Archived Posts » 59,672,804
LEO's...External Vests
3/30/2012 8:11:58 PM
Are there any of you Patrol, ie non-SWAT/Special Unit, officers running external vests? My department has switched to these and I should be getting mine in the next 2-3 weeks; probably more like next 2-3 months but I digress.
Anyhow, the company we are getting them from is including 5 pouches with the vest but these are cheap china knock off pouches. They really are nothing but crap as the Sgt has already received his vest, he was the test dummy for the chief to approve the vests, and the pouches just looked terrible the first day out on the vest.
So I have been on the hunt for good quality pouches for my vest and would like to have them in hand for when the vest shows up. I need radio, pistol mag, OC, flashlight, small GP pouch, and double cuff pouch; I am going with the blackhawk serpa for my x26 taser.
I'd like to see a pic of your vest if possible and hear how you like the vest and what pouches if any you are running.
Anyway here is an example of the vest we are getting only ours will be black and not say Portland Police on them.
Anyhow, the company we are getting them from is including 5 pouches with the vest but these are cheap china knock off pouches. They really are nothing but crap as the Sgt has already received his vest, he was the test dummy for the chief to approve the vests, and the pouches just looked terrible the first day out on the vest.
So I have been on the hunt for good quality pouches for my vest and would like to have them in hand for when the vest shows up. I need radio, pistol mag, OC, flashlight, small GP pouch, and double cuff pouch; I am going with the blackhawk serpa for my x26 taser.
I'd like to see a pic of your vest if possible and hear how you like the vest and what pouches if any you are running.
Anyway here is an example of the vest we are getting only ours will be black and not say Portland Police on them.
3/30/2012 10:00:09 PM
I run somthing similar
but i am in a special unit
Other dept. Around here are switching to them though
but i am in a special unit
Other dept. Around here are switching to them though
3/31/2012 12:01:38 AM
Tactical Tailor makes a line of LEO pouches. I have one of their cuff cases on my vest carrier. Like the rest of their gear, it's good quality stuff.
3/31/2012 1:11:43 AM
Its about time the community starts to switch, having all the weight on a belt puts strain on the lower back.
Placing equipment on a vest only increases the longevity of your officers.
Placing equipment on a vest only increases the longevity of your officers.
3/31/2012 3:12:48 AM
Arlington County VA uses them. They look great and practical but I am not an ACPD officer so have no real feedback.
3/31/2012 8:07:07 AM
We used to get the pouches sewed onto them but now they let us put MOLLE on it. MOLLE the front and then give Esstac a call. They will make you anything you need and get it to you fast.
3/31/2012 8:10:48 AM
I like using either 5.11 pouches or replacing the straps with Blackhawk speed strips. Holds on alot tighter and is easier to change if needed. I ran out of room on my vest alot faster than I thought since I dont carry anything on the back and have a side by side m4 mag pouch.
3/31/2012 8:14:09 AM
Most of our guys went with the external vest option when we got our new vests a couple of months ago.
I chose to remain with an under-the-shirt vest as my primary vest, because the external vest with its pouches would interfere with my plate carrier if I have to don it.
I chose to remain with an under-the-shirt vest as my primary vest, because the external vest with its pouches would interfere with my plate carrier if I have to don it.
3/31/2012 9:30:02 AM
We swirched about 7 years ago, best move we ever made. My back has thanked me..........no more BS back pain and more comfortable, especially when its hot out in the summer months.
3/31/2012 9:50:19 AM
My PD uses the more traditional looking ones that have shirt pockets on the exterior. I don't like them and have stuck with the undershirt type vest. I might be interested in one of these though, but as noted the pouches would get in the way of plates.
3/31/2012 7:29:23 PM
Yeah I am definitely looking forward to having the vest especially for all the special details we do in the summer time.
I hadn't even thought about the plate carrier yet. I may have to call our sales rep at blumenthals to see if there is maybe an insert they could add where I could just throw in the plates when I need them.
I looked at the tactical tailor line of LEO pouches last night and I like the fact that they are snaps rather than velcro. Using velcro closures on pouches just doesn't feel as fast to me as as snap does....if that makes any sense. I do like the desgin of the esstac stuff though.
I hadn't even thought about the plate carrier yet. I may have to call our sales rep at blumenthals to see if there is maybe an insert they could add where I could just throw in the plates when I need them.
I looked at the tactical tailor line of LEO pouches last night and I like the fact that they are snaps rather than velcro. Using velcro closures on pouches just doesn't feel as fast to me as as snap does....if that makes any sense. I do like the desgin of the esstac stuff though.
3/31/2012 9:03:44 PM
Tac Tailor all the way. Before we switched to stadardized gear we were sporting blackhawk vests for le/ security patrols. I got a molle vest with TT pouches. I still ran an under the shirt vest to be ale to wear my IBA in case of emergencies.
3/31/2012 10:04:11 PM
I doubt we'll ever change. Seems they still think nobody knows we're wearing a vest under the shirt.
4/1/2012 12:14:09 AM
We just got authorized to wear the more traditional looking external vests that were mentioned earlier. I was trying to get something like you have authorized as we, like everyone else, have a lot of officers who develop back problems. Out Chief doesn't want us to "look like the military". Maybe we'll get there some day. It seems that everyone else has to have stuff before we can even think of getting it. (We're currently trying to get tazers).
