Best Tactical Gear Holiday Gift Ideas For 2023

With the holiday season approaching, many of us are beginning to ask ourselves what it is that we could buy for someone we care about. Others may be asking you what exactly you would like for a gift as well!

On my wife’s side of the family we draw names, and the name that you draw is the person you have to buy a gift for. We normally cap the price for how much the gift can cost, but that rule is usually broken! Often we don’t have any clue what to purchase for that person either, so we go around and ask people closest to them what they might want or need.

With this scenario in mind, and others, I thought it would be good to come up with a list of tactical gear items that would be great to purchase during the holiday season. I hope this list is helpful to you in some way! And if anyone asks what they could buy you as a gift or are looking for ideas, just send them this post.

Stocking Stuffers

Condor Tactical Cap

There not much to say about Tactical Caps, other than they look cool and keep the sun out of your face. The Condor Tactical Cap is very cost effective and has lots of colours and even has a Velcro-loop on the front and back for customization!

Check Condor Outdoor for the latest pricing!

Use ‘TGG15’ for 15% off your order.

At the time of this article, the Condor Tactical Cap has a rating of 4.6 out of 5 with over 7000 customer reviews on Amazon! Needless to say, people love this cap. Look good, feel good, play good.

Fox River Military Socks

I personally wear Fox River socks while wearing my uniform, and they’re extremely comfortable.

Check Amazon for the latest pricing.

With well over 4000 customer reviews, they have a high rating of 4.7 out of 5! They come in black, coyote brown, foliage green (similar to Ranger green), and sand/tan.

These would make a perfect stocking stuffer for anyone who is serving in the military, law enforcement, or hunting community.

Smith & Wesson Extreme Ops Folding Knife

The Extreme Ops Folding Knife is a very affordable knife great for any stocking stuffer! Just make sure it’s folded when you put it inside…

Check Amazon for the latest pricing!

The overall length of the Smith & Wesson Extreme Ops Folding Knife is 7.1 inches (18 cm) and has a blade length of 3.1 inches (7.9 cm) and weighs only 3.5 ounces! With over 43,000 reviews, this knife has a rating of 4.6 out of 5 and is the #1 best seller for tactical knives on Amazon at the time of this article.

Proper Tactical Duty Belt

Another excellent choice for a stocking stuffer or smaller gift item would be a tactical belt. This belt in particular has a rating of 4.4 out of 5 with nearly 6000 customer reviews at the time of this article!

Check Amazon for the latest pricing.

This belt in particular would be a great first tactical belt for anyone. It has the 1.5” Nylon Webbing and a non-metallic buckle so that it wont sound off any alarms at security checks. It also comes in black, green, coyote, and tan!

My personal belt that I wear in uniform is of the same material webbing, but I do use a metallic two-piece buckle (the 1 3/4” COBRA buckle to be exact).

Mechanix Original Tactical Gloves

Having a decent pair of tactical gloves should be a high priority on your list of gear to have, and with the mechanix orginial tactical gloves, you can’t go wrong. With over 23,000 customer reviews, these gloves have an impressive rating of 4.7 out of 5!

Check Amazon for the latest pricing!

If you’re doing a gift exchange or need an idea for a nice stocking stuffer, these would be an amazing option.

Gloves are incredibly important to have in order to protect your hands but to also give you more grip and endurance. These gloves could be used for not only tactical aspects, but everyday scenarios in life. Working on the car, moving furniture, the list goes on.

If you want a full list of tactical gloves, check out my article on Best Tactical Gloves Under $30!

Black Rifle Coffee

Black Rifle Coffee is a fantastic stocking stuffer for anyone you know serving in the Armed Forces that loves coffee! What’s great about this company is that they support Veterans and First Responders.

Check Amazon for the latest pricing.

Black Rifle Coffee has a wide variety of blends and flavors for coffee lovers. Definitely go check them out! With nearly 25,000 customer reviews this coffee has a rating of 4.7 out of 5!

