Yes, it is true: Unless you are in a profession requiring you to move toward the sound of gunfire, you don’t ever “plan” to be in a gunfight. Nonetheless, the choice is rarely up to you. I don’t plan to be in a car crash, but I still pay for automobile insurance and I wear my seat belt.

Armor Sucks

If you are one of the millions of citizens who own and carry a firearm for personal protection, you’ve likely accepted the fact that bad things can and do happen to good people. You’ve adjusted your manner of dress and lifestyle to accommodate toting your chosen type of hardware. Carrying a gun every day definitely takes some adjustment.

As someone who has worn armor, both concealed and external, for more than 25 years, I can tell you one thing: wearing armor sucks. Armor makes you sweat, even in cold weather. It’s heavy and constantly rubs you the wrong way. Granted, it doesn’t suck as bad as it did when I was a Marine private or a rookie police officer. Armor technology and carriers have definitely improved over the last couple of decades.

Comfort, however, is relative. When I was with the 6th Marines laying in a shallow ditch with artillery shells screaming overhead and incoming mortars exploding far too closely, my flak jacket and helmet were pretty darn comforting. Later in life, while searching a darkened building for possible suspects, I felt a bit more comfort knowing my Level IIIA armor vest with a hard plate covering my heart was under my polyester uniform shirt. Armor, like insurance or your gun, is an item you are glad to have just in case things don’t go your way.

In the past few decades, body armor has become standard issue for almost all law enforcement personnel. Exterior vests are not discreet, but can offer greater comfort and ease of use.

A Real Need?

I can think of myriad reasons why a citizen might want the extra bit of comfort soft body armor provides. Any merchant who deals in cash or valuables, like gold or jewelry, is by profession in a precarious occupation. A home invasion where police are 15 minutes away and gang-bangers are seconds from coming in your front door is likewise unpleasant. We also have the ugly, but very realistic, scenarios of civil unrest after a storm, riot, etc.

We can’t always predict what tomorrow might bring. It’s easy to talk yourself out of being prepared to face evil, because evil isn’t always in your face. However, evil is always present, like it or not.

Hard vs. Soft

First of all, there is no such thing as a “bulletproof” vest. For every type and style of armor available, there is a projectile capable of penetrating it. However, there are multiple levels or layers of bullet-resistant armor as tested and rated by the National Institute of Justice. Types IIA, II and IIIA are the most common  designed for civilians.

What is more important is to discuss what options are available to civilians. When it comes to wearable armor, you have hard and soft, as well as concealable and external. Soft body armor is generally a panel of some shape made from a pliable, flexible material. DuPont’s Kevlar is the most commonly used material, though there are others.

For defense against some rifle rounds, only heavy, hard-armor plates will provide adequate protection.

Hard armor takes the form of inflexible plates, again, made in various shapes and sizes. The material used to make hard-armor plates varies from hardened steel covered in nylon or rubber to some type of hardened/reinforced ceramic. Hard armor is strategically placed over the front and back of the torso to shield vital organs. Soft armor, on the other hand, is relatively light and, because it is flexible, can be wrapped around a human torso.

The rub is soft armor is only capable of stopping low-velocity projectiles like handgun bullets, shotgun pellets and fragmentation from explosions. Hard armor is capable of stopping all the aforementioned threats, but it can also defeat high-velocity projectiles from rifles and shotgun slugs. Yes, there are projectiles with steel/tungsten cores that will penetrate hard armor, but let’s stick to the basics here.

Concealable or External

Both hard and soft armor can be concealed or worn in covert or external carriers. The benefit of concealable armor, naturally, is that it doesn’t stand out or draw attention to the wearer. The downside is it requires some effort to don and can be less than comfortable.

Soft-armor inserts are flexible, relatively lightweight and offer effective protection against most handgun rounds.

External armor carriers for both hard and soft armor are obvious, but also far more utilitarian. Overt carriers can be outfitted with a variety of pouches to tote myriad gear, including spare ammunition, medical supplies, a handgun, a phone or radio, etc. Overt armor carriers generally are easy to don and can be thrown on quickly in an emergency.

Which carry method is the best? It depends on your circumstance. A gold dealer walking around in the city would naturally be better served by a concealed vest. The homeowner who wants armor they can throw over their body in an emergency, however, isn’t concerned about being discreet.

U.S. PALM Defender

Let’s take a moment to talk about some actual hardware. U.S. Primary Armament Logistical Manufacturing (U.S. PALM) offers the Defender series of armor carriers. In the Defender line, you can choose from numerous carrier configurations. Soft-armor panels are standard, but the Defender carriers will also accept hard-armor plates.

The company sells Defender armor carriers premade with a handgun holster and magazine pouches, rifle versions with magazine pouches for the AR, AK or .308 Win., a MOLLE model with straps you can modify yourself and lastly a “Slick” carrier with no additional pouches or holsters.

