Tactical Pants (I hate that term for them) what is your favorite?

I've had good experience with TrueSpec. The cotton blend fabrics will last much longer than the all cotton ones.

Ric
 
LA police gear operator tactical pants, they are awesome and the best tactical pants I've yet to use, better then 5.11 or any of the poplular tactical brands and only 20$ a pair which you can't beat
 
I like cotton canvas with nice pockets. Work pants basically, which I work and play in.

Carharts and some dickies.
 
Guyon said:
They're not tactical unless they have built-in tourniquets.
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Old post I know, but someone else revived it.

Is that what the strings inside the cargo pockets are in some camo cold weather pants are? They are Air Force issued and I always wondered what they were.
 
Cold weather: kitanica and arcteryx

Warm weather: TAD and acronym

:)

But mostly shorts versions of any of the above if possible :D
 
I have some 5.11s picked up for nothing on a clearance rack, and frankly, don't get the hype for hard outdoor use.

They're heavy and restrictive. Clearly they're made for true, tactical uniform use. Lots of pockets for holding lots of things. Massive elastic gripper waist band to keep the uniform shirt nice and neat.

But all that stuff makes for bulk and discomfort under a pack. It's also heavy and prone to getting water logged in all day wet. While the fabric keeps a nice crease no matter what (so do Dickies work pants, for that matter), they have no stretch.

For long pants in the woods, I end up reaching for my Patagonia Guide Pant which must be close to 12 years old now. For hot summer, I pick convertible nylon pants with zip off legs. Both are very thin around the hips and can be worn all day under a pack's hip belt with no discomfort.

I gave the 5.11's an honest run, using them as my beater XC pants for a couple of years. But in terms of comfort and functionality, the Guide Pants win, hands down and on every front.
 
5.11 taclite pros, between the ones I have for work and off duty I have about a dozen pairs. Love them
 
Just wanted to add this in case somebody does a search. You owe it to yourself to look at Wrangler Ranger pants. Sturdy, triple stitched, reinforced knee and butt, and lots of pockets. Got mine at Amazon, but also Workingman store. I really love them. Heavy, not thin material.
 
Duluth trading for me .. a female friend sent me their add about ballroom jeans because she finds it funny when I crush the junk getting in and out the car ... I bough some firehose gear and Im hooked .

I just wish the shipping and handling wasnt 2/3 the total cost :(

Still , Im buying close out stuff because my seasons are opposite to the US .. its bloomin cold winter time here , the fleece lined water proofed firehose stuff is very much appreciated .. even if I have to re sray the waterproof every wash
 
De Plano said:
What are "tactical" pants?

I want tough, durable pants that dry quick and are light with pockets to hold enough items without the cargo pants knee slapper pockets or I want heavy duty work pants.

I don't personally understand the cargo pant pocket (although I was wearing some yesterday). Having anything hard or bulky banging around against my knees drives me batty.
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couldn't agree more! i don't mind cargo pockets, as long as they're empty haha.
i just wear jeans. don't really have any other bush wear. sometimes i become even more classless and just wear sweatpants (don't worry guys, i still carry my share of knives)
Never shorts, but that's just because of where and how i live. shorts are for after getting out of the bush.
 
I just got some White Sierra nylon cargo pants. I can't say how long they'll last, but I like them so far. They have lots of pockets and you can zip off the bottoms and turn them into shorts if you want. The thin nylon is much cooler than the cotton cargo pants I was wearing.
 
I have bought a couple of pair of different colored TruSpec 247's now, and I'm hooked on the pocket configuration. They have a streach seam if you are changing weight.
 
Best tactical pants I ever had was Tact Gear, I think they changed their name to 'Tact Squad', they are more comfortable and lightweight than any other BDU pants I ever had.

after buying a few Tact Gear pants I never went back to 5.11, reason why is because after a while the 5.11 shrink a lot and almost looked like skinny jeans:eek: :thumbdn:....the Tact Gear aka Tact Squad pants are much more flexible and more lightweight.

I'm thinking about trying Tru Spec next.
 
I have a pair of 5.11 pants and they are probably the most comfortable pants I own. They aren't restrictive, and are light weight. Pockets are reinforced for knife clips. I got mine at Gander Mountain.
 
Weddings and funerals are the only times I don't wear 5.11 Taclites. Durable, comfy, good looking and all the pockets (8) you could ask for. Fully loaded all the time, mine weight about seven pounds. They dry quick too. I get 'em on Amazon.
 
The genesis of 5.11 is not "tactical" gear. 5.11 become "tactical" thanks to the FBI Academy.

I've been wearing them long before 5.11 were ever considered "tactical" --- since back in the day when the pants were only sold by Royal Robbins, a climber, as climbing pants. Mr. Robbins chose “5.11” as the name for the pants because 5.11 was the rating of the most difficult climb in Yosemite back then. Form follows function. Even strap and the slanted openings of the back pockets on the 5.11 pants give away the pants' purpose as climbing pants. Regardless of what many think, the pants design is nearly 50 years old now, and climbing is the purpose for which Royal developed them. Back when I started wearing them, you only found them in outfitter shops.

It was sometime in the late 1990s that 5.11 started becoming "tactical" pants even though they were the same climbing pants. Royal Robbins sold the 5.11 name not long after the turn of the century, and the new owner marketed the pants, and other clothing they developed, as "tactical".

Sadly, these days the canvas used in 5.11 canvas pants isn't nearly as good as the canvas of yesteryear when Royal Robbins produced the line. The pants are good but not as good as they once were. Royal Robbins still makes great outdoor clothing you can get at great prices, even though the 5.11 aren't his anymore. His Billy Goat pants are 9 oz cotton canvas. His old 5.11 were 11 oz canvas IIRC.
 
Now that you mention it, I do seem to recall the TAC pants originally being from Royal Robbins...

In any event, I traded a couple pmags for a couple like new pairs. I had them hemmed up a bit, but now they're G2G. They're OK, but I still find the rear pocket too deep if that's wear you carry your wallet. But OTOH, Its a trivial 2sec adjustment to shift your wallet a little bit once seated. They're good 'shot me first' pants.

Now my local general store just had their sidewalk sale and I picked up three pairs of Riggs carpenter pants in rip stop for $17 each. They're 'slight defect' pants, but the ones I picked out you could never tell. A free hem job from a family member, and other than the tool/hammer loop on the side, and they fit right in unless you're a tac fashion snob and really getting specific, especially the two green pairs. And they TOUGH pants.

Really starting to like the lighter rip stop materials...after you try it, the heavy canvas can seem like a lot unless its cooler weather.

BOSS
 
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