The Most Essential Tactical Gear: Get Prepared Now

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The world in 2022 is more turbulent than at any other time in recent history, with political ideologies, religious beliefs, and economic classes dividing and separating us as no one has ever seen. War is constantly looming on the world stage, always seeming like a gentle breeze could blow us off that cliff into a complete and tragic free fall, and there is no end in sight. If there was ever a moment to be prepared, this is that moment, and the best way to be prepared is to arm yourself with at least the most essential tactical gear on the market today.

Crime is on the rise as waves of violent criminals are released from prison, police are defunded, and our cities grow more dangerous by the day. We’re left wondering, with everything going on around us, “What can we do?”.

Again…you can be realistic and prepare, prepare yourself and your family by starting to build up your tactical gear supplies now before anything happens to you directly.

Come the time you need it, you’ll be thankful you have it. Arm yourself and your family with the gear and training they need to survive.

So, what is the “most essential tactical gear” to have in a time of crisis? Let me tell you…but first.

WHY LISTEN TO ME

Well, first, I’m not the end-all-be-all by any means. However, I have now spent over a decade in the military. I joined as combat arms and have served in the combat arms my entire career.

Over the span of my career, I have served as armoured recce and now armoured cavalry. I’ve driven, gunned, and now crew command armoured vehicles. I’ve done everything from technical door breaching to aggressive armoured cavalry tactics.

I have used and worn a lot of varying forms tactical gear and used a lot of different tactical equipment over the years, this is my job and my passion.

I love tactical gear and all that it represents: the bold, the courageous, and the willingness to stand between the wolves and the sheep.

THE MOST ESSENTIAL TACTICAL GEAR

HELMET

HHV (Hard Head Veterans), AI Tactical Solutions, and Team Wendy are companies that have earned the trust of the tactical and SF communities through years of battle-testing their gear.

The HHV ATE GEN2, AI Tactical, and EXFIL Ballistic helmets are all rated NIJ Level IIIA, which means they can handle anything and everything up to a direct hit from a .44 magnum.

This is a huge advantage against an unwanted midnight assailant and levels the playing field a bit more against your more trained opponents.

Each of these helmets provides front attachments for NVGs (Night Vision Goggles), accessory mounting systems for added attachments, and velcro for your morale patches.

Each helmet comes with the ability to adjust the size so you can easily fit it to whatever size your head is.

Being built by professionals, they all know the value of comfort. Each helmet has been given solid padding all the way around for maximum comfort.

CHECK LATEST PRICE OF HHV ATE GEN 2
CHECK LATEST PRICE OF AI TACTICAL
CHECK LATEST PRICE OF TEAM WENDY EXFIL

PLATE CARRIER

These plate Carrier companies are known for their elite gear throughout the tactical community. LOF Defence, Spartan Armor, and Armored Republic are three of the highest-tier companies on the market today.

Both the LOF Defence CQR-M2 and the Armored Republic Guardian are made of high-strength 500D Cordura Nylon. The Spartan Armor Achilles takes it up a couple of notches and uses 1000D Codura Nylon.

The Achilles comes with a magazine pouch in the front. The Guardian doesn’t come with one, but is compatible with a magazine pouch in the front. Armored Republic sells a kangaroo mag pouch that can be attached to the front.

Part of what separates most top-tier tactical gear from the pretenders at the bottom is the thought on the part of the company put into the comfort of the wearer.

These three plate carriers offer thick padding on the shoulders and on the back for maximum comfort.

With MOLLE and velcro they also give you the ability to customize your rig however you want.

CHECK LATEST PRICE OF LOF DEFENCE CQR-M2
CHECK LATEST PRICE OF ARMORED REPUBLIC GUARDIAN
CHECK LATEST PRICE OF SPARTAN ARMOR ACHILLES

KNIFE (FIXED BLADE)

A good solid blade is one of the best pieces of gear you can ever have. From opening packages, cutting ropes, to making shelters, hunting for food, or ending the life of an enemy combatant. There is very little a good tactical knife can not accomplish. The Ares, Mullet, and Seal FX Tanto are three elite tactical knives that will out perform all standards in no matter what environment they’re in.

The handles are are made from G10 and polymer material. This makes the handles of these knives extremely strong, durable, and climate resistant. These synthetic handle materials are excellent at standing against beatings. No matter what you do to them, they’ll be able to take it with out breaking you. They also provide very grippy surfaces, so whether you get water or blood on them, they won’t slip out of your hand as you use them.

