TacPack.com box review

[Shotgun Jeremy]

Hey guys! Through the powers of social networking, I stumbled upon a newish buisness last month called TacPack.com. So, it appears to be a guy who is getting random "tactical" gear for people to try out and sending them out in care - packages once a month. Ok - I get the idea. Love it! I emailed the guy some questions, and he got right back to me - great guy. I saw how he interacts with people on FB and even had a short convo with him on there myself. Seems like a decent dude. From what i could put together based on his own blogs, it seems like hes trying to put together a nice collection of NFA items, and this is his way to fund it. Ok, I get it. Everyone buys thier toys someway or another, and he found a way. Cool. Then I look into boxes in the past. It looks like he had just released his second box. Couldn't find much about the first box, but the second box had me pumped! I'm seeing a HexMag, beanie, knife, patch, some targets, and a few stickers. Ok, I'm aboard and signed up.

A few weeks later, I get my box in the mail. Hell yea! I'm stoked! Let's see what I get-

On the top was a paper introducing you to the companies in the box. Pretty cool idea. I tried to make it so you guys could zoom in and read the paper. If you need closer pics, let me know. So here's what I'm looking at:

Silencer Shop - sweet! Forum sponser, sweet t-shirt, cool patch and sticker, a coozy, and a brochure.

Bastion LLC - ok, never heard of these guys. It came with one of thier knucks. I'm a bit confused, so I go to the company website. Oddly enough, I can't find knucks on thier website. It's just a bunch of engraved AR and glock parts. Not sure what's going on there.

Bee Tactical - never heard of these guys. It's based out of TX and they make Kydex wallets. It'll be used as a trade item in the future.

Overall, I'm highly disappointed with this month's box. The subscription is $50/month, and I just don't feel like I got $50 worth of stuff. On the other hand, it IS a relatively new buisness, last month they did great, and they've hinted to some interesting new products in the future (lube, a cool AR hammer bottle opener, gun parts). So I'm gonna give it one more try. If it's the same next month, I'll probably back out.

 

[Younggun]

Interesting.

Seems like after packing, shipping, and obtaining the products, it would be hard to ship $50 worth of stuff and turn any sort of a profit.

 

[Shotgun Jeremy]

I would think he'd get the products at an extreme discount since it's good advertising for the companies involved. At least that's how other companies in this market seem to do it.

 

[robertc1024]

I'm at a point, where I know what I want in gun gear, and I'm way too specific for the random stuff. Best of luck to them, but it's not for me.

 

[rp-]

I'm at a point, where I know what I want in gun gear, and I'm way too specific for the random stuff. Best of luck to them, but it's not for me.

Indeed. I've played with enough cheap crap that broke too quick. I've also spent way to much on stuff I could have gotten for 1/10th the price... I now know what I like. Getting a monthly sample pack sounds like it would have been cool though back when I was a rookie, unmarried, and had plenty of cash at hand. $50 is a dinner date for me and my wife

 

[A.Texas.Yankee]

Interesting business model. Not sure how to keep an recurring customer base, though.

 

[Shotgun Jeremy]

Each month is a different box setup. Unless he lowers his price or puts more value into the box with month to month consistency though - yea, it'll be interesting to see how long it lasts.

 

[breakingcontact]

As long as it isn't a pyramid scheme (now called multi level marketing) I'm happy.

I'm exhausted seeing people try to pitch that nonsense.

Box business is where it's at.

$47.50- $55/a month?

I'd roll the dice at $20

 

[Shotgun Jeremy]

The LGS is about to start putting out a $20/M survival box. At the end of a year, it will have everything you need for a good survival pack. I'm prolly gonna get in on it. I have been to lazy to put together a survival pack and it'll be supporting a local buisness that I like. Win/win.

 

[Dawico]

For the money I will just buy what I want or need.

If I could sell a box full of $20 worth of random crap for $50 I would have a much better NFA collection too.

 

[TacPack]

Hi Shotgun Jeremy!

I am personally sorry that you feel as if the value wasn't there. We strive very hard to ensure we create enough value for the customer and I am personally sorry that it did not meet your standards.

please allow me to explain how the box is composed. The box you got had a knuck from Bastion LLC (30.00), a wallet from bee Tactical (20.00), and several items from Silencershop (25.50) that had an MSRP of exactly 75.50 (before shipping from them to you). BUT, as others said, it's all about how you feel about the items you got. So, that means that me and my crew need to do a better job of picking products that make a subscriber feel like they are getting blasted with value.

the average box costs us about 31.00 in product, 2.60 in packaging, and about 8.60 to ship. Then, my website/processing/other apps/plugins cost me about 4 bucks per box. I'm being honest when I tell you that "making 4-5 bucks per box and then splitting that 3 ways (and then paying taxes) doesn't quite fund an NFA addiction!

I am here to learn! Tell me what types of items you'd like to see in the boxes that Msrp from 10-20-30 bucks. I will absolutely take your feedback and run with it! It's the only way to help make our subscribers happy!

Thanks,

Bob @ TacPack

 

[RACER X]

My wife does this w makeup and clothes

I wish the clothes were only $50, it's $250 for like 5 pieces!

 

[TacPack]

My wife does this w makeup and clothes

I wish the clothes were only $50, it's $250 for like 5 pieces!

You know, for the longest time I (playfully) busted my wife's chops over what she spends on clothes... And then she reminded me that ammunition and cigars are "1-time-only" types of resources and couldn't be used over and over like her clothes. I quickly zipped my lips. hehe

 

[GlockOwner]

Hi Shotgun Jeremy!