What is unique about U.S. PALM and its approach is it markets the Defender to everyone, not just cops and soldiers. One of the company’s ads reads, “Soft armor solutions for everyday Americans by U.S. PALM.”  That pretty much sums up the “Will they sell armor to citizens?” question.

Body armor that can be donned quickly, like U.S. PALM’s Defender, is a great option for civilians defending their homes. While it is not “bulletproof,” it can save your life.

Legality

Is it legal for every citizen in every state to own body armor? No. Just as firearm ownership and concealed-carry laws vary from state to state, so do regulations regarding body armor.

If you live in a state that heavily restricts your Second Amendment rights, you can feel confident the elitists in your state legislature have seen fit to restrict your ability to save your own life with soft body armor, too. Ultimately, the responsibility rests with you. Do your own research if you are unsure.

How Valuable is Your Life?

Much of the push-back from our side of the aisle when it comes to citizen ownership of soft body armor stems from the “reasonableness disease.” I’ve been a party to conversations with gun owners where the topic of body armor came up. One person opined, “Civilians don’t need that, it’s best left for police and the military. I mean, how paranoid are you?”

Such a statement suggests the speaker believes three things: The life of someone in a uniform is more valuable than that of a citizen, working for a government agency bestows special rights not afforded to the citizenry and the person making the statement has no understanding of what a violent assault entails. The first two assertions should be troubling to any American. Sadly, far too many people who should be our allies have been fooled into believing the life of the “average citizen” is somehow worth less than that of someone in uniform. As a result, they accept civilians should not be allowed to own body armor.

While preparing this article, I read a story of a homeowner in Pontiac, MI, defending his pregnant wife and child from multiple felons. The online newspaper reported that sometime after 3 a.m., two armed home invaders broke into the family’s house. The husband/father exchanged gunfire with the vermin and they fled.

One of the felons was wounded and arrested later at a local hospital. Three men have been charged in the crime (there was a getaway driver). However, the homeowner died as a result of gunshot wounds he received in the attack, his wife along and both children, born and unborn, escaped unharmed.

Would civilian body armor have saved his life? Would the man have had time to put it on? Perhaps, but we’ll never know. This leads me to an important question: What is more important in a gunfight, shooting the bad guy or not getting shot? The answer is not getting shot.

Remember, you can win your gunfight, but still die. The whole point of personal defense is to win the gunfight and stay alive.

“The Golden Bullseye Award has become a much-coveted symbol of excellence, innovation and quality in firearms, accessories and related equipment,” said Joe H. Graham, Executive Director of NRA Publications. “This year’s winning slate offers consumers the very best the shooting and hunting industry has to offer. We congratulate the winners.”

If you’re looking for a new gun, scope, load or accessory, the following products are a great place to begin your search.

Rifle of the Year was not an easy decision, but after Editor in Chief Adam Heggenstaller really put the DPMS Tac2 to the test, Shooting Illustrated staff knew it was the candidate to beat—and no other rifle tested this year outdid it.

Heggenstaller wrote, “DPMS builds the Tac2 around a rifle-length gas system, which is the technical ticket to the carbine’s adaptability. The gas tube extends a full 15.125 inches from the carrier key before ending in the gas block. This provides two advantages: an appreciable increase in sight radius and a theoretical decrease in felt recoil.”

Ever dream of a semi-automatic, 12-gauge shotgun with a 16-round capacity that isn’t longer than a football field? Enter our Shotgun of the Year, the SRM Arms M1216. Gary Paul Johnston summarized after extensive testing, “The SRM M1216 amounts to a major advance in self-loading shotgun technology with the ability to carry more ammunition in the gun, where it’s needed. As such, it has great application for military and law enforcement agencies, as well as for home defense.”

Handgun of the Year is the FNH-USA FNS-9, the company’s first striker-fired pistol. Ammo Editor Richard Mann put the gun through the paces and found, “Results tell the tale. I subjected the FNS-9 to my standard test drill: the Forty-Five. This is a five-shot drill from the holster with the goal of putting all bullets inside a 5-inch circle at 5 yards in 5 seconds. I passed on my first run and the next three. No problems there. I also flipped all six plates on an Action Target Dueling Tree at 10 yards in just a shade more than 4 seconds. No misses mind you. My 12-year-old son also did well on the dueling tree, going five for six on his first run, which took him about twice the time.”

Just like with handguns, proven reliability is an important characteristic of self-defense ammunition. If you’re looking for a threat-stopping load with consistently high performance, consider our Ammunition Product of the Year. Made with personal protection in mind, Buffalo Barnes Handgun Ammunition by Buffalo Bore uses monolithic Barnes TAC-XP and XPB bullets, along with low-flash powders, to deliver serious penetration and stopping power.

