FIRST TACTICAL MEN'S TACTIX BDU PANTS OD GREEN FROM MILITARY 1ST REVIEW!

Hey everyone,
 So I've teamed up once again with the awesome team from Military 1st to bring you another gear review! In this review we’ll be looking at the First Tactical Men’s Tactix BDU pants!


The Men’s Tactix BDU pants are a lightweight, durable and utilitarian pair of tactical trousers that are designed/manufactured by First Tactical for EMT, First Responders, Forces personnel, Cadets and other activities that take place in rough and tough environments, which makes these perfect for Airsofters and outdoor enthusiasts alike. They come in a limited run of colours – black, olive drab and navy and as I’ve really been feeling green load outs lately I opted for the olive drab colourway.
Let’s discuss the features; the BDU pants have a modern design but with the classic fitted BDU styling that is popular amongst professionals in those fields. They are made from a tough 7 Oz 2-way mechanical stretch double Ripstop fabric – which means they are both durable but have a lot of stretch to them making them a great choice for tough activities that involve a lot of movement including Airsoft. When I pulled the trousers from their packaging my first impressions were very good – they had a good weight to them and the fabric felt high quality. The material is extremely durable, ultra-lightweight and because each pair is treated with the DuPoint Teflon Shield+, they repel water, oil and stains, ideal for those woodland players out there. I also noticed that on the vital seams, there is triple-needle stitching to ensure they don’t fail.
The pants feature a classic zip fly with a press stud and button fastening – no annoying buttons to faff around with! It also features seven wide belt loops (3 rivet reinforced) for those tactical belts, it has a concealed unique sliding Comfort Flex Action Waist system with a one-piece elastic construction for flexibility, a reinforced double seat design and running gusset for ease of movement and added comfort.
All the fastenings on the product are high quality and made by household name brands such as genuine YKK zippers and heavy duty Prym snaps.
The First Tactical Men's Tactix BDU Pants are laden with pockets to keep essentials in, including two roomy front hand pockets with inner loops, two back pockets with hook-and-loop secured laminated non-roll flaps and two expandable side cargo pockets with elasticated entrances, laminated non-roll flaps with a hook-and-loop closure, internal sleeves and hanging loops. The laminated non-roll flaps won’t falter over the products lifetime ensuring you always get a clean, professional look no matter what activity you put them through. The pants also feature external knee pad pockets for optional low profile kneepads, which I like to use during CQB games.




How do they fit? I opted for the 28/32 which is the smallest size the pants are available in (they go up to a 40/34) The pants are comfortable around the waistband and what I really like is that the waistband expands to accommodate your movement without an obvious elastic waistband. They fit the legs well but are loose in areas of high mobility such as the knees and around the thighs. Regarding the length, I usually wear a 30” leg being a small 5”4 in height but when wearing my Airsoft boots the length isn’t an issue – they sit nicely around the ankles with boots on. The leg cuffs also feature an elastic cord and a cord lock to help you adjust this and keep them in place. For the ladies out there, I would suggest checking the sizing chart on the Military 1st website to ensure you get the right waist size.





For those reading who are in lines of work that require PPE to be worn at work such as First Responders, these pants accept the Lion Suit Undergarments. They also feature and internal hanging loop and ID panel for easy identification.

So, the burning question - how much do they retail for? The First Tactical Mens Tactix BDU pants retail at £69.95, whilst they are a little more pricey than a pair of bog standard pair of BDU pants, they are built with tough activities in mind meaning they have the longevity. At the moment Military 1st have an 11% discount on combat uniforms until tomorrow (22nd June 2017) when you use the code ‘UNIFORM17’ so get in quick if you want to take advantage of the savings!


Overall, I really like the First Tactical Men’s Tactix BDU pants – they’re tough, comfortable and offer the user a lot of movement. The material is a really high quality and the construction is fantastic, especially in regards to the triple-needle stitching around the really important garment seams (fashion student in me making an appearance there!) Despite being a men’s cut they fit me well in the right places and give me ample amount of movement when playing.  These would be really cool as an element of a civvie inspired loadout or Police loadout in the other colourways! These BDU pants get a thumbs up from Femme Fatale Airsoft!

