What's your loadout?

Hey all,

I'm always curious as to what other recovery persons wear gear wise. I've seen a couple variations, but considering the vast resources of this website and it's members, I figured I'd get a much better view on what we wear as a profession. I hope that others will post a synopsis of their gear, and offer opinions and suggestions to others on their choices.

I'll go first!

No matter what I'm doing, whether it be tactical or in office work, I always have my trust SigSauer 226 in .40S&W.


I have three "sets" that I wear; light, medium, and heavy duty.

Light Duty
Light duty is for in-office work, or very low risk ops. I also consider this "plainclothes".

I carry my Sig226 in a Fobus light-bearing paddle holster, with handcuffs and a spare mag in another paddle holster (also by Fobus)


Medium Duty
Medium duty is what I wear for most ops and recoveries. The clothing may vary, but it is usually a dark colored polo(or hooded sweatshirt) with khaki pants. I wear my duty belt and a concealable IIIA vest.

Duty belt:

-Double mag holder
-Radio (either a CP150 or a GP68)
-Baton (ASP, 26in)
-Flashlight (Streamlight Stinger)
-2 single handcuff cases (with 2 sets of Peerless chained handcuffs)
-OC spray can.

Heavy Duty
I prefer this over the other two for most ops, simply because it makes me the most identifiable and offers the greatest amount of protection.

I have a black plate carrier (unknown brand, got it from CTD) with level IIIA inserts and 8x8 steel plates velcroed to the inside of the carrier. It's heavy, but I can wear it for 10-12 hours before feeling it.

-Pens
-"tactical" handcuff key
-Double mag pouch
-Extra flashlight

I also have a drop leg Blackhawk! level 3 SERPA holster to make accessing my firearm much easier while wearing the carrier.


Taser
I also have a Taser x26 that goes with all three setups.



So that's it for my gear, what about y'all?

Fairly simular to your setup. Always light duty. Often medium. Never tact out. The brands may differ, but for the most part, we "dress out" the same.

_________________
********************
Thomas SnoWolf
FRN# 1999
GAPB 20120726
NSIS ST0707
http://www.rocksolidrg.com
"The hero is not the man that acts without fear,
He is the man that acts inspite of fear"

Yeah, the "duty-continuum" is similar to the "use of force continuum"

Pair of jeans, boots, a XXL t-shirt with my lvl 3A vest underneath, a button up shirt short sleeved shirt over that so it conceal my Glock 26, cuffs on left hip, MEB in my back right pants pocket, and OC in front left pants pocket and a baseball cap. That's pretty much it. Oh yeah - my license on a chain in my pocket. The more I look like average joe on the street, the better. In fact, you would have no idea I am armed (concealed means concealed) and my T-shirt underneath says "Bail Enforcement" on the back in big bold yellow letters so if I have to, I can remove my button up shirt so LE knows who I am.

I find if I don't go tactical, I won't have to be tactical! Also, LE seems to feel a lot more at ease with me when they see me dressed casual holding up my license and capias......laugh if you want, but it works well for me.

_________________
Tomorrow is the most important thing in life. Comes into us at midnight very clean. It's perfect when it arrives and it puts itself in our hands. It hopes we've learned something from yesterday.

VA DCJS #99-99238446

I will say that you have a very nice setup......................... mine differs a bit..............




Hey guys.......................... should I ????????????????????????

_________________
Bill Marx, Sr.
"FREE STATE BAIL BONDS"
"FREE STATE INVESTIGATIONS"
DCJS: 99-176979
Cell: 434-294-0222

"Endeavor to Persevere" "Lone Watie"

"Good judgment comes from experience, and a lot of that , comes from bad judgment" "Will Rogers"

Yes, Bill. You most definately should......I still haven't found a Tactical store that sells your set up in my size, so I am dealing with what I can get

_________________
********************
Thomas SnoWolf
FRN# 1999
GAPB 20120726
NSIS ST0707
http://www.rocksolidrg.com
"The hero is not the man that acts without fear,
He is the man that acts inspite of fear"

_________________
Heritage and Profession Together

J.G. Marshall
MARSHALL FUGITIVE SERVICE
Lic. # 2008-392
Moderator


Its the Irish in my mind that keeps me sane,
and the Irish in my heart that keeps me strong.