“Buffalo Bore is not mass-producing ammo that just goes bang,” wrote our Ammo Editor after extensively testing a wide variety of Buffalo Barnes loads. “It makes a uniquely tailored product designed to be ultra-effective for critical applications.”

Optic of the Year was another tough choice, but after Steve Adelmann provided a glowing review of the Bushnell HDMR 3.5-21×50 mm riflescope, it was obvious the product deserved the honor. “Large elevation and windage knobs provide adjustments in .1-mil increments and positively lock down to prevent inadvertent zero loss,” Adelmann wrote. ”Side parallax adjustment helps fine-tune target and reticle focus, which is especially critical at the long ranges allowed by a 21X scope. Both the Horus H59 and TRMR2 reticles are geared toward rapid, near and far target acquisition through the use of holdovers, moving target leads and wind holds.”

Accessory of the Year is always a fun category, because anything goes….well, short of a shotgun, handgun, ammo, optic or rifle. With 250 rounds downrange, another 250 to go, your smartphone rings. It’s the wife, so you’d better take it….oh wait, you’ve got to take your gloves off in time to work the screen. OK, my wife knows I never answer when she calls, so more realistically, the wind has changed and I need to adjust my ballistic app to find windage—those gloves still need to come off. 5.11 Tactical Screen Ops Gloves can stay on, yet your touchscreen recognizes your fingertip commands, which is why they are our Accessory of the Year for 2012. Ed Friedman explained, “I’ve used the Duty model for a few months and found the adaptation period quite short. From entering ballistic data into iSnipe to posting photos on Facebook, the gloves let me maintain my comfort while shooting thousands of rounds through various firearms without the annoyance or delay of removing one to use my iPhone.”

This year’s Pioneer Award recipient is a household name to shooters across the globe. NRA Publications Executive Director Joe Graham eloquently explained what an honor this award is when he acknowledged this year’s recipient, Stephen D. Hornady. “Whereas the NRA Publications Golden Bullseye Awards acknowledge the finest products available in the shooting sports, the Golden Bullseye Pioneer Award, first presented in 2007, spotlights exemplary achievement by individuals who were responsible for the development, introduction and promotion of equipment that has made a profound and enduring impact on the way Americans shoot and hunt,” Graham said.

Shooting should be fun, and Hornady never has forgotten that fact. Take for example his company’s Z-Max ammo, just in case rodents can become infected with the zombie virus. Of course, for the two-legged “undead,” Hornady introduced Zombie Max first. Getting the next generation of shooters behind the trigger is important to Stephen Hornady, and the relatively recent introduction of the biohazard-handling ammo is a sterling example of that commitment.

However, when it comes to hunting and self-defense, his company reflects his belief that this is serious business. The ammunition needs to be 100-percent reliable, and the bullets need to stop the attack. Hornady’s Critical Defense loads were designed with the armed citizen in mind. The ballistic gel tests on .40 S&W speak volumes. Hornady didn’t forget about folks who carry smaller guns out of necessity or convenience, either. Take a look at the Critical Defense .22 Mag. performance.

What about providing the same performance for law enforcement, a load capable of defeating the variety of barriers required in the FBI testing protocol? Enter one of the company’s latest products, Critical Duty, and it’s obvious why Stephen D. Hornady is this year’s Poineer Award recipient.

I’ve used the Duty model for a few months and found the adaptation period quite short. From entering ballistic data into iSnipe to posting photos on Facebook, the gloves let me maintain my comfort while shooting thousands of rounds through various firearms without the annoyance or delay of removing one to use my iPhone. They also let you call home from the range—or text your buddy who is always late that you’re running out of ammo and he’d better step on it—with your gloves on, saving time and peace of mind.

MSRP: $49.99-$89.99. (866) 451-1726, 511tactical.com.

At a Gunsite event in March, I wore Blackhawk’s Fury Commando HD w/Kevlar gloves, which have a hard shell knuckle for added protection. Unlike most tactical gloves I’ve used, they did not have a hook-and-loop closure, but rather an elastic wrist with a nylon loop for pulling each glove tightly on the appropriate hand. This system has pluses and minuses. The nice aspect is the gloves go on with minimal effort, no noise and they fit quite closely thanks to the elastic. On the other hand, they are substantially more difficult to take off than gloves with a fastening strap and while the fit is close, it cannot be adjusted. That said, these are very rugged gloves—they won’t fray or tear, will take a lot of abuse and thanks to the hard knuckles, can dish some out, too. The Fury Commando HD w/Kevlar has an MSRP of $89.99 and they are available in black or olive drab.

