A Quick Blurb on the CDI Factor

The best marketing tool that tactical manufacturer's have on their side is the CDI Factor (Chicks Dig It.) This isn't so much because women are actually turned on by your new PVS-14 mount or your cool new FastMag holster, but it the way that it makes a lot guys feel when they strap on new gear. You probably have a guy on your team who's ego seems to expand with his gear. If you would, allow me to break down this phenomenon.

CDI is the mojo that drives most guys to go out and get the flashiest gear they can find because it will make them look "cool." It's amazing what a new IR strobe can do for some guy's self confidence, and if that same IR strobe is seen being worn in the next Hollywood blockbuster it's a done deal.

One year the higher ups got a case of CDI and got my team Benchmade Infidel knives. Don't get me wrong, it is a very nice knife, but for our purpose it just became an expensive letter opener because it has no use in the field. I know that they felt it would be a cool tool that would fit in a specialized team, but what we needed was practicality and not "cool."

Another item that I see being used for the CDI Factor is drop down holsters. These are a great tool when they are used correctly, but look around and see how many guys drop it a little too low. Really, do you have to draw from your knee? Drop downs were designed to be used if your gear set up does not allow for a conventional hip holster. When you drop it down too low, yea it looks more bad ass and you get CDI points, but it inevitably slows down you draw time. I'll take a CDI point reduction for functionality.

Next time you go gear shopping because you have that itch, be sure to take a moment and reflect on your possible purchase. Ask yourself, "Is this item going to make my work life easier, or will it just be used for CDI." If it does both, then great! If not, and it is only serving your CDI fascination, you might want to hold off and let the buzz die down before you go throwing money away.

Love for Molle Belts

I use to always go into the field with my BlackHawk S.T.R.I.K.E. vest and it worked great! That was until the summer months came and coupled with a layer of clothing and armor underneath, it got pretty hot at times. Somedays, I would drink up my entire Camelback and still have another half of the shift left to go. I started searching for other options to aleviate the discomfort of profusive sweating, and that brought me to the padded molle belt.

When I first started to consider switching to a padded belt, the CDI (Chicks Dig It) factor was holding me captive to my original vest set up. Finally, I decided to take the lunge and took all the essentials I needed for work and strapped them on to my BlackHawk Padded Patrol Belt. It only took an instant to notice how much lighter and more agile I felt without having gear clunking around in front of me, not to mention the relief in body temperature. I instantly became a fan!

After wearing my belt in the field for some time, I noticed one major flaw, it loosened up on it's own! There were times that I would be on patrol and I would have to stop in order to tighten up my belt so it didn't drag around my thighs. It was getting to the point where I considered reverting back to my vest and forgetting all about the belt idea when I discovered High Speed Gear Inc's Sure-Grip Padded Gear Belt.

Unlike the Padded Patrol Belt, the Sure Grip features neoprene on the inside of the belt. This keeps it securely in place once it is on and adds an extra level of comfort to the user. It has enough columns of molle built into it to comfortably carry your equipment. On mine I have my flashbang, pistol, med pouch, two Fast-Mags, knife and radio. The best feature about this belt as opposed to other molle belts is that the inner belt is velcroed in place for a secure fit. After I started using this belt, I knew that my days of using the chest rig was done!

As I said before, I reccomend the molle belts as a way of carrying your essential mission equipment. Depending on the nature of the situation you may want to carry more equipment such as magazines if you are serving a high risk warrant. When the summer months are hot, however, and you just need the essentials, I highly reccomend the molle belt as a way to stay cool and travel lighter. Stay safe!