I am personally sorry that you feel as if the value wasn't there. We strive very hard to ensure we create enough value for the customer and I am personally sorry that it did not meet your standards.

please allow me to explain how the box is composed. The box you got had a knuck from Bastion LLC (30.00), a wallet from bee Tactical (20.00), and several items from Silencershop (25.50) that had an MSRP of exactly 75.50 (before shipping from them to you). BUT, as others said, it's all about how you feel about the items you got. So, that means that me and my crew need to do a better job of picking products that make a subscriber feel like they are getting blasted with value.

the average box costs us about 31.00 in product, 2.60 in packaging, and about 8.60 to ship. Then, my website/processing/other apps/plugins cost me about 4 bucks per box. I'm being honest when I tell you that "making 4-5 bucks per box and then splitting that 3 ways (and then paying taxes) doesn't quite fund an NFA addiction!

I am here to learn! Tell me what types of items you'd like to see in the boxes that Msrp from 10-20-30 bucks. I will absolutely take your feedback and run with it! It's the only way to help make our subscribers happy!

Thanks,

Bob @ TacPack

I've seen a few different people doing this sort of thing now. Do you keep your monthly boxes uniform to everyone? I ask because, some potential things that you could include in your box that people would really like, might not be legal in states like California (a 20 or 30 round PMAG for example).

To satisfy the apparel lover, shirts are great, so are hats. Stickers are always good, and cheap to include. Getting samples from different gun lube mfgs such as LPS, snake oil, frog lube etc could be good. Other cleaning supplies, perhaps en entire cleaning kit. A small armorers tool for a range bag. Targets are always good, especially reactive targets. Flashlight (borelight).

 

[TacPack]

I've seen a few different people doing this sort of thing now. Do you keep your monthly boxes uniform to everyone? I ask because, some potential things that you could include in your box that people would really like, might not be legal in states like California (a 20 or 30 round PMAG for example).

To satisfy the apparel lover, shirts are great, so are hats. Stickers are always good, and cheap to include. Getting samples from different gun lube mfgs such as LPS, snake oil, frog lube etc could be good. Other cleaning supplies, perhaps en entire cleaning kit. A small armorers tool for a range bag. Targets are always good, especially reactive targets. Flashlight (borelight).

Thank you for the reply. Yes, the boxes are all the same per month and each month is different (with small exceptions for mag limits). For example, in the February box... Everyone got a hexmag, but we had to order them from hexmag in quantities that coincide with state laws.

Thank you for your product ideas. We are currently working with Breakthrough clean and MSCleankits (really cool mag-shaped field cleaning kit) to bring cleaning products to the TacPacks.


I do also have a buddy that makes handmade/lathe-made armorers hammers that we are trying to get down cheap enough to put in a box (though it'd be the only item In that month's box) as they are high dollar. I mean, we could probably put stickers and patches in it as well but the hammer would eat all the money we could spend. Does that sound like a good or bad idea?

Thanks!

 

[rp-]

You know they have those Korean glock mags flooding the market for 10$. 1911 mags. AR and AK mags would always be good. Maybe talk yo federal and see if you could get a deal on bulk purchase of HP rounds and send out a box. Maybe even buy some bulk 22 and send out a box. I like the bore light idea. Cleaning brushes or bore snakes. AR oil. AK dirt (they don't even need oil). Bullets for reloading. Ammo can? Maybe 30 cal. Can? That might fit in a flat rate box. Find an inexpensive muzzle break that is new and needs to be promoted. Maybe gift certificates if you can find a company that will give you a deal. Chances are if they sell you 10$ cards for cheap people are going to spend much more than 10$ with them anyways. Or just coupon codes (sportsman's guide, CTD, midway, cabelas, ...)

 

[Shotgun Jeremy]

Hey Bob - ok, it looks like y'all did give it an honest effort with the value of the box so I appreciate the breakdown.

Some things I'm really digging that have already been brought up: The MSCleankits sounds great for range bag organization, that EOS blade is pretty cool, the Armaspec stuff sounds really great - even if you send something I can't use, we all know gun owners love bartering. If you go with breakthrough, get those little bottles with the needle on top. Those are great for trigger assemblies and slides! Once it's gone, people can refill the bottle with regular CLP or a different lube of their choice.

With the Armorers hammer, are you talking about a brass hammer that you use with the punch sets, or are you talking about one of those fancy wrenches with all the built in tools? If you're going to send the tool itself, wait until this summer once this is more established. That way you can show people you've already been sending out 4 or 5 full boxes and this box with just one item is temporary because of its value. When you send it, go ahead and toss in a few stickers, patches and possibly coupons. If you're not sure - hell, take a poll. Ask people on FB if they'd be down with boxes occasionally having one high dollar item vs multiple items. I'm down because I'm always looking for new and unique tools.

Cheap knives, flash lights, mag pouches, tools, range safety gear , random products from small companies around the country - all that is great to use.

 

[rp-]

This has tuned into a regular old meeting with the bobs

 

[Shotgun Jeremy]

KNS Precision Inc. They make anti-walk trigger pins for the AR as well as sell other products. You could probably get a decent bulk price and their stickers/patches are $1/$2 each before any bulk buy discount. The anti-walk pins are more designed for full auto AR's but they still look pretty cool on the gun either way.

http://www.knsprecisioninc.com/gun-...n-rotate-trigger-hammer-pins-gen-2-black.html

Surefire EP3 earplugs. These are super comfy, reuseable, easy to insert, and good up to 24db while allowing you to still carry on conversations at a normal level.

http://www.surefire.com/ep3-sonic-defenders.html

 

[Vaquero]

Shooting glasses would be nice. And reasonably priced.