Each of these knives is made from high end CPM Steels. Thats top tier, elite steel that can take what very few steels can. Highly corrosion resistant, wear resistant, and very hard. These knives will stay sharp from beginning to end no matter what you poke in between.

So attach this to your pack, belt, or chest rig and be ready to slash, cut and gut to your hearts content.

KNIFE (FOLDING)

A pocket knife is one of the most useful pieces of tactical gear you will ever carry and really should be on you at all times! Regardless of whether you’re in a high stress survival situation or just opening a pack of sour patch kids from the corner store, a pocket knife is handy. The Foresight, ZT 0223, and Seal XR are three knives that stand out even in the tactical community. They are tough, rugged, and beautiful! These are top tier blades!

However, I would advise against just any pocket knife. Tactical folders are made with materials specifically meant to handle the kind of situations you might find yourself in. A good tactical knife will have the handle generally made out of micarta or a synthetic polymer, these materials are grippy which ensures that the knife does not slip out of your hand as you’re using it. The odd time a handle might be made out of titanium, which is very strong, but can be slippy in poor weather conditions.

You want a blade that has strong metal, but one that is easy to sharpen when you’re in the field. A metal that won’t rust when wet, and won’t dull from some rough use. This is the kind of steel good tactical blades are made from. Not all folding knives are made equal, these three are elite knives and will be able to handle anything you can throw at them.

Don’t leave home with out one of these on you and for sure don’t leave for the field with out one of these. If you want a greater variety, none of these meet your fancy check out my other article “The Best Tactical Folder: Be Dangerous”. I present a lot more great options separated into price ranges.

HAND GUN

A good side arm is an absolute necessity in both tactical and survival situations. This makes it an essential piece of tactical gear that everyone should have with them at all times as long as the law allows it. Whether at home or out and about a side arm is your number one force multiplier, being able to be drawn quickly and brought to be on any would be assailant.

Sig Sauer and Glock are two world renowned companies that produce elite weapons. These three pistols will fire until the cows come home with out failing you. Glock is renowned for the beatings their guns take and keep on firing accurately. While SIG is known for, well, pretty much everything. They accurate, reliable, and deadly.

The SIG P226 MK25 was initially created for the Navy SEALS and has been their signature fire arm for years. The P220 Legion is SIGS original gun remastered and made better and then made to shoot 10mm. The Glock 17 Gen 5 MOS is the enhanced version of the original Gen5 and like all glocks is always accurate and reliable. Glock are the AK’s of the pistol world!

The 9mm is the most common standard pistol caliber in America and for good reason, it the lightest, with the least recoil, and therefore the easiest to shoot. To put some one down, the most important things is accuracy followed by volume (rounds down range). The 9mm providing the least recoil of any standard pistol round, is also the easiest round to be accurate with for new shooters. Many SF use 9mm as their go to caliber because its truly all you need as long as your rounds are placed well. (BOOM HEADSHOT)

The .45 ACP (the Lords caliber) as well as the 10mm are two more awesome rounds. The .45 ACP is bigger than the 9mm, which means more kick making it a bit harder to aim, but also means it hits harder. The 10mm is your in between round, and my personal favourite. It moves faster than the .45 and hits harder than the 9mm. 10mm in my opinion is the perfect round. The one draw back to 10mm, is that it can be harder to find.

9mm or 10mm the most important thing is to train, train, train and when the time comes to react, you’ll be fast and accurate. Be the predator not the prey!

AR-15

The Ar-15 is Americas rifle. This is by far the most versatile rifle platform on Gods green earth. You can get it in any size, in any caliber, set up to meet any need. Daniel Defence, Springfield Armory, and Q are three of the highest tier weapons manufacturers in the United States. These rifles will quickly dispatch any and all unwanted pests. The extremely high quality manufacturing of these rifles means that you do no need to worry about ammunition jamming or mis-feeding. These weapons can sling lead all day with out needing a break.

The DDM4 V7 and the Saint Edge are chambered in 5.56mm. This is a perfect home defence or personal defence caliber as it has very little recoil allowing for quick smooth shooting and perfect aim. The 5.56 is also a great round because anytime you’re firing in confined spaces with bystanders around you always have to be aware of over penetration. The last thing you want is to shoot through your assailant and hit a family member. The 5.56 was created to disable, it’ll hit your target expand and bounce around inside causing internal damage, keeping your family safe.

If you want a little more punch how ever the Honey Badger is chambered in the absolutely awesome caliber .300 Blackout. The .300 BLK is awesome as you get full powder burn while using a shorter barrel, allowing it to be a very effective CQB caliber. Any assailant even with body armor won’t be able to stand up to multiple rounds. The only aspect that must be considered is the greater potential for over penetration with the .300. You miss your target and this round won’t stop at the first wall it hits.

