Luggage-less travel. It’s an idea that would never cross our minds.

Instead, we bog ourselves down with three extra changes of clothes, a just-in-case pair of socks and boredom busters like books, magazines and assorted electronics.

Do these superfluous items add anything to the journey?

It’s an additional expense for one. The more bags you check, the more money flies out of your wallet. Wouldn’t it be fantastic if there was a way to take everything you need (emphasis on need) and leave all the rest behind?

Rolf Potts knows how.

The travel writer is honing the art of minimalist traveling by jet-setting around the world sans suitcase. Actually, he’s not even carrying a man-purse, if you can believe it. Instead, he stores all the essentials—deodorant, toothbrush, all-in-one-soap—in his cargo pants and travel vest from Scottevest.

So far, Potts has survived 10 days on the road, travelling 5,161 miles with only 24 items. How does someone pack for a world trip without luggage? Turns out tactical cargo pants are an essential part to this recipe. Watch and find out.

Would you be able to do the same? What item would you *have* to bring along?

Since Apple unveiled the iPad in January 2010, people have been scouring closets across the world searching for the most appropriate pants to fit the 1.5-pound tablet computer.

Not even 24 hours after its launch, someone suggested tactical pants as the solution. Now, nearly seven months later, a cargo-pants enthusiast created a video testing the iPad in different pants.

As the man in the video demonstrates, an iPad will not fit in regular slacks. Only about a fourth of the iPad fits in the pants. He then tests the mini computer, which measures in at 9.56 inches by 7.47 inches, on a pair of BDUs, ACUs and tactical pants.

Wearing American BDU (Battle Dress Uniform) clones, he proves that the iPad indeed fits in the spacious cargo pocket. It easily slips into the side pocket. However, the flap does not close completely. He also describes the fit as awkward.

Tru-Spec 24-7 Series Men's Pants

Built to military specifications, his ACUs (Army Combat Uniform) fit the iPad with ease. The computer immediately slides right into the cargo pocket. Much like the BDUs, the flap only closes slightly around the iPad. So, it’s another yes-and-no fit.

And now the moment we’ve all been waiting for: Does it fit in tactical pants?

Testing out on one of the most likely candidates—Tru-Spec’s 24-7 Series pants—he finds that it looks like it might be a match. He gets the iPad about halfway into the cargo pocket. Then it stops. And it’s a no-go.

“The iPad is not pocketable,” he asserts. “So, if you want to carry your iPad, your pants are not the way to do it.”

However, we at TacticalPants.com are not going to take no for an answer. We are setting out on a mission to find the world’s first pair of SmartPants—a trouser that fits all sorts of oversized gadgets.

But it’s more than finding a trouser that fits the iPad. Nowadays, people are looking for pockets that fit all their gadgets—both big and small. This includes oversized cell phones such as the Dell Streak, the HTC Evo and the Motorola Droid X. Then there’s also the Kindle, the iPhone 4 … and the list goes on.

Actually, why don’t you tell us what gadgets you’d like to carry in your pants. We’ll track ‘em down, test ‘em out and see which tactical pants fits ‘em the best. We’re positive at least one style of tactical pants out of the 33 on the market today can be deemed SmartPants. We’re up for the challenge.

What gadgets would you like to carry in your tactical pants?

When a manufacturer releases a new pant, it’s with the hope that it will improve the life and wardrobe of perspective customers. And there’s also hope the pants will sell like hot cakes.

And when they don’t? It’s likely the product will be discontinued.

Take for instance Blackhawk’s I.T.S. tactical pants. Built to intercept extreme wounds, the trousers have four tourniquets placed for easy access by the wearer.

However, these pants were not discontinued due to sales. After hearing operator feedback, Blackhawk decided to integrate the I.T.S. technology into a combat uniform pant instead of a tactical pant.

“The initial design of the I.T.S. pants was geared towards the contractor market, and with time, the product has evolved as most contractors prefer the fit of the HPFU pant design,” wrote Laura Burgess, Blackhawk’s PR representative, in an e-mail. “With any product that Blackhawk makes, it evolves as customer needs change.”

