tactical gear for civilians

A long time ago, I picked up a pair of BDU pants from the local army surplus store. They were used, washed about a million times and dyed an interesting shade of dark blue, so that the camouflage pattern was barely noticeable. They are the most comfortable pants I have ever owned and the extra cargo pockets are awesome. I went back to the store but couldn't find any more in my size. I returned to the store several years later, and had the same problem. Just the other day, I finally found a pair online of some British BDU's that I am hoping will be the right size.

So why am I buying military pants? No, I'm not a fashion whore so much as a utility fashion enthusiast. I've recently gotten into several new hobbies that require lots of pockets and durability. One of these is spelunking in underground caverns. Another is hiking and another is skateboarding. Each has its own rugged challenges but I find that tactical style pants serve them each quite well.

So I was more than happy to take on an assignment to review a TDU site - that's "Tactical Dress Uniforms" for the combat-impaired. The site is called LA Police Gear and they offer the latest in 5.11 Tactical gear and clothing. The site is a Yahoo merchant store, and it's fairly easy to navigate. Their prices are reasonable - A pair of rip-stop TDU pants will set you back about $40, and these are new not used or surplus.

They include free ground shipping and all kinds of goodies with each order, from free hats and kneepads to belts, socks and coffee mugs. One thing that really surprised me was that they offer free shipping both ways. So even if you get the wrong size or the wrong item, you don't have to worry about paying to ship the item back. This is something that I don't think I've ever seen being offered. Most stores will only pay for return shipping if they screw up the order.

For some really incredible deals, check out the boots in their closeout section.