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The best perks in Modern Warfare 3

These are the best perks across all the gear in Modern Warfare 3

An establishing shot of the Modern Warfare 3 map Afghan.
Image credit: Activision

What are the best perks in Modern Warfare 3? In Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, the perk system has been revamped with a new gear-based system seeing perks attached to specific categories of gear; boots, tactical vest, gloves, and gear.

When equipping any of these gear categories, players will benefit from the number of in-built bonuses they possess. So, depending on your playstyle, each bonus may be able to offer you upgrades that will, in turn, assist you in battle. We’ve outlined below the best perks from each category.

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Best gloves perk

  • Quick-Grip Gloves - increased weapon swap speed
  • Marksman Gloves - reduced sway and flinch while ADS
  • Assault Gloves - while jumping, accuracy and time to ADS is improved
  • Commando Gloves - reload while sprinting
  • Scavenger Gloves - resupply ammo and throwing knives from dead players
  • Ordnance Gloves - throw equipment farther and reset fuse timer on thrown back grenades

For the best gloves, we’d recommend choosing the Quick-Grip Gloves as they allow you to swap between your primary and secondary weapon faster, which can make all the difference when you’re head-to-head in combat.

The Marksman Gloves also offer a gameplay advantage to players with their ability to transform a weapon with reduced sway and flinch while ADS. Having a steadier hand is always going to help you achieve those more precise shots. Be sure to check out our full guide to the best gloves perks.

Best vest perk

  • Gunner Vest - allows for two primary weapons, increased reload speed, and deploys with max ammo
  • Overkill Vest - increased weapon swap speed and reload while sprinting
  • CCT Comms Vest - increases duration enemies stay on radar and zooms out radar for you and nearby allies. Enemies you kill drop intel packs, which generate a radar ping for you and nearby allies when collected
  • Infantry Vest - improved Tac Sprint duration and reduces refresh time
  • Engineer Vest - spot enemy equipment, killstreaks, and field upgrades through walls, ADS highlights enemies for whole team, and faster field upgrade recharge
  • Demolition Vest - resupply tactical and lethal equipment every 25 seconds

For the best vest, our top pick is the Gunner Vest for its Overkill-style bonus (not to be confused with the Overkill Vest, that is). The Gunner Vest allows players to carry two primary weapons. Not only that, but it'll also improve your reload speed time as well as deploying with maximum ammo. All-in-all the outstanding tactical vest choice of MW3. We delve more into this in our best vest perks guide.

Best boots perk

  • Covert Sneakers - eliminates footstep sounds
  • Stalker Boots - increased ADS movement and strafe speed
  • Tactical Pads - improves slide distances and allows full ADS while sliding. Also increases stance transition and crouch movement speeds
  • Running Sneakers - increases Tac Sprint duration and reduces refresh time
  • Climbing Boots - increased climbing and mantling speed and reduced fall damage
  • Lightweight Boots - increased movement and swim speed and reduced noise while swimming

With six choices in the boots category, we’d recommend the Covert Sneakers for their incredibly handy bonus of eliminating your footsteps from enemies. If you're into stealth, being dead silent is an excellent perk.

We'd also recommend the Stalker Boots as their increased ADS movement and strafe speed will enable you to dodge and return shots a lot easier. Being able to side step away quickly and line up enemies in your crosshairs to return shots quicker is a real gameplay advantage. Be sure to check out our full best boots perks guide for all the intel.

Best gear perk

  • Bone Conduction Headset - reduces combat noise and increases footstep sounds
  • Mag Holster - improved reload speed
  • Blacklight Flashlight - shows recent enemy footsteps
  • Tac Mask - Reduces strength of enemy flash, stun, and gas grenades as well as granting immunity to shock, EMP, and snapshot grenades
  • Ghost T/V Camo - blocks detection from UAVs, enemy radar sources, and heartbeat sensors while moving
  • Mission Control Comlink - reduces killstreak cost by one kill and scorestreak cost by 125
  • Data Jacker - enemies you kill drop a smartphone and collecting the smartphone generates a radar ping from that location
  • EOD Padding - reduces damage from non-killstreak explosives and fire
  • Signal Jammer - emits a signal disrupting placed enemy claymores and mines and warns of nearby enemy equipment
  • Hijacked IFF Strobe - undetectable by AI targeting systems and thermal optics. Does not highlight in enemy tactical cameras or recon drones
  • Threat Identification System - while ADS, automatically pings enemy locations in crosshairs
  • L/R Detector - warns of hostile laser and radiation sources

Your last tactical choice is Gear. For the best gear perks, we’d suggest the Bone Conduction Headset for its game changing ability to reduce combat sound and allow players to hear the footsteps of enemies much clearer. Another notable pick is the Mag Holster which gives an improved reload speed. This solid transferable perk will improve any weapon.

So, there we have it. Those are the best perks available in Modern Warfare 3 based on the new gear system. Equipping the right perks is one thing, but you’ll want to make sure you’re also locked and loaded with the best guns in MW3 as well as focusing on crafting the best Modern Warfare 3 loadouts.

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