5.11 Store

About 5.11 Store

Platoon Stores is Kent’s only authorised 5.11 Tactical retailer. We have been selling kit from our Rochester shop since 2006, and 5.11 is the range we get asked about most, usually by people who have worn something cheaper first and are tired of replacing it.

Everything here is genuine 5.11, bought through the proper channel, and almost all of it is in the shop as well as on the site. If you are within reach of Medway you are welcome to come and try trousers on before you commit to a size, which is the one thing an online-only seller cannot offer you.

Which 5.11 trousers should you actually buy?

This is the question we answer most days, and the range names do not make it obvious. The specifications below are taken from the products on this page, not from a brochure.

Stryke

The workhorse, and the one most people end up in. Flex-Tac mechanical stretch ripstop at 6.8 oz, a self-adjusting tunnel waistband, a gusseted crotch and articulated knees. It has internal knee pad pockets, though the pads are sold separately, which matters if you are kneeling on hard ground. Pick Stryke if you want one pair of trousers that will do almost everything.

Apex

The quieter, more civilian-looking option. Flex-Tac stretch canvas, roughly 67% polyester to 33% cotton, at 6.4 oz, so slightly lighter than Stryke. Regular straight fit, a comfort stretch waistband, and ten pockets including concealed-carry-ready construction. Pick Apex if you want tactical capability without looking like you are on duty.

TDU

The uniform trouser. Flex-Tac ripstop, around 80% polyester to 20% cotton, 6.8 oz, men’s regular fit cargo, self-adjusting waistband and reinforced belt loops. Pick TDU if you need a proper cargo trouser for duty, cadets or a unit that expects a particular look.

Taclite

TACLITE ripstop, noticeably lighter than the Flex-Tac fabrics. Pick Taclite for warm weather or for work where you are moving all day and would rather not carry the extra weight.

Defender-Flex

Not a tactical trouser at all. A jean, slim and mid-rise, in 10 oz stretch denim of roughly 76% cotton to 24% polyester with Lycra T400. Bar-tacked at the stress points. Pick Defender-Flex when you want the durability and the pockets without anything that reads as tactical.

The short version: Stryke if you want one pair for everything. Apex if you want to blend in. TDU if it is a uniform. Taclite if it is hot. Defender-Flex if you want jeans. Browse all 5.11 clothing.

Bags and packs

The RUSH series is the range most people know: RUSH12 as a daypack, RUSH24 for an overnight, RUSH72 for longer, and the RUSH 100 bergen at the top end. They share the same MOLLE-covered, over-built approach, and the difference between them is genuinely just capacity, so buy for the trip you actually take rather than the one you might.

The Skyweight range goes the other way: stripped back, packable and light, for when the point is not carrying a heavy bag to carry things in. We also stock rifle and range bags, and the wider bags and luggage range for everything in between.

Plate carriers and load-bearing kit

The TacTec plate carrier is the one you will have seen, and we stock it along with its side panels so you can build it out rather than buying a fixed rig. Pair it with pouches and accessories to suit what you actually carry. If you are setting a rig up from scratch and are not sure what goes where, ring the shop and talk to someone rather than guessing from photographs.

Sizing, and why it is worth trying on

5.11 trousers are sized in waist and leg inches rather than generic small, medium and large, which is more accurate but less forgiving if you guess. The fits differ between ranges too: Defender-Flex is a slim jean, Apex is a regular straight, TDU is a uniform cut. If you are between sizes or moving from one range to another, that is exactly the sort of thing worth five minutes in the shop.

We are at A10 Spectrum Business Centre, Medway City Estate, Rochester, ME2 4NP. Opening hours and directions are on the visit us page, or ring 01634 829063 and ask. If you know what you want, order it online and we will get it out to you.

Buying 5.11 from us

Genuine stock through the authorised channel, a real shop with people who use this kit, in-house repairs and servicing, and someone on the end of a phone who can tell you the difference between two ranges without reading you the website. Morale patches start at £8 if you are just after something small.