This past summer at Telluric Defense and Security in Brunswick, GA, I attended a day-long course where we fired approximately 500 rounds in just a few hours. Now, summertime in southern Georgia is, shall we say, rather hot and humid—enough to make a lizard say, “Screw this! It’s too hot and humid. I’m going back under my rock.” Fortunately Telluric’s range is indoors, but with a full class of shooters and a whole bunch of ammo burned, the line got uncomfortably hot pretty quickly. I was very glad to be wearing the Blackhawk Hot Ops Ventilated Hot Weather Gloves, which have a copious amount of ventilation while still offering enhanced purchase on a firearm and some protection against hot brass from the guy in the next lane. These gloves have a hook-and-loop fastener, which proved very useful. As the heat index rose, I found it refreshing to undo the strap and let my hands breathe when I was off the line. Then, when it was time to shoot, getting the right fit was quick and painless. The only drawback is these gloves offer only minimal protection against scratches and bruises, but that’s the trade-off for added comfort in the heat. The Hot Ops Ventilated Hot Weather Gloves have an MSRP of $34.99.

Don’t write off gloves as a luxury item as far as shooting is concerned. If you plan to put a bunch of rounds downrange and work on a variety of manipulation drills, movement exercises, etc., gloves can save you a lot of pain and ensure the gun stays in your hands.

While this form of concealment may come across as new or perhaps unorthodox to some, fellow gunscribe Tom Marx proved quite the contrary in his article “The Ins & Outs of Pocket Holsters.” He wrote, “The practice of carrying a small handgun in a pocket has been around forever. Westerners hid not only derringers, but also scaled-down revolvers like the Colt 1849 in vest, pants and coat pockets—often with reinforced linings to prevent premature wear and the firearm from printing through the fabric.”

But, I know of someone else who took the concept of pocket holsters much further. During his tenure at Colt’s Manufacturing Company from 1918 through 1944, former New York City cop J. Henry “Fitz” FitzGerald utilized a similar method to carry a pair of cut-down and heavily modified Colt New Service revolvers chambered in .45 Colt—a famous configuration that went on to bear his name—in the front pockets of jodhpurs he wore regularly, undoubtedly due to their extra-deep pockets. Unfortunately, the manner in which Fitz successfully accomplished carrying this remains not only a mystery, but a hot topic of debate among afitzcionados, gunwriters and historians even today, with theories ranging from heavy leather-lined pockets to the incorporation of ultrathick leather suspenders used in conjunction with his equestrian-style trousers, to offset the approximate 2 pounds, 4 ounces weight of each pistol.

Regardless of the method, history is repeating itself in style thanks to the folks at CCW Breakaways with the company’s lines of concealed-carry cargos, jeans and khakis. A fresh alternative to traditional holster-based carry methods, the front pockets are made from a combination of extra-sturdy 100-percent cotton and rip-stop nylon. Although more expensive than other fabrics, the use of rip-stop nylon provides enormous advantages. According to company owner Jay French, it provides a natural slipperiness against the firearm, which makes for a smooth drawstroke. What’s  more, the material will not turn the pocket inside out during presentation. Rip-stop nylon is also snag resistant. By pairing it with heavy-duty cotton, the use of two materials possessing different frictional coefficients results in a long-lasting combination ideal for use with firearms.

Constructed from a blend of 100-percent cotton and rip-stop nylon for added durability, hook-and-loop fasteners along the bottom of CCW Breakaways' deep front pockets enable the user to customize the pocket—not only for a centain type of handgun, but also the degree of cant and depth.

Incorporating hook-and-loop-style fasteners within the pocket’s design enables the wearer to customize his pistol’s degree of cant and depth, providing a discreet means of successfully concealing a wide variety of full-, compact- and subcompact revolvers and semi-automatic handguns. In addition, the fully adjustable concealment system is featured in both front pockets, which is great news for southpaws like me.

Such a degree of customization—and the inherent versatility that comes with it—eliminates the need for using a traditional pocket holster in the usual shallow pockets typically associated with today’s pants. From a practical standpoint, this is huge. In addition to providing a substantial savings as far as holsters are concerned, the ability to customize the pocket to fit your pistol and the angle it is carried also greatly reduces the likelihood of your pistol’s grip orientation being altered due to movement.

But, the innovation of CCW Breakaways’ design isn’t limited solely to its interior-pocket design. The product provides a solution to a problem typically encountered when attempting to draw a handgun from a trouser pocket: once it’s gripped,  your clenched fist has difficulty clearing the pocket. CCW Breakaways’ solution involves designing the exterior top edge of the pocket to open outward or “break away,” increasing the pocket’s opening as needed during the drawstroke, thanks to blind snaps strategically concealed within the garment’s waistband.

Expandable and spacious cargo pockets are deep enough to accomdate a variety of items, including 30-round AR magazines.

In addition to offering their fully adjustable concealment system in three different clothing lines, the company also produces hook-and-loop-backed pouches to attach to the inside of the opposite pocket as an inconspicuous means of carrying spare magazines. However, front pockets also serve as an excellent place to stash small valuables by simply placing an item, such as jewelry or your passport, in the pocket and sealing the hoop-and-loop material above.

