EMERSON FIELD PANTS MULTICAM REVIEW

Last summer I field tested these pants on my favorite Afghan-like terrain. As it can be seen in pictures, the MultiCam pattern blends great in both greenish and arid patches.

These are Emerson’s ‘field’ pants, which differ from ‘combat’ pants in the closed kneepad compartments and the lack of adjustment tabs at the knees and ankles.

The fabric is ripstop poly-cotton, and the cut is designed to conform an athletic male figure: narrow at the top and wider at the bottoms.

When it comes to Emerson sizing, I seem to be in between sizes S and M. These are an S and they are a bit too tight in the waist and the hips. There is little variation in length from one size to the next, but the adjustable drawstrings in the bottoms make it unnecessary putting your scissors to them. You can see a rather accurate size chart at airsoftpark.com, which is where I got them from.

The belt loops are wide enough for a rigger’s belt to pass through. I would have preferred that the front ones were a little closer to the button, so that it would not slip under the buckle. The fly is button-closed, which some users will love and others will hate.

There are ten pockets in total, scattered throughout the surface of the pants. This allows some weight distribution, to the point that you won’t believe the amount of junk you can carry in them. The front thigh pockets are a blessing to access while sitting, and the calf ones are great for those items that would otherwise end up digging in your anatomy. All of them are velcro closed, with no buttons.

The reinforcement patches on the knees are velcro-closed at the bottom so you can fit kneepads in there. The seat and croth are also reinforced.

What I like most about this line of garments is the durability and that they dry fast. This last feature is what leads me to always wear these pants in the rain, or in hikes which involve some river crossing. This also means that you can wash the pants and be confident that they will be ready next day. By the way, I have washed them a zillion times and they did not fade a bit.

Some negative aspects are a few loose threads, which may lead to unsewn pocket bottoms or lost buttons, and the position of the front belt loops. But when you look at the price tag you will forget about these...