Men's 5.11 Straight Defender-Flex Jeans Tactical Reviews, Deals, Problems and Guides

This is a tough one because generally I am usually really pleased with everything 5.11 from the get go. I like em but they bleed color like crazy!! I'm not talking about a little color bleeding, I'm saying these jeans hemorrhage dye! I bought the pre-washed style not the darker indigo color. I washed them the first time alone (thankfully) and the water in the washer was SUPER DARK BLUE. Seeing this I thought I better wash them again to make sure the bleeding would stop. It didn't. I've washed these jeans six times now with a second rinse each time and they STILL bleed dark blue. I can't wash them alone or I would destroy other clothes. They left a dark blue ring stain in may washer that I had to scrub out. The funny thing is that even after bleeding so much color the jeans don't look any lighter in color or faded at all. Odd.
Not sure if anyone else has experienced this. It is so nuts that I thought it was definitely worth mentioning. Other than that I do like the jeans. They are well made, fit well, and seem durable. I would recommend them but be aware that they may bleed A LOT of color so be sure to wash them separately until this stops.

Pros: Good fit, look good. Material is nice, tough but with that little bit of stretch. Very comfortable. Good quality.

Cons: Pockets!! The pockets are just too shallow, front and back. I'm not talking about they should be extra deep pockets for EDC or anything, just normal depth like Levis or Wranglers. A wallet barely fits in the back pocket with out sneaking out, and if you sit you're at risk of it falling out. If you put a cell phone back there (iPhone size) it's at high risk of slipping out while sitting.
The front pockets are the same, much too shallow.
The watch pocket on the right side is nice with good depth, could hold a magazine. Nice if there was one on the left too.

Suggestions for the 2.0 version (I'd buy these again if the 2.0 upgrades were done): Deeper pockets and add a watch pocket (second pocket) on the left too, be nice for a magazine.

I’m retired and no longer wear suits. My daily dress is casual and I prefer jeans. At 5’11” and 196 with a 38”waistline & 34” inseam, I have not found jeans that fit me the way I prefer. After reviewing the 5.11 Defenders, I thought I’d give them a try. These work for me. The straight leg version doesn’t feel constricting any where. They ride at the waist where I wanted and the seat doesn’t make me look like in wearing a Depends that needs changing. The color is a very deep indigo. And, because I carry every day these work perfectly with AIWB and a full sized pistol. While I have so-called tactical pants, I use those for range work and training. I don’t wear those on the street. With these jeans, I can also carry a SOF-T tourniquet in one of the hip pockets and a small flashlight or mag in the other along with a compact compression bandage wallet and keys in the other pockets and still just look like some older dude with just a nice pair of jeans. Perfect “grey man” attire. Like them so much I also got a pair in stone. Hope they keep making these.

Have had the slim version of theses for a few months in 36x32 and love them. Bought the same size in this new straight leg version but the straight 36x32 are much longer. To check I went to a local 5.11 store and found the same difference in slim vs straight. I tried on 36x30 in straight and they fit perfect. So consider that the straight cut may be longer that your normal size expectation and you might want to go down a size in length.

Now that I know what size I like, the jeans are fantastic. Very comfortable and a more comfortable thigh/calf fit than the slim version. If you conceal carry, the waist has enough give that you will be ok IWB. Bending over, crouching, driving, sitting in an office chair and going to the shooting range are all comfortable. I use one of the back magazine pockets to hold my phone. Very happy with these jean and are my new favorite pair.

I have 5 pairs of these jeans. I use them to go out on the town, range, and Hiking. Im just in love with these jeans. Ok, the small pocket that holds an AR mag. I perfectly hold my wallet and able to ride my car while carrying the wallet inside the back pocket. Amazing. They'd move with you sooooo comfortably. This jean was made for big guys that wanna feel comfortable but yet hip with the new tactical jeans. Buy them.

I like the cut... and the fit.... the hidden pockets are great, but I'd like to see a hidden zippered thigh/upper leg pocket for a cell phone on each side. Guys that are wearing these for work, routinely; have more than one phone to pack around.. other than that.... my guys are digging them so far. They are slightly oversized so order true to fit or one inch smaller unless you intend to wear inside the waistband holsters.

Overall the pants are very good. Well constructed out of good materials. I really like the material the inside of the pockets are made of and they are well stitched and seem very durable. I bought this jean because it has numerous pockets, including special ones on each side of the back that are perfect for magazines/knives etc, AND because the pants overall do not look military. But I carry a Kahr PM9 pistol (similar in size to Glock 43) in right rear pocket in a leather holster made specifically for the gun. It is a VERY tight fit but works as long as you have a shirt un-tucked over the pocket. Otherwise the gun is very visible from behind. It would be perfect for these size guns if the rear pockets were at least 1/2" deeper and 1/4" wider. Otherwise all works well for me for my everyday concealed carry.

I am 6' and 230 to 235 lb, the cut in the thigh area fits great. The cut, combined with the material "small amount of stretch " allows for comfort and maneuverability. Love the rear magazine pockets.

Two things I wish.

1. I wish 5.11 would add a left side deep coin pocket, so that us right handed shooters could use it as a pistol magazine pocket. The one on the left is great for a knife or a left handed shooter. But both sides need that pocket.
2. I wish it came in more patterns or colors.

Would I buy again? Yes, unless 5.11 introduced a model with a left side deep coin pocket. I would then switch to that model.

Just a word of caution. If you like me and prefer a tighter fitting pair of pants and don't like the look of loose fitting jeans take a pass on these. I got my usual size, 36x30 and the waist sizing is good and I really like the elastic inserts. However the leg opening is way too big and there is a ton of extra material on the back side. They looked silly on me. My body dimensions are pretty standard 5' 9" about 200 lbs. I have returned this item however I will still support this site. You guys do a great job!

I like 5.11 pants as I know they are sturdy, functional and affordable. I was excited to check out these jeans.

However, while the quality was great, the fit (especially the waist) was totally off. I have ordered a 34x34 and was a little afraid that they might end up being tight as I'm somewhere around 35" around my waist. But once I put them on I realized that the waist was way too large. The inseam is right on, and because of the stretch material I would not suggest to buy longer.