Police Gear Co. Blog – Built for the Job
This isn’t another gear blog filled with buzzwords. At Police Gear Co., we keep it real—field-tested gear advice, setup guides, and lessons learned the hard way. Whether you’re a recruit just stepping into the academy or a veteran officer refining your patrol rig, these posts are written by first responders who use the same gear we sell.
Here you’ll find practical breakdowns, honest comparisons, and tips designed to help you build a setup that works when it counts. No fluff. No gimmicks. Just gear, training, and real-world experience.
1. Police Duty Belt Setup Guide (2025)
The Belt That Carries Your Career
Your duty belt isn’t just a strip of material; it’s the portable filing cabinet, toolbox, and sometimes snack caddy for your entire shift. Radios, cuffs, OC spray, gloves, flashlight—it’s all got to ride comfortably without throwing your spine out of alignment before retirement.
Placement Matters
A rookie mistake is tossing gear wherever it fits. Radio on your strong side? Enjoy keying up with your armpit. Cuffs in the middle of your back? Hope you like yoga mid-chase. Balance is key. Spread the weight, prioritize access, and remember that if you can’t grab it under stress, you don’t really “have it.”
What Actually Works
Veteran officers know: keep radio on your support side, cuffs where you can grab them without dislocating a shoulder, and OC spray somewhere safe from “oops, I sprayed myself” moments.
The Bottom Line
The right setup isn’t about looking squared away—it’s about not throwing your back out before you hit ten years.
2. How to Choose the Right Body Camera Holder
Why Retention Matters
Your body camera is only useful if it stays attached during a foot pursuit. A bad holder turns your critical evidence into shaky footage of the sky followed by asphalt. Not a good look.
Durability Over Flash
You don’t need chrome accents or gimmicks. You need a holder that survives shifts, scuffles, and seatbelt fights without giving up your camera. The more boring it looks, the better it usually works.
Compatibility Counts
Not every camera is the same. A holder that “sort of” fits usually means “sort of” fails. Look for holders built for your exact camera model so you’re not gambling with your footage.
The Bottom Line
A good body camera holder won’t win fashion awards. It will, however, save you from hours of explaining missing video in front of a review board.
3. What Every Academy Graduate Needs in Their Gear Bag
The Basics
Forget the shiny catalog spreads. What you actually need: handcuffs, flashlight, notebook, pens, and some level of caffeine delivery system. If you’re missing those, you’re unprepared before the first call drops.
Beyond the Minimum
Tourniquet, gloves, and extra socks sound boring—until the first bloody call, the first cold night, or the first long shift without relief. Veterans carry them for a reason.
Why It Matters
Your academy gear list was written for training, not the street. Reality is different. Filling the gaps early saves you from looking unprepared and leaning on your shift partner every time.
The Bottom Line
Bring what makes you useful to the team. Nobody remembers the rookie who came prepared—but they all remember the one who didn’t.
4. Kydex vs Nylon: Which Gear Lasts Longer on Duty?
Kydex: Tough and Rigid
Kydex is the dependable workhorse. It’s form-fitted, durable, and shrugs off years of daily carry. Yes, it’s rigid, but that’s what makes it reliable when things get rough.
Nylon: Flexible and Forgiving
Nylon has its place. It’s lighter, cheaper, and more forgiving if you’re constantly bending, kneeling, or adjusting. The tradeoff: it eventually frays and softens with heavy use.
What Officers Actually Do
Most carry a mix. Kydex for high-value tools like radios or cameras, nylon for lighter, less critical gear. It’s not about loyalty to one—it’s about what works for the job.
The Bottom Line
Both have strengths. Buy based on use, not marketing. The guy who picked “cheapest” usually ends up buying twice.
5. 5 Common Gear Mistakes New Officers Make
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Overpacking the Belt. Carrying everything “just in case” is a great way to guarantee back pain.
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Bad Placement. If you can’t grab cuffs in a fight, you don’t have cuffs.
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Buying Knockoffs. If it was cheap online, there’s usually a reason.
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Ignoring Comfort. A belt that digs into your side at roll call will feel like medieval torture by hour ten.
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Shiny Gear Syndrome. Shiny might look sharp on inspection day, but shiny doesn’t make you effective.
The Bottom Line
Rookies can either learn fast or spend a year as “gear disaster rookie.” Choose wisely.
6. Field-Tested: Gear That Survives Patrol (and Gear That Doesn’t)
What Survives
Belts that don’t sag, holders that keep radios locked in, and body cam mounts that don’t launch expensive cameras into traffic.
What Doesn’t
Discount nylon from Amazon, “tactical” gear made for airsoft, and anything advertised with more skull logos than specs.
The Reality Check
If it’s made to look good in pictures, it probably wasn’t made to survive patrol. Stick to what’s been field-tested by people who actually wear it for a living.
The Bottom Line
Buy once, cry once. Or buy twice, and cry harder when the sergeant asks why your gear failed.
7. Body Camera Policies Are Changing: Here’s What Officers Need to Know
The Policy Shift
Departments everywhere are cracking down. Translation: “the camera better be on, or you’ll be explaining why it wasn’t.”
Why Your Holder Matters
If your camera hits the pavement mid-shift, the policy doesn’t care. Your footage is gone, and you’re left holding excuses.
What to Expect
More recording, less wiggle room. A secure holder is the cheapest insurance policy you’ll ever carry.
The Bottom Line
Adapt now. Complaints and policy memos are easier to handle when the footage speaks for itself.
8. Duty Gear Maintenance 101: Making Your Equipment Last
Why Maintenance Matters
Your gear takes a beating—rain, mud, coffee, and the occasional suspect who thinks biting is a strategy. If you don’t clean and maintain it, it will fail when you need it most.
Simple Steps
Tighten retention screws. Wipe down after messy calls. Check clips and mounts before shifts. It takes minutes but saves hours of grief.
What You Gain
Reliable gear that works every time. Which means one less thing to worry about on a shift already full of things to worry about.
The Bottom Line
Take care of your gear, or don’t be surprised when it quits on you at the worst possible moment.
9. The Evolution of Duty Belts: From Leather to Kore Essentials
Leather: Old School
Looks sharp on parade, but cracks, sags, and weighs as much as your patrol bag. Nostalgic, but not practical for long shifts.
Kore Essentials: Modern Solution
Lightweight, adjustable, and built to carry real duty loads without giving you “patrol shuffle.” Track-lock systems mean your belt fits at the start of the shift and still fits after midnight tacos.
Why It Matters
A better belt doesn’t just hold gear—it saves your back, improves comfort, and makes you more effective.
The Bottom Line
Leather had its day. The future is here, and it’s lighter, tougher, and built to last.
10. Patrol Comfort Hacks: Small Adjustments That Make Long Shifts Easier
Adjust Your Loadout
Shift your gear an inch. Seriously. One inch off your hip can be the difference between “fine” and “why do I need physical therapy at 30?”
Invest in Your Feet
Your boots are more important than your car. They carry you every step of every shift. Skimp here and you’ll pay in pain.
Little Comforts, Big Difference
Gloves, seat cushions, backup snacks. Laugh now, but when it’s hour twelve and the radio won’t stop, these small things feel like lifesavers.
The Bottom Line
Comfort isn’t about being soft—it’s about surviving long shifts without falling apart.