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Concealment vests when it's Hot


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Has anyone out there felt kinda dumb in 90-100 degree sun baked searing misery putting on your 5.11 tactical vest just to shoot.

I was watching some of the shooters with Hawaiian shirts this past weekend. Some with what looked like two sizes too small shirts and huge side pockets on each side. Looked like attempts to stretch the ol rules a bit.

At the end of a day at deaths doorstep while running through doors and grabbing up piles of tactical pre positioned mags then trying to stuff em in my 5.11 tac sweat drenched cover .... it dawned on me.

Anyone out there make tactical hawian shirts that are breezy cool with huge side pockets?

Is it legal to just make a shirt on your own with nice stiff draw friendly features? How far can you go making your own ? Is there a step by step procedure to push the cover garment for hot conditions. I look like an idiot anyway wearing a coat ... sure wouldn't feel dumber in a tourist garb....

Surely somebody out there in heat stroke land has come up with a perfect breezy light weight cover that is IDPA legal. I don't want to reinvent the wheel here just find away for the next IDPA shoot to be as comfortable as possible.

shoot

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http://www.sierratradingpost.com/p/,54718_...on-For-Men.html

I ordered one of these, way pricey at $80 (Retail on the Ex Officio site), but when I ordered mine this place had them for $32. Its due today, do dont know if it'll be as light as I hope, but I need something for the Carolina Classic here in NC in two weeks, this past weekend was a SMOKER!!!

[Edited to fix the link]

Edited by CDRODA396
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Hi Steve, yes it's possible. My wife and I have home made vests (that she made) made of light material with large side pockets. We have the 511 vests too, but we never use them. The home made ones are perfectly legal. we wear them over T-shirts and they are about 85 degrees cooler than the 511's. Where in IL are you? We are in Johnston City and we are match directors in West Frankfort at the Southern IL Gun Club. Herb

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Not to sound flipant but no one says you have to wear the thing all day. When you come up to the line slip it on and take it off after the ULSC. I don't care how light the material is when it is 95 deg out I'm not wearing anything extra any longer than I have to.

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Not to sound flipant but no one says you have to wear the thing all day. When you come up to the line slip it on and take it off after the ULSC. I don't care how light the material is when it is 95 deg out I'm not wearing anything extra any longer than I have to.

+1

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Not to sound flipant but no one says you have to wear the thing all day. When you come up to the line slip it on and take it off after the ULSC. I don't care how light the material is when it is 95 deg out I'm not wearing anything extra any longer than I have to.

Yes I sure know what you mean but I would love to do exactly that ... wear the thing or it makes it all more ....well ... silly... There I said it. I mean IDPA is kind of a roll play ... here ya are ... terrorists this or that want your crack ... let's rock

One has to take the impractical garmet off?

I'm talking about what could stay on? What actually could be practical if the world really made you retain or sloth around grappling for the pile of mags over yunder.

Nobody in real world would wear sloppy hot rag for real but then again if you are a gamer and love to twitch and index on every thing like me... ugh. I just want a one motion draw under or about 1 ... right ? What's a screaming fast mag retention + load at slide lock ? I need to practice that one a lot.

I need personally wearable and bearable. The old Button up shirt ... last button undone ... pull up draw takes to long even if it does have big ol handy pockets.

If I have something so impractical laying over in the corner then must encumber myself just to play... ? ... that seems ridiculous. At least for me. I like IDPA as well as other fun shooting activities. I just don't like the run of the mill garment rig. Surely someone out there makes a hot weather speed garment?

One thing for sure is it's a good feeling to index everything while mind gunning the COF. That's just me a nervous twitchy fellow that's too darn serious most of the time for his own good. I'm trying to lighten up in more ways than one.

I'm glad there isn't a twitching around rule but I feel much better wearing what I would wear in the world. I want it practical and part of the plan not the problem.

I don't like the pull shirt up trick but know people that draw fairly fast doing it. I am one of those guys that needs to wear it ...