Which ever caliber you choose, an AR-15 is a MUST HAVE piece of tactical gear. Get one now before Brandon takes them all away!

TACTICAL BOOTS

Tactical boots are the most vital piece of tactical clothing there is. You can get away jeans and a unicorn t-shirt, however your standard pair of shoes does not offer the stability, support, or soul strength a good pair of tactical boos offers. With the high possibility of your situation happening in a more urban environment I went with three of the absolute best light tactical boots on the market today.

The C320’s, MACV-1’s, and Tachyon’s are all very light weight boots and offer maximum speed and manoeuvrability. They may feel like runners, but believe me they are so much more. They all have oil, acid, and puncture resistant souls, which means your feet are very well protected. The less you have to think about the little details, like where your stepping, the more it frees up your mind to over come the high stress situations you find your self in.

These boots boast tough suede leather and 1000D Cordura nylon for the uppers. This means even though they’re light, they still provide great support and stability for your ankles. Even if you leave the the concrete jungle of your city or town for a little more wild of environment, no worries, your ankles and feet will still be taken care.

However, if you desire a boot that’s a bit more rugged, a bit beefier, and even tougher than these three boots beloved by our military. Check out my other article “Toughest Tactical Boots of 2022: Conquer Every Challenge”. If you want to see more light weight boots then check out this article by Tactical Gear Guy, my fellow brother in arms, site “7 Lightest Tactical Boots: The Good And Bad”. Between these articles I’m sure you’ll find what you need and walk away better prepared.

IFAK

An Individual First Aid Kit or IFAK is one of the most important pieces of gear to have on you at all times. This one applies to everyone whether in a survival situation or not. You could be a soccer mom driving your minivan around and it would still be good to have one of these stashed in the door. That being said it is especially important for someone preparing or expecting to find themselves in a high stress survival situation to have one them.

The Touroam IFAK and Meditac Premium IFAK are both created by medical professionals specifically for use on the go and out in the wild. The North American Rescue Eagle IFAK was created by soldiers for soldiers. All three of these have years of experience and knowledge out into their creation

These are IFAKS made for warfighters. They are all MOLLE compatible, which means you will be able to attach them to your plate carriers or backpacks. This makes them readily accessible at a moments notice should things take a turn for the worse. You can also attach them to your belt, either way they give fast and easy access in case of emergencies.

IFAKS have a lot more in them than your standard medical kit handed out at your local car dealer for being the 100th person in the door. The come stacked with items specifically designed for dealing with the militaries MARCH (massive hemorrhage, airway, respirations, circulation, head injury/hypothermia) system of patient care. This means they can handle large bleeds, major limb damage, and series chest and abdominal wounds.

You basic first aid kit is fine if your child scrapes their knee falling of the swing, but the kind of injury you’ll most likely to sustain in a series tactical and/or survival situation needs a series tool. Thats what these IFAK’s are for.

Make sure you never leave home with out your IFAK! You never know when life will take a turn for the worse!

BACKPACK

A good tactical backpack is extremely important as most situations don’t resolve themselves in mere moments. The Rush72, Tomahawk, and 2 Day assault pack some of the elite packs of the tactical community. These backpacks have been tried, tested, and proven true by the fires of combat. They are strong, durable, and and extremely climate resistant.

The Rush72 I can speak from personal experience as well as draw upon the experience of many soldiers I work with, that it is one of the toughest packs known to man. These pack have been through combat world wide and come out with nothing more than some stuck on dirt.

These packs are all made using strong Cordura Nylon ranging from 500 – 1050 ballistic nylon. Being made of Cordura nylon also makes these three packs very water resistant. I have never had an issue with my stuff getting wet inside.

The MOLLE system on them allows you to add extra storage and arrange it however you want for ultimate comfort and convenience. You can also attach other gear such as knives to the outside of these packs. I personally carry a 3.5″ fixed blade on my hip, but then carry my big 7″ fixed blade on my pack when I feel I might need a little more.

These pack are made to handle any tactical/survival situation thrown their way. Use one as your EDC and leave a second one always packed and ready to go. Whatever you do, just don’t be caught with out one.

If you want to do a deeper dive into elite backpacks check out my article “The Best 3-Day Tactical Backpacks”.