Rite in the Rain Weatherproof Notebook

If you know anyone that serves in the military, you know that it’s always important to have a pen and notepad on you at all times. Rite in the Rain notepads are ideal because they are weatherproof and fit excellent in military uniform pockets. I always had one of these on me for when orders came down (or when a coffee run was needed).

Check Amazon for the latest pricing.

With over 16,000 customer reviews, the Rite in the Rain Notebook has a rating of 4.8 out of 5! The outer cover of this notepad is waterproof, so rain will run off the cover no problem. Of course, if you go swimming with this in your pocket, don’t expect it to come out dry.

Gifts Under $100

5.11 Tactical Shirt

5.11 Tactical is well known for having products tailored for the tactical community. Their tactical shirts have a rating of 4.6 out of 5 with nearly 700 customer reviews!

Check 5.11 Tactical for the latest pricing!

The 5.11 Tactical Polo Shirt comes available in a variety of colors and sizes. If you want to look the part and have a comfortable and professional looking shirt, you can’t go wrong with the 5.11 Tactical Polo shirt, or any of 5.11 Tactical’s shirts.

Rothco Medium Transport Pack

Having a tactical backpack is an excellent piece of kit to have so that you’re able to lug around any extra gear. The Rothco Medium Transport Pack is a inexpensive yet versatile backpack that has an impressive amount of storage!

At the time of this article it has a rating of 4.5 out of 5 with nearly 500 customer reviews. Keep in mind that while most prices range around the $60 – $80 range, it depends on the color pattern used, so some may cost slightly over $100.

Check Amazon for the latest pricing.

I did an in-depth review of the Rothco Medium Transport Pack and went over all the pros and cons. Overall I was really impressed!

GERBER LMF II Survival Knife

GERBER is well-known for their high quality and functional gear. The LMF II Survival Knife is great for anyone who spends time in the outdoors or is in the military or law enforcement.

Check Amazon for the latest pricing!

With over 2000 customer reviews, the GERBER LMF II Survival Knife has a near perfect rating of 4.8 out of 5! This blade was initially designed to save aircrew out of an aircraft, and it can actually cut through the fuselage of an aircraft! The knife also includes a very nice sheath which can be attached to the leg.

WUBEN LIGHT T1 Tactical Flashlight 2000 Lumens

Wuben Light is known for making some high quality and durable flashlights for Everyday Carry purposes. Their T1 Tactical Flashlight is an impressive sleek flashlight capable of attaching to your firearm.

Check Wuben Light for the latest pricing.

The T1 Tactical Flashlight has an output of up to 2000 Lumens, which is some seriously intense light, with a throw of nearly 500 meters!

Gifts Under $200

GORUCK MACV-2 Boots

The MACV-2 Modern Jungle Boot is the lightest and most comfortable boot I’ve worn in my years serving in the Armed Forces.

At the time of this article, the MACV-2 costs $165.

I did an in-depth review on my MACV-2 boots, so definitely go check it out.

The MACV-2s are lightweight, comfortable, AR 670-1 compliant (8″ version), cost effective, and comes with GORUCK’s Scars Lifetime Guarantee. Now, although GORUCK says that footwear will obviously wear down over time, if there is any defects at all, they will either fix or replace the boot entirely (this happened with me actually).

BUT, believe it or not, if you happen to completely wear down the tread to where there is none left, GORUCK says you’re a legend and they will send you a brand new pair!

Condor Cyclone Plate Carrier

The Condor Cyclone Plate Carrier is an excellent tactical gift for the holidays. Having the ability to protect yourself while also carrying ammunition, medical supplies, a knife, and more, is crucial for being able to live, fight, and move.

Check Condor Outdoors for the latest pricing.

Use ‘TGG15’ for 15% off your order!

When people think of Condor, they associate them with being tactical gear made in China, but that is not the case with the Cyclone Plate Carrier, which is Made-In-USA. I personally own the Cyclone Plate Carrier and it is built extremely well with excellent materials.

