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I have owned every model of 5.11 tactical pant they have made over the years. Over that time I have only come to really like one pair and that was the Tac Lite Pro until the Stryke pants. I wear these in hot environments for LE and hunting. I will start with the few CONS these pants have.
CONS:
Cell phone pocket appears to have been enlarged from previous models but is still a bit small to get the phone out one handed. Don't get me wrong it works but has room for improvement. It was probably sized with an iPhone excluding a protective case. The phone itself without case fits and comes out fine with a little push up from the bottom of this deep pocket. However with a case such as an Otterbox Defender or Lifeproof it tends to be a bit tight and too deep. A tad bit wider 1/8 and about 1 inch shallower would help. If you have a wider phone like some of the androids with a case then forget it. Still a big improvement over the last. Of course there are other purposes for these two pockets but probably the most useful would be a flat item such as a data phone.
They are not as light as I would of hoped. Doubled up knee areas I feel are not necessary. This is due to the kneepad inserts they have sewn in which I never use (normally I cut them out). If I need kneepads I will use external. Who uses their small foam inserts anyway, I have never seen them on the range so do away with the inside knee pocket and trim some weight. I purchased their lightweight Jean Cut Tac pant without the cargos with the Stryke pants and there is a huge difference in weight so the technology is there just not with the right pants. The Stryke pant is also thick around the belt inner area, which causes sweat. A lighter material would help but you would sacrifice in durability over time. Pockets are made of the typical heavy cotton which will hold up to years of abuse but are too thick in my opinion and cause added weight and because their cotton sweat.
Breathability is not what it should be. After a 15 min walk in 82 degree heat the waistband and crotch we not dry. The waistband especially due to the thickness and lack of breathability does not wick away moisture. The pants don't breath like they should but are bearable especially in moderate temps.
PRO's
Sizing seems to be spot on! None of the recent models fit me in length after a few times in the wash and dryer. I think this is due to the lack of give in the material of older pants and the old crotch causing the pants to ride up when sitting and walking not to mention the cotton or canvas blends shrink. I am a 34/30 and have several older pairs of different models that I wont wear or have had to take the hem out of just to fit. Every other 30 length pant fits me fine off the shelf. So far (no wash yet) these are perfect and just long enough to wear with a pair of Salomon's or Merrill's. They are also cut perfect at the bottom, not too tight and not too wide so they fall back over the boot loop and tongue back to where they should be without having to reach down and fix them. Waist sizing is spot on with almost no stretch in the elastic waistband. Thigh area is perfect and not baggy like the other 5.11's. These are about one inch narrower than other 5.11's (Tac Lite Jean Cut) and still allow you room to move. Crotch is spot on! Again in other models it sags and looks like crap and I will not wear pants like that. This new crotch allows freedom of movement with no binding and without the saggy appearance and feel of other models.
Flexibility is great with this material. It's a Rip Stop with Spandex I believe and has just the right amount of stretch to give you the added flexibility and give when kneeling or bending down. This flexibility lets the pants stay in place at the waist and in the length. Weather or not the spandex will holdup to repeated times in the dryer remains to be seen. Another version of their Spandex pants were a few years back and combined Spandex with canvas and were a total flop and heavy enough for a boat anchor.
Pocket placement perfect! Moving up the cargos and making them part of the pant instead of sewn on externally is how it should be done. They also slanted them to the front, which helps with magazine retrieval. There are M4 sized magazine pouches in each pocket (4 total). By moving the cargos up within an inch and a half from the bottom of the front pocket is exactly the way all cargos should be. This eliminates the pants from sag and smacking the knee when the pockets are loaded and most importantly it allows for quick and easy no reach access to the pockets. Great for short guys with monkey arms! Their Tac Lite Jean Cut has something these should have and that's M4 or ASP pockets in the back on each side above the back pockets and below the belt line. I would much rather have a slit pocket their and use that for a magazine pouch but you cant have everything. Pen pockets in the top of the cargos is great along with the reinforced knife clip area on the two main front pockets. One con to the cargo pocket placement I forgot to add is if you wear a drop holster it will completely cover one of your cargos but this is common in most anyway.
Overall:
I really like these pants and will definitely buy additional pairs providing they ad some more color options. They will be my new range and hunting pants for sure. Mossy Oak would be a hit for sure!
5.11 comes close but never hits it right on the head with the perfect pant but then again who does with anything these days. Improvements that could be made are:
1. Remove the thick knee pad pocket area.
2. Incorporate the Spandex blend with a lighter Rip Stop such as the material that's in the Jean Cut pants.
3. Go with a lighter material for the pockets and waistband area.
4. Make the front cell pockets wide enough to get your phone out with a thick case and just a bit shallower making a one-handed retrieval possible.
If you are looking for a duty pant to replace your old canvas or other non-stretch 5.11's then these are it. Great overall pants for LEO/Security/Range and a big improvement over previous models. Near perfect!
By the way their Tac Lite Jean Cut I mentioned a few times has several issues and I would not recommend that product.
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I have always ordered 5.11 tactical cotton pants, but now that I have tried these tactical durable stryke pants I just love them.Its really has a sleek look not to baggy, its lite, soft and perfect fit and has flexibility due to its stretch.
Their great for summer and spring, for winter I will stick with the heavier cotton tactical pants.
Now that I've tried them I will definitely order some more.
Best Deals for Men's 5.11 Tactical Stryke Pants
I love these pants. Ridiculously comfortable. They're like civilian BDUs. The elastic on the pants aren't like other elastic I've dealt with this elastic is practical and tight NOT loose and made so that you can gain some inches makes it easy to maneuver in for work or hiking. The cargo pockets have pockets within, like it. The hand pockets are reinforced so that you can clip knives or holsters without having the pocket buckle under the weight. The front belt loops have holsters. The bottom of the pant leg has an opening for a blousing strap to be inserted if need be.On to the negative. I do love these pants, I think I've made that clear. Now it's time to explain my 3-star review. These pants are expensive and I can appreciate that, happy to pay it. You can see the wear with each wash the material looks great upon purchase and just starts fading to garbage. Followed washing instructions to the letter EXCEPT that instead of LOW heat I used EXTRA LOW heat for a short amount of time and then hung to dry for remainder.......for the price, the material should still look great. It only took a 2-3 months for me to wonder what I paid for.
On another note.......and not related to the reason I chose 3-stars.....the material stains extremely easy. Sounds silly. Same stuff I get on my Wranglers or Dockers......comes right off with a little bit of Shout........not this material, anything that touches it becomes ingrained it seems.
I love these pants enough that I could live with the negatives if they were just cheaper. For the price, the negatives I mentioned shouldn't exist.
Honest reviews on Men's 5.11 Tactical Stryke Pants
I own two pairs of taclite pants. I use to love them; then I got these.The problem with the taclite pants: the waste doesn't stretch enough. Getting a bigger size is like buying parachute pants. The smaller waste was uncomfortable and impossible to iwb with.
The stryke pant: softer. Better fit. The size bigger I couldn't get with the taclite fits perfect and the legs aren't huge. The waste stretches enough to iwb with 2 guns. The higher cargo pockets are great. The hand pockets are much wider and easier to access. The knife spot is wide and easy to access. The rear pockets look normal unlike the taclite but you can't fit a liter bottle of water like the taclite. It's missing the large bag pouch which is OK because you get a less conspicuous looking pant. Still have the two discrete pockets.
These pants stretch! I don't know how they do it. I wish all my pants stretched like this. These are the most comfortable pants ever. I wish they made the same material for uniforms.
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