5.11 Taclite Pro Ripstop Pants Years Of Wear Review
The best reviews are the ones where the product has been tested. Establish what the expectations are for the product, test it for the qualities that are wanted and see if the product surpasses or fails. The 5.11 Taclite Pro Ripstop Pants surpassed all expectations. I bought these to see how they would perform in varying conditions, ranging from casual wear to adverse conditions.
I wore these to work, bushcrafting and hiking. In all 4 seasons, including -15c and these are my observations on how the 5.11 Taclite Pro Ripstop Pants performed.
Half A Decade Later
While reviews on new products are good, they give a general first impression. They do not attest to how well a product will perform after long-term use. Or how practical some of the design features are in real-life use. I find that many of the features that I thought would be good initially are features that I end up never using or are just not practical in real life situation. A review of a product that has been tested over time is much more in-depth.
5.11 Taclite Pro Ripstop Pants
So let us discuss the 5.11 Taclite Pro Ripstop Pants, they are the best pair of 3-season pants I have ever bought. They are very comfortable, they allow for a very wide range of motion, and they come with a LOT of perks. 5.11 put a lot of thought into a simple pair of pants. It is obvious that their targeted market is people with a very active lifestyle.
The 5.11 Taclite Pro Ripstop Pants Specs
Material
The Taclite pro ripstop pants are not 100% natural materials, they are a blend of 65% polyester and 35% cotton 6.2 oz ripstop fabric.
Teflon Coated
The material has been Teflon coated which makes it impressively stain-resistant. Be aware that the coating does wear off after repeated washes.
Mobility
The pants are cut quite generously, giving freedom of movement, while still maintaining a sleek/professional appearance.
Gusseted For Mobility
Most tactical/outdoors pants are gusseted, but the gusseting on the taclite pro pants allowed freedom of movement beyond expectation.
Durability
Anyone who leads an active lifestyle knows that durability is going to be a major factor in the purchasing decision. Have no fear they are indeed durable. 5.11 has done a wonderful job with using the right material and a fantastic design.
Reinforced Parts
Double reinforced at the most commonly worn out parts, the seat of the pants and the knees. Sit on rocks, and fallen logs and then crawl through the brush to your heart’s content.
Bartacking And Triple Stitching
All major stress points have been properly bartacked, a form of reinforcement used in the clothing industry. And that is on top of the triple stitching.
Knee Guard Compatible
Regarding internal knee guard pockets, I prefer internal knee guards to external ones. The external knee guards kept getting snagged while out in the brush, while the internal knee guards are fully functional without the snagging issues. (knee guards are sold separately).
Organization
I love pockets, there are never enough of them and the taclite pro has no shortage of them, there are 8 pockets in total. The cargo pockets are of a generous size, and the smaller utility pockets above the cargo pockets are perfect for a Leatherman and torchlight. The standard front pockets are deep and the back pockets are unusually generous in size.
Clip Guards
The front and back pockets have an extra 2 inches of material on them to prevent wear and tear from EDC items with clips such as torchlight or pocketknives. A very nice little detail that 5.11 thought of.
Zipper
YKK zippers and Prym snaps prevent the pants from falling off at the most inconvenient of times.
D-Ring
D-rings are a nifty little plus. I use them to hang my car keys on, I hate carrying keys in my pocket.
Belt Loops
Extra strong belt loops that allow for carrying duty belts without sagging. While I haven’t tested this, I have seen a guy tie ropes to his belt loops and swing from them on YouTube. An extreme test that I would not recommend people emulate, but a telling one as to the durability of the belt loops.
Grab Strap
This is advertised as a utility strap by 5.11. It can double up as a grab strap to drag a person out of danger in a worst-case scenario.
Blousing At Ankles
Not mentioned at all on the 5.11 website, this should have been highlighted. It is great in tick country and has worked wonders when I haven’t bothered wearing gaiters. Slip some paracord through it and tighten. While I do not claim it is 100% full-proof, it has worked very well for me.
Conclusion:
This is the most versatile pair of pants I have ever bought, and after more than half a decade of use, except for a little bit of wear, they look almost as good as new. They are so good in fact that I bought another 2 pairs of the 5.11 taclite pro pants and keep them as spares just in case 5.11 ever decides to discontinue this model. I find myself wearing these for 3 seasons of the year, and only switch to another 5.11 model for winter.
I have not seen anyone mention this but these pants dry fast. While out camping getting your pants wet and dirty is a given, washing them in a lake or river and hanging them up to dry in the sun or close to a fire. They dried faster than my thin cotton t-shirt which was a very pleasant surprise. Before anyone starts shouting about polluting the water, I did NOT use any detergent, so environmentally friendly right there.
They are amazing for wearing in the summer as they feel very light, I wear them instead of shorts, they are THAT comfortable. In spring and autumn they are pretty danged good too, but during winter when it starts to get cold (below 5c). Well, that is the only time of the year that these pairs of pants do not shine. Now with a wool base layer, they do ok, but they are not optimal for cold weather. For winter you would need a thicker material and 5.11 has one that I bought, but that is a story (review) for another day.