I use the Triple Stacker M4 Magazine Pouch on the front of it, which has the ability to store up to 6 magazines at a time. If you’re in the USA, that is up to 180 rounds of ammunition on your chest at a time. If you’re like me and live in Canada, that’s a grand total of 30 rounds of ammunition, as we are limited to 5 rounds per magazine.

5.11 Tactical Rush 24 Backpack

The Rush series backpacks are seriously tough and rugged that will allow you to carry a bunch of extra gear with you, wherever you travel.

Check 5.11 Tactical for the latest prices!

Similar to other products, the price will depend on the pattern/camouflage used. Multicam is usually more expensive.

I personally have a friend who owns one of the Rush Backpacks, and he absolutely loves it!

3M Peltor Tactical 6-S Ear Defenders

Having a good set of ear defenders is crucial if you’re ever on the range sending it. Whether it’s for military operations, law enforcement, hunting, at the shooting club, or for home defense, a good pair of electronic ear defenders will allow you to hear clearly yet still have the sudden loud noise of a round being fired silenced.

I personally own the Peltor Tactical 6-S Ear Defenders and they’ve done a great job. They currently have a rating of 4.3 out of 5 with 115 customer reviews at the time of this article.

Check Amazon for the latest pricing.

If you’re going to be doing a lot of shooting, I would recommend doubling up on the ear protection, because these ear defenders will only reduce loud noises by 20-dB. If you’re only going to be firing a couple rounds (like say for hunting) then these will be just fine on their own. But for long durations of noise exposure, using ear plugs with the Peltor 6-S would be my advice.

Gifts Under $300

GORUCK Rucker 4.0

Possibly one of the best backpacks that you can buy under $300 is the GORUCK Rucker. These are built to last a lifetime! Not only can you use this backpack to carry all your kit, but it can also be utilized as a rucksack and carry Ruck Plates that fit inside the slots of the Rucker.

At the time of this article, the Rucker 20L costs between $215 and $225 (depending on the pattern). There is also a 25L capacity Rucker which costs slightly more.

The Rucker is constructed from 1000D Cordura, is water resistant (against rain and snow), has very well padded shoulder straps, includes a removable sternum strap, 2 internal velcro pockets, an external velcro pocket, reflective material on the face, and much more features.

5.11 Tactical RUSH72 Military Backpack

Earlier I mentioned the RUSH24 Backpack, but if you’re looking for something with a lot more carrying capacity, then the RUSH72 Backpack is the answer. It’s available in colors Black, Green, Coyote, Multicam, and Gray. The Multicam is slightly more expensive, but still within the price range listed above.

Check 5.11 Tactical for the latest pricing!

I just spoke to someone I know who owns this backpack and they absolutely love it. They were going over everything on the backpack! The side zipper pockets are so large that he could fit his arm in it all the way up to his elbow! The hip belt is able to be tucked away, there’s a pocket for a hydration bladder, a bunch of MOLLE webbing for extra attachments or more bags, and on the bottom it has the ability to attach an external sleeping pad.

One thing he mentioned was just how well this bag was built. Other bags would have terrible stitch work, but the RUSH72 is built extremely well. Another thing he said was that it doesn’t feel like there’s a massive backpack on his shoulders when he’s carrying it.

Salomon XA Forces Mid GTX

The Salomon XA FORCES MID GORE-TEX EN boots are a boot specifically designed for Special Forces Operators who work in rigorous environments around the globe.

Check Amazon for the latest pricing.

These boots are built tough while providing a ton comfort. They are lightweight and have ample support, making them an ideal boot to wear when you demand a boot that will work. The outsole has really good traction for steep hills or slippery slopes. I love the lacing system on the XA Forces boots because I can quickly pull to tighten the boot and then tuck away the excess in the tongue pouch.

Conclusion

I really hope this list of Tactical Gear Holiday Gifts has been helpful to you, or to someone you know that is looking to buy you something this season. I’ll continue to update this list over time, so be sure to check back here for more ideas.

Also, I have other articles with tactical gear that may interest you if you want more details on those, so be sure to use the drop down menu to see some other reviews I’ve done.

Cheers!