A Gear-End Review sure to help you find a Tactical Gift this Christmas.

If you have a black nylon and Velcro person in your world that’s tough to gift shop for, we have a list of ideas for you to put under the Christmas tree this year. Here’s my Gear-End Review from 2018.

Knives

When looking for a loadout for everyday carry, you need a great knife. This last year I discovered a couple of amazing knives that I use daily.

Ravencrest Tactical Knives specialize in out the front knives and I’ve enjoyed the ease of use, one handed opening and closing, and sharp edge. I have two Ravenscrest Tactical Knives now and I very much enjoy them and use them. There’s just something oddly satisfying about opening and closing these knives. Prices vary but I’m sure you can find one in your range.

I’ve also loved my Gerber Gear auto, the Empower, that I’ve been carrying off-duty. You can’t beat Gerber’s warranty and I love how durable the blade has been. I use it and abuse it. Price varies based upon which model you’re choosing but look to spend about $80 to $110.

Upgraded Hearing and Eye Protection

Valholl has a solution to all-day-comfort while wearing hearing protection. They are an amazing upgrade to stock hearing protection. Check them out here and just buy a set to improve on your Howard Leight electronic hearing protection, they retail for about $34.95.

Tactical Stocking Stuffers for 2018 — Valholl Gear Gel Cups as installed on Howard Leight Hearing Protection

After improving your hearing protection, go check out Edge Tactical Eyewear and the line of eye protection they offer that doesn’t fog up, protects your eyes, and bends to insane levels when you screw up and smash them. One of the places you can buy them is here, they retail for about $40.29.

Pocket Tools, Pens, and Wonder Pens

Gerber Gear again knocks it out of the park with a pen that is ready to write and ready to break faces or glass all at the same time. No manipulating it some special way, just strike to defend or break the glass that’s in your way. It’s also a great pen that Writes in the Rain. The Gerber Gear Impromptu Tactical Pen retails for about $73.

If you’re not looking to spend that much but want a great pen that does many things, check out the “pen” from Blue Shield Tactical. This pen provides you with a stylus, window punch, ink, knife, and probably more that I haven’t noticed yet. The pen from Blue Shield Tactical is priced at just $16.95.

Firearms Multi-Tools

The Gerber Gear Short Stack Multi-Tool is a pretty amazing little fella that stows in the handle of your AR rifle and always there when you need it. If your loved one likes to shoot or build the AR platform, the Short Stack would make a great gift at about $47.

Backpacks and Gun Bags

The Handgunner Backpack from G.P.S. Wild About Shooting has been one of my favorite pieces of gear in 2018. I love this bag and how it makes my life easier when it’s time to head to the range. You don’t forget essential items, it keeps everything organized, and if it starts to sprinkle, you pull out the rain cover and keep your toys dry. To purchase this great bag, head over to Amazon or find them at 30% off right now at Action Target’s online store.

If you like tough built gear, check out the bags and gear made by Vanquest. Vanquest has the Markhor 45 backpack that adds durability and function in a backpack for your next journey. Give a gift of adventure when you buy a Vanquest bag. The Markhor 45 retails for about $269.99 but are on sale RIGHT NOW for $229.49.

Gloves

You don’t have to be tacticool to wear black gloves but it helps. Blauer has a full-line of gloves to fit every need. I really liked the Fray Glove and the Strike Shooting Glove and have enjoyed having them for firearms training and use on patrol. I love that I can still use the touchscreen on my phone and mobile data computer touch screen and pad while wearing them. These gloves are well designed, thought out, and are comfortable. Blauer Tactical Gloves as tested are about $37.99 and make a great stocking stuffer.

Stands and Steel

CTS Target Steel is a wonderful gift for your shooter. It might be a little heavy to put in the stocking on the mantel but I’m sure you can manage. CTS Targets have a full line of great steel. I’ve really enjoyed having their hanging target and found the kit that they provided for hanging it to be inventive and easy to use. $ varies.

Challenge Target also has amazing targets with wonderful quality and craftsmanship built into them. I’ve loved the Challenge Target’s Texas Star steel reactive target and found it great for pistol, rifle carbine, and shotgun with birdshot training. It’s a hoot! $675

The HatPoint Target Stand is a less expensive option that is great for setting up a range on the go or adding directions to shoot or setting up tactical courses of fire with varying distances to shoot. They retail for $51.99. I like that they are light, portable, and break down into a small footprint when not in use. If a round strikes the stand, it doesn’t destroy it and doesn’t make it a sharp hazard. Read more about this target stand here.