Discontinued about a year ago, the pants can be found in closeout sections of some stores. And folks are still buying them. For instance, txmilsimjunkie just picked up a pair and was pleased with the pant. Probably the youngest tactical pants reviewer in history, he gives us his impression of the pant…

Didn’t get a pair of the I.T.S. pants while they were still kickin?

Check out Blackhawk’s HPFU I.T.S. pants. While a little pricier ($120.99), the HPFU pants include the integrated tourniquet system along with textured knee patches, cinch straps and extra-wide belt loops. The uniform is favored by Special Forces and SWAT teams.

Do you own a pair of Blackhawk I.T.S. tactical pants? Would you buy another pair if you could?

Tactical pants and shorts have long been heralded for having a zillion and a half storage spots. But sometimes those storage spots can become problematic.

For example, the picture below is of a cargo short pocket getting caught on a cabinet knob. It garnered 7,200 votes and 852 comments on Reddit.com yesterday. Shortly thereafter a lively debate about cargo pockets began.

Aside from 5.11′s infamous buddy strap, which was initially a hiking accessory, most tactical pants are designed to avoid such incidents. We all know operators can’t afford to get caught up in or on something. Many cargo pockets on tactical pants do feature expanding sides to create more space when necessary. However, it’s constructed to expand only when there’s actually something in the pocket.

Here is a smattering of colorful commentary appropriate enough to repost on Tactical Pants Blog from the Reddit discussion.

• “Cargo shorts are comfortable and functional, and they look fine if you’re not a hipster douche.”
• “Wow, look at all the Redditors admitting to wearing cargo shorts/pants. I know Reddit is full of nerds, but Jesus.”
• “Cargo shorts are for nerds? I work in a bike shop, a bunch of my co-workers are state/national level athletes. We almost all wear cargo shorts.”
• “Wear cargo shorts all the time, too. I didn’t know they were ever even a part of the fashion world until today. I didn’t know they were ever ‘in style,’ let alone went out. I’ll be damned if I give up my extra pockets just because I found out that douchebags who choose form over function think my shorts look ‘too nineties.’”
• “It’s a high school fashion. They’re considered quite the faux pas in college and professional circles, the exception being if you do something that actually has you make use of the extra pocket space.”

Wow, tell us what you *really* think about tactical shorts, Reddit.

Have you ever experienced parts of your pants or shorts latching on to objects without warning? Share your stories and tips below.

Tunneled elastic waistband

It happens to us all: Our pants fit perfectly one day, and then we gain five pounds. Now we’re sporting the ubiquitous muffin top.

So, how do you keep dough from spilling over as well as gain a comfortable fit?

Cut the elastic waistband.

Wait, what?

Yes, cut it. It sounds incredibly dangerous, we know, but it has proven successful for some.

Although proceed with caution: Your undies could wind up showing!

Snipping the elastic band in half was first suggested by Mil-Spec Monkey, and more recently by John from TacticalGearHead.com. This will only work on pants that have a tunneled elastic waistband. This includes Blackhawk Warrior Wear, Tru-Spec 24-7 Series and 5.11 TDUs.

Calling the tight fit a “tragedy” on 5.11 TDUs, John demonstrates what happens when the tunneled waistband is clipped in the video below.

While the pants fit him well, John mentions some downfalls after the cut:

• The inside of the pocket can appear on the outside
• The elastic waistband can stick up and become visible.
• Your underwear or your shirt might show through the side of the pants.

“If you don’t have any problems showing your undies or undershirt or anything like that, you’ll be good to go,” he says.

And on the plus side, at least your old pants will fit.

Have you tried cutting the elastic on your tac trousers? What results have you seen? Would you recommend it to a friend? Any other tips on making pants fit better after packing on a few pounds?

Known for its low-priced tactical pants, LA Police Gear is at it again.

Its latest addition to the tac trouser universe reminds us a lot of another favorite pant already on the market—the Vertx Men’s Pant.

