Alas! Our pants long to droop downward, where our feet oft nap;

Pockets contain many concealed treasures, forcing gravity to rule.

When the Earth’s natural pull succeeds, a faint wail of “O crap!”

For only a tactical belt can keep us from looking like such a fool.

Alright, alright. That’s it for today’s installment of tactical poetry.

As awful as our poem was, there is a method to our madness. That is to point you to the best tactical belts out there. Because without some extra support, we would all be lookin’ like a fool with our pants on the ground. And nobody wants that. Seriously.

So, what is a tactical belt exactly? Tactical belts are worn on the inside of belt loops—not to be confused with duty belts, which are worn on the outside of belt loops and accommodate pouches and holsters.

Here are six of the favorites.

1. Universal BDU Belt ($7.99) – Blackhawk’s lightweight belt is 1.75 inches wide, which should fit most tactical pants out there. And if you’re 52 inches or under, the belt will work like a charm. Available in black, desert brown, coyote tan and olive drab.

2. TDU Belt ($14.99) – Using heavy-duty nylon webbing and a low-profile plastic buckle, 5.11 created an affordable and durable belt that won’t set off those pesky metal detectors at the airport. It also doubles as a way to tie your gear down if need be.

3. Range Belt ($12.46) – Pick from olive, black, tan or coyote for a belt that’s 1.75 inches wide and made out of nylon webbing. Its discreet look transitions well from duty to everyday wear.

4. Reinforced Instructor’s Belt ($30.95) – Designed after traditional rescue and riggers belts, this 1.5 inch wide belt has polymer reinforcement between two layers of nylon.

5. Frequent Flyer Belt ($33.95) – The Wilderness Tactical Products brings a travel-friendly belt to market that is 100% non-metallic and has been fully endorsed by the senior editor of Shotgun News.

6. Operator Belt ($34.99) – Another selection from 5.11 that is similar to the TDU belt yet features a solid stainless steel buckle instead of a plastic one.

On a side note, all Propper tactical pants (original weight and lightweight) come with a free nylon tactical belt. Considering the pants only cost $29.99 that is quite a value.

So, there you have it. Three cheers for tactical belts everywhere because they’re more than just practical. They’re stylish.

Now that you’ve read the guide, you probably know all there is to possibly know about tactical pants, right? Wrong.

While it may appear that way, we still think there’s more to learn. Our goal is to constantly expand and update The Ultimate Guide to Tactical Pants for as long as tactical pants exist on this planet. So, basically forever.

Eventually we will include an in-depth look at all 30 plus styles of tactical pants. For now, we started with the basics—the original tactical pant from each manufacturer. Later on, we’ll add high-quality photos to give you a better idea about what each pant looks like before you decide to buy a pair. Essentially, this is our non-fiction War and Peace, if you will. We want it to have as many chapters, as many details as possible—no matter how minuscule.

In order for us to improve upon this guide, please let us know what we’ve missed. Is there a certain style or brand that should be included? Was there something we forgot to measure? Anything specific you’d like to see photographed? Tell us!

And if you’re a manufacturer, please send us your pants! We might have some or most of your styles in-house, but unfortunately we don’t carry every tactical pant under the sun—at least not yet. If you do send us your pants, we’ll gladly test them out, take a lot of pictures and tell you what we think.

Feel free to leave a comment or drop us an e-mail. We’re here to help. We’d like nothing more than to provide you with the most comprehensive information and be a resource for tactical pants enthusiast worldwide.

Cst. Sandra Glendinning and police service dog (PSD) Hondo

Finding a police blog that’s anonymous is easy. But one that’s not? Now that’s a challenge.

When Cst. Sandra Glendinning decided to write about her life as a police officer, she picked the road less traveled. As a member of The Vancouver Police Department’s Dog Squad, she chose to reveal her professional life and represent her department publically online.

Launched in 2008, Behind the Blue Line has a devout following of LEO, retired LEO and non-LEO folks from across the globe. Glendinning discusses everything from suicide negotiations to computer woes. And, of course, she often mentions her partner Hondo, a pure bred German Shepherd police service dog.

We caught up with her this week via e-mail to learn more about her blog, her future novel and her dream pair of tactical pants.

Your blog is one of the few “official” police department blogs out there. When did it start?

The idea for authoring a blog about policing lingered through the first half of 2008. There was so much to say about the job, but I needed to have a reason to write about it. Also, I did not want to remain anonymous, because if anyone was going to believe anything I had to say, it was important they know I was an actual officer.