Training Essentials

The SiRT Training Pistol is a gift that keeps giving. The $239 expense is easily justified when you look at how many repetitions you’re going to be getting on the gun without spending money on ammunition.

If you use a red dot site, get the SPOT Trainer from SiRT as well for just $19.99 and train yourself to quickly find that red dot site, again, without expending that precious ammunition!

After you’ve spent some time on your SiRT training pistol, head to the range with a new-found focus using the Burnett Live Fire Drill Cards. Burnett Live Fire Drill Cards start at just $69.95. The system from Burnett allows you get away from just punching holes in paper and start to train! Drills are laid out and ready for you with benchmarks for you to use when shooting, measuring, and improving.

While shooting with your new-found focus, make sure you have a MantisX installed on your pistol. The MantisX is a magical black-box device that works with your smartphone or tablet and provides you with an expert shooting coach. Read here how it works! It retails for about $149.99. I received this for Christmas in 2017 and absolutely love it.

Speaking of dry-fire, do yourself a favor and add the Slideblok to your loved ones (and your own) stocking if you shoot a Glock. Pick up a few of these smart devices to improve your trigger press, they’re only $8.00.

Spend more time training and less time loading with Striplula and the UpLULA from Maglula. This is the best product I didn’t know I needed until I had one. It works wonderfully and is very reasonably priced. If you’ve ever struggled loading a pistol magazine, get a UpLULA. If you’ve ever thought to yourself that you need a faster way to load your rifle magazines, get the Striplula. You can thank me later. The Striplula retails for about $26.95. Make sure you don’t buy a knock off, get the real deal. $26.95

Upgrades for Your Guns

Talon Grips is an amazing product that lets you get a better grip without permanently altering your gun. Their products are quality, proven, and easy to install. At only $18 they are a great stocking stuffer.

Maxim Defense CQB Stock is the real deal product that helps you make a smaller footprint with your rifle build while still offering the luxuries of a full-size AR stock. They are a little more spendy then the items I typically get in my stocking but wow is it nice. They retail for about $435.

V-TAB offers an add-on for the AR platform of rifles, allowing you to make vertical adjustments to your rifle stock. If you have a precision shooter or someone that struggles to obtain a proper cheek weld using the AR rifle, this would be a great gift at just $69.95.

Your Day on Patrol Made Easier, Safer, and More Comfortable

The Mic Loop is a great gift for your loved one that wears a portable radio with remote microphone. Priced at just $10.99, it’s easily placed into a stocking to make them more comfortable and safer.

Blue Force Gear Micro Trauma Kit is a product that should be with every first responder and person that chooses to carry a firearm for self-defense. Priced at $68 it’s a self-contained inclusive kit that gets the job done.

Holsters

Having holster options is like having shoe or jewelry options. You just need to accessorize.

Mission First Tactical holsters has a great line of holsters and I liked the minimalistic approach to their AIWB holster that they offer and use it often with my G19. It retails for $49.99.

Bravo Concealment Holsters also has a great line of holsters. I’m still working on an article featuring a few of Bravo’s holsters but can say that my wife has been using the IWB holster with her Glock 43 and loving it’s small footprint, ease of taking on and off, and comfort. We spent some time on the range with it recently and we were both pleased with its performance. Look for more on this holster soon. The IWB holsters currently comes with a free mag pouch and retails for about $45.89.

Tenicor offers a new perspective on appendix carry and inside the waist band. I have to say; this holster disappears when even this big boy wears it. They have some torsion technology in their design that makes this not just another Kydex holster. They are priced about $77.00. Take a look at them, especially if you need to make absolute certain that your pistol won’t be seen.

Alien Gear has a wonderful line of holsters. The Cloak Tuck 3.5 makes a great stocking stuffer that your tacti cool loved one can wear all day long in comfort. I love the padding, http://aliengearholsters.com/ $varies.

SnagMag allows you to carry an extra magazine with ease. It looks like a clipped-on pocket knife in your pocket and is intelligently designed to be drawn with a proper index on the magazine. I can load a fresh magazine from concealment as easily as loading from a duty belt. This product is very fairly priced at $34.95 and makes an excellent stocking stuffer.