Review: Is the 5.11Taclite Pro Pant the best choice for tactical pants?

Here what I look for in a pair of tactical pants:

• The correct material: Don’t let a cool-looking design persuade you to buy some pants of the wrong fabric. Rip-stop cotton is not a good choice for cold, wet weather, no matter how good they look. On the other hand, in hot, dry desert climates, cotton may be the best choice.
• Sturdy belt loops: If you carry a lot of stuff in your pockets, like I do, then you need a belt to hold your pants up. The belt loops should be strategically located to provide support, not just attach the pants to your belt. A 1-1/2 inch stiff belt is a good choice if you will be carrying a lot of gear.
• Pockets: With the right pocket design, you can carry a variety of gear comfortably. And if your gear is easy to carry, you will.
• Protection: Decide if you need double knees so you can insert knee pads, and how important a reinforced knife clip area is. You’ll pay extra for those features. But if you’re a first responder, these might be the most important things to look for.

Recently, I got a pair of 5.11 poly-cotton ripstop TACLITE PRO PANTS. Here are the specs, according to the 5.11 website:

• 6.14 oz. Taclite poly/cotton ripstop fabric
• 48 individual bartacks in high stress areas
• Double thick seat and knees (kneepad ready)
• Triple-stitch reinforcement
• YKK® zippers
• Prym® snaps

In addition, there are seven pockets, and the fabric is treated with Teflon for stain, soil and spill resistance. The pants have an elastic action waistband, a full gusseted crotch and a hip mounted D-ring to hold keys or an ID.

Several features leaped out immediately.

Here’s what I like:

• Good design: I’m five-foot, ten-inches tall and weight 180 pounds, and the 32×32 pants fit me very well. It appears the measurements are right on, and the pants are well-proportioned for grown men with athletic builds. There is plenty of room in the seat and thighs so the legs don’t bind during vigorous activities. But there isn’t excess material in the legs.

• Sturdy belt loops: I can carry my Leatherman Wave, keyring survival kit and cell phone on my regular belt very comfortably. When my pockets are weighed down with a wallet, map and compass, handkerchief, lighter, pocket knife and other stuff, there is no danger of my pants sagging. (Obviously, these pants are not designed for gang bangers or Hip-Hop types!)

• Strategically located pockets: I carry my map and compass in my right thigh pocket, and my THE WALLET JR in the left. My handkerchief goes in the left rear pocket, and the right is generally free to stick miscellaneous things in. A secured rectangular pocket works well to carry my dumb phone. The cargo pockets are sewn-down so they still look good  after they’ve been washed a couple of times.

Not so crazy about:

• Material: The pants are a 65 percent polyester and 35 percent cotton ripstop blend. The material is rugged, and ripping or wearing the pants out under normal conditions shouldn’t be a problem. But the presence of cotton, IMO, rules out using these pants in cold conditions where they might get wet. I’d like to see these pants in an all-synthetic fabric.
• Made in Vietnam: I have absolutely nothing against any foreign country. But I would really like these pants to be made in the United States. Put an American to work.