I know I am!

Well, we all have our "stuff" and our "procedures"... our "ways"... mine have always been a bit... shall I say... 'unconventional'... to the point of actually pissing a few of you off cause you think I am ............. a bit.............. 'over the top' and have caused a few rebuttals... however, it has worked for me for a very long time and it actually keeps me out of serious trouble cause I have been able to pick skips up by talking them into my vehicle and not fighting them............ of course there have been exceptions but for the most part..... it has worked for me...... I will say that I can actually be serious if the need arises... as it occasionally does, but not often... most of the people I deal with are about as nuts as I am which is why it usually works...........

I do not own a bulletproof vest... nor a web belt with all the trimmings... I do have a badge but I usually forget to bring it... I do not have anything but a windbreaker jacket that has "Bail Bonds" on the back so when I sit in court ... I sit in the front row and all behind me know exactly who I am and I don't need to solicit... they ask me, which keeps me out of trouble for the most part.

As for pickups... if the perp is a real bad boy... I call Scott or someone that I know is much more capable than I... otherwise, I usually do it myself, as follows:

Usually dressed in very....... very casual attire............... sport shirt or a Disney-world T shirt , casual pants... if it's warm... tactical sandals , large depends in case I get excited and sht in my Bermuda's ... (don't tell me you never did that...)... I used to wear a good pair of tennis shoes like 'New Balance' or some other high dollar running shoes but now that I have 2 titanium knees... I can't run... so I just wear something as comfortable and carry a larger caliber pistol like this little TaurusPro .45... so I don't have to run....

I also sometimes carry a large water pistol filled with Clorox.... while the perp is laughing at me I just shoot him in the face with the Clorox and put the cuffs on him while he is laying on the ground screaming.... he doesn't usually fight back and then I give him a 'handy wipe' ...

Now if you think I am kidding about all this........ one of my buddies... a deputy... took this picture a few years ago when I was turning in one of my skips........... what can I say......... I did think his Bermudas were fancier than mine............

I have said many time that I have never been mistaken for a police officer or an FBI agent... never been hauled into court for impersonating a law enforcement officer of any kind.... my little badge says "Bail Bondsman" and does not have a state seal or anything that would be mistaken for official business other than mine.

I can only say........ I ain't pretty but I have only lost one skip in 12 years.......... he was a young Mexican that ran faster than me and went directly back to Mexico........... (the very first bond I ever wrote... $500 bond that I paid.... my lovely wife ask me after I paid the forfeiture... "and you think your gonna actually make any money doing this............ you are an idiot!!!")

She was right... I have never made any money doing this but I sure have a great time......... and I get to buy a lot of neat guns and stuff... and hang out with a bunch of great people... and I write off everything I do buy.... "just business ya know."

I will say that I have a tremendous amount of respect for all you guys and gals that go after these folks that I would not even think of tracking... I like all your gear and envy you but I'll just stay like I am and leave the bad boys up to you guys.... keep up the good work and stay safe and pay no attention to my silly stuff... you keep doing what works for you... and on the occasion that I run up against someone that I think might give me a bit of trouble... well, I'll just call you.

So that's my repertoire... unusual maybe, but it works for me.


Always remember this........... and I am a prime example of it....... "never start a fight with an old man... cause if he can't whip ya... he'll just shoot ya..."

_________________
Bill Marx, Sr.
"FREE STATE BAIL BONDS"
"FREE STATE INVESTIGATIONS"
DCJS: 99-176979
Cell: 434-294-0222

"Endeavor to Persevere" "Lone Watie"

"Good judgment comes from experience, and a lot of that , comes from bad judgment" "Will Rogers"

Haha, that's fantastic! Bravo!

To each his own!