30 Years of Success: 5.11 Tactical Pants

Law enforcement and military personnel worldwide continue to choose 5.11 Tactical Pants for both on- and off-duty wear. The practical, seven-pocket pants with the trademark slash pockets and utility strap have enjoyed a loyal following for the past 30 years and counting.

The brainchild of rock climber Royal Robbins, the pants were originally created as climbing apparel. Susie Tompkins, founder of clothing maker Esprit, assisted friends Royal and Liz Robbins with the design. “She knew how to make clothes fit, and the fit is what made Esprit such a popular brand,” says 5.11 Tactical, Inc. CEO Dan Costa.

“There are about 40 critical measurements on a pair of pants,” Costa continues. “The specs for our 5.11 pants and other clothing are a guarded secret – they’re what make 5.11 so popular. They just fit everyone!” He notes that the formula for 5.11 Tactical Pants has been improved and updated over time, resulting in strong sales.

Several years ago, the Robbins’ hired Dan Costa – an entrepreneur with a knack for transforming declining companies into prosperous businesses – as a consultant. One thing led to another and Costa eventually purchased Royal Robbins. With a track record that included 25 years in the restaurant and food processing industries, Costa learned a number of valuable lessons that helped transform his new company.

For example, early in his career, Costa wanted to create as many restaurants as fast as possible. Thinking outside the box, he began making large quantities of pasta and sauces at a central, off-site kitchen and transported them to his restaurants. The revolutionary concept was so successful, he opened 30 “kitchenless” restaurants in Northern California.

Before long, Costa saw an opportunity to market his prepared foods to other restaurants and large hotels such as the Hilton and Marriott. Supermarkets were next. “We started making private label pasta and sauces for Safeway and Costco stores across the country,” he says. Costa found that he could compete effectively with established national food suppliers by keeping operating costs as low as possible.

By applying key principles like these, Costa moved struggling Royal Robbins out of the financial red and into the black by working directly with factories, involving workers in design and development, finding direct sourcing and cutting out middlemen. Other issues such as untimely deliveries and low retailer profit margins were also addressed. Through perseverance and Costa’s business acumen, success with his new company was achieved. For instance, he says, “Royal Robbins’ 5.11 pants sold for $60 in 1999. Today, those same pants with improved quality and more features through 5.11 Tactical are $39.99.”

Shortly after Costa bought Royal Robbins, he met with the company’s largest customers. One stood out: the FBI National Academy in Quantico, Va. “Our only law enforcement customer was looking for more product from us,” he says. “In addition to the 5.11 Tactical Pants, the Academy needed other specific products and asked us if we would be interested in producing them. They wanted tactical vests and a tactical shirt to go with the pants,” he says. Costa took good care of his client, facilitated the Academy’s needs and found a new niche market along the way.

The philosophy of delivering the best products at the best prices worked so well for this one law enforcement customer, Costa knew it would be effective across the industry at large. “We got so excited about selling to law enforcement that we decided to focus on just law enforcement products,” Costa says.

In 2003, he sold Royal Robbins and founded 5.11 Inc. The company mission statement expresses what Costa’s 5.11 does so well: “At 5.11 Tactical, we create products that exceed the needs of our customers with functional innovation while delivering exceptional value.’”

According to Costa, 5.11 Tactical has blossomed through a combination of business efficiency and listening closely to the law enforcement community. “We basically make every kind of apparel people wear in public safety. And even today, we don’t make anything unless people in the public safety arena tell us they want it.” In fact, he says, “100 percent of our products are the result of consultation with end-users.”

Direct communication between public safety personnel and 5.11 begins at the company’s quarterly development meetings. At various locations throughout the world, groups of roughly 25 officers, operators and/or first-responders meet with 5.11 team members to discuss product improvement and future development. In addition, Costa says, “We take end-users right to our factories. We’ve flown dozens of people across the world to offer direct input about our designs.”

By delivering exactly what buyers want, 5.11 has quickly mushroomed into a multi-million-dollar company that not only manufactures the original tactical pant, but also produces other in-demand tactical apparel, law enforcement uniforms, footwear, undergear, gloves, tactical watches, fire-resistant clothing and more. “We apply the same proven success formula to every product we make,” Costa says, noting that each product category is performing very well.

In an interesting survey conducted among law enforcement end-users, the question was asked, “Do you purchase 5.11 Tactical clothing because you have to or because you want to?” “Results showed that more than 80 percent of respondents buy 5.11 because they want to,” Costa notes. “That’s significant.”

In commemoration of the 30th Anniversary of the 5.11 Tactical Pant, 5.11 has released three limited-edition, cotton-only colors for 2007: coyote, tundra and sage – for a total of 11 color choices. “One of the most exciting things about the 30th Anniversary of the tactical pant is the new retro colors,” Costa says. “Coyote, tundra and sage take us back to our roots. These were the colors you could buy 30 years ago when all of this began. They’re very popular for outdoor wear. The new pants look very sharp and our end-users love ’em.”

Currently, 5.11 Tactical is hosting a year-long sweepstakes to celebrate the pants’ 30-year milestone. Every week in 2007, a new winner can receive $511 worth of 5.11 Tactical gear and a chance to win a six-day California vacation for two, which includes a tour of the 5.11 Tactical world headquarters.

To learn more, and register for the sweepstakes, please visit www.511tactical.com .