Propper's Defender line of outerwear can be used separately or alone, depending on your needs. One great piece is the Delta waist-length jacket. It has a nylon outer shell with a breathable/waterproof barrier on the sleeves and body. This lightweight design makes the Delta a useful jacket throughout the year.
The Defender Delta is packed with features to make it a perfect duty jacket. Its hood rolls into the collar to keep it out of the way, yet available in a flash should the weather take a turn for the worse. Lower pockets keep your hands warm, chest pockets store small items, reflective identification panels can be attached to the front and rear of the jacket, and all seams are sealed to keep you dry in the worst rains.
Since this jacket is built for duty, it features side zippers to provide access to your sidearm and other gear. To keep the cold out, the zippers secure with a snap strap, not just a snap that could be tugged loose if the snap caught on something. If you prefer to not secure the strap, it can be snapped inside the jacket to keep it out of the way.
If you live and work in a part of the country that has four seasons, the Delta can be made into a cold weather duty jacket by zipping in the water-resistant and windproof Defender Echo. The Echo is made from polyester and spandex and can be worn as a liner or a standalone jacket.
Features include articulated sleeves to reduce fatigue, integrated pen pockets, zippered internal and external pockets, and—like the Delta—secure side zippers for easy access to your sidearm or other gear.
I found the Delta/Echo combination to be an ideal wet/cold weather combination. I wore it to the range for my agency's handgun qualifications and was warm and dry on a snowy, rainy, 30-degree day. Yes, we shoot on an indoor/outdoor range, and the snow and rain blows in on you. We were out for six hours and the Delta/Echo kept me warm and dry.
If this combination can keep me comfortable for that long on such a nasty day, it will keep you warm and dry when doing traffic stops, traffic details, etc. If you are in the market for a year-round duty jacket, give the Propper Defender/Echo combination a look; you won't be let down.
Wheeler Engineering
Gunsmithing Screwdriver Set
One piece of equipment that is often overlooked for duty is a toolkit for the arms room. This is especially true of smaller agencies where officers purchase their own weapons and tools are left up to the individual officer. Wouldn't it be great if a tool kit could serve most, if not all, weapons in your arms room?
Wheeler Engineering has such a kit. It includes a wide variety of flat blades to fit nearly every size screw you can find on a firearm. The Gunsmithing Screwdriver Set even includes several Torx drivers, Phillips head screw bits, and numerous Allen head bits.
You might think this kit is unnecessary because you can buy these bits at any auto parts store, right? Wrong. All of these blades are designed to properly fit screws on firearms. Tools from your favorite home improvement center don't properly fit a firearms screw and can lead to stripping the head of the screw, making it virtually impossible to remove. I know this from experience.
What truly makes the Wheeler Gunsmithing Screwdriver Set a cut above other "smith" screwdriver sets are the firearms and scope-specific tools. There are bits for 1911 grip screw bushings, M1A/M14 rear sights, a Glock front sight replacement tool, pin punches to fit various handgun roll pins, and even tool bits to fit Weaver and Leupold adjusting bits. These bits are what set the Wheeler Gunsmithing Screwdriver Set apart from most any other set on the market.
If you or your agency need a screwdriver set to maintain your weapons and firearms accessories, check out the Wheeler Engineering Gunsmithing Screwdriver Set. It will make the job easier and keep your weapons in better shape.