Hawaiian shirt perhaps custom built ?...Then I will be like any other twitchy tourist counting rounds to himself wondering how to devide each side by 10 and still have 3 for a popper and mover.... That's what I'm thinking now but would love a mesh vest with single roomy side pockets. Pure IDPA all the way.

Thanks for the info let me know if that buzz off is cool. I think I need to design something for myself but don't want to reinvent the wheel. It's gotta be bearable and wearable like a day of fun at the Baghdad Hilton swimming pool. I guess cleated flip flops are out ? Just kidding

Edited by shoot
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http://www.sierratradingpost.com/p/,54718_...on-For-Men.html

I ordered one of these, way pricey at $80 (Retail on the Ex Officio site), but when I ordered mine this place had them for $32. Its due today, do dont know if it'll be as light as I hope, but I need something for the Carolina Classic here in NC in two weeks, this past weekend was a SMOKER!!!

[Edited to fix the link]

Paul -- pls post your thoughts on the vest, when you get a chance to try it. (In fact, you ought to post a review on the Sierra Trading post site "use: IDPA & Concealed Carry. :) "

I have a cheapo vest from WalMart, and hate it. The biggest problem isn't that it's hot (it's pretty thin), but that the zippered edge is flimsy, and hard to sweep out of the way, cleanly.....If you can get the vest out of the way, easily, sounds like a winner!

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Not to sound flipant but no one says you have to wear the thing all day. When you come up to the line slip it on and take it off after the ULSC. I don't care how light the material is when it is 95 deg out I'm not wearing anything extra any longer than I have to.

Yes I sure know what you mean but I would love to do exactly that ... wear the thing or it makes it all more ....well ... silly... There I said it. I mean IDPA is kind of a roll play ... here ya are ... terrorists this or that want your crack ... let's rock

One has to take the impractical garmet off?

I'm talking about what could stay on? What actually could be practical if the world really made you retain or sloth around grappling for the pile of mags over yunder.

(...)

In that case, use an IWB holster and wear an untucked shirt. I prefer to wear a vest that's good for competition and take it off when I'm not shooting.

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Man you are one confusing guy.

you want somthing that you can use rl but has to be gamie enough to be fast?

big t shirt and cargo shorts for really hot days ( which is really how i would be dressed rl)

Have i worn my 5.11 vest anywhere but the range?? NOPE

Do i carry a gun and a spair mag everyday yes.

Not sure i would ever retain a mag in a gun fight but it is the rule. so when i play i do by the rules

I seen a mesh vest once looked like somthing a road consruction guy would wear.(bright color one big pocket)

Hect i don't even know what i am trying to say.lol

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Paul -- pls post your thoughts on the vest, when you get a chance to try it. (In fact, you ought to post a review on the Sierra Trading post site "use: IDPA & Concealed Carry. :) "

I have a cheapo vest from WalMart, and hate it. The biggest problem isn't that it's hot (it's pretty thin), but that the zippered edge is flimsy, and hard to sweep out of the way, cleanly.....If you can get the vest out of the way, easily, sounds like a winner!

Hey Steve, it looks like you did very well on Saturday! Congrats...and did you get a trophy? :cheers:

I got the vest this evening and it weighs 6 oz, total, feels more like a jogger's reflective vest than a tactical vest. The entire mid section of the back is mesh, as well as the front panels down to mid chest. The two zipper pockets are big enough to easily dump mags into and when unzipped hang sort of open, two water bottle pockets like the 5.11, but you are not going to put any AR Mags in the small pockets on the front of the zipper pocket. Conceals a gun in a belt holster and a BladeTech 2 mag holder a la the arms out test. Sweeps out of the way better than the Havana Shirt I wore at the last match, but not quite as good as a 5.11 vest because the material is very light nylon as opposed to the heavy cotton of the 5.11. The zipper is pretty heavy duty and is fairly stiff so it makes a pretty good sweep.

