Welcome to the 5.11 great gear guide! As the holidays approach it’s time to think about gear we want and want to give! Here are a few things to consider from the folks at 5.11 Tactical.

5.11 GREAT GEAR GUIDE

A/T Trainer Mid 2.0

Shoes are important. A good pair makes you want to dance. A bad pair will have you cursing their existence. I have finicky feet, a statement I don’t make lightly, but thanks to 5.11’s A/T Trainer Mid 2.0, I have many comfortable days working out, on the range, and around town. I think the A/T Trainer Mid 2.0 is easily some of the best footwear to exist.

Comfort is fully on tap in the A/T Trainer Mid 2.0 thanks to the 5.11 Echo Lite high rebound midsole, and further aided by an Ortholite Insole. They also feature what 5.11 calls an A.T.L.A.S. support plate which is removable, and provides additional stability, weight distribution and support. All-day comfort is further aided in the high abrasion mesh that allows air to flow through the shoe.

Traction is plentiful thanks to the multi directional, lugged rubber outsole. Here in Arizona, the rocks can chew a sole pretty quickly. The A/T Trainer fares well in this environment, with some nicks on the outer edges of the sole if you dig in just right—but again these technically aren’t for the range.

I’ll be honest—I don’t know how to write about comfort. It just is or it is not. I have several pairs of A/T Trainer Mid 2.0. Because they are so good, and in the right color combo, look so good, I keep additional pairs in reserve for the right outfit, that undoubtedly will include other 5.11 clothing. If you haven’t tried a pair, this is an easy way to dabble in 5.11 gear. I’ve never heard anyone not liking the A/T footwear collection.

Seth Shirt Jacket

Where I live, cooler weather is short lived. But when it hits, and I get to button up, I go for the good stuff. Now the good stuff is in the form of flannel. You may be like me, toeing the line of how to dress to my lifestyle without looking too much like my lifestyle. The Seth Shirt Jacket has just the right balance. It looks amazing and feels amazing as well.

I’d classify this as a medium weight jacket, and depending on your personal heat index, you could get away with wearing this in 30-degree temps. Now, for me that means 55 degrees because I don’t heat up like I used to.

The Seth Shirt Jacket is 100% cotton on the outside with a polyester fleece body lining. The sleeves are lined with polyester taffeta and insulated, so your warmth won’t have a place to escape.

There are four external pockets— two side pockets that are very accommodating and will easily hold gloves and a mobile phone with plenty of room to spare. They are zippered just in case you want to make sure your items stay with you. Two chest pockets leave space for stashing glasses or other goods.

The Seth Shirt Jacket makes carrying concealed an easy task and I love the RAPIDraw snap closure. They look like buttons when closed without the hassle of actually buttoning.

If you like flannel, the Seth Shirt Jacket should be in your load out without a doubt.

Rush12 2.0 Backpack

Backpacks are like a good friend; you can never have enough. The Rush 12 2.0 Backpack is a homerun from 5.11 with 5 stars in reviews. 

The Rush12 2.0 has a ton of features, all designed to help you maximize your usage of the pack. Water resistant 1050D nylon, YKK zippers that never fail, and compatibility with Molly and web pouches is a good starting point. The Rush12 2.0 has 16 compartments for a total of 1476 cubic inches.

One of the key features is a padded laptop compartment, an absolute must for any pack these days. Additional compartments include a dedicated fleece lined compartment for sunglass storage, so they don’t get damaged, a front pocket administrative panel that folds down for notebooks, pens and the like, and a concealed carry compartment with hook and loop attachments. A grab handle and hydration tube ports round out the Rush12 2.0

A backpack is no good if it’s pain to deal with. The shoulder straps on the rush are comfortable with a contoured yoke. I’m always on limited time with a backpack on me but this pack stays comfortable for what I need to get done.

If you want a low-pro pack this isn’t the one. The Molle and hook and loop sections make it clear that you’re one of those types and there can be no mistake about it once you select the Rush12 2.0 in the new Woodland Camo pattern. Sometimes, you just need to make a statement.

Range Master Large Pouch

If you shoot a lot, you likely have a bunch of gun gear. When this is the case, organization is paramount. I’ve not had great luck with large range bags, mainly because they are a lot to carry, and I need to have specific bags for specific tasks. When I discovered the 5.11 Range Master Large Pouch, it solved my problem.

The name says large but it’s just the right size to separate specific pieces of your kit. For instance, I shoot precision rifle, so I place items such as a kestrel, a timer, and chronograph in one specific Range Master Pouch, so that I can move those items in between specific load outs. For you pistoleros, you can separate specific magazines into a pouch, or in the days of optic-ready pistols, a pouch dedicated to all the optic things you now need.

Capacity is 10 liters and thanks to the packs well designed shape, they are easily stackable. Wanna make you gear shenanigans less so? The Range Master Large Pouch is a great idea.

Deploy K-USB Flashlight

Little things mean a lot, especially when it comes to EDC gear. I’ve found a friend in the Deploy K -USB Flashlight. This little gem delivers and delivers every day.

From a technical standpoint it’s got good numbers—180 lumen or output, with a 30-meter throw distance. Dimensionally, it’s tiny, a perfect keychain addition (or solo) at 2.5 x .75”, x .75”.

It has a second output setting of 40 lumens that lets you push the batter to 2 hours and 45 minutes of continuous use. That’s an hour longer than the 180-lumen setting. I’ve used this light under normal circumstances, just whenever I needed a light, for over a year now and I finally charged the lithium-ion battery for the first time the other day. This was made easy via USB-C slot.

It’s a tough light, with aluminum housing and like their moto says, you’re always ready with this illumination tool on your person.

Check out all the other possible goodies and gifts from 5.11 Tactical.