Photography by Silent Kitty Photography.
Post sponsored by Military 1st.
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LOADOUT FOR UNDER £150? MULTICAM TROPIC FROM WEAPON 762!

Hey everyone!

I get a lot of requests from my followers for a post building a 'budget loadout', so I decided to team up with the awesome team from Weapon 762 to make this happen for you. In this post we'll be looking at a MultiCam Tropic/Ranger Green loadout (BDU and Plate Carrier) for under £150! Without further adieu, let's get down to it!


For the loadout build I wanted to step away from the usual camos that have saturated the UK Airsoft community and go for something a little bit different so I chose MultiCam Tropic for the BDU and to finish off the loadout, pair it with a simple Ranger Green Plate Carrier.

For the BDU's Weapon 762 sent me a TMC Gen 3 Combat Shirt and a pair of the TMC Gen 3 Combat Trousers with Knee Pads both in MultiCam Tropic and in a small. TMC Sports Gear is a brand by a Hong Kong gear manufacturer so this means that the sizes can be a little on the small side (so always check the sizing chart before ordering your size). The small sizes are great for Airsofters with a small stature such as myself. When I pulled the BDUs out of their packaging, the material felt pretty good quality and on closer inspection it turned out to be rip stop which is perfect for Airsoft.

The combat shirt has ripstop sleeves and a quick witting, lightweight torso fabric which helps keep you cool and dry on hot game days. It also has a high zipped collar to keep slings and straps off your neck and a comfort panel on the inside so the zip doesn't irritate, it has a pockets with velcro on each side and a pen/eyepro holder. The shirt is comfortable to wear and has plenty of patch space. With a price of £23.29 it is also a super affordable option for a BDU.

Moving on we have the Gen 3 Combat Trousers.


With the trousers you receive tan knee pads but I swapped mine out with a set of black knee pads that I had from a previous pair of trousers. One aspect I really like about these trousers in particular compared to other trousers with knee pads I've used is that the slightly stretchy material around the knees helps the knee pads sit in place at lot better. I also think it helps break up the camo a little. They have a mulitude of cargo pockets on the front, sides and back to store essentials and feature an easy to use knee pad adjustment system in the thigh pockets. I really like how the trousers look and fit. The trousers are are priced at £31.49 - a bargain.


For the Plate Carrier I opted for the TMC MP94A Modular Plate Tactical Vest in Ranger Green because it looked very similar to the LBT 6094 Plate Carrier.


The PC has a large section of velcro on the front for patches and 3 velcro M4 mag pouches on the front with a molle panel to add more pouches and molle panel systems. It has padded shoulder straps so any weight carried on the carrier is comfortable. It feels sturdy and the construction of the carrier is sound.

One issue I have always found with PCs is that they can be a little too roomy around my waist and although the MP94A Modular Plate Carrier can be adjusted fully to accommodate most sizes I removed the cummerbund and just utilised the velcro straps that also come with the PC. I also added some medium SAPI plates to give the PC a little more rigidity. The PC comes in at £42.74.


Next comes the TMC Vest Pouch Zip On Panel, I've seen a similar zip on panel from the brand Semapo Gear and really liked the look of it so when going through the Weapon 762 website and seeing a pretty similar alternative I decided to add one of these to the loadout. As a general rule of thumb I have a backpack on all of my plate carriers so I can carry smokes and any BBs/gas I need in the field so this zip on panel fit the bill. Although it has the zip on edges, it also has molle tabs on the back so you can mount it to molle systems. The two pockets at the top each hold 3 x 40mm grenades/smokes/flashbangs etc, a GP pouch in the middle which is pretty spacious and a small molle section on the bottom to quickly attach other pouches to make the configuration unique to you. The panel also has a built in hydration pouch/bolt cutter pouch. It's a pretty cool and useful addition to the loadout and came in at £40.49.



For the RIF and accessories - head pro, eye pro, gloves, boots etc I used items that I already had in my kit, so... 

