By Waysun Johnny Tsai
About ten years ago I was sponsored by a couple of large tactical gear manufacturers. They would send me pants, shirts, boots, socks, underwear, hats…you name it. The good thing was, I barely had to buy clothing. Ever. I would just find something in a catalog, send an email and gear would show up. The bad thing was that I always looked like an off-duty or plain clothes cop.
Over time I stopped sending emails for new gear because that cop look got old. Don’t get me wrong, I still wear some gear, but I prefer to wear a t-shirt with Baby Yoda on it over some heavily logo’ed 2A shirt that can grab just a bit more attention than I would sometimes like.
I just discovered a new company named 221B Tactical. 221B is a smaller company whose owners are very hands-on with the design of each and every product that they make.
When I spoke on the phone with the company, I explained to one of the owners my belief that Spandex stretch pants are one of God’s greatest gifts to men. He agreed and wanted me to check out a pair of their new Asset Tactical Jeans to see what I thought about them and sent a pair my way.
The first thing I noticed is they are stretchy, but a bit heavier than most of my pants. I wear shorts every single warm day of the year and I prefer lightweight clothing. One of the reasons the pants may feel heavy is because of all of the 13 useful pockets that are built into them.
Check out this video where the company explains all of the ASSET’s features here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mhIxkuaVEqU.
Some of you may be wondering exactly what a pair of jeans has to do with EDC. As the above video demonstrates, these jeans give you plenty of options for carrying your gun and gear the way you want. That makes having your EDC gear with you a lot easier.
Asset Tactical Jeans are configured with lots of pockets to hold everything you carry. The one pocket that caught my attention, though, is the sewn-in appendix CCW holder that holds my Hellcat very nicely.
I also like how my knives tend to disappear in the upper front pocket. I did plenty of bending and kicking in these jeans, fully loaded with my EDC gear, and they don’t feel restrictive at all.
The straight fit feels comfortable, but I wish that it came in a boot cut which is my preference in jeans.
All in all, I’m a fan. I kind of feel like Chuck Norris with his action jeans and their hidden stretch crotch gusset in the 80’s.
The 221B Asset Tactical Jeans deliver EDC comfort with a variety of pockets and give the wearer the ability to safely carry a pistol in the appendix position, without a holster, along with extra magazines, to me that’s a win.
Plus, you won’t look like a cop wearing them, even if you are. At a MSRP of $69, they are worth trying a pair for yourself.
Specifications: 221B Asset Tactical Jeans
- Straight Fit
- Advanced Stretch Technology
- 13 Pockets and Holders for CCW & EDC
- 2″ Belt Loops for Tactical & Battle Belts
- Extra Wide Rear Belt Loop w/ Velcro
- Front and Rear Pistol Mag Holders
- Rear Yoke Rifle Mag Pockets
- Appendix Carry CCW Holder
- Gusseted Stretch Crotch
- Stretch Yoke
- YKK Zippers & Brass Rivets
- Heavy Duty Reinforced Construction
- Breathable
- Bottom Cuffs Designed for Boots, Shoes or Sandals
Pick up a pair today at www.221btactical today for around $69.00.
A Chicago native, Sijo Waysun Johnny Tsai is an internationally recognized Combatives and Survival instructor. He is a published book and DVD personality with over 35 years’ experience in teaching Practical Street Defense and Combatives to the Military, Law Enforcement Agencies and Civilians alike. SIJO is also the founder of the C.U.M.A. Survival School. He is also a renowned knife designer for companies like TOPS KNIVES, SMOKY MOUNTAIN KNIFE WORKS and WORK TUFF GEAR.
When not teaching classes, writing, or doing crazy thing with knives, SIJO likes to enjoy his downtime with his wife and 3 children. He also likes drinking beer.
If they were available in relaxed fit 38×29, I’d be interested. As it is, I have my wife take an inch off the legs because nobody makes 38×28.
I have a similar build, that’s why I became a “shorts all year” guy. Even in Massachusetts.
These are neat in that they have capacity without having that whole “I’m a decked out mall ninja” look to them.
the ability to safely carry a pistol in the appendix position
That’s an oxymoron. At least for men.
That really depends on the gun and the mindset of the carrier.
I carry my LCR .357 appendix, but I refuse to carry a striker-fired gun that way.
The long, heavy, DA pull of the LCR (and other hammer-fired guns I own) is safety enough for me. Other’s miles may vary…
Let’s call it “carry safely enough in the appendix position”
Wait, no. Not in the stupid fabric pouch in the jeans.
I meant in general, with a holster, appendix is “safe enough.”
The ability to point a loaded weapon at your ‘nads.
FIFY
IWB carry is ONLY for the seasoned carrier…. not for the wet behind the ears type or the fudds….
