What Are Tactical Pants (and Who Uses Them)?

Tactical pants are made for heavy-duty action. Sometimes people confuse them with cargo pants, but they are tougher while remaining comfortable for those who work 12-hour shifts and more. They’re for the casual hobbyist who likes extreme sports and activities, as well as law enforcement officers, fire and rescue workers, military service members, and more.

What Are Tactical Pants?

Tactical pants are durable and can stand up to the most severe conditions. Tactical pants manufacturers make them from materials such as polycotton ripstop, DuPont Teflon, polyester, and bulletproof material.

Most have reinforced belt loops for carrying a heavy firearm and multiple pockets to hold necessary items such as gun magazines, extra ammo, tools, and more.

How to Choose the Right Tactical Pants

There are four primary factors you need to consider when choosing a pair of tactical pants.

• Style
• Features
• Fit
• Material

Styles and Specialty Pants

There are plenty of common tactical pants, but there are also some specialized for professions and activities. They can carry essentials such as survival and protection items for when you’re out in the field, hunting, or training for the SWAT team. Because of the various specialty tactical pants, prices can range from $23 to $400.

There are also several styles that tactical pants come in. Some are specialized for men or women and include big and tall sizes. The right fit is critical for comfort. Others are crafted from lightweight material or more rugged to resist tears. There are comfortable tactical jeans for a more relaxed fit or covert cargo, traverse, covert khaki, overt tactical pants, and EMS/EMT pants. Tactical pants come in many colors, so you can blend into the scenery or match uniform requirements.

Features

One of the main reasons tactical pants are so popular is that they offer a broad range of features. Here are some of the best features of these pants.

Pockets

Pockets are incredibly important features of tactical pants. Cargo pockets provide optimal space for the items you need to carry with you. Knife pockets are long and narrow with a reinforced bottom to hold the weight of a knife and often have a built-in clip.

Many of these pants have hidden pockets to store sensitive items such as a handcuff key. Magazine pockets provide additional space for firearm magazines. Media pockets allow you to carry your smartphone with you.

Slash pockets allow quick access to items like your wallet while keeping them secure. Symmetrical pockets are excellent for the rare left-handed people or those who are ambidextrous and are located on both sides of the pants. Some tactical pants even have knee-pad pockets for inserts that cushion you during strenuous training and combat situations.

Concealed Carry

Let’s face it. Many people who wear tactical pants are in law enforcement or carry guns on duty and off. Tactical pants designers know that it’s sometimes difficult to carry a concealed weapon. You don’t want the imprint of the weapon to show, so materials come into play here as well as deep pocket inserts. Pants with concealed carry pockets allow you to carry your weapon in pants that look like regular ones without letting everyone know that you’re carrying.

Mobility

Mobility is vital to make sure you’re comfortable wearing your tactical pants for hours. Optimal performance comes from a gusseted crotch that’s, essentially, an extra piece of rhomboid or triangular-shaped material in the crotch. It releases tension in other areas, allowing for rapid mobility.

Articulated knees also help with mobility because a shape is cut to accommodate the knee joint comfortably without unnecessary material, so it fits ergonomically. A sliding elastic or expanding waistband increases comfort and mobility.

Reinforced Areas

Durability is one of the main reasons people choose to wear tactical pants. Reinforced knees decrease wear and tear on your pants when you’re crawling, kneeling, or crouching. Some pants add knee-pad pockets as well. A reinforced seat prevents embarrassing tears and includes more stitching in the crotch and seat.

Reinforced belt loops are perfect to handle the weight of duty belts, holsters, and firearms. Reinforced stitching keeps belt loops from tearing or sagging.

Who Wears Tactical Pants?

Tactical pants are a critical element of many people’s wardrobes, including:

• Law enforcement
• Construction workers
• Contractors
• Fire and EMS workers
• Hunters
• Professional marksmen
• Paintball players
• Military service members
• Hikers

These are just a few examples of people who wear them either for casual or professional reasons. They are durable and rugged pants that allow you to comfortably work or play all day. They’re for the person who demands the utmost performance out of their clothes under harsh conditions. They offer unique features that cater to the special requirements of the person wearing them.