Travel Security & Shirts : 5.11’s Covert and Tactical Shirts On The Road

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8/05/2009 – Travel Security & Shirts : 5.11’s Covert and Tactical Shirts On The Road

When travelling it is important to keep certain travel documents safe and secure, as well as blending into the crowd.  Thieves look for easy targets, and tourists and visitors not only are easy targets, but they often stand out.

As a traveller I first became acquainted with 5.11 Tactical’s ‘Tactical Long Sleeve Cotton’ shirt in 2003 before travelling to Iraq on assignment as an embedded photojournalist. While looking at clothing I was initially drawn to 5.11 Tactical’s ‘Tactical Long Sleeve Cotton’ shirt due to its durability, its vented back with moisture wicking mesh, roll up sleeves and shoulder pen-slot.

Upon using these shirts in the first I found out that they were not only extremely comfortable, durable and breathable, but they also offered a significant amount of traveller security. While the shirts offer standard breast pockets that secure with Velcro, they also offer a deep hidden pocket behind the breast pocket which is ideal for carrying airline tickets, boarding passes, passports, cash and other essentials while travelling.  The design of the shirts allows the concealed pockets to perfectly blend in and appear invisible to anyone unaware that they exist.

Having worn the 5.11 Tactical’s ‘Tactical Long Sleeve Cotton’ shirt in the Middle East in the summer and Canada in the winter, I can safely say that this shirt provides all season comfort.   As a photographer I love being able to roll the sleeves up and button them into place so they stay put and I find I use the shoulder pen-slot very often as an extremely convenient spot to place my pens and not lose them.

While the 5.11 Tactical Long Sleeve Cotton shirt is fantastic for a travel, photography, or casual situations, the 5.11 ‘Covert Dress Shirt,’ really an ‘Oxford’ style shirt, is excellent for business travel.  The ‘Covert Dress Shirt’ in Oxford Blue presents a clean, neat, business look, goes well with a sport coat and slacks and offers substantial security for a passport, boarding pass or small wallet.

5.11 Tactical’s ‘Covert Dress Shirt’ features an internal breast pocket. Unlike the ‘Tactical‘ shirt the ‘Covert’ shirt’s concealed pocket is inside the shirt buttons, behind a set of false shirt buttons.   For travel in warm climates, sitting in warm meeting rooms or spending hours on a plane, the ‘Covert Dress Shirt” offers an interior moisture wicking mesh which makes extremely comfortable and breathable.

As an international traveller and a photographer there is not much more I could ask for in shirts aside from those that blend in, present a professional appearance (go well with a sport coat), offer significant comfort and provide me with travel security options to ensure my travel documents are secure at all times.

Below are three photos of me and my 5.11 Tactical ‘Covert Dress Shirt’ and one my 5.11 Tactical ‘Tactical Long Sleeve Cotton’ shirt

Happy Flying!
–Click Images Below To Enlarge–