Gen Y/Z shooter trends

[GJM]

At the range practicing, and with new shooters at matches, I have been observing a definite trend with 20-35 year old male shooters. I was reminded of that again this morning. Pulling into the pistol bays, there was an FDE Jeep Gladiator with recovery boards and other over landing gear. Two guys, probably mid to late 20's, operator look and clothing, FDE battle belts. As we left, I saw them shooting. They were back to back, 90 degrees from the targets, and simultaneously turning, drawing and shooting from retention.

At matches, many to most new shooters are Glocks with a comp or a Stacatto, out of a battle belt, and usually with a tourniquet and dump pouch on the back of their battle belt. This is way more common than Gabe White inspired AIWB USPSA which seems to have been supplanted by the belt belt. I am not sure of a USPSA or IDPA division that really fits what they seem to want to do today.

Is this just something that is happening where I am, or are you noticing the same trend in your areas?

[TCB]

They’re down here in Tucson too…Limited Optics seems to be their jam. If that PCS thing gains traction (I hope it does) it seems like that audience will be into it.

[AMC]

Just recently returned to USPSA after a year off, and I noticed it immediately the first day I went to practice. Young dudes with battle belts and duty type retention holsters, med kits and dump pouches. I asked around....none of them were LE, or military. While I think it's largely silly.....there's a shit ton of cosplaying going on among young LE guys too. Might just be a cyclical young guy thing. Still have several 'duty' and training belt setups, but I haven't worn them since I retired. Gamer setups or pure concealment stuff is what I need, and what I use.

ETA: as an.example of the 'cosplaying' I see in the LE world, the trend towards wearing only plate carriers, or the .mil-ed up Outer vest carriers with more gear than Batman.....yeah. Watching too many Netflix action shows.

[CleverNickname]

I've seen a few new/newish shooters that match that description. Are we supposed to be concerned about this or something?

[breakingtime91]

There is a trend in being more prepared to be self reliant and I think that's where battle belts and plate carriers are coming in. I actually think it's a good idea to have a plate carrier, overt belt, and Helmet as insurance. My parents were a mile away from the blm riots in Kenosha and my step dad was calling me on how he should stage his firearms in the house.. I rather have it and not need it. They called 911 and were told that unless someone was actively in the house they couldn't respond.

I think people being prepared and ready with gear is a good thing.

With that said, I train 95% from concealment for pistol and when I shoot rifle, it is often without the gear since my life as a 32 year old teacher no longer leads to me responding to a near ambush

[ASH556]

Monkey see monkey do from the social media influence. I had a guy at a 3gun match a couple years ago shooting a Beretta 92 out of a Safariland retention holster on his battle belt. It was apparently his first time working out of the holster as he tried to holster the gun with the hammer back after the "make ready" command. Of course several folks including the RSO clarified that the gun must be holstered with the hammer down, to wich he replied, "but that makes the trigger hard to pull."

In fairness, though, I did shoot my last Gabe class from an OWB "duty belt" type setup with an ALS holster. I am not MIL/LEO. For me, that class is so high rep/high round count that I did it to avoid the burns and claw marks I earned in my first Gabe class and so I could just focus on the shooting as comfortably as possible, without going "full gamer" with a DOH Bladetech.

[TGS]

Yes, 100%.

I feel like I'm in the minority shooting from concealment, how I actually carry. People wearing drop rigs and battle belts are the norm, and I very rarely see somebody shooting from concealment anymore.

I don't see it being a generation Y/Z thing, though. Everyone up until AARP age seems to be doing it.

[PNWTO]

There is a trend in being more prepared to be self reliant and I think that's where battle belts and plate carriers are coming in.

Not to explicitly counter you, but I think social media lifestyle branding and posturing have more to do with the sales of random gear than any true mindset/preparation.

Skateboarding Operator Skull company says you suck unless you have a gun, and support gear, ready for direct action missions and that has a lot of social power. We’ve moved from the GWOT-era meme of poorly financed cars to the “want to fit in” stance of acquiring 2011s and custom Glocks with Credova financing.

There’s also some constant political shield-beating that drives sales to the folks who can’t take a breath and discern.

Edit: History is often a flat circle and it reminds me of when all the prepping shows were popular and the tactical industry was embracing it with a full throttle. Reality didn’t matter, feeling accepted did.

I’ll just wait for the larger hivemind to embrace small pistols and snubbies, boardshorts, flip flops, BJJ, and base level of physical capability. Then I’ll be accepted. /s

[breakingtime91]

Not to explicitly counter you, but I think social media lifestyle branding and posturing have more to do with the sales of random gear than any true mindset/preparation.

Skateboarding Operator Skull company says you suck unless you have a gun, and support gear, ready for direct action missions and that has a lot of social power. We’ve moved from the GWOT-era meme of poorly financed cars to the “want to fit in” stance of acquiring 2011s and custom Glocks with Credova financing.

There’s also some constant political shield-beating that drives sales to the folks who can’t take a breath and discern.

Edit: History is often a flat circle and it reminds me of when all the prepping shows were popular and the tactical industry was embracing it with a full throttle. Reality didn’t matter, feeling accepted did.

Solid points

[Paul D]

I'm a Gen X'er and naive to USPSA. What do the winners wear?