Tacticool

I spend some time on gun websites. The amazing proliferation of tactical gear is an amusing thing to me. I can’t help but think that most of the stuff getting sold will never be used for anything remotely challenging. Some middle-aged guy will haul it out to the range for three gun matches and it’ll go back in the closet until next match. There are people out there that will use it, but it’s a small percentage of the purchasers, I’m sure. However, it is a free-market economy in a free country. If you want it, buy it. The armchair warriors and range commandos help keep the cost down for the guys that actually need it for their jobs.

I just find it all faintly ridiculous. Even given that I like guns and want several battle rifles, I’m not going to go out and buy a tactical assault vest. I don’t see a need for one. Even if the world does fall apart and such an item becomes useful, I think I can get by for a while without one. I don’t need all the tactical whiz-bang stuff. Been there, done that, don’t see the point now. If it comes to the point where I need any of that equipment again, I can guarantee there’s a long list of other things I need to be worrying about first.

It’s the marketing aspect of it all that really gets me sometimes. I’m looking on one website at “tactical pants”. Tactical? They’re pants. Let’s not get carried away here, people. You put them on, you wear them. They are not tactical, they’re just pants. I’m making a random and wild guess, but somewhere out there, someone is advertising tactical underwear and socks. I’m going to go off and snicker at the absurdity of it all now.