Why?

For one, LAPG’s Stealth Operator Pant overall look mimics Vertx’s low-profile look, which was specifically designed for a federal agency. Both pants are designed to give a discreet look that keeps the wearer’s tacticalness under wraps. This can be extremely beneficial, especially for undercover cops and such.

LA Police Gear's Stealth Operator Pants

Another similarity is the pants material. Vertx brought a unique fabric blend to market with a mix of 98 percent cotton and 2 percent Lycra. The Stealth Operator Pants mirror this blend with 98 percent cotton twill canvas and 2 percent stretch. Both pants feature articulated knees, a gusseted crotch and a comparable pocket structure.

But you know what they say: Imitation is the biggest form of flattery. Right?

Despite a number of similarities, each pant hosts quite a few variations as well. LAPG calls their pants “lightweight” though the weight is not listed in its product description; Vertx’s pants are fairly heavy with a 9-ounce weight. LAPG’s pants feature a brass button waist closure; Vertx pants have a tack-button fly with an extra-wide YKK zipper. The Vertx pants have one extra pocket and an articulated hip; LAPG pants include a cargo pocket internal organizer.

Vertx Men's Pants

The biggest discrepancy is the price. While the Vertx pants retail for $49.95, you can buy a pair of LAPG’s latest design for $19.99. If you indeed decide to snatch up a pair, be warned—the Stealth Operator Pants do shrink. So, order a size up.

What do you think about LAPG’s Stealth Operator Pants? How do you think they stack up to Vertx?

Homicide detectives might not wear tactical pants as often as others in law enforcement, but that doesn’t make their role any less significant.

That role is highlighted extensively on Investigation Discovery’s The Shift. In its third season, the one-hour reality show follows six detectives uncovering murders and catching criminals for the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department.

Pauline Mason, an executive producer of The Shift, took a break from her busy day to chat about the offscreen aspects of documenting real-life crime. The Shift airs on Wednesdays at 10 p.m. ET.

What’s the most challenging aspect of filming a crime-based reality show?

The most challenging aspect is staying true to the story while respecting all the individuals involved, in whatever capacity they are involved in, including the deceased. Also, because everything we capture is in the moment and will never happen again, work can be challenging in the edit room!

Are there different precautions you take with this type of show as opposed to American Chopper?

Yes, of course. We are following homicide detectives and real life-and-death situations. We are always aware of this.

How difficult is it to capture the true reality of these situations without being tempted to tamper with any surroundings?

It’s not difficult at all. We would never dream of touching—let alone tampering with—a real-life investigation.

What should viewers expect from season three? Anything new without giving away too much?

The stories are as poignant and varied as other seasons. Some of the detectives are new and there are also the familiar faces.

Some could argue that this show sheds too much light on this profession. Isn’t detective work all about discretion? Do detectives on the show ever worry about overexposure and recognition?

It’s actually quite the opposite. All the detectives featured on The Shift have reported that more recognition in the community leads to more trust, which ultimately leads to more people coming forward with information and more homicides being solved.

Is there a certain amount of time you need to wait after filming the investigation to air the footage? On average, how much time lapses while filming a single episode?

The time of course varies, because we are dealing with real life investigations, but on average when we start filming a case it’s approximately 15 weeks before we deliver the show.

How did you convince the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department to let you film this show? Or did they immediately embrace the idea?

We’ve worked on other crime shows in the past, so there was a level of trust already in that we’ve had that kind of experience. There’s always a “getting to know you” period of time at the beginning of shooting, but we hire great people that know what they are doing and once the IMPD saw the final product, they knew they could trust us to continue.

Familiar with The Shift? What do you think about police-related reality shows?

TacticalPants.com's fantastic customer service team in khaki Woolrich Elite Series and navy 24-7 Series tactical pants.

The customer service team at TacticalPants.com always goes above and beyond customers needs.

How so?