There are many police blogs out there, but the majority are authored by officers who chose to remain anonymous. Even after extensive searching, there were only a few blogs authored by officers willing to identify themselves. That said, I totally understand why most would want to remain anonymous—being a sleuth gives a police writer the ability to rant without getting in trouble or running the risk of their department not approving of the blog and shutting it down.

I’ve been a writer for years but never tried to publish anything. But as with most things that are a passion, the writer in me was getting angry at being hidden away. The blog was a natural progression as one of the fundamental rules for an unknown/unpublished author is to ‘write what you know.’ Well, I know policing. A little bit, anyways.

By mid-2008 the blog idea wouldn’t go away, so I sought permission from the Vancouver Police Department (VPD) to write it. In all honesty I expected to be told ‘No,’ so I was very excited when the department embraced the idea and asked when I would start. The department even helped with the design and layout, working closely with me to get the right look.

Why blog from a department standpoint?

The reasons for writing the blog are quite simple:

1. It shows the general public what law enforcement is really like. The life of an officer is not anything like what is shown on television and in movies (for the most part).
2. If the general public begins to understand the ups and downs of policing as well as the wonderful and sometimes horrific things officers are subjected to, then perhaps the public will be more accepting of law enforcement as a whole.
3. I hope the blog shows that officers are just regular people who have chosen a demanding career. Inside our uniforms we are still mothers, fathers, daughters, sons, spouses and friends.
4. The biggest audience at this point are regular people at with no affiliation to police.

When did Behind the Blue Line launch? Have you been maintaining it the whole time?
The official launch was in November 2008, and yes, I’ve been maintaining it the entire time. The department computer guy helps if I have a technical question, but that’s about it. The VPD does not vet my writing, nor does it tell me what or when to cover something—they leave it up to me, which is a huge show of trust. I stay away from hot topics (politics, current investigations) as my allegiance is to my fellow officers, and I will not compromise their safety by writing something I shouldn’t. Even though sometimes I really want to.

What are some pros and cons for having an official blog for a police department?

The pros: Everything. The blog put a few noses out of joint, and my reasons for writing the blog were challenged at the beginning—both from other officers and from citizens. But that’s human nature, and the challenge was not unexpected. Most of the unease seemed to stem from the fear I was going to share tactics, inside operations, training or other top secret stuff, because now that everyone has seen I refuse to do that no one seems to mind. Also, if someone disagrees with a post, they bring it up, and we deal with it.

The cons: Some of the stuff officers are exposed to is very funny, amazing and disgusting but at the same time not suitable to be talked about in this blog format.

As for the VPD benefiting from the blog? I hope it makes their job easier.

What’s the biggest challenge working on the Dog Squad? How is it different than other units?

Working as a police dog handler is definitely the highlight of my career. The initial challenge was learning to trust my dog and his incredible sense of smell. When all my senses were telling me, “The bad guy went that way!” my dog’s behavior would tell me, “No, silly human, the bad guy went THAT way,” and we would go in the opposite direction to where I would have gone if by myself. And you know what? The dogs don’t lie. They find the bad guys.

Now the biggest challenge is to enjoy every day working with PSD Hondo and to not worry about the future. You see, our dog handler positions are tenured. So once your dog is retired, you must leave the section. I try not to think about it too much because I know I am doing what I was made to do. So, while Hondo is able, we are going to do it well.

The bond with a K9 partner is both a blessing and a curse. A blessing to know and work with such magnificent animals and a curse because dogs simply do not live as long as we do.

On your blog you write “You can still be a cop and be a girl.” What advice can you give to young females interested in law enforcement?

If you are serious about becoming a police officer then do it. Do not let anyone tell you can’t, or you shouldn’t, or that you’re too short or too small. You will know, deep within that secret part of yourself, if you are right for the job.

We hear that you’re wrapping up your first novel. Will this book be based at all on your experience on the force?

Ah, yes. The novel. Familiarity with the inner workings of a police agency definitely helped the plot, but all I’m going to say for now is the first and second drafts are complete, and I’m currently working my way through the final edit, which is taking forever, before I start sending queries to prospective agents. It’s in the mystery/crime-fiction/thriller/suspense genre.

We’ve exchanged emails about female tactical pants (or, rather, lack thereof). Can you describe the perfect tactical pant for you?

The women’s 5.11 EMS pant with the following modifications (I wish!):

• Raise the waist line by about an inch (or two) to accommodate a police duty belt.
• Put BDU style pockets on the backside.
• BDU style cargo pockets instead of EMS style cargo pockets on the legs.
• Offered in 32″, 33″ and 34″ inseams.

