SYSTEM BASED GEAR APPROACH

The first and foremost thing about Direct Action® products is that they are designed with a system based approach in mind. This means that even though their products can perfectly serve on their own, this is not where they shine.

This system based approach takes shape in two ways: One is the importance of the interface with other components, like weapons, backpacks, jackets etc. To look at all the components to make the individual work at his/her full potential with the best succession rate possible. The other is the interfacing of the product itself with the rest of the Direct Action® system (or even other brands). This is more of an "extra layer" of modularity and comes from the up-close-and-personal understanding the team behind Direct Action® has.

An example of this is that nearly all of the chest rigs Direct Action® produces (HURRICANE®, THUNDERBOLT®, TEMPEST®, WARWICK®) can be attached on nearly all of their plate carrier models (SPITFIRE®, BEARCAT®, HELLCAT®). The same applies for their front panels, back panels, cummerbunds etc. This creates something that offers far more solutions to deal with any task someone might face.

And ever since the release of the SPITFIRE® MKII, this approach has proven itself to be exactly what some end-users absolutely needed. See, the SPITFIRE® MKII was the world's first fully configurable plate carrier. Meaning, it was purposely designed to let the end-user decide what his/her plate carrier setup will become by providing a base with various options all provided with Direct Action® quality.

But it even goes a step further than this, because Direct Action® considers an end-user in mind that highly probably doesn't limit him/herself to only use gear from Direct Action®. Therefore they've implemented certain industry standards to seamlessly work with other brands their products. Examples of this are; front panel buckles are according to the Mayflower®/Velocity Systems standard, back panel zippers are according to the Crye Precision® AVS standard and belts are always build with a 45 mm width.

POUCH ATTACHMENT MADE EASIER

Direct Action® is one of the very few brands that pays extreme attention to detail when it comes to designing their products. This goes beyond material choice, weight and in-the-field use. They also look at the preparation process and try to minimize the time needed for this where possible. Pouch attaching is one of those subjects.

Everybody that has come in contact with tactical nylon-based gear is familiar with the MOLLE/PALS system, and thus also knows what a pain in the *ss it can be. It is however undeniable that MOLLE/PALS is the most reliable and secure modular tactical system out there. The people at Direct Action® know this and instead of reinventing the wheel, they have optimized it as good as they could. See it as going from the wooden wheel used on a horse carriage for centuries up to the modern race car wheel we know today.

Somehow attaching and detaching a pouch from Direct Action® is much easier than with any other brand. The material choice used for the MOLLE lip(s) is a smoother kind of nylon. A bendable reinforced end makes sliding in and out between the slots a lot more effortless and also the laser-cut slots themselves are cut to make the work easier, leaving tools mostly unnecessary. Detaching a pouch is faster as well. This because they've found a way to pull the MOLLE lip out of its final slot with the use of a pull tab. And since there's no use of plastic materials, there's no risk of breakages under stress either.

BELT LOOPS: THE HOLY GRAIL FOR BELT ATTACHING

It is so incredibly obvious and simple. Even so that one starts to wonder why no-one else ever thought about this before. And yet the minds behind Direct Action® did it. Rather than using plastic clips for attaching a pouch onto a belt, which are heavier and vulnerable to breaking, Direct Action® makes use of a much simpler something.

All it requires are simply two pieces of tubular nylon cord tightly sewn onto the outer parts of the pouch and voila. You now have so called "belt loops". A solution that is super easy to apply (by sliding it over the belt) and holds better than any other system (outside MOLLE/PALS) to carry pouches on your hips. In direct comparison with the MOLLE/PALS system it is in some cases even better, because pouch wobble is brought down to absolute zero. Making it totally perfect for drawing and inserting your tools under the stress of time.

The interesting thing is that Direct Action® applies belt loops to practically any pouch they produce, leaving you the option to use either this or MOLLE/PALS however you see fit. You can even use one system for pouch 1 and another for pouch 2 which might give you a fit you otherwise wouldn't be able to acquire. And although it is not easy to do, some even use both attachment systems at the same time for that extra level of security.

MATERIAL CHOICE & FINISH

Besides the already mentioned above features, base material choice is what dictates the end product its performance. Since Direct Action® their products are made to work in the most adverse conditions possible, they make sure that they start with the best raw materials available. Products from Cordura®, Velcro®, YKK®, AustriAlpen®, 2M®, ITW Nexus, Crye™ Multicam® are a few examples, but it is not where it ends. They also use Hypalon® and proprietary laminates to create final products that will meet their high standards.

Beyond this, there's also a certain wisdom that is integrated into their designs. With some of their products one might even have an "aha moment" since some included features may offer exactly the solution one needed to improve that extra level further. This is of course different for every product, but we have done our best to describe them on each individual product page as best as possible.

Furthermore, the finish is something Direct Action® puts lots of effort in as well. One is the laser-cut finish and detailed stitching. Another is their Durable Water Repellent (DWR) coating which makes the used materials water-resistant. Another is the concealment against night vision devices. Whereas camo versions are NIR (Near-Infrared Reflective) compliant & plain colors are IRR (InfraRed Reflective) treated.

HYPALON®: A MATERIAL BEYOND BELIEF

Probably one of the most pioneering materials Direct Action® uses in their product designs is what's called "Hypalon®". A material with astonishing properties like being extremely robust, grippy yet flexible and light. One can easily imagine that something with properties like this provides incredible options, especially when it comes to designing tactical equipment.

The Direct Action® team has used this material very carefully and placed it in areas where they make sense. Think about stuff like pull tabs or on the inside of magazine pouches. These are spots that are being used numerous of times by an individual and also require an easy and firm grip to function properly. Especially in stressful moments where one cannot afford the failure of his equipment.

We've personally used products in the past that had a similar grip-provided solution and they worked great too, yet they actually deteriorated rather quickly because of the numerous uses. Hypalon® is something that has proven us to last very, very long. And thus even after all those reps during practice, it will still perform when you need it most.

CONCLUSION

All by all, it is indisputable that Direct Action® makes phenomenal products. They have optimized, and in some cases, even reinvented critical aspects about tactical nylon products. This not only makes them more reliable, but also serve the end-user better.

Their pioneering has undoubtedly pushed the entire industry further and we are convinced they're not done yet. And those are the exact reasons why we made Direct Action®​ available on our shop.