Another member had a good review but I can’t find it. I’m taking a Tactical Performance Center class here in a bit. I’m looking for advice on odd things that may come up.

I’m taking my CZ Shadow 2 and my Glock 17 as a back up gun in case I need more than the spares I normally have for the CZ.

The usual stuff:
Water bottle, maybe a hydration bladder.
Hydration tablets
Trauma and minor boo boo stuff
Hat
Spares of glasses and hearing protection
Ammo, mags, holsters etc.
Cleaning gear and lube
Note paper

Any unique stuff? This is a large time and money commitment so I’d like to get the most out of it, and not lose out because of equipment or other foreseeable issues.

https://sigforum.com/eve/forums...680027024#1680027024


I think this is the one I was looking for. Rifle, not pistol good info.

It is tough to say in this day and age. Some of the things that pass for training is pretty egregious. A few years ago, I'd have recommended a face shield. "Vehicle Tactics" classes were all the rage, and everyone and their brother were teaching these classes. Shooting you compensated, red dot equipped Glock 19 through a windshield was all the rage. We were teaching fundamentals and DA/SA guns. The next years, fundamentals were the buzz. All the guys that were teaching vehicle classes, rolled out fundamentals classes. We were teaching fundamentals and DA/SA guns. This year, the rage seems to be everyone is doing blocks to teach DA/SA guns and be the "guru". We teach fundamentals and DA/SA guns.

It's hard to say. Some instructors require a lot of PT, so you need PT gear. Some instructors teach a med class as part of the firearms block in "advanced classes" and do all kinds of stuff on the range with it. So you need med stuff. One top level instructor now does a knife block in his classes. So, you need a knife.

The industry has become so weird that it is just hard to say. It almost looks like everyone is looking for a niche because the industry has become so bloated. The days of saying here are the basics are tough to describe because of the wide berth of what the industry has become. We still teach everything from advanced looks at the fundamentals, and specifically the DA/SA platform. In each class, one of the instructors (minimum of two instructors per class) will run a DA/SA gun and teach from that perspective. Even the more basic classes like Practical Fundamentals require you to have an understanding of the fundamentals, and experience in safe gun handling.

In coming to my classes, I recommend the following-
Good electronic hearing protection.
An open mind.
Plenty of magazines to meet the minimum round count per string.
Some way of carrying said magazines.
A handgun that you have actually shot and know that it works.
A holster that you have actually had the handgun in.
Be hydrated properly when you show up to class. Hydration is key to performance.
All the other standard stuff you'd take to a class.

Really, those are the things I'd pick off of our equipment list to single out. If you bring too few mags, you wind up standing there with your hand up while others are shooting. Playing "what-pocket-is-my-loaded-magazines-in" is a bit of a downer during strings of fire because you didn't bring enough mag pouches. Drink lots of water the day before even if its not hot, and bring water to class. If you are even mildly dehydrated your performance and ability to learn starts to fade.

 
I don't know how hot it gets where you are or where the course is, but during the hot weather here I always add a few drops of electrolyte solution to my jug of ice water. I use this product:
 
LyteShow
 
I am still on my original bottle after 3 years. I really only takes a few drops, depending on the size of your container. It gives the water a mild salty taste, not really strong enough to bother. Sort of like making Gatorade, but the electrolytes are a much better balance of what your body needs.
 

The class is geared toward competition from what I’ve seen and is what I’m looking for currently.

I use NUUN electrolite tablets in water, with about a 2 bottles of water drank to one bottle of NUUN.

Thanks all!

Sunscreen and one of those cooling neck towels can really help keep your temp down if it's going to be hot and sunny.

Take a folding camp chair if there won't be any seating available.

If there's a chance for precipitation, take suitable footwear and a rain jacket that allows you to move/draw/shoot/reload (those little interior bungie cords on some jackets can get caught up on your gun and/or mags). I also take a large lawn & leaf trashbag to put my rangebag in to keep it dry and out of the mud. You can use one of those free motel shower caps to keep your holstered pistol dry in the rain as well.

Take a small gun cleaning mat so you don't totally mess up the hotel table when you clean each night.

I think you have your bases covered. More ammo and more mags than recommended. Having ammo to take home and mags you never touched is OK.

Mo mags = Mo better. I prefer to bring at least double the recommendation.
Mag loader, like an Up-lula.
Double mag pouch and a dump pouch with loose rounds and extra mags.

buy a roll of this...

3M Nexcare Absolute Waterproof First Aid Tape, Foam, 1" x 180"

It is glorious, lasts all all day. My hands are very used to shooting and my knuckles still get sore from rubbing under the trigger guard. This stuff is a life saver on a multi-day, multi-thousand round class.

Thanks!

Made it through day one pretty well, drank a gallon of water and a quart of Nuun electrolyte mix and need to bring more tomorrow.

The tape was awesome, thank you!

I had plenty of mags and ammo but I would have liked a dump pouch or better cargo pockets. It was 100* and a gallon of water seemed about right for me. Plus some Nuun, and a small Gatorade and then what I had with dinner.

I’m making some notes to post later.