It produces the best concealment and its the easiest position to draw from….
And like i said, if you’re SCARED of your capabilities, then IWB isn’t for you…. get over it and stop giving false info about IWB carry…
The stretchy fabric will be a plus when hitting the buffet. Do the sizes include “never ate a salad”?
Nope, I checked. Skinny jeans with inseam gussets are still skinny jeans.
And, the link is incomplete.
Speaking of links, I see the word “gun” has been hyperlinked in the article, just like it was the other day. Is it happening in the comments too again? Let’s find out:
“‘Gunm,,,,blue gunm, blue gun, glue gun, gunm’
“Testing one two three. The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog.”
Yup. Key in the word “gun” and a link attaches automatically. Copy/paste and it doesn’t attach. Someone’s creeping ‘round your back stairs, Dan.
I’m not seeing them, but maybe my adblocker is doing its job. If the links all feature “avantlink” near the head of the URL, it’s probably the same ad script that has been used here before — although that one only ran in articles, as I recall.
“I’m not seeing them, but maybe my adblocker is doing its job.”
Yup, same here. I guess the Marsupial One doesn’t use an ad block, so he just ‘munges’ g-u-n into gunm, and calls it a day… 🙂
Humans would be a better species if they didnt wear clothes.
Clothes makes you want to hide gunms.
Everyone knows gunms are bad, Ban clothes.
I had a pair of these jeans. Over all they were not worth the price.
1st: They were stretchy, but they are more of a ‘relaxed fit’ stretchy instead of a regular fit stretchy like the stretchy offerings from other jeans companies like Lee jeans. This makes them sort of fit close enough to stay on but not close enough to really fit well. Now if you are a big guy (e.g. “plump”, fat, chubby, “fluffy”) they might kinda fit better but for me, I’m 6′ 6″ and 225 lbs solid, they did almost fit but not enough to fit well.
2nd: That appendix carry “pocket/pouch” is not a holster, period, so don’t expect it to be one and hold your weapon securely. The only thing really holding the weapon in place is the stomach pressure against it. Then, at some point, there will be the issue of the material fraying and wearing through over time because the gun is constantly shifting a little and rubbing against the material. Don’t expect it to be a like a kydex/polymer or leather holster, its not going to give you the same service nor is it going to provide retention like a real quality holster. If that “pocket/pouch” material frays enough it can catch on the weapon as you try to draw
3rd: The jeans material is good quality but its a little lighter weigh material than you would find in standard jeans. The construction is good.
Overall, in terms of jeans suitable for CCW wear, I saw a lot better better service and fit and comfort from the “LEE Men’s Performance Series Extreme Motion Regular Fit Jean” with my IWB holster. Plus the Lee’s are not sizing limited like the Tactical Asset jeans and the Lee jeans stand up to more “hard” use than the Tactical Asset jeans. The Lee jeans, depending on where you shop, are half the cost of the Tactical Asset jeans.
I don’t wear jeans often, but when I do……….😄
I’m 6’1″ and 215lbs (36w/34is), and have had good EDC results with Lee and Wrangler “performance” jeans.
I’m with 40CB, the “relaxed fit” stuff is horrible, like wearing a potato sack.
My go to stuff is 5-11, shorts and pants. I hardly care if my shorts/pants “look tactical” while I’m OWB/open carrying a PPQ45, or drop-legging a 50ae DEagle or HK Mark 23.
Q; Do these pants make me look “tactical”?
A; No. But the drop leg Mark 23 does. 😉
5-11 MORE over priced imported (most Chicom) crap.
SIXTY NINE bucks for a fancy pants imported britches? In what urban hive?
Watch for sales. 5-11 pants/shorts go on sale a few times each year. $25 per pair.
$120 5-11 boots sometimes go one sale for $40.
LAPG had $200 Merrell boots for $65 a few months ago.
Looked at the labels on some of my 5-11 pants, Made in USA.
When I see these sales, I buy several pairs.
Tim Kennedy is a piece of human garbage AND he supports restrictions on your 2A rights. Stop giving 5.11 your money.
Looked at my boots too. Made in USA. 😄
Shop smarter
please for the love of god buy a real holster.
I prefer pants with straight pockets. You can access your front pockets while still wearing a gun OWB.
But I do like the extra pockets!! These might work out for the pocket carry of a Bobcat 21a?
I think $69 for a pair of genes is a little steep when you consider how much you can find a pair of Lee or Wranglers for. and I find their relax fit very good for carrying and even kicking just in case you have to.
Is that a pistol in your pocket…???
Tactical underwear is needed for your backup gun to your gun pants.
Stop, or my jeans will shoot……..
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