I really like and will be using it on the 19th at the CC so you can check it out then. In fact is you are going to be at R14, you can check it out Saturday. Definately well worth the $32 I paid, I dont know why they upped the price to $50-something?

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Full disclosure provision: I intend to shoot IDPA next year, but this year I am just shooting USPSA.

That said, I had to bring some kind of cover garment to a defensive pistol course I went through last summer and found a 5.11 vest for sale real cheap (it was the highly unpopular digital cammo version). When I did have it on during the course, it was handy as could be, but heavy and hot as hell. After the course, I took a razor and scissors to it and removed the excess pockets in the rear. This helped the weight, but not the hot.

Since I am not going to need a vest for training or gaming for some time, I put this on the back burner, but that has not kept me from looking. What I have found is that there are a lot of really well made shooting vests designed for shotgunners. These are often little more than a mesh vest with shoulder patches and big pockets. Looks like a really good option.

What I am far less sure of is if they are legal or not. I say that because they don't do a very good job of "hiding" a gun. But perhaps with a bit of extra material sewn in as a liner where it counts...?

Edited by Graham Smith
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I dont shoot IDPA anymore but this is a great vest and one I wear about 8 months out of the year. Unlike some "Tacticool vests. this one only has single pockets not pocket on top of pocket on top of pockets I think there are 4 total a vented back and the side pockets have elastic magazine holders, It is basically a lightweight ripstop type material. http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.exe/...&t=11082005

It is the woolrich elite lightweight.

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What part of "IDPA is just a game" was difficult to understand.

Joe - Not a flame...but some of us actually use our carry gear in IDPA, and see it as a means of improving our defensive shooting skills. It is a game, but it can have uses beyond that too.

FWIW, I bookmarked that Guayabera shirt website. :)

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When I shot IDPA, I always wore a long tailed button up shirt. It wasn't as gamey as a "tactical" vest, but I could wear it home and around town without my clothing screaming "GUN CARRIER" :roflol:

fwiw

dj

Unless you have AR mags sticking out of the pockets or a International Defensive Pistol Association patch on it, most non-gun people are just going to think your nuts for wearing a vest when its 90 out. Then again I'm always looking above the kidney for a lovely gun lump under your shirt.

:Thread drift on:

If you use your carry gear do you use your carry ammo? If you do then by gosh :cheers: preach on. We have a lot of guys around my club that say that and they shoot their 9mm in SSP and say yeah they shoot factory...didn't ask you that, do you use your carry ammo like gold dot, they typically storm away at that one. Yeah I draw them out using my "gamer" gear. I'm not trying to pick on anybody or start a you know what match. I see it as a game first and a way to get trigger time with my other guns. I don't see it as training as to me its to much a game to be training...that is what training classes are for but that is just me.

:Thread drift off:

Edited by steel1212
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If you use your carry gear do you use your carry ammo?

Dude, if I had your kinda money, I would! :D

Seriously, my practice/match ammo is pretty close to my carry ammo in PF. I'd use my carry ammo if I could afford it.

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If you use your carry gear do you use your carry ammo?

Dude, if I had your kinda money, I would! :D

Seriously, my practice/match ammo is pretty close to my carry ammo in PF. I'd use my carry ammo if I could afford it.

You looking in my safe....get outta there <_<:D

I know that defense ammo isn't cheap but it really gets under some people's skin I guess when I bring that up after they say they only use their carry gear and I'm gaming by not doing so...I say umm yeah so what is your point lol. I got news for most people if they want to admit to it or not. I would say the most carried gun out there is probably a little J frame of some sort. I know its my current summer carry, and I ain't using that thing in a match lol.

Ok Ok enough thread drift back to your regularly schedule thread.

Which one do you gamers prefer the 5.11 or woolrich? I'm looking for one that is stiff so that is moves out of the way easier instead of crumpling up around my gun on the draw.

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