There are many types of pants. There are cargo, shorts, jeans, harem, baggy, fatigue trousers, and plenty more. Until a few years ago, there was a constant need for a new type of pants. Pants that are versatile, breathable, durable, water-resistant, and efficient.
An outdoor company by the name of Royal Robbins designed new pants which were for mountain climbing. These pants were versatile, breathable, durable, waterproof, and efficient. They called these pants Tactical.
It was revolutionary. The rumor was spreading. Soon, the US military realized that they need to change the gear its operators use, specifically special forces operators. As a result, tactical pants became the new standard for the US military.
As we speak, many companies construct tactical pants. While some are of high quality, there are many low-quality products. If you want to know how to choose the best tactical pants, stick along.
What are tactical pants?
Tactical pants are pants that solve a specific problem. They are versatile, breathable, durable, and waterproof pants. Special forces operators use them for all of their missions.
Many soldiers require clothes that are specific to their work. As a result, the military started providing its operators with tactical pants. These pants have many features that benefit the people who wear them. They have deep pockets that assist in keeping your equipment on you during a mission. In addition, in various operations, the task force has to stay hidden. Thus these pants are also camouflaged.
Additionally, tactical pants often come with built-in knee pads. These are fantastic to keep the operator’s knees healthy for the long term. As you may know, 25% of adults in the US have some knee problems. Hence, keeping your knees healthy is a factor. As a result, some tactical pants come with built-in knee pads.
Read more about the best tactical shorts in this post I wrote.
I own a pair of tactical pants for the last year or so. And I can safely tell you that they are indeed durable, breathable, and water-resistant. I do not have a single scratch on them, and I am using them daily.
Lately, civilians began buying tactical pants for many purposes. They realized why tactical pants are so efficient. Therefore, airsoft enthusiasts, paintball players, hikers, and many other active people have started using them.
To summarize, tactical pants are durable, breathable, water-resistant, and efficient. Hence, the military and many active civilians use them daily. If you do not own a pair yet, consider buying one as they are beneficial.
Who makes the best tactical pants?
As we have covered previously, the demand for tactical pants is constantly rising. As a result, many companies construct tactical pants daily. Because there are so many companies that design tactical pants, there are pants of lower quality. That is why in this section we’ll be going over the leading companies.
5.11 Tactical – 5.11 Tactical is an American apparel brand of outdoor clothing, footwear, uniforms, and tactical equipment, primarily targeting the market of the military, law enforcement, and public safety personnel. (Wikipedia) Overall, 5.11 tactical is one of the, if not the best for tactical gear. All of their products are of high quality and well-trusted. Hence, consider buying tactical pants from 5.11 Tactical. (511tactical.com)
Propper – Propper is a manufacturer of clothing and gear for tactical, law enforcement, public safety, and military applications. Since 1967 it has been one of the leading uniform suppliers to the United States military. (Wikipedia) To clarify, currently, Propper is the leading supplier for tactical uniforms. Thus trusting them is a wise choice. If the US military provides their product, they must be of high quality. (Propper.com)
LA Police Gear – LA Police Gear is a leading company in tactical gear. They provide police duty gear, tactical gear, military equipment, and outdoor equipment needs. LA Police Gear was founded in 2001 by police officers who were tired of having to search everywhere for tactical gear. Thus they founded LA Police Gear. Overall, they are a respected company in this department. Moreover, they sell tactical gear in all of its forms. (LaPoliceGear.com)
Tactical Gear – It may be surprising to some of you, but TacticalGear is a company that sells tactical gear. They have a superstore that sells tactical gear in all of its forms. In addition, they have a blog in the tactical gear niche. That improves the user’s experience. Overall, buying from them is a wise choice, and consider checking them out. (TacticalGear.com)
Tactical pants / Cargo pants?
Although they look alike and share the same purpose, they are not the same. So, what is so different about the two? While soldiers use tactical pants in their missions, civilians wear cargo pants in their daily jobs.