What was the overall cost?
  • TMC Gen 3 Combat Trousers £31.49
  • TMC Gen 3 Combat Shirt £23.29
  • TMC MP94A Modular Plate Carrier £42.74
  • TMC Vest Pouch Zip On £40.49
  • Shipping to the UK (dependent on post code) £8.99
Total: £147.00

Unfortunately as I haven't found any other retailer that stocks these TMC items or similar ones to it I can't compare what the prices would be from another retailer. For the price, these items are great value and definitely look the part.

You can save even more on the TMC gear from Weapon 762 by using the code femmefataleairsoft-weapon762 at the checkout! This code gives my followers 10% off their order.
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TROUBLE IN TERRORIST TOWN WITH NODE!

Hey everyone!

So whilst I was in the US I was lucky enough to play a day of Trouble in Terrorist Town with NODE, Jet Desertfox, Unicorn Leah, Tim from Kriss/Krytac and Evike Matt, Miguel and Ryan at a new Airsoft site in Southern California: Project N1. I have been watching these videos for a while so it was super awesome to be featured in one! Check out NODE's Trouble in Terrorist Town videos from my States below:






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FIRST TACTICAL SPECIALIST 1 DAY BACKPACK FROM MILITARY 1ST REVIEW!

Hey guys!

 So I’ve collaborated once more with the awesome team over at Military 1st to bring to you some more tactical product reviews. In this review we’re going to be looking at a brand that is new to the Military 1st website – First Tactical. First Tactical are an American brand that are dedicated to listening to the needs of their end users (First Responders) to create tactical solutions that work in real life scenarios. In this review we’re going to be looking at the First Tactical Specialist 1 Day Backpack in OD which is packed with a tonne of awesome features!


Let’s first chat about the basics: the specialist 1 day back pack is available in 3 colours – black, tan or olive drab and made from 1000D water resistant nylon with a total capacity approximately 36 litres. Upon opening the package, it is clear that the pack is made from high quality materials and the construction of the pack is fantastic. It feels sturdy, has a good weight to it and looks great. Looking great is all well and good, but how does it perform on the field? And what separates it from the scores of other tactical back packs on the market?



Let’s go through the features on the front of the pack: it features replaceable compression straps, has
a molle platform on both sides of the bag so users can add pouches and make the sides fully usable, the small zipped pocket at the forefront of the pack has an oversized Velcro section for patches, Organiser pocket that contains loads of small pockets for pens/tools, larger pockets for notepads/torches etc, a zipper pocket for important documents and 2 key hooks – one deluxe and removable, a fleece lined shooting glasses pocket with Velcro space for a name tape (which is super handy for those of us who need to keep a pair with us at all times), whilst the main compartment has zippers that open it up 180 degrees, a back panel that is lined with Velcro for unlimited pouch placement, 2 vertical dump pouches and a zipped mesh pocket to maximise space and storage options in the main compartment. The main compartment is a very large space which was large enough to store 3 days’ worth of clothes, a toiletries bag, towel, camera equipment, my laptop and note pads for my trip the weekend just gone. I am really keen on the front organiser pocket – the storage within it has been very well thought out and of course the patch space is a bonus!





The usability doesn’t just stop at the front of the bag.  The bag handles are reinforced to make picking/carrying those loaded bags easier, the Yoke handle system on shoulders ensure they stay in place so no annoying movement, the shoulder straps are articulated and fit the body perfectly - they also have an adjustable sternum strap that offers 3 positions and the straps also have adjustable thumb loops that help take weight off your hands on long treks – although these can be folded away if you aren’t keen on them. It isn’t just the straps that make up the bulk of the features on the back. The pack has vertical and horizontal venting using HD spacer mesh. It also has a waist belt tunnel and clips to be used in conjunction with a belt (this will help take a lot of the weight off of the shoulders and distribute it more evenly), the 4 compression loops on bottom of the bag are for storing roll mats or sleeping bags when you know you’re going to be out for extended periods of time and the pocket on bottom of bag is perfect for a rain cover.

