Cargo Pants

Choosing cargo pants by what you do in them

Cargo pants make sense whenever your hands are busy and your gear needs a pocket close by. Most pairs here put cargo pockets on the thighs, and several add a zip pocket on the side with room for gloves or a phone. For a camping trip or a long walk, team them with a shirt from our hiking clothes.

The cut is worth a look before the colour. The military fatigue pants have a straight leg, belt loops and elastic sides in the waistband, while the cargo hiking pants taper towards the ankle with pre-shaped knees. When the heat sets in, our cargo shorts give you the same pockets with less fabric.

Ripstop for hard wear, fleece for cold mornings

For work and rough ground, start with the ripstop pairs. The slim combat pants are a 50/50 nylon and cotton ripstop with stretch panels at the knees and lower back, a padded waistband and slots for knee pads. If you spend a lot of time kneeling, the tactical pants with knee pads come with the pads fitted and removable, in a thick two-fabric build that adds some warmth. Both come in many camouflage prints and plain black.

Walkers usually go lighter. The cargo hiking pants are a 65/35 cotton and polyester blend that dries quickly, and the tactical hiking pants are ripstop with slanted front pockets. For winter camping, the camo hiking pants are fleece-lined polyester and windproof, and the tactical cargo pants resist water and wind, summer or winter.

Joggers, chinos and full sets

Not every pair is built for the field. The cargo jogger pants have an elastic drawstring waist, so you can leave the belt at home, and the mens camo track pants add a touch of spandex, zipped side pockets and gathered cuffs that keep the wind out. For a dressier day, the white chinos have a slim cut and no cargo pockets at all.

If you want army pants with the jacket to match, the uniform sets pair the two, in prints from forest and jungle to a navy, grey and white pixel pattern. Most of the mens cargo pants here use letters, from XS up to 3XL or 4XL, but the camo cargo pants with six pockets go by waist, from 38 to 48. When the evenings cool down, throw a bomber jacket over a tee and keep the same pants on.