First Tactical Specialist BDU Pants

First Tactical’s Specialist BDU pants are ideal trousers for day in day out use. They are made from a lightweight yet extremely durable 65% Polyester/35% Cotton Ripstop fabric to resist wear and tear associated with Fieldsports activities, but also remain highly breathable. It isn’t fully waterproof but sheds water droplets, grime and oils remarkably well thanks to DuPont Teflon Shield+ technology and when it does become soaked, air dries surprisingly quickly. Also perfects for cadets, police and serving military, the most important fact for hunters is they stay quiet when walking and stalking, suiting the warmer summer months ideally with a dark OD green colour that blends in discreetly in most situations without ever looking to be trying too hard.

The cut is loose without being overly baggy and seven belt loops ensure all stays up where it should after the press stud waist and YKK zip fly are fastened.

The seat is reinforced double thickness with a gusset shaped for freedom of movement with assured but neat stitching at all overlapping points to retain the lightweight, comfortable feel. This theme is continued at the knees, which also feature an internal pocket to add knee pads for extensive crawling or kneeling. They do add bulk, if not weight, and are perhaps not as suited to long treks but if you need them, you will like the comfort these provide. A 30-degree wash clears daily grime and other stains that the coatings assist in shedding, so you don’t end up with a patchwork coloured set of trousers. Again, air drying after washing is rapid, so they are ideal for travel.

Decent storage

Pockets can be the build-up or bane of bags and trousers and these show an intelligent approach for maximum storage without discomfort. Two deep front hand pockets with inner loops are to be expected, with similar hip pockets at the rear that remain flat with Velcro fasteners that DON’T roll up after washing. Side pockets on the thighs are elasticated for speedy access, with a secondary Velcro fastening flap over the top for additional security and a hanging loop inside for keys. There is also an aerial slot to allow the unit to lay flat whilst in full comms contact. Cuffs at the ankles with elastic cord and Duraflex lock keep the trousers locked onto your boots and are still comfortable if confined within wellies.

A lot of military derived trousers don’t seem to look quite right for Fieldsports but the darker plain OD green colour chosen here is ideal and although not hugely expensive, the construction detail is top notch for this market without a single misplaced thread, which after two-months of almost daily wear and use when walking the dogs with endless brambles, and likely tear opportunities, are still like new. Stalking in the highlands of Scotland in July showed the lightweight breathability to its maximum benefit, as well as the light rain shedding capabilities, so I was left very pleased with the BDUs and confident in their condition matching performance for future wear. After multiple washes, the DuPont coatings do not seem to have degenerated at all and that is the closing fact to dwell on.