An alternative to using belt-mounted magazine carriers, CCW Breakaways offers spare magazine "socks," which provide a descreet means of carrying spare ammunition.

For concealed-carry, CCW Breakaways has a lot to offer. Much like a traditional pocket holster, they provide easy access to a handgun no one else can see, without the need for a  burdensome cover garment. Then, the moment your “Spidey senses” begin to tingle, nonchalantly sliding your hand in your pocket in true “GQ” fashion provides access to your handgun without drawing undue attention. Unlike traditional pocket holsters, however, this product enables you to obtain a full firing grip on the pistol prior to initiating the drawstroke. Most of today’s men’s trousers contain pocket designs that make presentation from a seated position nearly impossible, but this product’s relaxed fit, roominess and its cleverly concealed open-top pockets provide a means to successfully conceal and quickly draw a handgun from deep concealment—without the added burden of leaning to one side or being forced to stand at the outbreak of a life-threatening encounter without access your self-defense handgun.

While this product has something for everyone, being wheelchair bound, I can attest to this product’s flexibility, especially for those CCW permit recipients with physical disabilities. The location of the concealment pockets provides an alternative to the common concealment methods, such as strong-side and shoulder holsters, by offsetting the uneven distribution of weight, which could otherwise alter the balance of those who rely on mobility aids like canes, crutches and walkers just enough to be potentially hazardous.

Whether you’re searching for new methods for carrying your primary self-defense handgun, more-effective gear for storing your backup sidearm or an alternative means of warm-weather concealed carry, CCW Breakaways pants are an innovative approach to an age-old concept.

At the risk of being wrong (I’m not), offending others (in this case, I don’t care) and seeming un-hip (impossible!), I will come out and say that the Crye Precision G3 Combat Pants are unequivocally the best pants in the world. There. Sue me.

Why, you ask? The reasons are multitudinous. I’ll start with my biggest pet peeve regarding all tactical-style pants. While many such pants offer wonderful features like a plethora of pockets in convenient locations, rugged material and a sensible color selection, I have never found a pair that fit me properly. You see, we short and fat guys are not the stereotypical build for an “operator.” When dealing with super-ninja-tacticool operator types, as waist size increases, so does height. You won’t find many fat midget SEALs in catalogs or recruiting posters. But, in the real world, we consumers are neither SEALs nor models. Some (many) of us are short or average height, but…ahem…a touch above average in girth around the midsection. As a result of being gifted in the waist department, every other tactical pant I’ve owned has been too long, resulting in my stepping on the extra leg length with my tactical boots. Not the G3 Combat Pants. For one thing, they are offered in inseam lengths compatible with my out-of-shape build. But more importantly, they are adjustable in just about every direction.

Hook-and-loop adjustments are present around the padded waistband, making it easy to expand or contract based on your current size or whether you carry via an inside-the-waistband holster. This also allows you to gain or lose some weight without having to buy new pants—a nice touch for those of us who just joined a gym and plan on not going as often as possible.

The same type of adjustment exists around the cuff, enabling you to tighten the legs for tucking into a boot or to achieve the correct length, though going shorter is the only option. I did not have to use these, as the waist/inseam options offered by Crye Precision fit absolutely perfectly. Best of all, because Crye has four inseam options per even-numbered waist size from 28 to 46 inches (short, regular, long and extra-long), virtually everyone can find the right fit.

There’s much more, though. The G3 Combat Pants have a concealed opening on each knee for insertion of Crye Precision’s AirFlex Combat Knee Pad, which are sold separately. When installed, these kneepads provide comfortable protection without moving around or cutting off circulation as is common with wraparound models. If you choose not to use the kneepads, the opening seals via hook-and-loop closures to keep the elements out. Thanks to a drawstring adjustment in the thigh pockets, the kneepads can be raised or lowered to ensure they provide the best fit and protection for your kneecaps, further enhancing the pants’ customizability.

A gusseted crotch makes moving in and out of shooting positions, vehicles or plush furniture worry free, and a double-layer seat provides additional protection against tears from movement. Built from a four-way weave of ripstop material, the G3 Combat Pants are quite durable. During a week at Gunsite, I found myself sitting, kneeling, diving into prone, running, walking and generally putting about as much stress on the pants as I could without looking insane. The pants left the event unblemished.

Throughout the entire process, not only was I comfortable, I actually noticed the comfort the pants provided. That’s never happened before. Also, temperatures in the Arizona desert ranged from below freezing (we arrived at the tail-end of a major blizzard) to the mid-70s, but at no point was my lower body too cold or too hot, despite the pants’ light weight.

Other bonuses include cargo pockets with magazine/water bottle stabilizers, a knife or flashlight compartment that does not block pocket access and zippered pockets in the rear for your wallet or other loose items.