We can infer a few things from the above. First, because tactical pants are for soldiers, they have to provide specific solutions to their problems. For instance, they have to include deep pockets. As a result, the task force can carry accessible equipment in its pockets. Moreover, the pants have to provide durability and breathability to the operator.
Contrary to that, Because cargo pants are for civilians, they don’t need to provide such features. For example, many cargo pants don’t feature durability and breathability. Adding to that, some companies don’t design these pants to include deep pockets. That is because civilians don’t use these features in their daily jobs.
To summarize, the target audience for tactical pants is operators. Thus they provide many features that benefit the operator. However, cargo pants are for civilians. Hence, they do not include many features that the other does. Such as breathability and water resistance.
How to choose tactical pants?
As you may have realized, there are many factors involved when it comes to choosing tactical pants. In this section, we’ll be covering the many parts of a pair of high quality.
Before choosing a pair, you want to look at all these factors. For instance, a company might construct pants out of the fitting fabrics. But, they might not provide many features. As a result, you should not buy them.
Another example is, a company might design a pair to include many features. However, the materials they use are not lightweight. Thus, buying them is an unwise choice.
Type
Covert – These type of tactical pants has to be my favorite. It provides the same features any tactical pants would provide. For instance, they may include deep pockets, breathability, and durability. However, their design is different from what you would expect. Their looks are mainly for civilians and law enforcement individuals’ use.
To clarify, they are not camouflaged or with a military look. Covert tactical pants have a clean look to them, usually with only a single color. Moreover, They usually include hidden pockets. Thus, individuals who want to remain unnoticed will use them.
Overt – Overt is what you would expect tactical pants to be. They are your classy pair with a military-style to them. Some features they include are multi-functional deep pockets, waterproofness, durability, breathability, and efficient pants. Because of the mentioned above, many militaries worldwide use overt pants.
Moreover, they are usually camouflaged and contain many deep pockets. Because of their military style and usefulness, some civilians prefer them over covert pants.
EMS&EMT – These are pants that provide similar benefits to covert and overt pants. Because of their design and features, ambulance crews and police officers often use them. They include deep pockets, durability, flexibility, and mobility. Because covert and overt pants provide benefits that these pants do not present, civilians and other outdoor activists prefer not to buy these pants.
Shorts – Tactical shorts are especially fitting for hot weather. These are an extension of tactical pants and provide similar benefits. They mostly have deep pockets, durability, flexibility, and water resistance. However, they reach your knees. Hence their name shorts.
Because of their design, they fit perfectly for hot weather. As a result, many civilians and hard workers use them in summer as their jobs clothes.
Materials&Fabrics
Some materials and fabrics are lightweight and can make the clothing breathable. Because tactical pants need to be durable and breathable, companies construct their tactical pants using these fabrics. In this section, we’ll be covering the best materials and fabrics for these pants.
Cotton – Cotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective case (Wikipedia).
Cotton is a fabric that is lightweight and breathable. Thus companies use cotton to make tactical pants.
Ripstop Fabric – Ripstop fabrics are woven fabrics, often made of nylon, using a special reinforcing technique that makes them resistant to tearing and ripping. (Wikipedia)
Ripstop is a group of fabrics that are resistant to tearing and ripping. In addition, they’re made out of nylon and then reinforced to have this effect. Because of the above, companies often use Ripstop fabrics to strengthen specific areas in tactical pants. For instance, the groin area and the knees.
Polyester – Characteristics: Abrasion resistant, Dries quickly, Durable, Lightweight, Strong, Wrinkle resistant.
As mentioned above, polyester is a fabric that dries quickly, is durable, wrinkle-resistant, strong, and lightweight. These are all characteristics that tactical pants are known to have. Thus companies often use polyester to construct tactical pants. If you stumble upon tactical pants made out of Polyester, you can be sure they are most likely of high quality.
