Does 5.11 pay their employees well?

According to anonymously submitted Glassdoor reviews, 5.11 employees rate their compensation and benefits as 3.4 out of 5. Find out more about salaries and benefits at 5.11. This rating has decreased by 6% over the last 12 months.

How satisfied are employees working at 5.11?

49% of 5.11 employees would recommend working there to a friend based on Glassdoor reviews . Employees also rated 5.11 3.3 out of 5 for work life balance, 3.0 for culture and values and 2.9 for career opportunities.

What are the top reviewed jobs at 5.11?

Store Manager (22) , Shift Supervisor (17) , Assistant Manager (13) , Retail Store Manager (9) , Manager (8) , Sales Associate (8) , Supervisor (8) , Material Handler (7) , Service Specialist (6) , Customer Service Specialist (4) , Customer Service Representative (3) , Retail Associate (3) , Retail Sales Associate (3) , Sales (3) , Territory Manager (3)

What are the pros of working at 5.11 according to real employee reviews?

"Great brand and people who work for the company" ((in 14 reviews)); "Good Benefits and Discount." ((in 11 reviews)); "Great people and culture make it it a fun place to work" ((in 10 reviews)); "Work life balance is good." ((in 6 reviews)); "The leadership is great!" ((in 6 reviews))

What are the cons of working at 5.11 according to real employee reviews?

"Poor management" ((in 17 reviews)); "The worst part is upper management is aware of this problem, allows it and even supports it." ((in 6 reviews)); "In their rush to expand they have lost great managers." ((in 5 reviews)); "Long hours with sub par pay" ((in 5 reviews)); "Bonuses were earned and not paid." ((in 3 reviews))

What are employees saying about 5.11 layoffs in 2026?

Explore Glassdoor’s employee reviews to understand what current and former employees are saying about 5.11 layoffs and their outlook for job security at 5.11 in 2026.

What are the top reviewed 5.11 locations?

Irvine , Costa Mesa , Modesto , Manteca , Charlotte , Reno , Phoenix , Lathrop , Virginia Beach , Tulsa , Fort Worth , Columbus , Fresno , Sacramento , Fairfield , Lexington-Fayette , Alabaster , Birmingham , Huntsville , Salt Lake City , Richmond , Fairfax , Springfield , Kansas City , Fenton , Chandler , Austin , Brownsville , College Station , Dallas

5.11 reviews

3.3

49% would recommend to a friend

(255 total reviews)

Troy Brown

39% approve of CEO

45% positive business outlook

Ratings by category

3.4

Diversity & inclusion

3.4

Compensation and benefits

3.3

Work/Life balance

3.0

Culture & values

2.9

Career opportunities

2.8

Senior management

5.11 has an employee rating of 3.3 out of 5 stars, based on 255 company reviews on Glassdoor which indicates that most employees have a good working experience there. The 5.11 employee rating is in line with the average (within 1 standard deviation) for employers within the Retail & Wholesale industry (3.5 stars).

Ratings by demographic groups

Race / Ethnicity

Gender

Sexual orientation

Disability

Parent or family caregiver

Veteran status

Reviews by job title

255 reviews

1.0

Apr 19, 2014

Abusive work environment caused by lack of leadership from upper management and poor HR department.

Design/development

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

Many employees come from Orange County action sport companies, great networking for future opportunities.

Cons

The working environment here is toxic. Supervisors are stifling and verbally abusive. The worst part is upper management is aware of this problem, allows it and even supports it. HR and upper management push the "5.11 culture" on employees but fail to practice what they preach. Many are bullies and teams are very mismanaged. The lack of leadership from upper management and the HR department is proven in the employee turnover rate. Managers gossip to employees of all levels which is extremely unprofessional and makes for awkward team lunches. Learning is extremely slow because employees are micro managed and untrusted even after months/years of proven work.

1.0

Jul 23, 2025

Toxic culture and mismanagement

E-commerce merchandiser

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

Some really amazing and talented people who have been here for 5+ years

Cons

Constantly undervalued and passed over for promotions even after years of stellar performance (extra days, weekends, late nights). If you want a boss who won't respond to your messages (even when they reach out late in the evening) and doesn't value input other than their own....this is the place for you. Never felt happier and more confident in my abilities after quitting. Avoid unless desperate.

1.0

Mar 10, 2024

Terrible, and toxic

Retail store manager

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

Employee discount, free clothes when you start.

Cons

Upper management micro manages you until you can't vreathe, buy team is terrible, freight is terrible, HR will not handle any upper management issues as they are all playing favorites. They refuse to use positive reinforcement for anything. You make great money but 1 metric is off and you aren't a teachers pet, they will come for you like you never believe. Unrealistic expectations. They will blatantly tell you for performance reviews that you meet expectations at most that exceeding and exceptional are unattainable. People are miserable. It's beyond toxic.

Viewing 13 - 15 of 255 Reviews

Jobs at 5.11

Part-Time Sales Associate

Retail Assistant Manager

5.11

5.11 reviews

Ratings by category

Ratings by demographic groups

Reviews by job title

Abusive work environment caused by lack of leadership from upper management and poor HR department.

Toxic culture and mismanagement

Terrible, and toxic

Jobs at 5.11

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