5.11 Apparel – Not Just For Boys Anymore

Women shooters are said to be the single fastest-growing demographic in the firearms and training industries. 5.11 Tactical's 5.11 apparel, with several female-centric products behind them, are not the type of company to rest on their laurels. They've set a pretty high bar in 2017, with “tactical” women’s apparel and accessories that are both functional and stylish. They have a slew of new products intended specifically for women coming to market over the next several months. We were able to get our hands on a number of them during SHOT. Unfortunately, none of the provided samples seemed to fit right.

Believe us, we tried.

So, we enlisted the help of @gunfoxx to put the new kit on display. Knowledgeable, personable and wicked-smahhhht, @gunfoxx is an up-and-coming new shooter who has forgotten more about cars than most of us will ever know. We appreciate her doing us a solid.

The first thing we looked at was the Mira pack. It’s a small every-day-sized back pack available  in a number of colors and patterns. The camo version attracted the interest of several passers-by while we were there. It’s softer than a traditional camouflage pattern, without stooping to any sort of condescending pink. The small square portion on the back actually separates to be used individually as a cross-body pack…or removable IFAK.

The Mira and The Charlotte Cross-Body

The other bags coming to market are much more traditional in terms of women’s fashion. For those in need of much carriage, there’s the Lucy tote. It’s a pretty self-explanatory load carriage option, with the addition of a concealed carry section that appears to accommodate most compact or smaller sized pistols. The Charlotte cross-body is a similar concept in a smaller, slightly more elegant footprint for those who don't quite need a mom purse.

The Lucy Tote

They're bringing much more to the table than women’s bags, though. They're also offering some really sleek pieces of actual apparel. For instance, there’s the new women’s pant, the Wildcat. We have to admit, we kinda liked the looks of this one. It’s a pair of tacti-cool pants for women that’s actually more “cool” than “tacti-“. They're also the super-soft, lightweight Kinetic full-zip jacket.

The Kinetic Full Zip and Wildcat Pant

To our caveman craniums, it looks like it’d be perfect on a fall day with some furry boots and a pumpkin-spice-something-or-other. But we also don’t get paid for fashion advice. We’ve already made plans to showcase some of this gear a little more in-depth over the coming months, so stay tuned. The world of concealed-carry isn’t just a man's world anymore. We're quite happy to see our better halves better accommodated by the industry.

And now, for no particular reason, man's best friend.

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