During IWA I had a chance to sit down with First Tactical to discuss their next wave of products as well as their direct to consumer sales strategy. Next week, First Tactical is launching their new Specialist Line which includes shirts and trousers.
What makes these pants different is that they are a great value for someone looking for an inexpensive pair of duty pants. Sure, they look just like First Tactical’s other offerings and have the same fit but they’ve changed fabrics and removed a couple of extras from the design like rivet reinforcements from the belt loops. But that doesn’t mean that aren’t built to last; the pants are still triple stitched. The material for the Specialist Line is a double ripstop polyester/cotton blend with no mechanical stretch and a Teflon Shield+ stain repellent finish. The Specialist Pants come in BDU, Tactical, and EMS styles and will sell for $39.99.
The Specialist Shirts feature three new shirts in Tactical and BDU stylings and are designed with a strong, ripstop polyester/cotton and a Teflon Shield+ stain repellent finish. Built-in ventilating system gives wearers durability, freedom of movement, and breathability. The Specialist Shirts are priced at $44.99.
First Tactical’s flashlights incorporate ultra bright LED technology, a large, reversible pocket clip allows for durability and versatility easily clipping to clipboards or hats, and an interchangeable front bezel for emergency close quarter needs.
Both the Small and Medium Duty Flashlights are operated by two AA batteries and produce a high beam distance of 130m and a low beam distance of 31m. They also feature a 14in hotspot with a smooth transition and a 70in flood area.
In the coming months First Tactical will announce the launch of their Small and Medium Duty Penlights, perfect for caps and front pockets.
The Small and Medium Duty Flashlights are available at FirstTactical.com for 44.99 and 49.99 respectively.
First Tactical’s Hard Knuckle Glove is designed as a reliable, durable tactical glove. It is constructed of goatskin and a midweight, snagproof stretch woven material. The knuckle designed is isolated and hidden, allowing independent knuckle splay and rotation. Additional features include reinforced neoprene padding and TouchPoint fingertip design.
First Tactical’s Hard Knuckle Glove is available in Men’s sizes, in Black.
I’ve tried them and like them. These days, I’m not a guy to go for “tactical pants”, but the Tactix series has some nice features including a little mechanical stretch in the fabric and rivet reinforcements on the belt loops. Plus, the price is pretty good.
Ready For Action: First Tactical’s Tactix Series Tactical Pants
The Men’s Tactix Series Tactical Pant is made to move, with its flex action waist and a running gusset through the crotch and inside leg. In the durability department, flexible and tough nylon lining protects multiple utilitarian pockets from wear, while the Teflon® coated fabric resists moisture, stains, and dirt.
The women’s Tactix Series Tactical Pants feature First Tactical’s Advanced Women’s fit which addresses the specific needs of women’s tactical clothing by providing a contoured cut for a specialized solution. Contoured to fit a woman’s body, female public safety professionals will no longer be required to purchase a smaller version of men’s tactical pants. These tactical pants for women combine the perfect fit with function.
The pants come in Black, Khaki, Midnight Navy and retail for $64.99.
I got a chance to check these knives and lights out during a recent media event in Phoenix. I really like the knives and they will be popular thanks to their features and price.
Here are some closer photos depicting features.
I didn’t get much time with the lights. It was broad daylight and we had lots to go over.
However, I have got to say that this integrated finger loop is impressive.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 12, 2015
Introducing First Tactical Knives and Flashlights, Available Now At FirstTactical.com.
First Tactical’s knives exceed the needs of public safety professionals. Under stress, and when performance matters, you don’t have to look or feel for anything — First Tactical knives reliably perform.
The Diamondback Knife Tanto (pictured) is designed for better grip and control. First Tactical’s Thumb Bridge Technology optimizes the opening grip for maximized force, precision, and comfort while working with the blade choils for fine-detail cutting.
The Viper Knife Spear is the ideal compact utility knife for daily needs. The curved blade makes it ideal for the work that Law Enforcement, Fire and EMS professions require daily.
Featuring two brightness settings, the Medium Duty Light (pictured) is the brightest of First Tactical’s flashlights boasting 274 Lumen while using the “High” setting. This mid-sized, durable flashlight is heavy duty enough to withstand nightly field use, and a durable clip enables easy attachment to pockets and kit.
Watch | Stanislaus Sheriff Adam Christianson on StanCoPal + First Tactical
Throughout the month of December, First Tactical will donate 10% of all sales to the Stanislaus County Police Activities League. StanCoPal has been doing incredible work with the youth in our community and we are honored to help them with their cause.
We sent the First Tactical video team to meet with Stanislaus Sheriff Adam Christianson, who discussed the importance of groups like PAL and all they do for the community. Watch the full video here.
Being a Modesto-based company, staying active in the community is very important to First Tactical. The Costa Family’s efforts in the community are well documented. Their latest “Thanks-for-Giving” event was a huge success as multiple families in need were given a proper Thanksgiving dinner. Members of First Tactical, StanCoPal, Modesto P.D. and The Salvation Army fed nearly 800 dinners to people in need.
Last week I attended a media event in Phoenix with First Tactical. Although they kicked off the brand with gloves over the summer, it continues to grow and now includes load carriage. I was surprised to see that the had already begun to offer pouches. The quality of the production samples I examined is high and incorporates several interesting features.
First off, the line of Tactix pouches is designed for use with First Tactical’s Lynx laser cut platform, but they are also PALS compatible. As you can see, the vertical straps are 3/4″ rather than the standard 1″ and weave through laser cut slots.
Additionally, they use a Duraflex buckle which grips on the horizontal bar to keep them in place rather than the snaps or tick seen with other systems.
You may also notice that the zippered opening angles slightly forward.
All of the Tactix pouches I saw were padded, but the padding was removable and held in place with hook and pile tape. Once the padded insert is removed, there is access to a hung mesh pocket along the back wall of the pouch.
Obviously, the padded insert is not only removable but also reversible. One side is the same color as the pouch and the other is a high visibility Yellow.
So far, First Tactical has released 9×6, 6×10, 6×6 and 3×6 zippered utility pouches as well as Medium and Large media pouches, eyewear pouch and 1.5 l water bottle pouch. The front offers three strips of pile tape so you can place identifiers on the pouch.
Made from 500D texturized nylon, pouches are offered in Black, Coyote and OD Green.
First Tactical has begun to roundout their lineup with the release of the Tactix-series of pants. They offer a little different look than what’s currently out there and come in Tactical, EMS and BDU styles for both men and women. Below is the Men’s Tactical model.
The Tactical model is offered in Black, Khaki and Midnight Navy in waist sizes from 28-44, lengths 30-36, while the EMS pant is only in Midnight Navy and the BDU adds OD Green but no Khaki. The BDU pant has additional sizing.
Dan Costa’s latest foray into the tactical market, First Tactical, launched right on time over the weekend with three glove styles, including Men’s and Women’s padded duty gloves as well as a hard knuckle glove and a Merino wool sock.