WHY IS THIS ESSENTIAL GEAR

There is a ton of tactical gear and and tactical gear companies in America these day (which is a good thing as it means its a booming market and people are waking up to the importance of being prepared). So what is essential? What should every man and woman have at home or in the car readily accessible in case a situation arises in which this gear is needed? By talking with my fellow soldiers, using my own experience, and by studying online, I have narrowed it down to a handful of items.

Again, this gear list is a starting point for everyone. Once you get these, add in other pieces of gear, be more ready and more highly trained than anyone you might come into conflict with.

HELMET

A good helmet is a must have piece of tactical gear. It takes you only a second to throw on and yet will protect one of the most vital parts of your body, your head which holds your brain. It helps protect you from possible things such as enemy fire, whether that enemy is a tyrannical government, an active shooter, or a midnight assailant.

A helmet rated at least NIJ level IIIA will stop your average in coming round, keeping you in the fight longer. Helmets rated NIJ level IIIA stop 9mm, .357 Magnum, and .44 Magnum. NIJ level lll stops rifle rounds and NIJ level IV stops armour piercing rifle rounds.

A good helmet will also offer protection for the old noggin in case of severe falls or other hits to the head. In high stress situations unless you have years of training most people will get tunnel vision and resort to their base instinct. This can lead to accidents, accidents as simple as slipping, tripping, and missing things may ordinarily not, causing you to hit your head and take severe damage.

PLATE CARRIER

A good plate carrier is an ABSOLUTE must have piece of kit for everyone. On top of your helmet this is your number one piece of personal protection, the only other body armour you’ll have. With a plate in the back and the front your most vital areas will have great protection from all threats that might come your way.

There are three main types of rifle rated body armour ceramic, steel, and polyethylene. These three materials can rate between NIJ IIIA – NIJ IV providing maximum protection. There is also soft armour rated for only smaller pistol rounds, but really isn’t of use any use in the scenarios we’re looking at.

To wear anything less just shows a lack of forward thinking, understanding that you must always prepare for the worst scenario. Drug cartels, gangs, and tyrannical governments aren’t using little 9mm pistols for the most part.

The second job a plate carrier can do is act as a full chest rig. Giving you pockets to hold your extra mags, knives, IFAK’s, flashlights and more. This job is equally as important as offering protection. A plate carrier chest rig combo will enable you to engage and dispatch enemies much quicker as everything you need in a battle is right at your finger tips.

KNIFE

A couple good tactical knives are absolutely vital to anyone in a combat / survival scenario. A fixed blade and a pocket knife will come in handy in countless situations. From cutting rope, tape, or zip ties that may be holding something together that you need separated, to taking the life of your enemy, to any countless number of jobs, a good knife can do it all.

In a survival situation a knife can help you obtain food from plant and animal sources, make shelters, create splints, slings, or other medical devices, and so on. A knife is something you will never catch me with out.

A solid fixed blade can be attached many places around your person. From your belt, to your chest rig, or to your backpack. For easy access or utility use a fixed blade can be connected nearly anywhere, especially if your backpack has MOLLE (which I’m sure it will). I personally like to keep mine placed horizontal on my belt either in the small of my back or infant of me on my right hand side.

A pocket knife is just as handy as a fixed blade in its own right. Smaller, more easy to conceal, and perhaps better at finer tasks a good pocket knife is an absolute must! They’re the easiest knife to carry around since its in your pocket, so you can always have it on you with out it being a burden. Even with out pockets, thanks to the clip that they come with you can attach them to pretty much anything you’re carrying.

HANDGUN

Having a good sidearm readily available to you in case of an emergency is something your life and the lives of your loved ones could depend on. Pistols and AR platform rifles truly are the meat of this “Essential Gear” sandwich. They are your force multipliers, your step up over the enemy combatant, over the midnight intruders, and at the very least your equalizer for the active shooter on the streets.

Kept beside your bed or under your pillow everyone should have one. A 9mm, 45 ACP, or 10mm is all anyone will ever need. These are solid heart stopping guns with the least amount of recoil. Most importantly as long as you’re hitting your target they will also give you the least amount of collateral damage.

In places with open, conceal, or constitutional carry a side arm should be on your person at all times. There is no excuse to be a helpless victim in these states

Time after time there are examples in the US of law abiding citizens stopping a would be assailant with their side arm. Get one, train with it, always have it with you, and you’ll be a force be reckoned with.

AR-15

The AR-15 was first developed by Armalite in the 1950’s. Armalite later sold the rifles design to Colt who won a contract with the US military. After the military Colt expanded to law enforcement and civilians. Over time the AR-15 (which is simply an umbrella term for this style of rifle) has become Americas gun.