Do you guys wear a traditional uniform shirt underneath? Does anyone make a "combat shirt" like the military has for this purpose? I've seen some but I think it would have to have a collar like a traditional shirt before we would get it. Elbeco makes a polo that seems like it might work.
Do you guys wear a traditional uniform shirt underneath? Does anyone make a "combat shirt" like the military has for this purpose? I've seen some but I think it would have to have a collar like a traditional shirt before we would get it. Elbeco makes a polo that seems like it might work.
4/1/2012 5:52:25 AM
My Dept is going to them. My Old Dept went to them right after I left. They all love them. What part of OR are you in. There is a place we buy lost of gear from,. PM me and I'll tell you the name of it.
4/1/2012 10:09:12 AM
Our dept switched about 18 months back. I love mine seems to be cooler that the old under the shirt vests we wore and I like having everything on my vest instead of around the wiast makes getting in and out of patrol vehicle a lit easier and quicker. We use Coyote Brown so I was able ot score some pouches off the EE that were marine issue at a great deal. Black is a little harder to find becuase .mil does not use them so that takes away the surplus market and most of the major markets focus more on Multicam. ACU. MARPAT, etc and seem to not manufacture as much black. Check out skdtac.com they sell top of the line merchandise at a reasonable price. They ship quickly and have excellent CS. Also from my experience buy top quality products such as Eagle, Tactical Tailor, BDS, ATS, HSGI, etc they will last you proably the rest of your career while the cheap Chinese airsoft material maybe last 6 months.
4/1/2012 7:13:26 PM
Originally Posted By WWCND:
We just got authorized to wear the more traditional looking external vests that were mentioned earlier. I was trying to get something like you have authorized as we, like everyone else, have a lot of officers who develop back problems. Out Chief doesn't want us to "look like the military". Maybe we'll get there some day. It seems that everyone else has to have stuff before we can even think of getting it. (We're currently trying to get tazers).
Do you guys wear a traditional uniform shirt underneath? Does anyone make a "combat shirt" like the military has for this purpose? I've seen some but I think it would have to have a collar like a traditional shirt before we would get it. Elbeco makes a polo that seems like it might work.
We just got authorized to wear the more traditional looking external vests that were mentioned earlier. I was trying to get something like you have authorized as we, like everyone else, have a lot of officers who develop back problems. Out Chief doesn't want us to "look like the military". Maybe we'll get there some day. It seems that everyone else has to have stuff before we can even think of getting it. (We're currently trying to get tazers).
Do you guys wear a traditional uniform shirt underneath? Does anyone make a "combat shirt" like the military has for this purpose? I've seen some but I think it would have to have a collar like a traditional shirt before we would get it. Elbeco makes a polo that seems like it might work.
LOL! Funny you say that as I was just discussing that very thing with the day shift officer this morning as I was on my off my graveyard tour. Our chief has the exact same hang up which is why we can not wear any thing "BDU" type pants; it looks "too military"...whatever that means. Which is why we were all so shocked that he signed off on the external vests.
Right now I am ordering a black long sleeve combat shirt to try out at the range late next month in the hopes that the chief will approve those instead of the standard uniform shirt as the standard shirt just looks out of place with the external vests on. However, I haven't been able to find a short sleeve version that would work other than the polos that are already out there.
Originally Posted By flipper1:
My Dept is going to them. My Old Dept went to them right after I left. They all love them. What part of OR are you in. There is a place we buy lost of gear from,. PM me and I'll tell you the name of it.
My Dept is going to them. My Old Dept went to them right after I left. They all love them. What part of OR are you in. There is a place we buy lost of gear from,. PM me and I'll tell you the name of it.
Flipper IM sent.
4/1/2012 10:56:19 PM
My dept is transitioning right now to them, i wear one in a patrollish function. I'll upload some pics when i can.
4/2/2012 4:37:55 AM
We went to the uniform shirt look type at the start of this year. No complaints here.
4/2/2012 6:19:29 AM
Uniform style outer carrier with my PD as well
4/2/2012 4:50:35 PM
I would love it if we went to external carriers...
4/2/2012 6:27:06 PM
Originally Posted By MSB2199:
Tactical Tailor makes a line of LEO pouches. I have one of their cuff cases on my vest carrier. Like the rest of their gear, it's good quality stuff.
Tactical Tailor makes a line of LEO pouches. I have one of their cuff cases on my vest carrier. Like the rest of their gear, it's good quality stuff.
I have Tactical Tailor pouches as well. They are good quality well made items and I haven't had issues with them over the last year and a half using them.
4/3/2012 11:40:37 PM
We've been trying to get the uniform shirt style for a while with no luck. I used a external carrier for a little while while in a specialized unit, it was nice.
4/4/2012 6:01:06 PM
Blauer is making an external carrier the is patterend after the Uniform shirts, not a new concept, I remember years ago when they tried it, but apparently they are using better materials, and are offering under-shirts to go with it, with a collar 3-button neck, and sleeves of uniform material, and the rest lightweight t-shirt material for summer and fleece/Sweatshirt for winter. of course this will probably go on sale about a month AFTER I retire, but at lease from talking to the Rep it SOUNDS pretty good, and barring any major isues it's already got pre-approval from our Chief.