These pants fit like a dream—they are slimmer in the waist, so they don’t gap in the back, they are slightly tapered at the knee and slightly flared at the ankle so they are flattering on just about every figure.

They are also very functional—built in knee pads and triple stitched at stress points. The only issue for a police officer is the pants are only offered in a low rise. This is great if all you have to do is carry your gun in a hidden/plain-clothes holster, but they do not fit a general duty/patrol belt.

Now that Sandra shared her views on blogging as an official LEO, tell us what you think. Should police officers be encouraged to blog officially for their departments? Do you know of any other “official” police blogs out there that you enjoy reading?

For $40, these pants can be all yours!

Oh, how we love Craigslist. It brings together the many wonders (and weirdos) of the interweb to form one old-school yet exceptionally useful site.

Earlier this week we encountered a real steal on the site.

Someone in Seattle is selling four pairs of 5.11 tactical pants for $40. That’s $10 a pair for pants that typically retail for $49.99. Basically you’d spend $200 for the same pants if they were brand new.

According to the post, the trousers are “in good cond no rips/holes,” which we assume means that they are near perfect. In other words, this is a pretty awesome deal. That is, if you’re in the market for four pairs of pants.

Oh, and they are different colors. There’s a black pant, midnight blue, gray and green. The picture on the right was taken from the actual listing. No khaki though—sorry traditionalists!

This is the second time we’ve seen a post about 5.11 pants on Craigslist. While we’ve applied for jobs on Craigslist (hey, who hasn’t?!), we’ve never purchased items (let alone pants) there.

What experiences have you had buying merchandise off of Craigslist? Would you recommend it to a friend? Let us know!

Do you like tactical pants? For us, this is pretty much a rhetorical question. Yet, that very question was posed on the Utah Concealed Carry forum.

Below are the results from the site’s poll. With 40 votes, more than half said they wear tactical trousers. Surprisingly enough, the other half either didn’t know what tactical pants were or believe that “tacticool pants are for mall ninjas.”

On the forum, those unfamiliar with the pants said they wear cargos from Wal-Mart or classic Wranglers. Both 5.11 and LA Police Gear’s pants were mentioned by tac pants fans as well as Propper and Woolrich. Someone admitted wearing their tactical pants to meetings with fortune 500 companies with no one even raising an eyebrow.

However, other brands like Blackhawk, Vertx and EOTAC were left out of the conversation. So, now we ask a very non-rhetorical question … What’s your favorite tactical pants brand?


Remember, every vote counts! And what makes you loyal to your brand? Is it the fit? The fabric? The price?

Tru-Spec by Atlanco's Women's Lightweight Tactical Pant

What would Liz Robbins say if she knew how long women have been ignored in the tactical space? As the designer of the original 5.11 pant, Liz was as passionate about great fitting clothing as she was about mountain climbing.

But that’s all starting to change. Manufacturers are starting to listen to women’s needs by adding or readjusting the woman’s pant they offer. Six out of seven tactical pant suppliers now sell pants specifically for females. 5.11 Tactical has the best selection with a cotton pant, a “new fit” pant as well as a lightweight pant. Tru-Spec by Atlanco, EOTAC and Woolrich have only a lightweight pant while Propper and Vertx sell a ladies original weight trouser.

Several weeks ago, Karen Bartuch, a Chicago law enforcement officer and founder of the Women’s Tactical Association, shared with us her favorites: 5.11’s EMT pant and the Tru-Spec 24-7 Series pant. She says many pants for women are too high waisted, whereas her two picks sit lower on the hips. Pants with a high waist can be uncomfortable and impede holster draws.

After the Bartuch interview was published, we heard from Sandra Glendinning, a police officer with the Vancouver Police Department and blogger at Behind the Blue Line. She calls uniform pants her “nemesis” and said she had been stuck wearing men’s BDU (battle dress uniform) pants for years.

“The men’s BDU pants did not fit properly (too short in the rise … very uncomfortable),” she wrote in an e-mail. “The good thing was the department told me to research suitable pants for women in the section. I’m the only one in a section of about 50 fifty men, but hopefully there are more to come.”

Glendinning was thrilled when 5.11 released its women’s BDU last year, but then she tried them on. With a duty belt. She said the duty belt is key because it causes the pants to rise up even more.

