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5.11 pants have a strap sewed on them above the right rear pocket. Anyone know what this is for? I am apparently un-tactical enough not to recognize its tactical utility.

To strap your night vision long barreled AR upper receiver?

It is there to clip items to it.

I don't get it either.

I think it's for a radio or other longer items that might tip out of the slash rear pocket.

ELB wrote:5.11 pants have a strap sewed on them above the right rear pocket. Anyone know what this is for? I am apparently un-tactical enough not to recognize its tactical utility.

You hang a tactical thingy there to help hide the lump from your tactical speedos so people will stop asking "Is that a gun in your drawers or do you need some Depends?"

boomerang wrote:I think it's for a radio or other longer items that might tip out of the slash rear pocket.

While I am amused (bemused?) by the other possibilities, I think this might be the answer to the tactical britches strap. I do carry a radio alot, never thought to put it in my back pocket. Will try this out and report back!

From their website:

The extra deep rear slash pockets are easily accessed and hold extended mags, a baton or a 15” flashlight. You can also use the utility strap to secure a flashlight or store your ear protection at the range.

http://www.511tactical.com/browse/Home/ ... 01/I/74251" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

KD5NRH wrote:

ELB wrote:5.11 pants have a strap sewed on them above the right rear pocket. Anyone know what this is for? I am apparently un-tactical enough not to recognize its tactical utility.

You hang a tactical thingy there to help hide the lump from your tactical speedos so people will stop asking "Is that a gun in your drawers or do you need some Depends?"

He must workout!

It's a holdover from when they used to originally be mountain climber pants (Royal Robbins). You would hang your carabiners and other climbing hardware from it. I think now it is used as a nifty carry handle to pick Glock owners off the ground and carry them to the waiting ambulance after they shoot themselves in the leg while reholstering their pistols.

Don't know if it was intended for this or not, but I saw a picture one time of a guy who had an OWB holster there, and had it slipped down inside that strap, apparently so the strap could help hold the holster steadier.
TraCoun

I always thought it was designed to attach your pistol "lanyard" to. You see these Tactical Tommy pictures all the time where some "AGENT" or "OPERATOR" has a coiled dog leash tied to the but of his sidearm, and the other end to his pants/belt or something. Seems kind of like a pain to me, I like a smooth, unimpeded presentation when I'm shooting to save my life, but they apparently are popular with the SWAT guys, or so the pictures would have you believe.

blacktop wrote:It's a holdover from when they used to originally be mountain climber pants (Royal Robbins). You would hang your carabiners and other climbing hardware from it.

Ok, this is my new number one most likely reason -- perhaps people then found it handy for other things, like flashlights and such, and Robbins/5.11 said "Hey! New market niche!"

As for lanyard use -- lanyards have a long history. I've seen them in pix from early last century (i.e. WWI time frame) with the lanyard apparently attached to the epaulet or around the neck. I believe the were particularly popular with cavalry -- hard to go back and pick up that revolver when you are at gallop. Lanyards have come back into style, but if I wanted one I sure would not put it around my neck! I guess the strap on my ninja pants would work...

Thanks all.

Good point ELB on the lanyards and cavalry. I suppose it DOES make sense for them, and some other operators, I didn't mean to imply that it didn't make any sense at all. Only that for ME, and I would think most all CHL holders, it be more of a hinderance than anything. I've never seen a cop with one, but then again, they don't fire from moving vehicles as the cavalry would have.

I've seen pix of guys in Iraq and Afghanistan with the coiled, phone cord kind of lanyard, and you can get them thru various shooting supply websites.

But, I don't think I'm going to add one to my wardrobe anytime soon. I just hope I don't snag my tactical pants strap on a door handle or something...