On Tuesday, the dedicated group stayed after-hours to test all ladies tactical pants in our warehouse. This is the first time—possibly ever—where almost all ladies tactical pants were laid out and compared side by side. Who was missing? 5.11 Tactical, who makes three styles of women’s tactical pants. Maybe someday soon we’ll be able to include them in our lineup.

While some on staff previously donned tactical pants, none had tried on all the ladies pants one right after the other. Looking at a number of criteria, fit was at the top of our list. Sure, tactical pants should be functional and durable, but if it doesn’t fit right, it won’t matter what kind of pants you are wearing.

Our staff preferred low rise as opposed to natural or high waisted pants; a trimmer fit over baggy. We wanted female operator pants that made us feel *and* look good. Piles of pants of all sizes and colors later, we had a clear-cut winner.

• Editor’s choice: 24-7 Series ladies Tru-Spec pants are by far our favorite. The waist comes to the hips with a trim fit. No pleats create a modern look. And the lightweight 65 percent polyester and 35 percent cotton material give the pants great mobility.
• Runner up: Vertx pants for women are very stylish and even more discreet. However, they are just a tad too baggy for us. Its olive drab color, though, is a beautiful, lush shade of green. We wish every tactical pant came in this color.

Get more details on the winners as well as the losers when we publish a mini tactical pants review just for women. Keep an eye out for it in the following weeks.

Guess who got 4,000 pairs of Genuine Gear Tactical Pants today?

OK, that’s too easy.

We’ve been raving about Propper’s new take on tactical for weeks now. Possibly months. And today we welcomed the trousers into our warehouse. Even though a coworker dreamed all the pant leg openings were going to arrive sewn shut, they appear to be in mint condition.

Did we mention these pants are ONLY $24.99?! That makes them one of the most affordable tactical pants ever.

Available in black, khaki, LAPD navy and olive, the pants were added to TacticalPants.com yesterday as well as to our sister site BDU.COM.

Helicopter Cop Darryl Kimball

Some police officers roam the streets on horseback. Others zip by on a Segway. And then there are the lucky few who patrol in the air.

For the last five years Darryl Kimball has done just that. Being a police pilot means doing a lot more than routine traffic stops.

He founded the website PoliceHelicopterPilot.com because there was a lack of knowledge about law enforcement aviation on the Internet. In fact, the top-ranking site on Google for “police helicopter pilot” gave sheriffs of the sky a bad rap. Nowadays his site is the No. 1 source for police and sheriff helicopter info.

This week Kimball announced on his blog that he has been promoted to sergeant and will be leaving the aviation unit for now.

“While there are no guarantees in life, I certainly hope and plan on returning to the air unit when the next sergeant position comes open, sometime in the not-too-distant future,” he writes. “But no worries, in the mean time my love for aviation, helicopters and law enforcement flying shall not be impeded, I assure you!”

Before the big news broke, Kimball sat down to answer some questions for us about law enforcement aviation.

How did you become involved with aviation?

Prior to being selected to my department’s aviation unit, I had no formal aviation experience. When I was a young deputy, my brother went out and got his fixed-wing private pilot license, and I flew with him quite a bit around Southern California and over to Vegas a couple of times. I loved flying but thought of it as too dangerous to really pursue.

As a deputy working the streets in San Diego County, I saw our aviation/helicopter unit in action many, many times over the years. I began to develop a strong interest in the unit and interviewed for a position for the first time in late 1999. At the time I had 15 years on my department as a deputy sheriff.

Five years and three interviews later, I was selected as a new “observer” or tactical flight officer in the unit. After about 18 months in the unit, I was sent to flight school by my department and returned as a commercially rated helicopter pilot.

How many police officers really get to fly helicopters?

Our department employs approximately 3,000 deputy sheriffs in detentions, courts and law enforcement field services. Our air unit is made up of approximately 14 deputy sheriff pilots. So you can see that overall, it is a small percentage of police officers or deputies who get the opportunity to work in the air unit and become pilots.

Do a lot of departments have aviation units or is that just in bigger metropolises?

