Product Test: 5.11 Tactical Duty Kilt

The kilt has front slant pockets as well as side cargo pockets positioned at the same height as TDU cargo pants. A few suggestions on the placement of the pockets: they ought to be secured bottom and top, so that you have the same security as you have on pants. During an obstacle course session during training, I pulled an AR-15 magazine out of the left side pocket and the magazine got stuck.

To make sure I gave the kilt a good working out, I wore it to defensive tactics. It was a little too revealing.

The kilt, a poly-cotton blend, weighs just over six ounces, so it's lightweight. It accommodates a 1 ¾-inch belt and includes a badge holder on the front belt loop. Two front D-rings allow an officer to attach a sporran. It's available in black, khaki, and OD green. It retails for about $59.

Matt Mitchell is a sergeant with the Coronado Police Department.

As a working sergeant in the Southern California beach community of Coronado, I wanted to try 5.11 Tactical's Tactical Duty Kilt to see if it would be a good option for our warm summers.  From that perspective, the kilt was terrific.

I liked the fact that it was open and cool, a lot nicer than the snug summer shorts we wear. It was also a lot of fun. At first, I took some ribbing from fellow officers. When I wore the khaki version to the range, I realized the upside and downside: You get good leg movement, but the open exposure of my legs worried me. Shorts better protect my thighs from possible injury.