There is one downside to the G3 Combat Pants: price. Retailing for $202, they are not only the best pants I’ve ever worn, they are also the most expensive—and that includes the fancy dress pants I’m required to wear to work. Add in the $30 kneepads, and you’re dropping a chunk of change for clothing. But, you get what you pay for. Again, the G3 Combat Pants are hands down, no holds barred, without a doubt the most un-effing-believably awesome, greatest, best pants available. Ever.

The Mark I Jacket from Kitanica promised to offer just that combination when I first saw it—a combination of shooting jacket, Arnold Schwarzenegger’s “Terminator” garb and Rambo (if Rambo wore a jacket, that is). Like a traditional shooting jacket, the Mark I is a bit on the fitted side, so if you carry a lot of extra stuff on your belt you may want to go one size larger than usual.

The distinctive straps on the front don’t cinch the jacket any tighter, but do provide the option of closing it without using the zipper. This way, the user can have faster access to the four large interior pockets, which are ideal for concealed carry—for both right- and left-handed shooters. I found every pocket would easily fit a subcompact pistol, the Springfield Armory XD9 Subcompact in my case. The larger interior pockets can also fit a full-size pistol if desired.

On the outside, there are two hand pockets with quick access hook-and-loop closures, a chest pocket on the left side and a shoulder pocket on the left arm large enough for a modern smartphone, which are quickly approaching old 1980s dumbphone size. On the right side of the chest, there are three rows of MOLLE webbing for attaching accessory or magazine pouches as needed. The top of the right shoulder also features a small flashlight mount for hands free operation.

As befitting any item of apparel claiming to be tactical, the Mark I jacket is built tough from 1000D urethane-coated Cordura nylon for waterproofing. Every corner, joint and seam is reinforced, and the waist, collar and wrists can be cinched for a better fit and to guard against chills. This also helps to keep you in the jacket should someone need to use the drag strap on the back.

Internally, the Mark I has a heavy-mesh fabric lining that both insulates the wearer in cold weather and helps air circulation to keep you cool when it gets warm. Internal zippers allow for the user to add a properly sized liner or fleece. I prefer to pair the Mark I off with the standalone 2-Zip Fleece from Kiatnica, which is super thick. When combined with the jacket, it easily keeps you warm at below-freezing temperatures.

Kitanica features a full line of tactical clothing, all made cyborg-from-the-future tough in the good old U.S. of A., complete with a lifetime guarantee. In what I can only assume is a well-rehearsed answer to a too oft-repeated question, no, the Mark I is neither fireproof nor bullet proof, although it certainly looks the part.

I’ve been wearing one off-and-on as the weather dictates for the past month, and I’m impressed so far. Unlike a lot of “tacticool” clothing, the SIG Sauer jacket is very unobtrusive. Even to the discerning eye, it looks like nothing other than the ever-popular heavy canvas field or chore coats offered by all sorts of clothing manufacturers, and more than one person asked me if it was a Carhartt.

Like the Carhartt comparison implies, the SIG jacket is sturdily built. Mine came in black, and is made of 100 percent heavyweight cotton canvas with a smooth nubuck leather collar and a warm no-pill fleece liner. The jacket seemed sized a little large, and the sleeves run a little long, something that turns out to be a plus with my wingspan. The fleece liner actually cuffs inside the jacket to stop wind from blowing up the sleeves, which is a thoughtful plus, as are the gathers on each hip that can keep drafts from coming in the jacket from the bottom. The Concealed Carry Jacket closes with the wearer’s choice of a heavy-duty zipper or buttons (or both).

The outside of the coat has one zippered pocket on the left breast and two handwarmer pockets, but the selling point of the SIG Sauer jacket has to be the two huge velcro-sealed interior pockets, one on each side.

When I say the interior pockets are huge, I am not exaggerating in the slightest. During one weekend chore jaunt, I carried my new Detonics MTX .45 ACP  in the left pocket (for a right-hand draw). Knowing I might be sitting and waiting a while at one of my stops, I put my Kindle e-book reader in the other. I suspect I could easily have replaced the Kindle with an iPad or even a small netbook without too much trouble. Like Jonah’s whale, the SIG Sauer jacket seemed willing to gobble up just about anything I could throw at it. Most importantly, it did so while distributing the weight well, and without giving anyone any indication of what was inside.

I haven’t yet had the opportunity to wear the jacket in a downpour, but it has kept me dry in short, across-the-parking-lot jaunts through light rain without any problems. It should turn away snow equally well. I think I’d consider giving it a waterproofing treatment soon, so it holds up to the more severe and damp weather that tends to hit us in late winter and early spring.

If I have one concern about the SIG Sauer Concealed Carry Jacket, it is the sturdy, foot-long hook-and-loop cavern-covers that keep the interior pockets closed. While the strips ensure your gun will not take an embarrassing tumble to the pavement, the strength of the hook-and-loop lockup means opening the pocket to get to the holstered handgun within is a two-handed job.

