I have always admired what is now the 5.11 Tactical corporation because they have pushed the envelope in many directions: design, material, finishes, and function. They are always seeking out new materials and finishes that can serve the needs of public safety personnel better, and incorporate those materials into products that are actually designed with input from the public safety community and SMEs. They often lead the industry in these ways, and the practice hasn't diminished as the company has grown. I've never had a 5.11 product fail me; in fact, just to get most of them to show wear took some doing.
I am always eager to try some of their newer products. Because Spring has finally arrived (sort of) here in the Northeast, I elected to try out four Spring-suitable products that\ don't have a tactical look, and are suitable for truly "plain-clothes" assignments (as opposed to "soft-clothes" assignments), or off-duty. A note on the measurements below: there was no shrinkage in the pants or shorts after washing in cold water and drying with the dryer set to "incinerate", and only a teeny, tiny bit of shrinkage with the sweater.
First up is the Taclite Jean-Cut Pant. This is essentially -- but not entirely -- a jeans version of 5.11's now-famous Taclite Pro Pants, the light-weight version of the original 5.11 pants (a hilarious torture test of the Taclite Pros is here.) I wore the original Taclite Pant for many years of usually warm-weather teaching on the range and acquired an admiration for them. They were surprisingly comfortable in the warm, humid weather that we can get here, and were substantial enough to also be comfortable as the Spring and Fall temperatures dipped into the 30s. The day I finally gave them to a friend after retiring out of law enforcement, they looked as good as the day I got them.
The flat-front (no pleats) Taclite Jean-Cut Pant is made of the same 6.14 poly/cotton Taclite breathable ripstop material as the Taclite Pros, only -- duhh -- cut to fit like a jean, and are thus somewhat trimmer than the Taclite Pros. They feature double-thick knee material (the website says they incorporate discreet kneepad pockets, but that's incorrect). The pocket layout includes the traditional jeans 5-pockets (2 front, 2 back, watch/coin) as well as four additional, discreet pockets. Two three-inch wide discreet front accessory pockets can accommodate cell phones (they will house an iphone5 without a case), pistol mags, knives, or anything else that will fit. Two discreet accessory pockets just above the rear pockets will hold AR mags. I find this to be a truly useful feature -- if you're in plain clothes, chances are your rifle is secured and its mags are not on your belt. If you have to break the rifle out these pockets give you a secure place to stash your mags in a hurry. These pockets are also a great place to carry a small light or even your knife. The non-elastic, shaped waistband has seven one-inch wide belt loops. The front pockets are horizontal jeans-style with knife-clip reinforcement. The rear pockets are generously-sized open-top jeans-style. This pant rides at the waist and is extremely comfortable and easy to move in, in part because of the crotch gusset. It feels less heavy than regular-weight jeans, but not in the least insubstantial, and it feels really good to wear. The Teflon treatment will keep the spilled double-mocha-almond-caramel-lattes from staining them (see the video referenced above) because they don't teach you young guys how to drive fast and not spill coffee in the academy anymore. Top quality hardware throughout, of course. If you are tempted to wear jeans on your plain-clothes assignment in order to blend, you'll want to consider these: they are totally discreet and draw no attention, have the fit and feel of good jeans but are more comfortable, and provide additional useful pockets. I like the fact that they don't have cargo pockets, because while cargos are becoming more common, they still scream "tactical" to me (unless they are as wrinkled as Gandolf's face and you're like 18 years old). The sizing on my sample ran a bit large: my 36/32 Jeans-Cut Pant had an actual 38-inch waist, although the inseam was in fact 32-inches (with a rise of 10.5-inches). I'm going to have them taken in a bit to fit, because they are keepers!
