Former CIA Analyst Reviews The 5.11 Defender Flex Slim Pants and Eleanor Jacket

5.11 Tactical is all about the pockets. If you’re a woman and frequently disappointed by the lack of proper pockets in pants, then look no further than the 5.11 Defender Flex Slim Pants.

These pants can handle all your concealed carry needs and your favorite everyday carry items while also looking stylish in town. Or out on the trail.

There are a total of eight pockets and all deep enough to actually fit my hands and gear in, including my everyday carry of a SOG Slim Jim knife, Streamlight Pro-Tac 1L-1AA flashlight, and overly large iPhone.

The belt loops are also robust enough to easily handle my holster and Glock 43. I also found that the hidden pocket at the hip could handle the weight of my holster and G43 and was able to wear it concealed there as well, even with the magazine extender.

And while I don’t normally opt for skinny jeans, I liked that they looked stylish and not overly tactical. That meant I felt comfortable wearing them not only around town but also to the office.

In addition, I tested them out on the trail in the Pacific Northwest where they kept me warm and the stretch material allowed me to easily climb over obstacles and keep up with my Golden Retriever puppies.

I paired the pants with the 5.11 Tactical Eleanor Jacket. The jacket is super stylish, fairly warm, and best of all extremely flexible. I liked the asymmetric zipper, which added to its stylishness.

Again, I tested this out on a hike and it handled the trail with class. It will definitely be a go-to jacket once the weather warms up more.

That said, the large funnel neck was also useful in our current chilly weather because I could zip it all the way up and fold it over to create even more warmth. The bonus (for anyone else who doesn’t like crew or turtle necks) is that it wasn’t an overly claustrophobic feeling.

Another added bonus for me was the long sleeves. I have long arms and the sleeves were long enough that I was still able to fit my thumbs through the built-in thumb holes. That also kept me toasty warm and allowed me to skip the added gloves.

All in all, the pants and jacket were a great combination and I’d highly recommend both. They are stylish enough to wear around town and functional enough to handle almost any adventure or tactical situation.

Defender Flex Slim Pants Select Details

• Fitted waistband
• Belt loops built for holster wear
• 8 total pockets
• Two welted Device Ready pockets at the front
• Two hidden pockets at the hip (fits AR magazines or your smartphone)
• Dual back patch pockets
• Soft fade finish and enzyme washed fabric
• 8.8 oz. stretch Cavalry twill (66% cotton / 31% poly / 3% elastane)

Eleanor Jacket Select Details

• Body: 90% polyester/10% elastane knit terry features Enduro-Flex™ properties.9-oz., peached face
• Overlays: 98% polyester/13% elastane plain weave, 4.7-oz.
• Asymmetrical, one-way center front zipper with Hypalon logo puller
• The neck can be worn zipped closed as a funnel neck, or zipped open and folded over
• Overlays at shoulders, top of sleeves, and side body panels
• Articulated sleeves with thumbholes
• Pen pocket on wearer’s left sleeve
• Hand zipper pockets