“To my dismay, the women’s cut had the same rise as the men’s cut, and the only difference was more room in the seat and legs. Arg.,” Glendinning wrote. “The men’s seat and leg openings were fine!! Some solution, eh? Just make the [rear] bigger…”

So, what’s her brand of choice? She says the 5.11 EMTs “fit like a dream” without a duty belt because it’s slung low and has a flattering leg cut. She opts to wear the men’s EMT pant instead. Why? Because it has a longer rise to accommodate a duty belt. “They do gap in the back a little, but oh well,” she added.

She also adores Propper’s men’s pant. The ripstop material is made out of 6.4-ounce, 65 percent polyester/35 percent cotton. She said they are the most comfortable and look the best.

Her one complaint: “They only come in one inseam (32″) so they are too short for my 5′10″ frame. The tall version, with a 34″ inseam, is longer throughout the entire pant, so the rise comes up to my bra!! AHHH!”

What if these were all tactical pants?

We’re reporting today from underneath a mammoth pile of tactical pants.

No joke.

See that picture on the right. Well, imagine that is all tactical pants. Yeah, that’s what our desk looks like today. Did you know that there are more than 30 different styles of tactical trousers on the market today?

That is just mind boggling. And it explains why the Tactical Pants Guide had grown from 10 pages to 17 and probably won’t be finished for another week. We sit here measuring pockets, snapping pictures and interviewing loads and loads of folks about the nuances of the greatest type of pants ever made. Believe it!

No, we haven’t lost our minds. We just want to know EVERYTHING about these glorious pants.

Want to know what type of pants will be outlined in this amazing guide? Check out the list below. See one missing? Let us know, and we’ll include it.

24-7 Series

• Men’s Cotton Canvas
• Men’s Poly-Cotton Ripstop
• Women’s Poly-Cotton Ripstop
• Men’s Convertible

5.11 Tactical

• Original 5.11 Pants
• Convertible Cargo Pants
• Flannel-lined Pants
• Women’s Cotton
• Taclite Pro Pants
• Women’s New Fit
• Women’s Taclite Pro Pant

Blackhawk

• Warrior Wear Tactical Pant
• Lightweight Pant
• TNT Pant
• TNT OPS Pant

EOTAC

• Men’s Tactical Pants
• Men’s Lightweight Tactical Pant
• Men’s Operator Pant
• Women’s Lightweight Tactical Pant

Propper

• Canvas Tactical Pant
• Lightweight Tactical Pant
• Genuine Gear Tactical Pant
• Women’s Tactical Pant

Vertx

• Men’s Pants
• Women’s Pants

Woolrich

• Cargo Pant
• Lightweight Pant
• Lightweight Operator Pant
• Elite Pant
• Women’s Elite Lightweight Pant

(Image via Flickr)

In the male-dominated profession of law enforcement, Karen Bartuch definitely stands out. Not just because she’s a striking six-foot-tall blond, she’s also a natural leader. As the president and founder of the Women’s Tactical Association, Bartuch brings women and men together to enhance their skills in firearms, combat mindset, tactics and fitness.

Since 2002, Bartuch has worked as a police officer in Chicago. While she currently writes policy for her department, her previous assignments include being a member of the gang team and the Target Response Unit. She fills us in on her vision for the WTA, why she chose the cop life and the misconceptions about tactical women.

Growing up did you always want to be police officer?

No, I had no idea what I wanted to do. I went to college (Northwestern University, Evanston, Ill.) and landed a sales job in corporate America, pharmaceutical sales to be exact. I was really unsatisfied and unfulfilled even though pharmaceutical sales is a great job (for some) and paid me well.

For whatever reason, I felt like my job was unimportant. It didn’t matter; there were more important things going on in the world than whether or not I sold more prescription medication.

What made you want to join the force in 2002?

My brother Erick is a Blue Island Police Officer. At the time (and still today) he LOVED going to work every day, and I wanted that. I knew that I liked action — I was always into sports and fitness and daredevil-type things, so I applied on a whim to join the Chicago Police Department. The offer to join came right when I was denied a promotion at my pharmaceutical sales job, so I made the change. And I have not looked back.

You started the Women’s Tactical Association to give an alternative to the primarily male-dominated training. Does WTA training differ from other tactical training?

No, the training is no different nor do I want it to be. I want my members (of which I have males and females) to be the best they can be and to push themselves farther than they think they could ever go physically and mentally.

In addition, I would never advocate different criteria for specialized units such as SWAT based on gender or any factor for that matter. Our SWAT team has one standard for all. That being said, our training should be the same to prepare us. The bad guy does not care if you are male or female, so even if we have to work twice as hard then so be it.

Are there misconceptions or assumptions about tactical women?

