Why Quality Matters in Tactical Gear

The tactical gear market has grown significantly over the last decade. Driven by increased defence budgets, a growing reservist community, and a wider civilian interest in outdoor and preparedness kit, there are now hundreds of brands competing for the same shelf space. That's broadly a good thing — more competition tends to drive innovation. But it also means the market is flooded with products that vary massively in quality, and it's not always easy to tell the difference until you're already in the field using it.

This post looks at what actually separates good tactical kit from poor kit, what to look for when buying, and how CH Tactical approaches product development.

The Tactical Gear Market — A Quick Overview

The global tactical gear market was valued at over $11 billion USD in 2023 and is projected to continue growing, driven largely by military modernisation programmes, law enforcement procurement, and recreational demand. The UK market specifically has seen increased interest off the back of the Virtus programme (the British Forces current personal protection and load carriage system) which introduced a modular platform that soldiers can supplement with third-party accessories. 

This has created a niche but active market for Virtus-compatible kit — one that a small number of specialist UK manufacturers, including myself, have moved into.

What Separates Good Kit from Poor Kit

Across the industry, quality tends to come down to a handful of consistent factors:

• Materials — The difference between 500D and 1000D Cordura, genuine Multicam and pattern imitations, or YKK zips and generic alternatives is significant in terms of durability and performance. Higher-grade materials cost more but hold up considerably better under sustained use.
• Construction — Stitch density, bar tacking at stress points, and reinforced attachment points are the details that determine how long a piece of kit lasts. These are easy to cut corners on during manufacture and difficult to spot on a product listing.
• Design intent — Whether a product has been designed around a specific, real-world use case or designed to look the part. The two can look identical on a shelf but perform very differently in use.
• Iteration — Products that have been revised based on user feedback tend to perform better than first-generation designs. Established brands with active military or professional user bases often have years of refinement built into their products.

The Challenge with the Virtus STV Specifically

The Virtus STV isn't the greatest platform but it is a significant improvement on the Osprey system it replaced, and its modular design gives users genuine flexibility in how they configure their load. However, like any issued system designed to meet a broad specification across a large user base, it has limitations that individual users often want to address.

Common areas where soldiers look for aftermarket solutions include:

• Cable management - routing cables and hydration hoses neatly along the shoulder straps, where the issued elastic loops are limited in capacity and positioning
• Cummerbund - the standard straps offer no side real estate and can be fiddly to fasten quickly, particularly under time pressure
• Load balance - managing front-heavy loads, particularly for command appointments carrying radios and additional ammunition

These aren't unique to the Virtus — similar challenges exist across most modular plate carrier systems — but the Virtus's specific MOLLE layout and attachment geometry means solutions need to be designed with it in mind rather than adapted from generic plate carrier accessories.

What to Look for When Buying Tactical Accessories

Whether you're buying from CH Tactical or anywhere else, a few things are worth checking before you commit:

• Material specification - Is the fabric weight and type specified? Genuine Cordura and Multicam have specific characteristics; vague descriptions like "military-grade nylon" doesn't mean anything
• Compatibility - Is the product designed for your specific platform, or is it a generic fit? Generic solutions often work, but platform-specific designs tend to integrate better.
• User reviews from relevant users — Reviews from people who've used the kit in the field are more useful than general consumer feedback. Look for detail about real-world use rather than first impressions.
• Return and revision history — Brands that publish product updates or respond to feedback publicly tend to be more invested in getting the product right.

Just remember buy cheap, buy twice, your kit can make a difference in how you operate be it a infanteer or a driver picking the correct kit for your role can make your life easier.