There is also the fact that being such a sturdy and warm jacket, it is something that you will almost certainly have to take off if you are indoors for any length of time, and if you put the jacket down or hang it up, you are no longer in control of your handgun. Of course, the same holds true for all kinds of off-body carry including briefcases, handbags or fanny packs.

These minor quibbles aside, the SIG Sauer Concealed Carry Jacket does just about everything right. It retails for less than competing jackets in this class and has comparable or better construction than most other models. Plus, it adds massive internal pockets and gives you the option of carrying a sizable handgun (and/or other cargo) unobtrusively in multiple types of holsters. There are perhaps other jackets that can perform as well, but few do it as economically. 

I anticipate wearing mine for years to come, whether or not I happen to be carrying a handgun inside.

The minimalist, high-mobility philosophy has carried over into gear selection for my AR-15s as well. I want something that can carry a shooting-class load of four to six magazines and keep them out of the way of the pistol holster and pistol magazine pouches worn on my belt. A few extra pockets for a magazine loader or a folding knife are fine, but that’s about it.

Simple, fast, light and out of the way—I want a chest rig. It is, in theory, just a couple of pouches strapped to your chest, held on by webbing that goes over your shoulders and around your back. It fits close and rides high enough to leave your belt free for other gear.

I was fortunate enough to get a quartet of chest rigs from Blue Force Gear, Viking Tactics, Mayflower Tactical and Esstac to test. Each model is a solid bit of gear, with its own unique strengths and design ideas, showing something as simple as a chest rig can become almost anything you need it to be.

The biggest part of the Blue Force Gear Ten-Speed M4 Basic Load Chest Rig is its name. It’s an ultra-light, bare-bones rig, consisting of not a lot more than six elastic pouches sized for AR magazines or anything else of comparable size you can cram into them, including knives, compression bandages, pistol magazines or small radios.

While lightweight and form-fitting, the Ten-Speed is rugged enough for anything I would ask it to handle as a chest rig, and the elastic pouches holds magazines tight without needing a cover, snaps or bungies. The AR-pouches fit standard 20- and 30-round aluminum magazines, Magpul PMags, and one of the most difficult magazines to fit in a pouch, the Lancer L5. The L5 is one of the best functioning magazines on the market, but the ridged mag-well stop molded into its body is tough to fit in many magazine pouches. The Ten-Speed is also small and light enough to be worn under outer garments by covert or plainclothes operatives, a claim few other manufacturers can make. Simple and comfortable, the Ten-Speed, will fit the needs of most civilian AR shooters.

The Viking Tactics MOLLE Chest Rig is lightweight, cool, comfortable and incredibly adaptable due to the two-by-seven rows of MOLLE webbing sown across the front of the rig’s four AR-15 mag pouches, and three-by-two MOLLE webbing sown on each side. You can attach additional pouches of your choosing to customize the basic lightweight VTAC rig into almost any configuration.

This rig rides very close to the body with nothing to stick-out or snag, and the bungie cord holding each mag in place is topped with a sticky, synthetic-leather tab like you might find on wide receivers’ gloves. It is among the most adaptable lightweight chest rigs on the market, and will excel in competition, carbine classes and active-shooter scenarios, as well as for military operators in scenarios where light weight and speed are critical factors.

Mayflower Research and Consulting’s LE/Active Shooter Chest Rig is far more complex than either the Viking Tactics or the Blue Force Gear models, but then, it was designed with a specific, difficult mission in mind. Built for law enforcement officers as a quick-donning-scenario vest carrying the equipment cops need when responding to a shots-fired situation, it has pouches designed to carry four 5.56 NATO magazines, two pistol magazines, a patrol radio, a baton, an OC canister or flashbang, and it adds three small general-purpose pockets in the front.

The H-style harness has channels to route radio antennas and wires, or they can be used for hydration tubing. It can be stripped down and mounted to the front of a Mayflower Low-Profile Armor Carrier.

The fourth chest rig I tested was the one with the most obvious infantry-centric focus in its design. The Esstac Bush Boar A1 is an example of split-front chest rig that focuses on a modular approach.

While the three preceding chest rigs were designed for the basic four-magazine load-out more common to civilian and law enforcement scenarios, the Bush Boar holds up to six M4 magazines in a unique internal pouching system, whereby the magazine pockets ride on the inside of the chest rig’s body while MOLLE webbing lines the exterior. Variants of the Bush Boar can carry two more or two fewer magazines, and the pouches themselves can be swapped out so you use the same chest-rig body with attachments and only need to change the magazine pouch panels as you transition among weapon systems, making it the most versatile of the chest rigs tested and perhaps the most utilitarian for shooters who own both AR and AK-pattern rifles.

The rig I tested came with the company’s Boar Padded Harness as well, which makes sense on a heavier rig like the Bush Boar designed for long-term abuse. It provides a padded, one-piece harness system with modular sleeves that install on either shoulder strap (one non-slip sleeve, one PALS sleeve and one hook-and-loop sleeve), modular PALS on the back for pouches or hydration and a drag handle.

