SHOT Show Pick of the Day: 5.11 Tactical V.XI XTU MultiCam

In walking the miles of aisles of gear, guns, and clothing that was SHOT Show ’24, a lone figure stood out for his general badassery. He (or it, rather) was located in the oversized 5.11 display area, securely locked in a glass box, to be admired but not touched.

It wasn’t his weapon, gas mask, or night vision optics I was checking out as much at it was the uniform. I’m talking about their V.XI XTU MultiCam line, and it’s made for war…or hunting… or lounging around your property on your day off.

If they had made these kinds of uniforms available to us when I was in, I may have tried to stay in a couple more years. Check out these pants; they are built for comfort and utility. They sport an Ortholite foam support at the back waistband and an adjustable hook and loop closure at the front of the waistband. The “No Drip, No Melt” stretch material has just enough give so as not to be binding during movement.

 

Since staying cool and comfortable is paramount no matter if you are on a mission or at a BBQ, there are multiple ventilation openings at all the right places. An inseam gusset allows for comfort and prevents binding when climbing or running, or reaching far down into a tub of ice for that last cold beer.

The cargo pockets are generous in size and hold an N6 nylon mag pocket inside. They zip shut so everything stays where it needs to be.  The back pockets zip shut as well, so there is no worrying about losing any of your mission-critical gear. If you feel the need to hit the deck for any reason, 5.11 has built-in a patented kneepad system with soft yet strong kneepads inside the pants. You’ll note that when standing, they are slightly below the knee; this ensures that if you have to take a knee for any reason, they will be in the correct position to keep you comfortable. Yes, a great deal of thought went into designing this pair of pants, and it shows.

And the best part (in my humble opinion) is the Teflon coating on the material while allowing dirt, grime, and BBQ sauce to easily be wiped away.

As the folks at 5.11 Tactical like to say, “The future of uniforms has arrived.”