Culture: 5.11 Jeans for Exercising the Second Amendment

While walking through 5.11 Tactical’s store, Tom Davin stopped, placed a finger on his pocket and noted, “What’s great for a rifle magazine is also great for a cellphone.”

As many in the digital age can attest, loose or small pockets can easily lead to phone catastrophes. But while a civilian’s cracked screen can lead to financial headaches, bullets tumbling from a poorly pocketed magazine clip during an arrest could have more severe consequences.

Originally launched as a recreational apparel company in 1977, 5.11 is named for an especially arduous rock climbing level. Today, the Irvine-based company is responsible for making the uniforms and gear of some of the world’s largest government agencies. 5.11 specializes in field uniforms that have the look of SWAT team apparel.

In 1992, the FBI Academy selected 5.11’s tactical pants for training, which led to the brand’s expansion. From 2007 to 2012, 5.11’s sales grew by 20 percent, and they have continued to increase.

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