Triple Aught Design Recon AC Pant

May 16, 2014

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[dcs_fancy_header bgcolor=”#ffffff” color=”#000000″ fweight=”bold”]Steve Coulston brings you this first look at the brand new Recon AC Pant from Triple Aught Design (TAD).[/dcs_fancy_header]

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Everyone has a specific mission profile. It could be serving a high-risk warrant, contracting in a foreign land, summiting the tallest peak, or braving the office in the urban jungle. Regardless of your lifestyle, the warrior and adventurer in us demands gear that will not only meet our expectations, but exceed them. We expect performance, comfort, precision and style. Triple Aught Design has tailored their clothing and gear to meet those requirements and then some. Triple Aught Design, or TAD for short, takes their name from the engineering and mechanical world. Triple Aught, or .000, specifies tolerances to a thousandth of an inch. This attention to detail is what TAD is committed to. Located in in a historical 4,000 sf warehouse in San Francisco, TAD retails their clothing, gear and tools. In 2014 TAD also added their CORE program, which consists of a specific selection of training courses. They also have a second retail location in San Francisco in the Hayes Valley neighborhood. These are the only dealers in the United States; however TAD does have a network of five international dealers as well.

TAD is proud to introduce their latest offering, the RECON AC Pant. The RECON AC joins TADs outstanding line up of pants. The RECON AC will initially be released as a pant; however a short version will also be produced. As should be expected, TAD put a lot of thought and attention to detail into the new RECON AC.

The RECON AC pant is made from TAD’s special amphibious cloth material. This is one of their best performing materials due to its lightweight, breathability and quick drying technology. While this is not a stretchable material it is very strong. It is 100% nylon with their Durable Water Repellent (DWR) technology built in. The DWR system causes water or moisture to bead up and then roll off the material. This also aids in moisture evaporation should the garment become saturated.

The pant comes with an athletic, standard straight leg cut and is offered in 30”, 32” and 34” inseams. While the pant was designed to be lightweight, TAD didn’t sacrifice strength. They have darted the knees for increased mobility and gusseted the crotch to withstand the additional stresses caused by dynamic activity. A back yoke and Bartack stitch reinforcements have also been added for increased strength at garment stress points. Throughout the construction of the pants, double and triple needle stitching is used. For example the entire length of the leg features a triple stitch while the storage features of the pant feature a double stitch pattern. The RECON AC sports large 2” belt loops that are 1” wide. This allows for a wide variety of belt sizes to fit your specific mission criteria. The pants are secured with a zipper fly and Canadian Tape Button Fly Top Closure.

For a thin, lightweight pant, the RECON AC offers an impressive array of storage options. The two hand pockets have generous capacity and feature internal sub load pockets as well. They also have additional material where a folding knife would be clipped for added durability. The pockets include a coin pocket, two front welt pockets with lace attachment points. These sub pockets also work well for discreetly housing a cell phone or a spare pistol magazine if that should be a part of your mission profile. Two rear welt pockets are also included. These pockets are non-zippered and cannot be secured. Instead of the traditional side cargo pockets TAD has added two inset zippered cargo pockets with flat lace attachments. These pockets offer increased storage and will not interfere with belt-mounted gear that rides on the wearer’s side such as a holster. Contents can be secured via the zipper and can be tethered to the pocket with the internal flat lace attachment points. These pockets are ideal for softer, more flexible options such as a topographical chart, headphones, spare gloves, or watch cap. Of course more rigid items such as mobile devices or a GPS can fit, however it may prove uncomfortable while running or climbing. TAD has added a little covert feature as a bonus. Inside the pants, along the fly zipper is a small hidden pocket. This pocket can be used to store a spare key, spare cash, or similar sized items.

I would say I have a fairly athletic build. I stand 73” tall and weigh in at 205 lbs. I reside in the Pacific Northwest and we are experiencing 85 degree weather right now. This is warm for my neck of the woods. I found the RECON AC pant very comfortable for my build even given the current weather conditions. The RECON AC pants breathed very well and I never felt over heated. Even though the pants are made from a non-stretch material, I was pleased they never got bound up or over stressed even when climbing steep grades, bending or squatting. On the trail the pants kept me fairly cool. I also noticed that when I went through brush, they were fairly resistant to getting snagged. Thanks to the straight leg design, the pants fell neatly on top of my boots and didn’t bunch up as would be typical for a more tapered cut pant. They also worked well for trail running by providing adequate room for full strides without grabbing my legs or over stressing the crotch area of the garment. Compatibility is also important. Even if I am only going on a day hike, I like to have a spare set of clothes in my pack should the ones I am wearing get wet or ruined. The RECON AC can be stowed away in my pack, taking up very little room. This is a big deal. Gear that is heavy or awkward tends to get left behind. Every ounce counts and packing a spare pair of RECON AC pants in my load out isn’t even an issue.

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I like to travel light, however like most of you, I have a very specific group of items I carry on a daily basis. I found the storage capacity to be very generous. The sub pockets, within the right front pocket, are perfect for my cell phone and other small items. It should be noted that larger, over-sized phones such as my Samsung Galaxy will also fit. As I am a responsible armed citizen and carry a firearm daily, the generous belt loops provided plenty of room for my Ares Ranger belt and holster. The belt loops are thin and they did not get in the way when I carried my side arm via the appendix carry method or in the more traditional outside the waistband in the 3 or 4 o’clock position. For more overt operations, drop leg holsters and sub loads are easily accommodated for. The sub pocket in the left hand front pocket was a perfect fit for my spare magazine or a small flashlight. It should be noted TAD has designed these sub pockets so that even when they are in use, they don’t interfere with the larger, primary pocket. This means I was able to carry my wallet, keys etc. without being uncomfortable.

Overall, I am impressed with the quality of the Triple Aught Design RECON AC Pant. TAD has done a great job in the design of the RECON AC. Even if you never pull VIP protection detail or kick in a door, the RECON AC will serve you well. It doesn’t matter if you are hiking the trail, relaxing at your favorite camping spot, or working in your office cubicle you will remain cool, comfortable and stylish. As their name implies, Triple Aught Design has applied their craftsmanship and attention to detail to their latest offering. As summer approaches, I am looking forward to the RECON AC short. I have no doubt it will be a great compliment to the TAD line. Personally, I would love to see a pant/short hybrid. This would give maximum flexibility to the pant and the lower portion of the legs could be removed and stowed very easily in the zipped cargo pockets when not in use. Lastly, the RECON AC is made in the USA which is much appreciated by this author. Regardless of your next TAD purchase, you can rest assured they will stand by their product and do offer a warranty. If you ever have an issue with an item due to defect or early wear, TAD will either repair, replace or refund your money.

The RECON AC Pant retails for $99 and can be purchased via the TAD website.

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