BUILT FOR PURPOSE. BUILT TO LAST.

FOUNDED 20 YEARS AGO AND INSPIRED BY THE CLIMBING WALLS OF YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK, WE HAVE COME A LONG WAY. WHAT HAS REMAINED A CONSTANT THROUGHOUT, IS OUR COMMITMENT TO INNOVATE & DEVELOP PRODUCTS THAT ARE PURPOSE-BUILT, DURABLE AND MISSION TESTED. PRODUCTS THAT YOU CAN TRUST TO LAST, AND TO SUPPORT YOU ON YOUR JOURNEY.

IT ALL STARTED WITH A PAIR OF PANTS

5.11 Tactical was founded in 2003 by an entrepreneur named Dan Costa, but our story started even earlier than that. Back in 1979, during a climb on the Salathé Wall on El Capitan in Yosemite National Park, USA, adventurer, and pioneering rock climber Royal Robbins realized that the pants he was wearing were not optimal for climbing. Together with his wife Liz Robbins he created a pant with cargo pockets and a back strap to attach carabiners.

These pants became very popular in their climbing community, which made Royal and Liz realize there was a demand for durable and functional clothing. It led them to start their own outdoor clothing brand, Royal Robbins.

EXPANDING TO THE PROFESSIONAL MARKET

The brand's journey took an exciting turn when Robbins crossed paths with Dan Costa, a former Navy SEAL and passionate rock climber. Together they expanded the business and, in 1992, got the FBI National Academy to adopt the Royal Robbins pant as their primary spec pant, which meant all new cadettes were given a pair of these pants in the beginning of their training. This quickly spread the brand’s popularity to law enforcement agencies across the USA.

In 2003 the Robbins sold the rights to a part of their clothing line to Dan Costa, who then founded 5.11 Tactical as we know it today, with a shifted focus on expanding its product line to include tactical pants, shirts, boots, backpacks, and other accessories to cater to the law enforcement professionals requiring high-performance gear for their jobs.

WHY THE NAME 5.11?

5.11 is a rock-climbing difficulty level as listed in the Yosemite Decimal System, which defines skill levels ranging from 5.0 (easy) to 5.10 (difficult). Today, the scale goes up to 5.15, but at the time (2003), a 5.11 wall was officially defined as: “After thorough inspection, you concluded this move is obviously impossible; however, occasionally someone actually accomplishes it.”

2003-2023 - GROWING THE BRAND AND ITS COMMUNITY

In the 20 years since, Robbin's pioneering spirit has inspired us to strive to push boundaries and build innovative products to change the status quo. In 2007 we introduced the first RUSH backpacks - widely considered THE original tactical backpack, and the 5.11 Stryke Pant w/FlexTac launched in 2012 redefined the tactical cargo pant.

As the brand grew, so did its community. Training events, competitions, and collaborations with industry experts allowed 5.11 Tactical to foster a network of individuals who shared a passion for excellence and adventure.