Nylon – Abrasion Resistance: Excellent Static Resistance: Fair – Poor Wrinkle Resistance: Good – Excellent Heat Resistance: Fair (https://polymerdatabase.com/Fibers/Nylon)
Designers often use nylon as the main fabric in tactical pants. While this may look good, it may not be as high quality as you think. Nylon is a fitting fabric to use for this kind of pants. But, Polyester and cotton are better to use, and you should do your research if you stumble upon Nylon’s tactical pants.
Fit
Slim fit – Slim fit is not for skinny. These are not like skinny jeans that are tight on your legs. Slim-fit tactical pants are still tactical. They’re durable, flexible, and comfortable. The fact that slim-fit pants are stylish, many undercover law enforcement individuals wear them not to attract attention. Lastly, they are usually covert types.
Relaxed fit – These pants are comfortable, efficient, and very mobile. That is why the US military standard is a relaxed fit. It allows the operator to be efficient, flexible, and comfortable. Moreover, these relaxed-fit pants are most likely overt pants. They have a distinctive style to them that says you’re on duty.
Style
Camouflaged – Because camouflaged pants assist individuals in staying hidden with nature, many militaries provide these pants to their operators. In addition, outdoor activists will use these pants. For instance, people who like hunting, shooting, or hiking will consider buying camouflaged pants.
the disguising of military personnel, equipment, and installations by painting or covering them to make them blend in with their surroundings. (Dictionary)
Single/Double-Colored – Before buying a pair of pants, many people will consider its style as a factor. Thus individuals will prefer not to purchase camouflaged pants if they’re not in the military. As a result, they will buy single/double-colored tactical pants, usually covert. These pants are stylish while still keeping the tactical side of them.
To summarize, before buying a pair of pants, make sure you know what style you want them to be. If you wish to purchase camouflaged pants, consider that before you go through.
Features
Pockets – Before buying tactical pants, consider the number of pockets they have. Because operators, law enforcement individuals, and outdoor activists require to have accessible gear on them, they need deep pockets. These deep pockets assist them in carrying their essential equipment on them, making it accessible.
Consider the amount and the types of pockets a pair of pants have before buying them.
Durability – Certain pants may be more durable than other pants. That is because of the fabrics the company made them out of and many other factors. Another example is if the pair of pants include reinforced areas. More durable tactical pants are going to have reinforced areas.
Waterproof/Water-resistant – There is a big difference between waterproof and water-resistant. Whether you are an outdoor activist that spends time near/in water, before buying a pair of your own, make sure it is waterproof and not water-resistant. It may sound like it’s not a big deal, but there is quite a difference between proof and resistance.
On the one hand, waterproof is complete protection from water. On the other hand, water resistance is partial protection from water.
Trusted brand – We mentioned above the best companies that make tactical gear. When buying a pair, consider who is selling it. If it is a well-known company, then buying it is most likely a wise choice. If it is not a known company, make sure to do your research before buying.
Teflon-treated fabric – TEFLON-TREATED FABRIC – Coated with Teflon, these pants have a protective finish that resists stain, soil, and moisture without compromising breathability. The coating also makes it easier to clean this garment! (Amazon product details).
As you can see, tactical pants that include Teflon-treated fabric have many other benefits. Some of the benefits may consist of stain, soil, and moisture resistance. That is the reason that pants with Teflon-treated fabric are beneficial.
Built-in knee pads – 25% of adults in the US have reported experiencing some type of knee problem. Keeping your knees healthy is hard. That is why many tactical pants include built-in knee pads. However, they are going to cost a little comfortability and mobility. But, if you use your knees in the activity you participate in, keeping them healthy is a must.
Conclusion
There are many types of tactical pants. There are covert, overt, EMS, and shorts. When you think about how to choose the best tactical pants? Make sure you know which type you want to buy. If you want a more stylish look, you can purchase covert, slim-fit tactical pants.
Furthermore, if you want to learn more about the best tactical shirts, follow the link to an article of mine just on that.
In this post, we covered all there is to talk about on how to choose tactical pants? The different types, features, fit, and style. Before buying a pair of your own, match the criteria in this post to the tactical pants you’re buying.