The vast majority of small to medium size law enforcement agencies do not have an air unit and tend to rely on air support from the larger agencies in their region who do have air support units. This will often be a nearby large police department, sheriff’s department, the state police, highway patrol, etc.

There are, however, many smaller sheriff’s departments who operate one or two helicopters for specialized missions. These helicopters are often sourced for free from the military as surplus aircraft and supported through drug seizure money.

When are the helicopter units used? We really couldn’t imagine making a routine traffic stop in a helicopter…

Most agencies with formal air support units try to fly a certain number of hours per day in support of officers or deputies on the ground. Some agencies have more structured flight regimens while other agencies give the crews more discretion on when to fly. It is a combination of responding to radio calls and being on routine patrol so that you are close to the action when something starts to unfold.

Exactly what the helicopter is used for is often related to the geographic area where it is based. Police department helicopters generally speaking patrol within their city limits. Sheriff Department helicopters tend to get involved in rescue work and searches for missing hikers, etc. The San Diego Sheriff’s Dept. Air Support Unit does a considerable amount of work in San Diego’s vast east county which is home to both 6,000-foot mountain peaks and the Anza Borrego Desert State Park.

In addition to radio calls involving criminal activity, police and sheriff helicopter crews alike respond daily to missing children and missing elderly calls. In these types of situations, the P.A. system on the helicopter is often the most effective tool in finding a missing child or a missing Alzheimer’s patient for example.

An entire section of your website is devoted to “How to Become a Police Helicopter Pilot.” What advice would you give to someone interested in that career path?

The U.S. is full of experienced pilots that would love to fly for a law enforcement agency, but about 90 percent of all agencies with an air unit select their flight officers and pilots from the sworn members of their department.

There is no single reason for this, it is just how these air units developed over the past 50 years. Anyone wishing to become a law enforcement pilot should commit to becoming a sworn law enforcement officer and spending as much as 10 years working the streets and other assignments as they work their way to a position in the air unit. But they must do this knowing that there is no guarantee they will ever be selected. They will have to compete for these positions.
To be more specific, however, anyone who wishes to become a law enforcement pilot should research medium size to large agencies in their region who have an existing air unit with a long history. Our air unit has been in operation since the early 1970s. That means 30 years from now, it will in all likelihood still be in operation.

Now while you are working your way toward a position in the air unit, go out and get a fixed wing private pilot license. Do not waste your money on a helicopter license. Most agencies want you to have some aviation experience, but few expect you to get your own helicopter license (which is about twice as expensive as a fixed wing license.) Most agencies will train you to fly their helicopters.

So now you have a stable career as a law enforcement officer, you have your private airplane rating so you can go out and enjoy flying on your own time, and you are in the perfect position to be selected for a position in your department’s aviation unit.

What’s the most exciting part of the job?

The most exciting part of the job is still the chase. That is actively pursuing a fleeing suspect whether in a vehicle or on foot. We don’t want vehicle pursuits to occur, but we know they are still going to happen, and we want to be there to help out when they do.

The most challenging?

For the missions our unit performs, the most challenging for me is probably “slinging” or “long lining” marijuana in remote parts of the county. We do this many times throughout the marijuana growing season.

We are often working in mountains and canyons, battling the wind, while trying to get the empty hook on a 75-foot line to the narcotics officers on the ground in confined areas. Lifting the marijuana load out requires the pilot to monitor his power gauges in the helicopter while trying to read the wind and keep the helicopter out of dangerous flight conditions such as “loss of tail rotor effectiveness,” which can occur while pulling lots of power in certain downwind or crosswind conditions. This is probably the most dangerous mission our unit performs.

Do police helicopter pilots wear tactical pants?

We wear flame-resistant flight suits which certainly have tons of tactical pockets and cool places to put stuff.

Most of our members keep a couple sets of tactical clothing, pants, etc., for other assignments such as when teaching firearms at the academy or filling in on the SWAT team. A good pair of tactical pants is a must-have in our line of work.

(Image via Dan Megna)