or the poly/cotton ripstop.

There are always slight differences with each pant that make it a selling point to a certain market.  Most of military contractors prefer the 100% cotton ripstop cargo pants from Woolrich Elite Series Tactical Clothing because it is really the only tactical pant to go back to or stay with since Eotac has gone. Many of our Law Enforcement Officers need a pant that has some time of lining in it to keep your pants tucked in, those customers go to 5.11 tactical pants or Blackhawk tactical pants.  Some tactical  pants are good for the office and others for Iraq.

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The diffferences between 5.11, TruSpec and Blackhawk Poly/Cotton Ripstop

We’ve been in this business for so long we’ve seen Companies come and go, products have come and gone and in the end, only the best product lines hold up in this tough market.   We know our customers and the differences between their needs and that not all of our customers are going to want the same thing.   I found  out the hard way after trying on several 5.11 tactical pants and finding out that the stories about shrinkage we’re true.   Some tactical pants don’t hold your wallet as well as others and I’ve had some pants fail on the firing line where as soon as I knelt down my wallet immediately would fall out.   Tactical clothing like the Woolrich Elite and the Eotac lines were very similiar but the differences between getting your wallet out while pulling into a toll booth with one over the other, were considerable.  I hated those times I couldn’t get my wallet out and got tired of wearing them on the road.

Some tactical pants come with knee pad inserts but not everyone feels these are practical.  They don’t necessarily work on all tactical pants but Blackhawk tactical pants have a special teflon coating that makes them more water resistant that the TruSpec or 5.11 tac lite pro pants.   I have heard from numerous customers that there is a big difference between the breathability of these pants in hot weather.   Some of our 3 gun customers only want the 100% ripstop pants because the slight differences between polyester cotton blends and 100% cotton ripstop are considerable if you are running and jumping.

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Military clothing vs CCW apparel

I hear people say all the time that a certain type of clothing is a “shoot me now” vest or a shoot me now jacket.   I don’t think that is really that big of a deal in many circumstances because there have been many types I’ve been to a mall in the winter and I have seen a skinny pot smoking kid in a military style camo jacket.   Most of those guys aren’t packing firearms and I doubt a bank robber or a terrorist is going to shoot them first because they are wearing military clothing.   I think looking healthy and having good muscle mass is more likely to get you shot first rather than have a fishing vest or a camoflauge jacket on.  TrusSpec makes some nice multicam products namely their new tactical pants.

There have been some really nice jackets and coats in the past and I have no idea why they stopped making them because some of them were really nice.  The SigTac jackets were a huge seller a few years ago, the Woolrich Elite Barn Coat and the Woolrich Elite Algerian Jackets were also very popular but some of them were discontinued.  The Eotac field jacket was basically and improved version of the Woolrich elite product line but that also faded out.  This year our two best selling outwear jackets are the Woolrich Elite Twill jacket and the Woolrich Elite Algerian jacket.   The Woolrich Elite Series Tactical algerian jacket is a military style jacket that has that look but it also has a lot of functionality that works well for carry a firearm.

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Getting use to these TruSpec pants

It was a big change for me to switch over from what I have worn for almost 7yrs and then try a different pocket design and different materials.   I started out like many with the 5.11 tactical pants and my first pair of pants had horrible shrinkage.  So many of  our customers have made the same statements and always say they are looking for something else but afraid to order them online.  We often get asked “what are my sizes for TruSpec, Blackhawk, Vertx” ect. if they wear X with 5.11.   There are sizing variations and fit differences and it’s just one of those things about buying clothing, you really need to try them on before you buy.

The pocket designs on the TruSpec 24/7 pants took some getting use to but now that I have adjusted my gear and taught myself how to carry my knife, flashlight and weapons, I have been very happy with the quality.  The polyester cotton ripstop material makes these lightweight tactical pants and somewhat of an easier product to just wash and go.  I don’t like having to iron clothing that much and if you are in a professional environment and don’t have the time to let your 100% cotton ripstop pants de wrinkle themselves, TruSpec pants are an easy switch for anyone wearing 5.11 tactical pants.

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Woolrich Elite goodies on clearance

last year we picked up a  ton of discontinued Woolrich Elite products but had a shockingly bad winter sales for outwear.   One of our favorite things about the Woolrich Elite product line is that the fabrics they use are very well made.   For a company that has been around for over 180yrs, they must have some secrets that have kept them in the business for so long.  These were originally marketed as a CCW sweatshirt, but they really don’t have any features that are concealed carry friendly other than the fact they are cut a little long.

We picked up a large quantity of these and since we had such a warm winter, they didn’t sell so good so we’re trying to make room and clear them out.  We have a large international and domestic customer base and these Woolrich Elite sweatshirts are being sold for 50% below what we use to sell them for.  Even though it’s hot as hell here in Pennsylvania, we know there are customers in Canada, Alaska and Afghanistan that might wants these.   Check out or clearance and sale section as well as the new Woolrich Elite Series tactical products like the Twill Jacket.

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What people are saying about the differences in material

When we first got into the tactical clothing business Woolrich Elite Series was the first company to come out that was different than 5.11 tactical.   The 5.11 pants and shorts we were wearing were a poly cotton ripstop material and not cut very well.   I have some of the 5.11 covert carry jeans and they are just downright lame as far as design and fit.  The Woolrich Elite jeans were a good idea but the colors and fit were not very good.  To date the only concealed carry jean that we sold that got a good response were the Eotac 205 jeans and we are sadly not going to see those again.

The cotton canvas pants seem to be liked because of the comfort of the material but when people want lightweight pants, it’s either 100% cotton ripstop or it’s going to be a poly cotton blend.   We had an electrician come in here and say that the TruSpec tactical pants we sold were not approved for his job and only the 100% cotton ripstop pants were due to fire safety.  Both pants may look the same but they are not the same when it comes to moisture resistance and comfort although I find the TruSpec pants to be best fit for me for the poly cotton blend.

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