Even though this pack is absolutely filled to the brim with features, my favourite aspects are that this bag is designed to help you survive in the toughest of environments, so First Tactical installed an easy to reach internal backboard (that can be accessed through the back of the pack) that can be used as a multitude of tools including an avalanche shovel, a paddle, splint (with holes lining the board to fit any limb) and a mini C-spine brace. Another really cool feature of the First Tactical Specialist 1 Day Backpack is that the secondary compartment acts as pass through – if you open the top zipper to reveal the compartment and hooks, open the bottom of the pocket which then reveals the pass through you are able to pull a full rifle case through the pocket, attach the hooks to the rifle case to keep it secure. I have seen rifle case storage on backpacks before but nothing like this. It definitely gives the bag more usability for those who enjoy hunting activities. This feature would also be great for MilSims/short day op where you need to carry kit on you to a location.

The pack is extremely practical and offers an alternative to the scores of other tactical backpacks on the market that aren’t as kitted out. The bag retails at £89.95 from Military 1st, pricey but I think with what this pack has to offer, it is a great investment for those who spend a lot of time outdoors participating in hunting, survival, camping, Airsoft and of course for First Responders.

Overall, I am super impressed with this 1 day backpack – from its storage capacity to its usability, it is a product that really has been made with its end user in mind. No fuss, no frills, just practical and usable features that are relevant to real world scenarios, even down to the zippers on main compartment and organiser compartment that are different so they can be told apart in the dark. This pack has become my day to day pack because it is hard wearing and has so many storage options, especially for my camera equipment which I take most places. There is only one addition I would personally make to the bag and that would be to have a hydration bladder pouch.





Photography thanks to Liam Sibley.
Post sponsored by Military 1st.
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VORTEX SPARC AR RDS REVIEW!

Hey everyone!

So as my custom Ares Amoeba Octa Arms Honey Badger build with Bespoke Airsoft is almost complete, so it's time to start looking at what went into the build and I'm going to start with the optic! The awesome team at Vortex Optics kindly sent over one of their SPARC AR red dot sights to complete the build and here is the long awaited review!

As you all know, my poison of choice is Airsoft, more specifically CQB and when looking for the perfect optic to finish off this build, I had an idea of what I needed - tough to withstand the stress of being used in such a close environment, longevity, durability and it had to be a red dot. This is where Vortex came onboard and recommended their SPARC AR RDS.

Let me tell you a little bit about Vortex Optics to start. Dan and Margie Hamilton, the original and current owners, started a small outdoor retail store in 1986 shortly after moving to Wisconsin. Their small outdoor retail business grew and evolved over time and in 2002 Vortex Optics was born. Vortex is an American Owned, Veteran Owned, Family owned/operated business that designs and manufactures optics for hunting, bird/wildlife watching, outdoor recreational sports and law enforcement. So far their range of optics includes binoculars, rifle scopes, spotting scopes and other optics. 


The Vortex SPARC AR has a similar look to T1 RDS sights that Airsofters know and love. It is a lightweight and compact sight crammed with features such as a rubber armour casing and a tethered rubber lens cap making the sight shock proof, neutral pressure Nitrogen purging ensures that the sight is both waterproof and fogproof - and that it will withstand the elements at any elevation. It has rear facing digital power and dot brightness controls for quick access and they are always viewable from the shooters position, as well as boasting a bright 2 MOA dot diameter that promotes a precise point of aim.

Now those are the facts? But how does it feel/perform?


Upon opening the box and retrieving the unit I eagerly set about getting the sight running and mounted on my rifle. It comes with an AAA battery already in the box so you just have to unscrew the battery compartment, pop it in, unscrew the allen bolts with the supplied allen key and mount it to any 20mm RIS rail. The sight is pretty much plug and play and is super easy to zero in and operate.

You get a clear picture from the sight and when on the brightest setting the red dot is super bright and easily visible in all light conditions. 

It is also worth mentioning that the SPARC AR comes with Vortex's VIP unlimited lifetime warranty, which means if the sight gets damaged or becomes defective they will repair or replace the optic free of charge. It doesn't matter who's fault it is or where you purchased it from. This 'Very Important Promise' to their customers is a big selling point for me on the sights, as we all know, things can get pretty hairy in CQB especially so having the knowledge that it will be repaired or replaced if anything goes wrong is a great piece of mind!

Overall, it's a great little sight that is packed with features and it's easy to use on the field, what more could you need?


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