Review: Propper ICE Polo

As first seen on BreachBangClear!

As part of the batch of awesome goodies I received from Propper, along with the Liberty Bottle and some other cool items.

I wear polo shirts every day to work, and as I like to say disaster doesn't wait till after hours and weekend.  I like to slot in as much rugged kit into my everyday workwear as I can, whilst still staying within the limits of acceptable dress at work, so having some technical clothing in non-military cuts is quite a boon for me.

The Propper ICE Performance polo does just this, with a classical polo-shirt look that can still be packed full of features.

Made from an "advanced wicking fabric", made of 94% and 6% spandex, it dries 125% faster than cotton, 30% faster than traditional polyester. Pretty awesome. This is apparently fade, shrink and wrinkle resistant. It certainly is wrinkle resistant. I've worn and laundered this a number of times, slept in it and generally treated it shabbily, and it has bounced back every time.

Extended length for tucking into pants means no worries of it coming untucked and unprofessional looking, whether you are in the ceiling, or hopping out of a vehicle.  It has a sleek, smooth finish and is very comfortable to wear. It feels pretty weird for a shirt though, more like a swim-suit. That might be an issue for some people.

Part of that comes down to the 100% polyester gusseted mesh underarm which increases both ventilation and range of motion. These are made from and are colour matched so well I had to go back and check they were there. Hidden button down collar stays provide a clean, professional look, with no risk of an unexpected popped-collar douche effect.

However, not being just another polo shirt is where these come into their own. Hidden-in-the-seams pockets function as mic clips on both shoulders (I attached my 5.11 ATAC A1 flashlight on one, hands free illumination!)  and sunglasses loop under the placket which I attached some ID to, showcase the options here.

Even better, there is a two-channel pen pocket on the left shoulder, handy for us righties, but very useful for anyone who needs to have a pen handy, and not in the depths of a pants pocket.

This is a great shirt. Rugged without being barracks-wear, functional without being too tactical-chic, it lets me have a few tricks up (or on) my sleeves.

Review: Propper - STL II pants

As first seen on BreachBangClear ..... I really love being able to write for these guys, and upcoming articles for RecoilWeb too!


Here's another great piece from Propper's new line-up, the redoubtable  STL II pants, that came in my haul of Propper loot, along with a Liberty Bottle , the ICE polo shirt, (http://www.epropper.com/p-105-ice-mens-performance-polo-short-sleeve.aspx), their Gen Multipurpose Bag (http://www.epropper.com/p-217-gen-multipurpose-bag.aspx) and a 720 Belt (http://www.epropper.com/p-225-720-belt.aspx) all of which have reviews pending. Watch this space.

Here is what I can tell you about the STL II pants. I've reviewed some Propper pants before and appreciated the comfort and wearability of their design, construction and durability. The STL II's are no different. Made from a 97% nylon and 3% spandex, it has a generous cut and all the hard wearing seams are reinforced, and flat-finished, giving these pants a very comfortable fit. http://www.epropper.com/p-148-stl-ii-pant.aspx

The fabric is soft, breathes nicely and light, a far cry from my old canvas type cargo pants of yesteryear. I wonder how hard-wearing they will be in the long term, and whether they need to fall in the "slacks vs overalls" category of rough-use. I have a feeling running through acacia thorns wouldn't be a lot of fun in these.

On the upside, they feature gusseted crotch allows greater range of motion as well as giving pinch free fit for those of us who go-commando or even sport some jewelry ...

An interesting feature is that the bottom of the legs have a zippered expandable opening, for fitting over boots, as well as a reinforced "kick-panel"  to take some of the brunt for those who punish their back hems a fair bit.

The front pockets feature a reinforcing strip, for belt-clips of knives or key-holders, and are both deep and well lined. No holes poking through or awkward bulges with these. The thigh-pockets are zippered and discreet, as are the rear-pockets. A pair of looped fabric bands on the front two belt-loops

You might notice that I have stuffed my iPad Air into the thigh-pocket. A tight fit, but I'd call that a success, in my "can I pocket my iPad" criteria. This also further demonstrated the clean and subtle lines of these pants. When closed off, there are no bulging baffles or overtly "cool-guy" flaps on these pants. Perfect for blending in with the regular folks out and about, in the office, or in my day-to-day case, in hospitals and giving presentations in board-rooms, without making security nervous.

As Propper themselves state, you'd have to look twice at these pants to spot their tactical features.

Speaking of which, there is even a secret 12cm x 10cm pocket, in the back waistband seam.  Its big enough for me to stash my passports, or a phone, and when coupled with a pair of belt-pouches, is pretty much invisible.

For pants as cleanly cut as these, I like that they still have the "secret-squirrel" feel of their tactical ancestry.  As previously mentioned, they feel more like slacks than combat-pants, that is a plus and a minus, depending on how you look at it.

Home Front: Pervasive mentality

I know I spend a lot of time talking about gear. Packs, gadgets, clothes, pointy things, and this is a really important part of the message I like to get out there to you all, but obviously that's not all that it is about. Having the right gear is only part of being "Equipped".

For those of a gaming bent, you'll already be familiar with the idea of "stored" vs "equipped" gear and items. Having the right goodie is totally different to having it to hand.

Take this pile of loot: All on me, all day long, more or less.

Great, but what about the bag you left in your car? where IS your car, how do you get to it, and once there, how do you get away from a crisis?

I tend to take a photo of the bay my car is in, so its on my phone in the event I can't find it, or need to relay that information along.

That kind of thinking, which my friends at Oscar Delta would refer to as "Disruptive Thinking", and I am all for it. Know your exits, and as Gen Mattis, USMC (ret.) was once quoted as saying "Be polite, be professional, but have a plan to kill everybody you meet"

Harsh, perhaps, but certainly through provoking.

I live in a very permissive environment. I can for the most part, go where I want, when I want. There are some places that I can go, and things I can do that I might not be supposed to, that I am able to, without dire consequences. I'm lucky. I also know that that might change. Access might be blocked, briefly, or permanently, through cataclysm, legislation or hostility.

The best I can do, is to try to be ready. to be mentally prepared, and aware. To be trained, and tested. For me, that also includes passing this mentality on to those around me, even very subtly. Be safe, be aware, out there.