5.11 Stryke pants review: the fit is the reason to buy

By the OpticVerdict Editorial Team.
Research-based review · Updated 2026-09-29

How we reviewed it: a research-based review built from the retailer's specification table, 5.11's own product page, and all 71 reviews on the retailer page, read in full. Theme counts are out of the 70 distinct reviews (one review is listed twice). We have not worn these pants ourselves; the score is our editorial opinion and owner ratings are shown attributed to their source. See how we evaluate.

Which Stryke is this?

Several 5.11 pants carry the Stryke name. 5.11's own men's pants page lists, besides this one, a Stryke EMS cargo pant and a family of Stryke PDU uniform pants in Class A and Class B cuts. Those are different products with their own designs. This review covers only the base men's Stryke, style 74369, which 5.11 sells as the Stryke Men's Regular Fit Cargo Pant. The OpticsPlanet listing is the 29 inch inseam version of that pant, and the row we priced is Black with a 48 inch waist, MPN 74369ABR-019-48-29.

Sizing and fit: what 70 reviews actually say

Sizing is the question most buyers bring to this pant, and the review record answers it better than any size chart. We read all 70 distinct reviews and counted every one that makes a statement about size:

That is 20 of 70 reviews addressing size, and 15 of those 20 say it matched or nearly matched their label. The pattern in the exceptions is useful rather than random. Both waist reports tie the extra room to the stretch waistband, which gives a little, so a reviewer between sizes can end up with more room than expected. The length complaints are about inseam, not waist, and both came from reviewers who went up one length.

“Caution: The waistband is so comfortable that I had to buy waist size 32 even though my other pants are waist size 34.”

Rex (TX), via OpticsPlanet

“Be aware, the length is a little short. I wear a 30 in other brands, but 32 in these.”

Legacy Reviewer (PA), verified owner, via OpticsPlanet

On cut, reviewers place the Stryke between a slim pant and the baggy tactical pants of old. Several compare it directly: one found cheaper knock-offs fit the waist but were huge and baggy in the leg, another says it is not super baggy like a TRU-SPEC pant, and a third calls it definitely fitted, not baggy. One reviewer describes the fit as relaxed and a bit larger than true sizing, so expect a little room. One more point for buyers ordering a second pair: a reviewer who bought two says both fit exactly the same.

Our reading (not a source): order your usual waist, or the smaller size if you are between two, and pay attention to inseam, because that is where the sizing surprises in this record came from. On this listing the inseam is fixed at 29 inches, and none of the length reports above were about a 29.

Why reviewers rate it so highly: stretch, waistband and pockets

The stretch is the most consistent praise. Flex-Tac is 5.11's mechanical stretch ripstop, and reviewers describe pants that move when they kneel, bend or shoot from awkward positions, including a competitor who shoots a pro 3-gun series and wears them for running and gunning. The waistband is the second theme: three reviewers say its stretch suits inside-the-waistband carry, and one adds that the pants stay up once the gun belt comes off.

“They are so comfortable and flex with movement. They look professional and have lots of pocket space.”

T (CA), via OpticsPlanet, the retailer's most helpful positive review

Pockets come third. 5.11 lists 12, and reviewers single out the divider pockets inside the cargo pockets: five mention magazines in them, and others use them for a flashlight or a folding knife so nothing rattles. Front pockets are sized for everyday-carry items, per the retailer. Reviewers also like that the pants do not look overtly tactical; several wear them in an office or with a polo shirt.

Durability reports come largely from people who wear them for work. A department switched to them, a corrections officer wore through a first pair after about two years of hard use and several washes a week, and one reviewer wore them for two years in Afghanistan. Reviewers also report coffee and stains wiping off and colors holding up wash after wash.

“My department switched to these about a year ago. They’re sturdy, well made and really hold up to abuse.”

Steven Barnes (PA), verified owner, via OpticsPlanet

Trade-offs, plainly

• An old review record. All 71 reviews on the retailer page date from March 2012 to August 2020; none is newer. The praise describes pants made years ago, and one 2014 reviewer calls them Teflon-finished where 5.11's current page lists a DWR finish, so the finish may not be what those reviewers wore.
• Price. 16 of the 70 reviews call them expensive, pricey or a little high, most while saying they are worth it. That is the most repeated complaint in the record.
• Seated phone access. One four-star reviewer says the phone pocket is easy to reach standing but almost impossible to use while driving or seated. Another reviewer says the opposite about the other pockets, so this is about the phone slot specifically.
• Weather. Reviewers disagree on temperature range. One calls them not made for cold weather, while another finds them usable in winter months; one finds them a little thick for warm weather, while others wear them in Texas and Florida heat without complaint.
• Thin enough to snag. One reviewer notes the material is thin and can rip if caught on branches or rock.
• Cargo pockets stand out. The most helpful positive review says the side cargo pockets bulge a little even when empty.
• One inseam on this listing. The OpticsPlanet listing sells a 29 inch inseam only; 5.11 lists 30 to 36 inch inseams on its own page.

“While standing it is easy to access a phone, but while driving or seated, it is almost impossible to remove the phone!”

Mike (TX), four-star review, via OpticsPlanet

“If used in rain they do get wet, but they dry fast.”

Mikke (Sweden), verified owner, four-star review, via OpticsPlanet

Key specifications

Specifications come from the retailer's specification table and features list and from 5.11's own product page; where both give a value they agree, except inseam (the listing is 29 inches; 5.11 lists 30 to 36). The retailer's 6.8 oz figure matches the number 5.11 prints inside its fabric description, which we read as a fabric weight rather than the weight of a finished pair. On awards: we claim none, because we could not confirm one for this pant on 5.11's own page. Its credential is the owner record, 4.9/5 from 71 reviews, shown attributed rather than folded into a rating of our own.

Should you buy it?

• Buy it if you want a stretch cargo pant for duty, range days or everyday carry, you value a fit that reviewers say matches the size label, and a 29 inch inseam suits you.
• Skip this listing if you need a longer inseam: every row on it is 29 inches.
• Look elsewhere if you want an insulated pant for cold weather or a pant without cargo pockets.
• Carrying inside the waistband? Pair the pants with a holster from our best concealed carry holster guide.
• Packing for the range? See our best range bag and best pocket knife guides.

FAQ

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