View Full Version : Hey OPTAC
NousDefionsDoc
07-28-2005, 22:35
I noticed you have that BW gear on your site now. How is it?
optactical
08-05-2005, 17:37
NDD, The quality is on line with BPG, Maxpedition, and Camelbak. What I consider to be mid level on the quality and durability scale.
It isn't selling as well as I thought it might, I mainly picked up the product line because it has some pretty new designs, but it is also chock full of "same old, same old stuff".
The Reaper
08-05-2005, 17:49
That tracks with my experience.
Probably better than Blackhawk, not as good as the high end guys.
Call it good Asian factory work.
TR
Footmobile
08-06-2005, 06:04
The stuff is a little on the expensive side IMO. $50 for a triple 5.56 magazine pouch? 25$ for a single frag pouch? The average Joe can't afford that high a price, and the average Joe is who the all the gear companies are (or should be) marketing to nowadays anyways. If they bring down their prices, I think they'll sell more than they are now.
Footmobile
08-06-2005, 06:08
I don't like their attachment system either. Not very user frinedly.
There is a gear manufacturing company I recently purchased gear from that has a discount for service members, you have to ask for it.
I will (and always have) spent more for comparable gear from someone I know or respect...To that end, I favor Blade-Tec for kydex, (Tim Wagner is one of the most upfront nicest guys I've had the pleasure of meeting) Tactical Tailor (Logan Coffey treated me with respect when he didn't have to, produces excellent gear and doesn't try and over charge) and Strider Knives (Mick was a Ranger "nuf said"). There are more that have treated me well and I aplogise for not mentioning them...Those I have had a problem with, or I don't like...I will not name, because I don't like to bash unless I'm face to face....just my 2 cents.
DDD
The Reaper
08-06-2005, 12:16
DDD:
Have to say those are all stand-up guys.
In addition to them, I have also had good luck with John Carver at Eagle, who I have known for over 20 years, Chris Reeve, and an Oregon knifemaker who posts here and whose name escapes me, though it is on four or five of my favorite blades. :D
You name a product, I probably have a favorite or an opinion.
TR
DDD:
Have to say those are all stand-up guys.
In addition to them, I have also had good luck with John Carver at Eagle, who I have known for over 20 years, Chris Reeve, and an Oregon knifemaker who posts here and whose name escapes me, though it is on four or five of my favorite blades. :D
You name a product, I probably have a favorite or an opinion.
TR
I have to agree with you on all accounts except maybe the Oregon knife maker (but only because I want my dots to move :eek: )
DDD
NousDefionsDoc
08-06-2005, 16:18
NDD, The quality is on line with BPG, Maxpedition, and Camelbak. What I consider to be mid level on the quality and durability scale.
It isn't selling as well as I thought it might, I mainly picked up the product line because it has some pretty new designs, but it is also chock full of "same old, same old stuff".
Hokay,
Thanks.
NousDefionsDoc
08-06-2005, 16:41
and the average Joe is who the all the gear companies are (or should be) marketing to nowadays anyways. If they bring down their prices, I think they'll sell more than they are now.
Why? LBT has made a living selling to a very specialized market. And there are people willing to pay for top quality no matter the cost.
Do you think BMW and Mercedes should change their product line and direct all their attention to the "average joe"?
I ain't the average Joe and I don't want to have only one choice. I like knowing there are Paracletes as well as BHIs out there.
Footmobile
08-06-2005, 17:49
Why? LBT has made a living selling to a very specialized market. And there are people willing to pay for top quality no matter the cost.
Agreed.
One of those random posts that I've thrown out there every now and then that I really didn't think through what I typed. Don't get me wrong, I certainly do like the option of buying from a company with a good reputaion, I do it all the time, exclusively actually. I guess the point I was trying to make was that a brand new company on the gear market can't afford to charge $50 for a triple mag pouch, without proving themselves as top notch first. Blackwater's gear hasn't done that yet.
There are companies out there who can mass produce, and there are those that can produce quality everytime. I know who to rely on, and I know you do too.
militarymoron
08-12-2005, 13:49
I don't like their attachment system either. Not very user frinedly.
hey footmobile, what didn't you like about their attachment system and what problems did you encounter with it?
cheers,
MM
Footmobile
08-12-2005, 14:03
Let me preface this that I only handeled the stuff in a store.
It seemed very flimsy. The backing that the MOLLE style webbing loops thru seems to be made from a cheap version of hypalon. It looked to be only single stitched in the attachment points, a big no no IMO. When I say not user friendly, I mean the hypalon stuff has small slats that make it difficult to route the attachment webbing thru. There is no 1 inch gap with which to get the straps thru like most other companies use.
militarymoron
08-12-2005, 15:19
thanks for the reply, footmobile. i've only played with BW prototypes myself and seen the pre-production samples. there are a couple of weights of hypalon, and the stuff on the back of the pouches i looked at was the lighter weight, but still very strong. i tried my best to get one of the slots to rip with my fingers and by pulling on a strap routed through, but i couldn't do any damage to it.
i can see how the slots might be more difficult to route the strap through - but i didn't have too tough a time with them. i was skeptical when i first saw it, but after examination, i thought it was a good design - the light weight and low bulk of the hypalon panel vs natick snap/molle.
some of the pouches were just perimeter stitched, some had bartacks at stress points, but again, these weren't production pieces.
The Reaper
08-12-2005, 18:46
MM:
I saw the stuff in the BW company store back in May, and was not impressed either.
TR
militarymoron
08-16-2005, 22:41
thanks, TR.
MM
It really surprises me that BW aren't pursuing a more up-market crowd. They have already developed name-recognition with their Security work and training, have a market with a far higher income than the 'average joe' either working for them or working WITH them, and have (by my estimation) enough cash to research and develop some very high quality and revolutionary gear.
I'd love to know what's stopping them!
Solid
The Reaper
08-17-2005, 08:50
It really surprises me that BW aren't pursuing a more up-market crowd. They have already developed name-recognition with their Security work and training, have a market with a far higher income than the 'average joe' either working for them or working WITH them, and have (by my estimation) enough cash to research and develop some very high quality and revolutionary gear.
I'd love to know what's stopping them!
Solid
Same as with most of the rest of what they do.
Profit.
TR