Each of these chest rigs excel in the specific mission envelope for which it was designed, while retaining enough core functionality to suit a wide range of general purpose applications.

In a potentially life-or-death scenario like a home invasion, both criminal and homeowner have advantages and disadvantages. When it’s your home, however, wouldn’t you prefer to maximize your tactical supremacy? U.S. PALM has decided the advantage should decisively go to the defender… or rather, the Defender.

Instead of grabbing your gun and running to the sound of a broken window or kicked-in door, put this vest on first, and you’ll gain a psychological edge from the knowledge that you are at least somewhat protected.

The Defender is a simple body armor concept, perfectly executed in rugged black, MultiCam, coyote brown or Ranger Green 500D Cordura nylon. A single, IIIA, soft body armor panel (available in large or extra-large) covers the vital chest area, riding on a pair of padded, adjustable shoulder straps. A simple wrap-around strap cinches the armor around your midsection. Best of all, you are “good to go” in about the time it takes to read this paragraph—or about 5 seconds.

The basic back panel is unarmored, but it can carry a second armor panel if the user so desires. In addition, the soft armor can be swapped out for most 10×12-inch Level IV hard-armor plates in both the front and rear, giving the user multiple-shot protection against even rifle fire.

The Defender variant I have on hand is the Handgun Defender. It mounts a universal holster (which fits most pistols, with or without an attached weaponlight) atop three universal handgun mag pouches (one on the right, two on the left). The magazine pouches could also conceivably carry a tactical flashlight or pepper spray canister without any problem at all. The vest also has a small admin pouch at the top of the vest.

U.S. PALM makes other Defender variants, including three models designed to carry rifle magazines for the AR-15, AK-47 and .308 Win.-chambered semi-automatics like the AR-10.

In addition, the company offers a MOLLE version on which you can add your own pouches, and a slick version without any pouches at all for wearing beneath clothing.

All Defender vests feature a common rear panel with a MOLLE strip across the back (not a bad spot for your IFAK or tourniquet), and two pouches ideal for carrying emergency supplies. The single-panel Defender weighs just 1.6 pounds, while the dual panel model tips the scales at 3 pounds.

The single 10×12.5-inch armor-panel vests retail for $199 ($249.99 for the 11×13.5-inch XL version), and the dual-panel variants with front and back Level IIIA  panels retail for $99 more ($124.99 more for XL), which makes the Defender series a steal when it comes to body armor.

It must be noted that the Defender lacks the wrap-around side protection of many soft-armor systems typically worn by military and law enforcement personnel, but that is by design. The Defender series was conceived for those who do not need to wear a vest all the time, but who may need to don one quickly. Home defenders also tend to know what direction home invaders are coming from, and a homeowner in a good defensive position is is mostly likely to be facing the threat, head-on.

Another possible alternative for those who like U.S. PALM’s armor concept—but feel they simply must have side protection in a relatively quick-donning vest—is the Desert Tracker Plate Carrier, which was originally designed to address a specific law enforcement problem.

Police officers in the American Southwest face desert heat that can be every bit as deadly as a criminal’s bullet. As a result, they’ve sometimes chosen not to wear body armor to minimize the possibility of heat stroke or heat exhaustion resulting from wearing heat-trapping body armor for long periods of time in the desert sun.

U.S. PALM’s Desert Tracker features a front vest panel designed to carry a SAPI or ESAPI rifle plate, and sides that can carry Level IIIA  6×6-inch soft armor for added flank protection. The back of the vest is open for ventilation, and the shoulder straps, front and side panels are lined with a moisture-wicking mesh on padded backing. It is available as either a MOLLE version, which is what I have for review, or with three double-magazine pouches holding six AR-style magazines in total. Colors offered include MultiCam, Ranger Green, coyote brown and an Italian special operations desert camouflage pattern called CB62 that works very well in the American Southwest, where this plate carrier was designed to operate. The only issue some civilians may have with the $249.99 Desert Tracker is it comes as the plate carrier only, with the user needing to provide armor of their own.

Both the Defender series and the Desert Tracker provide purpose-built armor carriage for specific customers, and you’d be hard pressed to find anyone else making equipment that hits these niches at such attractive prices.

As a civilian far away from the desert, relatively unlikely to come upon a cartel gunman crossing the border with an AK-47 in hand, I admittedly don’t have the need of the Desert Tracker. But, we buy car insurance, medical insurance and home insurance hoping that we’ll never have occasion to use them. The Defender just makes sense as part of your conflict insurance—an insurance plan that includes your firearm(s) and training. Understood with this context in mind, the most surprising thing about the U.S. PALM Defender is that a lightweight, easy-to-use and relatively inexpensive armor vest has taken so long to arrive.