I would say the biggest is that some people feel we don’t belong in the tactical community. And just like the men, there are some of us who don’t. The reality is that not all of us will ever make it onto a SWAT team. But there is a large percentage of LE that is female; CPD is almost 25 percent. The WTA is providing life-saving skills and training that may not have been easily available to females in the past to ensure that they are operating at a level that can hopefully dispel some traditional misconceptions and assumptions about females.

While you do extend an invitation to males, are any men members of the WTA?

Yes, we have several, and they love it because we provide the best training available consistently, and we try to keep it affordable. We have several former marines who just joined are proud card-carrying members!

What does the future of the WTA look like?

The sky is the limit. My goal is to get many of us trained up as instructors for rifle, pistol etc. so that we can get ALL of the members operating at the same level. Right now, since we are so new we have various skill and comfort levels with weapons handling, fitness, etc. I would like to have a strong group that is all speaking the “same language.”

I would also like to see us eventually competing in pistol and rifle competitions on a regular basis as well as SWAT competitions nationwide. Other states have also contacted me about starting chapters so I would like to start branching out and get other states and departments in the fold.

At first, many women’s tactical pants were just men’s pants with slight modifications. Now manufacturers are attempting to find the perfect fit for women’s tactical pants. What brand do you like the best and why?

I have two favorites, the 5.11’s (EMT pant) and the Tru-Spec ripstop. I like these two because they are designed for women’s bodies, they sit lower on the hips (many of the others are too high waisted, which is not good for holster draws or for comfort), come in long sizes (I am 6 feet tall) and are very practical and comfortable at the same time. Women want to have the same functionality, e.g., lots of pockets, durability, comfort, etc., but we definitely require a different “fit” than just the men’s pant.

Are there any changes you’d make to the women’s tactical pant (or in any type of tactical gear) that would make your job easier?

I plan to tackle the fit of the duty belt next; we have inherent anatomical differences that are not currently being addressed with current duty belt designs. Ballistic vests are now being customized for women, which is good. My first vest is the size of a sports bra and basically was a shortened male vest — unacceptable. Other than that, I think much of the equipment is gender neutral.

Spring is in the air, and you know what that means — it’s lightweight pants time. Perfect for warmer weather, many lightweight tactical pants are made of a blend of 65% polyester and 35% poly-cotton ripstop.

In the video above, Japan-based YouTube gear reviewer MilPic sports a pair of 5.11 Tactical Taclite Pro pants, which he loves to don when the temperature rises. The pant ensures he stays cool and doesn’t perspire as much under the blazing sun.

At first, some of the smaller pockets might be closed off. MilPic says he was able to turn the pants inside out and open up a seam to make one of the pockets bigger. He describes the leg pouches as “very roomy” and wide-extending.

Despite all the pluses, he complains that the YKK zipper is too tiny and can get stuck if unzipped completely. “And it’s very tricky to get them out,” he says. “I don’t have the smallest fingers, and this is a big-size pant, so come on — get a little bit bigger zipper for that one!”

For some, the noise when both pant legs rub together is another negative quality. Basically, it’s not stealthy enough. “I don’t go and use them as my special ninja pants to sneak up on somebody in the middle of the night,” he explains. “The color is actually very bad for that anyway.”

Oh, and one last thing: MilPic advises to never buy these pants in black. Why? Because they fade too quickly. “Man they have to find something to make them much better,” he says.

Tactical kiddos

You’re never too young to be tactical. Believe us: In our infancy, we were scaling crib walls with a binky in the front pocket, a blankie in the rear pocket. Ah, memories.

But do they actually make tactical pants for babies? Of course!

While the itsy-bitsy look-alikes aren’t 100 percent replicas of daddy’s and mommy’s pants, these kiddie cargos were recently featured on People Magazine’s Celebrity Baby Blog as affordable and trendsetting.

Available in khaki, colored and pattern sets, the pants range in price from $6 to $38. The luxurious pocket space (miniscule, of course, compared to regular tac pants) is the perfect size for a rattle, teether or Micro Machine, though it probably won’t fit that giant ring of keys.

If your little one has moved past infancy, try tactical pants for kids in sizes 3-10. Tactical Daddy, as well as various other online stores, carries a 5.11 kids tactical pant. Or go with more of a G.I. Joe look with Propper’s BDUs for kids in both universal and woodland camo.

And for those Tactical Daddies: Marcus Melnick made a big splash three years ago by launching a Tactical Daddy Vest — his solution to the modern diaper bag. In the video below, view just how much baby stuff can be crammed into a 16-pocket 5.11 tactical vest.

(Images via TacticalDaddy.com)