Serving Those Who Serve

When 5.11 asked me to write a story about their public safety and military products, it took about two seconds to agree. After all, it was a pretty simple assignment to discuss the products I’ve already been field-testing for close to 30 years.

Beginnings

The company’s origins start with the Royal Robbins clothing company. Robbins began manufacturing specialty outdoor pants featuring their trademarked strap-and-slash pocket design in 1968. The name 5.11 comes from the most difficult rock climbing route in the Yosemite Decimal System rating (also developed by Robbins in the 1950s), meaning the designated track is nearly impossible. For a long time the company chugged along in relative obscurity and was mostly known among hard-core rock wizards and other extreme outdoors enthusiasts.

Robbins sold the majority stake of the company in 1999. It was about this same time their pants were gaining a large following among FBI agents, especially at the FBI academy in Quantico, VA. It was also about this time when I acquired my first pair of 5.11 pants. By the mid-2000s, 5.11 was one of the 500 fastest growing companies in the U.S. and things have continued to grow exponentially from there.

The In-Crowd

If you are of a certain age in law enforcement, military and public safety circles, you remember “5.11” or “FBI pants” were ubiquitous to the point of being cliché a few years into the 21st century. It seemed you couldn’t swing a dead housecat at any training facility, station house or crime scene without hitting at least five people, male and female, who were decked out in a polo shirt and 5.11 pants.

Becoming “mainstream” should not be considered disparaging in the case of 5.11 because their flagship pants were so much better than anything on the market. It was natural the brand became the only choice for versatile, tough but good-looking work wear. The pants looked proper enough to attend meetings or wear in the office, but they were robust enough to withstand rigorous training activities or the constant wear-and-tear of street duty. At a time when the only other hard-knock options were baggy BDU pants, blue jeans or canvas work dungarees, 5.11 pants exploded like a bomb on the public safety scene.

Since then, 5.11 has expanded into many other areas such as uniforms, footwear, bags and packs, plate carriers and countless other products. They also have over 100 retail stores in the U.S. and several other countries. And, if you have sharp eyes, you’ll even find 5.11 products in video games, movies and television.

The Obvious

The reasons why 5.11 has achieved such ascendency are apparent to anyone who has used their products. It all starts with quality.

While there are now many premium outdoor and duty wear companies in the marketplace, 5.11 has always been the OG of delivering public safety gear you could rely upon. Still today, seeing the 5.11 label means you don’t have to worry about inferior materials or poor craftsmanship failing at a critical moment. I can attest to the fact it always feels like you’ve gotten your money’s worth from 5.11 gear — a pretty important belief on a public servant’s salary.

The high quality of 5.11 products naturally leads to longevity, which is why I still have a closet full of 5.11 shirts, pants and boots, even though I retired nearly 10 years ago. My repurposed duty gear is finally starting to show its age after countless days of frontline hard use, but it still stands up to all the adventures and yard work I care to throw at it. In fact, the gear is holding up better than I am!

Another major part of 5.11’s success are the design features of their product. The original 5.11 pant was ahead of its time, and the company has stayed true to its DNA of bringing useful and ground-breaking features to the market rather than flashy doodads designed to attract eyeballs. I’m not briefed in on their product development process, but 5.11 obviously spends a lot of time in the lab and the field perfecting products before they hit the shelves. Furthermore, it’s clear the company consults with the ‘worker bees’ in the field, the folks with muddy and bloody hands, rather than fashionistas or bean-counters. Going deeper into the public service arena, they even have a dedicated team to work with customers and agencies on the development of special needs products.

The final and perhaps most important reason 5.11 has grown to be such a market leader is the core values of the company itself. Built on a foundation of the public safety sector from its earliest days, 5.11 has always focused on its customers in the law enforcement, EMS, fire and military communities. On their website stands a distinctive statement in bold lettering, acknowledging the place duty-driven people hold in the collective mindset of the company. It notes 5.11 is “…making purpose-built gear for those who demand more of themselves for the great good.”

It’s clear 5.11 understands and appreciates their customers, the missions they undertake, the role they play in making those missions succeed and how this collaboration makes the world a little bit better and safer. Pretty heady stuff for what started out as rock-climbing pants.

The current state-of-the-art hard-use duty clothing is perhaps best exemplified in the 5.11 V.XI Collection of mission-ready gear. The entire clothing system — base layer, shirt, pants and jacket — strives to set a new standard for lightweight performance wear. From the moisture-wicking Sigurd base shirt, the no-melt stretch XTU Rapid Shirt, the adjustable integrated kneepads of the XTU Pant and the lightweight but warm XTU LT3 Jacket, the entire system is comfortable, and comforting, making an integrated structure for hard-driving operators in dynamic environments.

It’s not hyperbole to say 5.11 changed the entire trajectory of the public safety clothing sector, starting with a humble pair of mountaineering pants. Since then, navigating through a sea-change of technology and society, they have led the way in helping protect and support public safety and military customers, trying to make their tough jobs a little bit easier.

From the nearly impossible climbing routes of the Sierra Nevada mountains to the duty stations of countless professionals and volunteers across the world, 5.11 remains at the forefront of keeping responders comfortable and safe. Learn more about their apparel and gear for professionals at 511Tactical.com.