“Oh, I get it now.” was the first thing I thought as I put on the Defender Flex jeans from 5.11. I’m a pretty frugal guy when it comes to clothes. It can be hard for me to justify spending 70 bucks on a single pair of jeans. That all went to the wayside as I slid the Defender Flex jeans on. They are so damn comfortable.
The Defender Flex Jeans aren’t your Mom’s Jeans. These are purpose-built tactical pants that offer you the casual, low profile jeans look. On the outside they are just good looking jeans, when you start wearing them you see the potential. Outside of looking good and being comfortable they are ultra flexible.
They allow tons of movement that jeans often restrict. Running, jumping, taking a knee, or getting in those odd behind cover positions are easy. You never feel the pants restrict you, or make you feel like they’re about to rip. The price made more and more sense as I continued to wear them.
The Defender Flex Jeans in Action
These have quickly become my favorite jeans and I’ve worn them for about a month now. This is the straight cut, but a slim fit is also offered. They feature you traditional five pocket cut, as well as a hip pocket on either side that’s low profile and easy to miss.
This extra pocket just happens to be the perfect size to keep a AR 15 magazine in place. The pockets are cut low enough to easily draw the mag, but high enough to keep it secure. You could squeeze in an E&E kit, a tourniquet or two, or a decently sized flashlight. The pockets are easy to reach and concealed easily under the right shirt.
The flexibility of the pants in the biggest draw to me. I love being able to move freely, and dip, dive, dodge, and duck without feeling restricted. The flex also allows for a comfortable IWB carry of your choice of firearm, large and small. The waist gives just enough to be comfortable but is tight enough to keep your IWB gun secure.
If you prefer a low profile Loadout then the Defender Flex jeans are for you. If you want a stylish, comfortable pair of pants you can work in then the Defender Flex jeans are also for you. I’m not really sure I can go back to my big box store jeans after sliding into these bad boys.