5 Must-Have Duty Gear Items

In my years of law enforcement, I have collected many tools, gadgets, and devices, both large and small. Most of them I got as gifts or saw someone carrying, and envy took me over. I wasn’t about to be the only fella without that fancy new whatever. I was also issued a ton of gear from my department, deemed essential to my daily duties. Granted, some were essential, while others remained in their packaging until I turned it all in nearly two decades later.

As my career went on, I regularly noticed what items or objects were the most useful to me. The truth was that most of those items were not things issued by the department but things I had added to my kit on my own. Now, we get to the point of this rant. In this article, we will break down my “expert” opinion on what five items (not typically issued by departments) are essential for daily police work. And if you’re really good, I might tell you where to pick some up. Hint hint: you won’t have to go far.

Let’s be fair. I only worked for one agency, and my perspective on what is or isn’t issued could be considered limited. That being said, if your agency issues an item I have listed, that’s just a bonus for you.

A Quality Range Bag

No matter what gear you collect or carry, you gotta have something to carry it in. Early in my career, I did what most people do and bought a standard-duty bag with a large main compartment and zippered pockets on either end. They usually contain some kind of interior dividers and/or pockets as well. They are not unlike the wide selection of range bags sold right here on our site.

As time went on, the larger duty bag became a bit of a hindrance. I carried it up and down stairs twice a day and filled it with a bunch of things I hadn’t used in years. The time came to downsize to a backpack. They’re easier to carry and more practical if you ask me. More varied pockets to organize your things are a helpful addition as well.

A great example of one of these backpacks is the Bulldog Cases 2-Day Ranger Backpack. It’s lightweight and compact, and at only $64.99, it comes in cheaper than a lot of duty bags. It comes with MOLLE-compatible panels, adjustable straps, and a carry/drag handle, which I can tell you comes in quite handy. As a little bonus to this bag, it also comes with an adjustable/removable universal handgun holster. This is a bag that will serve you well on duty and provide further practical use outside of work as well.

Never Too Many Lights

I can’t imagine a department that doesn’t issue flashlights. We could get into all the ones on the market that are likely better than the ones your department has the budget to supply, but instead, I’d like to talk about a hands-free lighting option. Toward the end of my career, my Corporal bought everyone on our shift a light that clipped directly onto our vests. At first, it was just a cool gift. But once we got them into the field, they were truly a game changer. Having both your hands free while conducting a traffic stop or interview in the dark is a boost to safety that cannot be overstated. We just clipped ours to the MOLLE loops on our vest and went to work.

Streamlight makes just such a light. Their Flipmate USB Rechargeable Multi-Function Work Light is exactly what we’re talking about. It has an adjustable head to give you more angled options for directed illumination. It’s USB rechargeable, so you don’t have to worry about stocking pesky batteries. And since it’s from Streamlight, it comes with their famous lifetime warranty. Streamlight has been well respected for a long time for their rail-mounted and handheld flashlights, so you can expect to find that legendary quality here as well.

A Good Multi-Tool

Okay, so this article is about things to make sure you carry on duty, but some things are just good to have on you at all times. A perfect example of that would be a good multi-tool. On duty or off, do you ever find yourself in need of a knife? How about a pair of pliers? Scissors? A screwdriver or a bottle opener? I think you get the idea.

I can’t tell you the number of times throughout my career that having a multi-tool on hand would have saved me a lot of trouble. Eventually, I got one, but if you ask me, I waited way too long. My multi-tool of choice is the Gerber Diesel Multi-Plier. Once I added it to my duty kit, I couldn’t think of a single shift when I did not use it at least once. The Gerber Diesel is made from stainless steel and comes in black or a natural stainless color. It comes with 12 different attachments, all of which are useful. To be fair, GunMag doesn’t really sell standard multi-tools, but they do offer an AR Compact Armorer’s Multi-Tool by Wheeler, which is a super practical thing to have as well.

A Proven Medical Kit

This is another area that is good both on and off duty. Having a med kit with you at all times is never a wasted haul. Most departments will stock their patrol cars with some kind of standard med kit that will contain gauze, Band-Aids, maybe some scissors, and tape. But having your comprehensive med kit can save your life or the lives of people you come in contact with. I would suggest that anyone on the range, on patrol, in the woods, or even driving a car get some kind of med kit to prepare for any kind of medical emergency you may come across or experience. Here at GunMag Warehouse, we offer a wide range of medical pouches, kits, and supplies for restocking.

For your main kit, I would highly suggest the Everlit Survival Advanced Trauma Kit. Now I know, with a title like that, you may be thinking, “I’m not a medic; it’s not like I’m going to be performing surgery in the field or anything.” The truth, however, is you never know what situation you might find yourself in and what supplies or equipment might just save a life. What I like most about this kit is the chest seals and tourniquet. Almost all first-aid kits will have simple first-aid stuff, which is great. But to be prepared, no kit is complete without real blood-stopping supplies.

A side note about the Everlit Kit: It comes in a variety of colors/patterns, so you can likely get it to match the rest of your gear. When you look at cost, $119.99 is a small price to pay when it comes to life or death, if you ask me.

Patches… All the Patches

Enough with the heavy stuff. Let’s end here with something a little more fun: customization. This isn’t really duty gear, but why buy a bag with Velcro unless it’s to make it look cooler, right? As police officers, so much of what we do and wear is uniform and designed to look just like everyone else. We need to take every opportunity we have to express ourselves. Now, you do have to be cautious not to violate any department policies or rules, but usually, your bag is only ever seen by you anyway, so you should have some freedom of expression there. I have, however, seen some truly cringe custom dust covers for ARs that could put you in a pickle, so just use a little class (not too much, though. Don’t be boring).

There are a lot of patches out there to find and fit your personality. GunMag has some unique ones you can only get here, like our glow-in-the-dark logo patch or the ever-popular “Only Mags” patch. Whichever way you go, make it yours.

It’s Your Gear

In truth, no one can outfit your kit for you. Whether it’s a hunting bag, range bag, duty bag, or just a survival kit of some kind, you have to decide for yourself what you want to make sure you have along for the ride. I’d love to hear from you. What must-have items have I missed? Let us know in the comments below.

The post 5 Must-Have Duty Gear Items appeared first on The Mag Life.

Read the full article here