Wearing a tac vest at the range, douche or not?

[MTC]

I'm with Crispy, The vest is cool if you can back it up and handle your gun like you are supposed to be wearing it. Otherwise,...

<pics deleted>
Oh, duuuude. Did you havta? Was looking forward to another match-up against you in FoF, and protecting (among other things) my eyes, and now I gotta go gouge 'em out with a spork.

 

[Cemetery-man]

I always get a chuckle whenever I see someone in tactical gear that is not on-duty LE or military. It's fine to dress like that at the range..... if you like everyone there to stare at you but if it makes you feel all tacti-cool then go for it.

 

[natetheace]

I wear a cowboy hat everywhere and people stare and say things like, hey cowboy or tex, but I still wear it. And I wear it at the range. Unless it's and indoor range, because you don't wear hats inside. Plus, I look TOO COOL when I OC my blackhawk!!
Just make sure you can CC that vest and mowe the lawn.

 

[Tactical Flannel]

Just as most have already said, do what you want.
As far as should you, my personal opinion is that it depends on your reasoning for it.
Is it to be worn just to feel tacti-cool or does it serve a pratical purpose?
If its for tacti-cool, be ready for some ridicule.
If it serves a practical and legitament purpose, then go forth and train with it. You'll have the knowledge that you are doing right for the right reasons.

Stay safe

 

[J10]

I wouldn't stare if you were wearing it. I wouldn't stare if you were naked.

But if i saw you naked in a tactical vest I would have get the camera out.

On a serious note:
If you plan on using it at any point, you had better train with it.

 

[canav844]

When I was in the Army, we said train to fight, and fight as you trained ..... if this is what you wear in a gunfight, YOU had better be able to use it .... of course the bg, COULD just die of laughter ..... wish I could use purple ... but seriously, I would wear it, if that, is what I were going to USE .....

This is what I was going to say, if someone breaks down your front door and you're going to toss this vest on and grab the AR and tell him he'd better get running...then you'd best have practiced and trained with it. If you're just going to pick up the handgun off the nightstand, and confront him in the buff, then there is no need to wear the vest, and you may develop training scars causing you to reach for a spare mag where there is none, and in a gun fight (an act that is typically over in under 7 seconds) that is time you're now searching for a mag instead of being in the fight.

I know I've seen a handful of instructors say it's a good idea that if it's legal to do so, have body armor that is easy to put on and readily available and be able to have it as one more item in your favor if there is time to wear it, because bullets in a gun fight fly both ways. In my experience this has also proven to be true of public ranges. There has been more than one trip where the first thing I do after getting home is take a look at US Palm and Safariland Body armor pricing.

I spend quite a bit of time OCing, so I don't really care what others think about how I look, but in a fight, I'm not likely to have a vest like that on hand ready to go, so I'm not going to start training habits with it that would be of no use to me.

 

[hps]

It's not a fashion show. If you're going to the range to enjoy yourself, dress up like Batman if that's what makes you happy. Who cares what anyone else thinks?

This made me laugh, Batman!!

 

[Destro]

lots's of thing happen at the mall that nobody knows about

 

[ddavidson]

This is what I was going to say, if someone breaks down your front door and you're going to toss this vest on and grab the AR and tell him he'd better get running...then you'd best have practiced and trained with it. If you're just going to pick up the handgun off the nightstand, and confront him in the buff, then there is no need to wear the vest,

I was only kidding with my speedo comment but I sure hope I don't show up to the range on the day the guy that sleeps naked does.

 

[figley]

I say get your tactical naked groove on. If you're naked, there's only one other way to carry a spare mag, and that inhibits your mobility, with the clenching and all.

 

[SaintsNSinners]

I think it would be hilarious to go to a range dressed as a banana. I have no idea why but I would so do it.

 

[canav844]

I think it would be hilarious to go to a range dressed as a banana. I have no idea why but I would so do it.

Let me know which Friday night steel that will be!

 

[SaintsNSinners]

Let me know which Friday night steel that will be!

you find me a costume and Ill do it.

 

[Chesh97]

It screams douche to me. If you want to wear one to your training class that you just dropped $800 on, where you will be running/gunning & training, that's a whole nother story.

If you are wearing a tac vest to punch holes in paper at a public range..... DOUCHE!!

 

[Que]

I would think a "douche" is easily identified by what a person says, writes, or how he acts. It's very hard to tell according to what one wears.

 

[chuddly]

I plan on getting one but i dont go to a range. I have property i go shoot at and then i am always working out of the bed of my mule (kawasaki) or off the bed of my golf cart. kinda makes for a pain in the butt.

 

[GodFearinGunTotin]

I would think a "douche" is easily identified by what a person says, writes, or how he acts. It's very hard to tell according to what one wears.

It's very hard to be certain according to what one wears...But sometimes what one wears can be a clue

 

[U.S. Patriot]

MALL NINJA. Unless you are running drills, you looka like da Mall Ninja!

 

[Que]

Can someone tell me the difference between wearing a vest to store six magazines and a pistol and having a pistol belt with six magazine pouches and a holster? Is a pistol belt also considered "douche-like?"

 

[dom1104]