I’ve mentioned a few times here that I’ve been following a program called Tactical Barbell. This fitness program aims to be the best functional fitness program for soldiers, Marines, cops, SF candidates, firefighters, and anyone who needs to have a solid mix of cardio, endurance, and strength. As part of my programming, I’m doing three days of cardio, one day of running, one day of boxing, and one day of hiking. Hiking is where the 5.11 Tactical TacTec plates have come in extremely handy.
Adding weight to a pack can be done in many ways. I can shove boots, clothes, and a sleeping bag into a pack and create an infantry-worthy pack, but that’s a hassle and not very practical from a fitness perspective. Adding metal weights certainly works, but they are far from comfortable and place all of the weight in the bottom of the bag. Plus, they move back and forth and require you to wrap them for any form of comfort.
The TacTec plates are designed to add weight to a plate carrier to create a weight vest for fitness purposes. They most certainly work in that regard, but I’ve been using the TacTec weight plates for my rucking rig. The soft nature and the height and width of the plates spread the weight out evenly, and the soft nature of the plates and the sand filling them keeps things comfortable.
Breaking Down the TacTec Plates
The TacTec plates come as a set. They are made from 600D polyester and feature an internal PE board for rigidity. The bottoms of the TacTec plates open and allow you to easily fill them with dirt, shot, pebbles, rocks, or whatever. I went with simple dried sand. The bottom opens, and hook-and-loop flap closures keep the dirt where it needs to be. When filled with sand, they weigh about five pounds each.
Different materials have different weights and densities, so they can vary in weight. Ten pounds between two plates is pretty good, as far as I’m concerned. They are intended to replicate plates without having to risk the durability of your plates while training. The plate dimensions are 12.75 inches tall, 9.75 inches long, and 1 inch deep. They’ll fit most plate carriers with ease and squeeze all packs.
Everything about the plates is designed to provide a balanced load. The internal PE board keeps the plates from bulging and sand from gathering. An internal divider does the same and helps with balance. On the back side, we have hook-and-loop tabs to tighten the plates down and ensure they fit in your average carrier. The boards and divider provide durability and rigidity, so they replicate ballistic plates.
One of the big benefits of these fillable weight bags is that they can be tailored to individual use. You can easily remove and add weight on demand, allowing you to tailor your workout and weights as needed. The TacTec plates offer you that over fixed weight plates.
Getting Loaded
The TacTec Plates hold up well and are easy to use. I have carried them in a pack mostly but tossed them in a plate carrier for some bodyweight-plus exercises. (I really hate burpees.) The plates have remained sealed, and I have seen sand leaking out of my pack, or I noticed it when I removed the plates from the carrier. It’s worth mentioning that 5.11 Tactical also makes a TacTec trainer weight vest if you want to spare your plate carrier from sweat and abuse.
The TacTec plates are solid, well made, and seem to be an excellent option if you want to up your fitness game. They’ve worked exceptionally well for the Tactical Barbell program and provided me with extra weight in my pack. They’re well made, easy to use, and distribute weight in a comfortable, well-balanced way.
For more information, please visit 511Tactical.com.