At generally around 6lbs and able to load rounds from 5.56mm to .300 Blackout to .50 Beowolf, the AR-15 is one of the most customizable rifles on the market today. Put a 16″ barrel on it for CQC or a 26″ barrel for long range precision. You can make this rifle fit any job and any task you need it to, from home defence, too hunting that big buck, too performing a military style assault on the enemy strong hold.

An AR-15 is an absolutely essential piece of your tactical gear. When you hear an unwanted intruder in your house in the middle of the night you can confidently grab this tool, clear your house and quickly dispatch any unwanted nuisance. There is a reason why the AR-15 is the chosen rifle of our nations defenders.

Throw it over your shoulder, collapse the stock and put it in your backpack, or lock it in the trunk of your car. This piece of tactical gear can go with you any where and everywhere.

The learning curve for the Ar-15 rifle is very minimal, which means even new shooters can be shown how to use them with ease. With minimal training most people can achieve a solid proficiency with these weapons. They’re easy to clean, easy to maintain, but hard to argue with.

TACTICAL BOOTS

Tactical boots are essential as they provide support and protection for your feet and ankles. No matter what ground you happen to be on these boots will take care of you and your feet. Many come with strong and puncture proof souls, preventing you from ever taking anything sharp up into your foot. There really is not any comparison in the strength between tactical boots and your average pair of shoes.

Tactical boots made using varying degrees of leather (some softer and some harder) and Denier Nylon ranging from 500 – 1000. These boots are nothing to sneeze at they’re as tough as can be and they never stop. In a tactical or survival situation you don’t know when it will be over and the last thing you need is for your shoes to fall apart leaving you less mobile and an easy victim.

The leather and nylon used are extremely tough, wear resistant, and water resistant. As well, most are still able to be made fairly light. All though heavier than a standard running shoe, you will still be extremely mobile in a good pair of tactical boots. Move fast, stay strong, and don’t be a victim because your $200 pair of name brand running shoes fell apart right when things got tough.

IFAK

Many are also made with Gore-Tex, a water proof lining in the boot. That means the boots will also keep your feet dry and warm when the weather is just as much an obstacle as the thug with a gun coming your way.

An IFAK (Individual First Aid Kit) is an absolute MUST!!!! It can’t get more essential that a good IFAK (Other than maybe your boom sticks)!!! There is an extremely likely chance that if you are in any kind of tactical or survival situation that you are hurt or that you may get hurt. If wounds aren’t treated quickly they can lead to death depending on the severity of the wound.

Surviving life and death situations calls for mental strength and the physical strength to keep, but not stupidity. Wounds can become infected and once infected can lead to some drastic consequences, such as amputation, severe sickness, and even death. Open wounds need to be cleaned up, broken bones need to be splinted, and missing limbs need to have a tourniquet.

Your standard Walmart first aid kit won’t cut it in these kinds of situations, for the scrape your child gets falling off their bike sure, or that little cut you get preparing dinner sure, but not for the survival situations we’re planning for. You need a serious kit, with tourniquets, packing gauze, beefy scissors, and more. Materials that the military has put into their kits for years now as they have perfected what a soldier will need should the be wounded in combat.

We’re preparing for nothing less, and neither should you

BACKPACK

A good strong backpack is essential for fast mobile movement. In any survival or tactical situation you need to be able to react to the circumstances and move on a moments notice. A backpack has to be big enough to carry everything you need to survive, compact enough not to drag you down, and tough enough to handle being tossed around and beaten in any climate.

A good tactical backpack will be made from generally much different material than you kids Spiderman backpack for school. Tactical backpacks are made from 500D – 1050D BALLISTIC nylon. They come with mollie webbing so you can customize your pack to meet all your needs. A tactical pack has beef upped, zippers, hyrdration pockets and ports, extra padding for comfort, sometimes CWC pockets, and many other features that are exclusive to this style of pack.

A 30ish liter – 50ish liter backpack will hold everything you may need for a solid 3, 4, even up to 7 days. A couple extra pairs of socks, and under, t-shirts, maybe some food, 3-5 litres of water, radios, and extra ammo are all a good start to a well packed go bag. From there you can include some survival items if you want: matches, survival blanket, fishing line and hooks, flint, etc.

At all times you should have a solid tactical backpack packed, stored close with easy access, ready to go. If anything should happen, you know all you need to do is throw on your armour, throw on your back back, grab your side arm, sling your rifle and just like that…come hell or high water, your ready for anything!

FINAL THOUGHTS

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