I am sitting here writing this week’s piece wearing the finest, most comfortable pair of blue jeans I have ever worn in my life: 221B Tactical’s Asset Tactical Jeans.
Comfortable and Stylish Jeans
Richard Davis, founder of Second Chance and inventor of concealable soft body armor, always said, “Comfort is everything.” His point was that no matter how effective concealable armor may be, the cops for whom he created it wouldn’t wear his product on a regular basis if it wasn’t comfortable. The same is true of any everyday carry gear — be it holsters, clothing or other tactical support gear. Although “Comfort is everything” is not 221B Tactical’s tagline, I believe the company has followed its philosophy.
Asset Tactical Jeans provide all-day comfort no matter what you’re doing (and they look sharp!). I even wore mine to church. According to the 221B Tactical website, “The Asset Jeans also feature the latest in stretch denim technology. Couple that with a gusseted crotch, tactical-stretch pocket linings and a strategic, comfort-stretch yoke (prevents plumbers crack), and you have yourself a pair of the best and most comfortable tactical pants.”
Though images on the website make the pants appear as skinny jeans because of the cut, Brad Pedell, director of sales, assured me I was wrong. I decided to give them a try.
Now Make the Jeans Tactical
It’s typically a best practice — especially as a concealed carrier — to not appear to be wearing tactical apparel. The less attention you draw to yourself, the better. To the outside observer, only the five standard pockets are visible on the Asset Tactical Jeans. There are three on the front (including the traditional small knife pocket inside the main pocket on the left side) and two on the rear. There are eight more hidden yet easily accessible pockets, including a small inside-the-waistband appendix elastic pocket on the right side behind the right-front pocket.
Between the rear and front hidden pockets, you can conceal large cellphones, pistols and rifle magazines. (A 20-round AR-15 magazine fits in standard rear pockets, and a 30-rounder will fit in the slit pockets above the standard rear pockets.) Other various EDC items — knives, flashlights and, of course, a small pistol like the Smith & Wesson M&P .380 Auto or .38 Special revolver — are also manageable in a front pocket. However, loading the Asset Tactical Jeans with everything you could conceivably carry would diminish all-day comfort.
221B Jeans: Built Tough
The 221B Asset Tactical Jeans’ construction is heavy-duty and reinforced. You will notice increased thickness of the denim over standard commercial jeans as soon as you handle them. 221B used YKK zippers and brass rivets. The front is fastened via a brass button, which is much preferable to a snap for rugged use, and there are 2-inch belt loops. The cuffs are designed to accommodate boots, shoes or sandals. The team at 221B obviously spent a lot of time designing these pants.
Final Thoughts
I’ve been wearing the Asset Tactical Jeans for a couple of months using both inside-the-waistband and outside-the-waistband holsters for 1911s and my 4-inch S&W M&P Compact 2.0. And the front-left pocket has been home to spare pistol magazines for both. No matter what I’ve packed, I was extremely comfortable. I’ve also carried my wallet and separate ID wallet in the rear pockets and the large Steel Will Apostate folding knife up front with a CTC tactical light. Driving was not uncomfortable, even over long distances.
221B Tactical prices these jeans at $69 a pair — roughly the same price as standard tactical trousers. Unfortunately, there are no female sizes yet. I intend to gradually replace my current jean wardrobe with more Asset Tactical Jeans. They are the only way to travel.
Sources:
221B Tactical: 221BTactical.com
More Tactical Apparel:
Arrowhead Tactical Apparel: Clothing for Active Lifestyles
The Ultimate Guide to Dressing for Concealed Carry
Shop the USCCA Store