The Ridgeline pants are similar to the Jean-Cut pants, but are made from 6.8-ounce poly/cotton Flex-Tac ripstop, the same material used on the Stryke pant. This material has a little bit of stretch to it, and coupled with the articulated (but not double) knee and gusset, the pant moves easily with you. The pocket layout is the same with a few exceptions: there's no watch/coin pocket, and the front accessory pockets are a full 4.5-inches wide, allowing them to accept a wider variety of items (such as a cased iphone). The rise is 10 inches on my 36/32 pair; the shorter rise causes them to ride below the waist, and the fit is a little slimmer through the butt, but otherwise the leg fit is similar to the Jean-Cut Pant. The material, while technically a little heavier than the Jean-Cut's, feels lighter, perhaps because it's a little less stiff. The Ridgeline feels like a light pant when you wear it. It also has a Teflon coating for spill resistance and top quality hardware and construction. You preference for the Ridgeline compared to the Jean-Cut will probably depend where you like your pants to ride: either at or below the waist. Sizing was true: my 36/32 pair measured an actual 36-inches at the (non-elastic) waist and 31.75-inches at the inseam. The overall feel and function was excellent.
Spring means I can finally get into shorts again, and the Stryke Short is a design that meets the needs of a summer short. Basically an adaptation of the Stryke Pant, but with a lighter, 4.8-ounce Flex-Tac ripstop, Teflon-coated, slightly stretchy fabric. Yes, these shorts have cargo pockets (flap covered, and with two internal AR mag-sizd sub pockets each), but on shorts, cargos don't scream "tactical" to me since they are so common on them. And practical: in the warm weather we don't wear jackets and are always at a bit of a loss for pockets in which to stow our kit. Cargo pockets on shorts fill this need. The Stryke Shorts have vertical front pockets, two 3.5-inch front accessory pockets (that will accept a cased iphone5), and two flap-covered rear pockets. The waistband is non-elastic and sports seven 1-inch wide loops. There's a full gusset along the entire 11-inch inseam. These are extremely comfortable shorts to wear; the light fabric moves with you and doesn't "bang" against your exposed legs as you walk, yet it doesn't feel flimsy at all. While not "slim-fit", they are also not too baggy either: mine measured 11.5-inches at the bottom. The pocket design is well laid out and everything you stow in them is easy to access. If this is your preferred pocket layout, you'll like these shorts. My sample ran large; the nominal 36-waist actually measured 39-inches.
5.11's Tactical Full Zip Sweater is a really classy-looking number that runs, to my hand, maybe a little bit heaver than a traditional 200-weight fleece sweater. It is upscale enough for business casual, and blending-in enough for plain-clothes assignments (or off-duty). The fleece is tightly woven, brushed, and with a very pleasing visual texture. This is a very practical garment, and this weight of fleece sweater has been a mainstay of my wardrobe for nearly 30 years. It's warmth can be gauged by the fact that on a 47-degree windless overcast day here, with just a t-shirt underneath, I was warm. The sleeves and bottom are elastic hemmed, a superior design, in my mind, to cuffs, in that elastic hems allow a little air to circulate and prevent your arms from getting too warm (a real issue with me). They also allow the sweater to be easily used as an under-layer. The front zip pockets have an internal zipper for pass-through capability (for you AIWB practitioners out there). There's a zip chest pocket on the left -- perfect for cell phones. And there's a lumbar pocket, accessed via a zipper on the right. Black welded patches on the elbows and shoulders prevent wear in these high-wear areas and add a nice styling element. The feel of this sweater is one of sturdiness and quality, and it's very comfortable. As is true in my experience with all 5.11 tops, the sizing is true and slightly generous: if you are between sizes, try the lower size. These days I'm 5'11", 160 pounds, with a 42-inch actual chest; the large was perfect (even for concealing a hip-worn pistol) while the extra large was a little baggy.
Ralph Mroz
Ralph Mroz spent 20 years part-time as a police officer in Western Massachusetts, the last seven of which he was assigned to the county drug task force. He was a co-founder of the Police Officers Safety Association and was the developer and presenter of their training material. He was also the person in front of the camera for the Armed Response (www.armedresponsetraining.com) series of training DVDs.
