tactical pants

[geoint]

Ive enjoyed 5.11 pants for a few years. The Stryke pants really are awesome and dont scream tacticool like the Tac Lites do. I wore them almost every day for 2 years whenever I wasn't at work. Nowadays Im back to jeans but Ill probably be bringing back the 5.11's eventually. Theres nothing wrong with them.



As far as the 5.11=shot first argument, just no. The ONLY people who know what tactical pants look like are vets, cops, hunters and competition shooters. You probably aren't going to get shot by any of those. Your average gangbanger isn't going to know the difference between tactical pants and the cargo pants that guys wear in construction, landscaping, painting...etc.

[RR.44]

5.11 Clothing = Shoot me FIRST

Now that's funny!

[c-wick]

I just got a pair of the TDU for 13$ not long ago. definitely worth it!

[SDM44]

LOL at the thread, as people are getting upset about either how they were or might get treated by LE, or that they should have or do have zero worry and LE or anybody else as they should all MYOB.

The fact of the matter is, some people get profiled and some don't. Some people like to dress like Dan Bilzerian, while others like to dress more low key.

[TKM]

August, 2002.
Airport Police, LAX.
On Century boulevard, there exists (still there) a Karl' Jr. restaurant. I had left our ranch in Kern County to pick up family who were arriving at the airport, and deliver them to their home in the SFV. Having heard about more than one incident involving folks who posess firearms on airport property, who are not ticketed passengers, I elected to leave my sidearm and valid CCW permit back at home. Having never been questioned before, and having carried all over the state for many years, I thought "what are the chances of some encounter with the locals that would be anything but polite and courteous, as had been in the past?". Likely zero, or so I thought. But I left it at home anyways, thinking I might actually need to go into the terminal, as one of the elderly family members needed special accommodations for transportation. That is why I was there in the first place.
While waiting for the delayed flight to arrive, I stopped at the Karl's to get something to drink. I was wearing an old, worn (but clean) pair of 511 cotton pants (olive), boots, and an over shirt covering my flashlight (SureFire 6P), and glove pouch. I was otherwise clean shaven, fresh crew-cut, sunglasses, wallet in left cargo pocket, quietly waiting behind a group of tourists. Thirty-eitght yrs old at the time and very fit. After filling my drink cup, a policeman from the airport stepped over from a table he had occupied with another officer, and said "Hello their sir; I've never seen you around here before; are you traveling through the LAX airport?" He seemed friendly. I said "No, just going to pick up some passengers at the terminal down the street". He then said "Well, that's good, but I must ask you if you are carrying any weapons?" For an instant my mind was reeling. I replied "no sir, I'm not, why do you ask?" His partner was now to my side, making me totally uncomfortable. "We provide service not only in the airport, but around it as well, and sometimes we see things that get our attention, and we noticed you". After a few more minutes of conversation about who I was, where going, where I came from, etc., they seemed satisfied, and went on their way. I was sweating through that, but comforted that I left my firearm at home that time. I am very sure the clothing I was wearing was what got their attention, not any behavior. From then on I go very low-profile.
Of course you are welcome to your opinions, and so am I.

Same thing happened to me.

I just explained that they weren't my pants, I was just wearing them for the last guy in line while he had his needs filled in the mens room. They sighed and let me go.

[Merc1138]

The stickers on vehicles thing is a legit concern for the reason I posted previously, the "tactical pants will get me shot first" is still silly. I half expect people to start using frog lube with the excuse of "I don't want to smell like I've been handling CLP because someone might notice".

[Doheny]

Same thing happened to me.



I just explained that they weren't my pants, I was just wearing them for the last guy in line while he had his needs filled in the mens room. They sighed and let me go.

Very possible. If I remember correctly, that Carl's is next to where "Girls Girls Girls" used to be.

.

[tileguy]

5.11s i think not
501s with the button up fly, the only way to go

[bsg]

i don't wear them and don't assume anything about those that do.

[IVth Horseman]

5.11 pants are nice but ****ing expensive. LA Police Gear .com has pants for like $20+

And once you wear out 3-4 pairs of 5.11s, you'll quickly realize the value of LAPS, they're surprisingly good quality.

[xrMike]

Cool, this turned into the "Gun stickers on your ride?" thread all over again, with the usual polarization into the "Scaredy-cat" vs. "real Americans who don't GAFF what anybody thinks" camps.

[essjay]

5.10 Parachutist Pants are the best way to go. Ultra discrete when you're on the beat.

[maylebox]

essjay, I bought those same parachute pants and busted out the same MC Hammer moves at my last competitive shoot. Man that front sight was tough to keep on target, worst score ever!

[ja308]

Comfortable in the sense the pants are restricting your junk or you feel all eyes are on you when you wear them?

The later !

[CandG]

All that tacticool clothing is a great indicator of who may be a firearm enthusiast, thus likely to be armed. If not with a firearm, likely a knife at least. Cop-flags.
I'll save it for the range, then change before hitting the highway.

I don't think the pants themselves are really an indicator. I wear Blackhawk tactical pants at least every other day, and often in airports. Never encountered anything unusual, other than the electronic body scanners always get set off by the dense material of my empty side pockets. That doesn't bother me though, it's just a machine, not really the same as being judged/profiled by people while you're walking in public. Probably helps that I don't have gun tattoos or wear Team Glock shirts or NRA hats.

I'm guessing that if anyone's ever looked at you suspiciously while wearing 5.11 or other tactical pants, there were probably a bunch of other indicators in play at the same time.

Back on topic: I haven't tried the 5.11 pants yet, but I've got 5 pairs of Blackhawk pants that have each been through the wash a minimum of 50-100 times each by now, and they all still look brand new. IF I didn't have a job where I have to dress a little fancier on occasion, I probably wouldn't ever wear anything else.