An abbreviation of “tactical upgrade”, Tac-Up Gear (www.tacupgear.com) offer excellent quality tactical clothing products that fill gaps in the official issue supply chain for military, law enforcement and PMC users – as well as outdoor sports and airsoft enthusiasts.
Expedition Jacket
Using the basic cut of US Army’s BDU “coat” as a starting point, Tac-Up Gear then added their own innovations. The jacket has only two pockets, which are located on the chest and are of the expandable box type and fastened with Velcro strips. The front of the shirt is fastened with concealed buttons rather than a zipper plus an exposed button at the throat – there is also a strip of Velcro to help hold the placket flat. For greater comfort under chest rigs, combat vests or flak jackets the buttons are flat rather than round like BDU buttons, and the button holes are aligned vertically rather than horizontally. That might not sound like a significant thing, but actually it does help keep the front fastened better.The wrists are fitted with Velcro adjusting tabs, and there is a button-and-tab system on the upper arms for holding the sleeves in place when they’re rolled up. There are reinforcing patches on the elbow and fore-arms areas that can take foam pads, and there is also a patch of Velcro on each upper arm/shoulder for attaching insignia.Features:
- 100% ripstop cotton (lightweight)
- Modified 2-pocket BDU shirt style
- Concealed button front
- 2 Velcro-closed chest pockets
- Velcro-adjusted wrist tabs
- Buttoned tabs for holding rolled-up sleeves in place
- Velcro patches on upper arm for patches
- Rank tab on chest
- 2 nametag holders on chest
Price: 450 SEK (approx. $60 USD, £38 GBP, €43 EUR)
Expedition Trousers
Like the matching jacket, the Expedition Trousers have been designed primarily for use by Swedish soldiers during the warm summer months or on missions abroad in tropical or desert regions. Therefore, they follow the basic design of the official-issue Swedish combat trousers quite closely – albeit made slightly simpler and more lightweight.Key areas where the design has been simplified and made more practical than the issue trousers are the removal of the built-in suspenders and the nylon patches around the hems. Like their big brothers in the Army though, the Expedition Trousers keep such key features as the flap-covered hip pockets, the zip-fastened cargo pockets and the zippered-bellows-and-elasticated-hem for fastening the trouser cuffs around your boots.Features:
- 100% ripstop cotton (lightweight)
- 2 front pockets with heavy duty snap buttons
- 2 large thigh pockets, zipper closure with draw flap
- 2 plastic buttons to secure waist
- Zipper fly with draw flap
- Zipper with draw flap and heavy duty snap button closure at ankle
- Shoestring band with snap button to keep trousers in place
- Heavy duty belt loops
Price: 450 SEK (approx. $60 USD, £38 GBP, €43 EUR)
Field Cap
In addition to their full-brim Boonie Hat and short-brim Bush Hat range, TUG also offer this pretty cool little Desert Field Cap (currently only available in Swedish Desert camo colour).This soft comfortable cap is made from the same 100% cotton rip-stop material as their jackets and trousers, but it’s got some innovative features that make it especially practical for military use in hot climates.First, the bill is soft so you can scrunch, fold or roll-up the cap quite small and stuff it into a pocket or pouch. That’s pretty handy if you need to be able to quickly transition from soft caps to helmets whilst on patrol.Second, the net lining really helps with air circulation and ventilation to help keep your head cooler while the sun beats down on it. The soft flexible bill also helps to protect you from the sun’s glare too.Finally, it’s got elasticised ear flaps that fold down and hug your neck and ears to protect them from the sun, from blowing sand, flying insects and also to help keep them warm on those surprisingly cold desert nights.Price: 75 SEK (approx. $10 USD, £6.35 GBP, €7.25 EUR)www.tacupgear.com
