Your handgun has a holster to keep it secure, but what about your patrol rifle or your precision rifle? Does it simply get tossed into the trunk of your cruiser? Is this the way to protect a piece of equipment? I should say not. Expensive equipment needs to be protected while giving you quick access to your rifle. Enter Boyt Tactical's Hard Sided/Soft Case Combo.

This perfect set will protect your firearm in the harshest conditions. Available in a choice of two lengths, it consists of an O-ring-sealed resin hard case with four toggle lockable closures and a removable standalone soft rifle case.

When used as one unit you can literally toss the case off the roof of your house and your rifle with mounted optics will survive and be ready to go. I actually did launch the set off my porch, which is one story high, and the hard case only sustained a few scratches (I'd suggest you use a backup weapon if you must try this).

To see how well the O-ring seals seal the case, I soaked the whole thing with the yard hose. Not a drop of water leaked inside. Boyt's hard case kept the contents dry and safe.

As for the soft case, which is made to fit neatly inside the hard case, it has a large padded front pocket to store extra magazines or other duty gear. Boyt includes two double magazine pouches which secure in this pocket using MOLLE webbing.

The main pouch of the soft case is padded front and rear with large webbing and security straps to secure your long gun. These security straps are easily moved thanks to hook-and-loop closures so you can easily accommodate your weapon.

Double wrap handles and a removable carry strap make the soft case easy to carry. But since the combination of the hard and soft case plus your weapon and its support gear make for a heavy load, the hard case is also wheeled. These large wheels will roll over most surfaces. Boyt Tactical's Hard Sided/Soft Case combination is built to be mobile while protecting your long gun to serve you on duty; check it out.

Propper: Lightweight Tactical Pants

Comfort, affordability, and durability are what we look for in duty, training, and casual clothing. Stylish looks and fit are a bonus. Propper's Lightweight Tactical Pants carry on the company's tradition of exceeding expectations in every regard.

Designed for training, duty, and even uniform wear if authorized, these pants will look great in any situation. An example I noticed immediately are the sleek thigh cargo pockets. They are flat, not bellows pockets. When needed they can still carry extra magazines, notepads, and other gear. Once emptied, they go back to laying flat and looking good.

What I noticed next were the seams. Many pant seams are simply sewn. Propper rolls the material, double sews it, and then double sews the ends. This makes for a very strong seam and prevents the material from fraying. Having had other "tactical" pants seams separate at inopportune times, I will tell you it is good to see attention paid to making them strong.

To ensure you don't rip out the Lightweight Tactical Pants' butt or knees, material is double layered in these areas. The cotton/nylon ripstop is tough on its own, but it's nice to have added insurance to keep the pants from tearing out during training or on duty.

Another nice touch is pockets that are reinforced so your clip knife won't tear the seam. Unlike other manufacturers, Propper uses a thin, tough material for its tactical pants instead of heavy duck material that is bulky and will eventually bend the clip.

Inside the right pocket is a "key" pocket, which is actually large enough to secure a cell phone, reducing the stuff you need to carry on your belt. By the way, Propper includes one of its nylon tactical belts with the pants.

Propper's Lightweight Tactical Pants are designed to give you value and quality. Having worn Propper clothing on duty, I am certain these pants will last you for many years and even look good enough to wear out on a date. That's a tough combination to beat. Give Propper's Lightweight Tactical Pants consideration when you are looking for new trousers.[PAGEBREAK]

Tru-Spec by Atlanco: Weathershield 3 in 1 Jacket

Years back, Atlanco was known for its military-style BDUs, which were well made and affordably priced. Then Atlanco added the Tru-Spec line, which was a leap forward. Tru-Spec offers uniforms that meet or exceed those offered by the military and tactical uniforms that rival those of any manufacturer in the industry.

In the Tru-Spec family you will find the 24-7 Series. This is an entire collection of clothing designed for tactical, training, duty, and EMS applications. Tru-Spec's 24-7 clothing is some of the most well thought-out clothing I have worn. My partner in crime has found the line to be excellent, too.

New to the 24-7 Series this year are the Weathershield 3 in 1 Jacket and Parka. I chose to look at the jacket because my wear tester prefers the shorter length. If I were walking a beat I would opt for the longer length of the parka and use the side zippers to give me access to my weapon and magazines; I want to be warm.

The Weathershield 3 in 1 is designed for versatility. A fleece liner zips out, allowing you to wear it separately as outerwear or wear the jacket by itself to keep you dry when you don't require layering to beat the cold.

With a name like Weathershield you would assume this jacket will fend off the elements. I decided to put it to the test. Since we have yet to have any blizzards this season, I opted for a manmade rain storm, aka the garden hose. After 15 minutes of soaking with the hose going full blast, the fleece liner was still dry. This may not be scientific but it shows that the Weathershield 3 in 1 will keep you dry in a downpour, so you can assume it will also keep you dry in a snow storm.

This jacket is loaded with other great features, too. Bellows hip pockets securely store gear and, while they can't carry items, rear hand warmer pockets will take the chill off your fingers. Besides, the jacket also has low-profile zippered chest pockets to carry small items. Above these pockets and on the back of the jacket are zippered, Velcro-secured ID panels that Tru-Spec can print with your choice of wording. I have found that many preprinted panels also fit these perfectly.

Tru-Spec's Weathershield 3 in 1 Jacket is duty built and has been designed to meet your needs. That makes this a rare beast. Most companies tell you what you need. Tru-Spec by Atlanco designed the 3 in 1 with input from the end user and it shows. The 3 in 1 is built for duty; it looks good and has features you're sure to make use of.

iTAC Defense: RDS1 Red-Dot Sight

Red-dot sights have become as much a part of an officer's kit as body armor. They make target acquisition faster and in low-light conditions the dot is easier to find than iron sights. There are many models on the market today; one of the newer manufacturers is iTAC Defense.

iTAC's miniature red dot for the police and military market is the RDS1. It has a four MOA dot with eleven brightness settings and uses a common CR2032 battery. This sight also comes with a hard anodized aluminum case and can easily be adjusted vertically and horizontally with a dime or the rim of a cartridge.

You will find the RDS1 ready to mount on your firearm; it comes with a M1913 Weaver mount, which works well on an M4 if it has a flip-up front sight. If you have a fixed front you will need a riser or a different mount to clear the sight post.

I opted to remove iTAC's mount and install American Defense's AD-T1-10 mount because my M4 has a fixed front sight. This is a locking quick release mount that allows you to co-witness the RDS1 with your iron sights. The quick release allows you to easily remove the red dot so you can install a telescopic sight should your mission requirements change.

I found the RDS1 easy to operate and use. It gives fast target and sight alignment, while the small size gives you a better field of view than larger dot sights. With this reduced size you have better awareness of the surroundings of your target area without sacrificing accuracy. With an MSRP under $230 this sight will not break the bank and will serve you for years to come.