Review: Triple Aught Design Force 10 AC Cargo Pants

(This product provided by the manufacturer for purposes other than review.)

Triple Aught Design is a San Francisco-based company that has risen to stratospheric levels in the last decade or so based on their innovative gear designs and a willingness to push the limits of what is doable. Typically producing most of their products in relatively small batches, the demand for their gear has reached astronomic levels. This will be our first review of a Triple Aught Design product but I can assure you, it won't be the last.

Earlier this year, as my team mate and I was preparing for our attempt at the Survival Trial, TAD was kind enough to supply us each with a pair of their Force 10 AC, which is the light-weight, nylon version of their classic Force 10 cargo pants. Let's look at the manufacturer specifications.

Fit

• Standard Fit
• Straight Leg

Material

• 100% Nylon (3.40 oz) with Durable Water Repellent (DWR)

Construction

• Triple Needle Stitching on In-seam and Out-seam

• Double Needle 1/8” Stitching on Knee Pads, Gusset, and Reinforced Seat

• Single Needle on Remaining Seams

Patterning

• Knee Reinforcement Pockets Accommodate T-Pro Knee & Elbow Armor
• Reinforced Seat
• Gusseted Crotch

Pocket Configuration

• Two Front Welt Pockets
• Two Hand Pockets with Coin Pocket Dividers
• Two Thigh Cargo Flap Pockets with Hidden Dual Button Closure, Drain Grommets and Internal Pocket Dividers
• Two Rear Flap Pockets with Hidden Dual Button Closure
• Two Hidden Internal Rear Patch Pockets for Travel Cash & Passport

Zipper & Fly Configuration

• Front Vislon Zipper Fly with Single Button Closure at Waistband
• All Zippers are YKK® Zippers

Waist & Belt Configuration

• 1" Width Belt Loops
• Belt Loops with D-Rings Above Welt Pockets

Hem Configuration

• Adjustable Leg Drawstrings

Logos & Labels

• One 1”x1” Loop Swatch with Logo Patch on Right Thigh Pocket

Made in the USA

Yes, that does indeed say "Made in the USA". While TAD isn't making everything in the US, they have committed themselves to moving as much of their production as possible in-house. That's an almost unprecedented move and one that I was extremely pleased to discover. 

As you can see, there is absolutely no shortage of pockets on the Force 10s. The name is in itself a reference to the pants having 10 pockets total. Mind you, the pocket layout is entirely symmetrical, something I vastly prefer and when it isn't symmetrical is a major pet peeve of mine, but for some reason most manufacturers seem to be incapable of designing garments with symmetrical layouts.  

I received these in the grey color, which in my opinion is an excellent choice. Mind you, TAD - and others - have been doing grey for years before Arc'teryx decided to jump on the bandwagon, but for some reason, everybody seems to think this is a new development... 

The fit is described as "standard" and in my opinion, it's fairly generous. Very easy to move in these pants, especially with the gusseted crotch and articulated knees. I found the front welt pockets to be excellent for a cell-phone, compass or any other number of relatively small, flat objects. Too long, too thick, they can impede your comfort and range of motion.  Sizing was spot-on. 

The slanted cargo pockets facilitate easy access when sitting down. are subdivided internally with three smaller sheath pockets and the main compartment. They are generously sized to say the least. Which can be problematic if you're not careful. Too much gear in cargo pockets over long distances can lead to some pretty nasty rubbing, but for bulky, light-weight items like a scarf, hats, gloves, etc, these pockets are perfect. For every day wear, I like putting my wallet or cell-phone into the smaller internal pockets as it keeps the item from bouncing around inside the large pocket space. Note here also the reinforced edge of the side pockets. Perfect for pocket clips, be it knives or flashlights. 

Note here the reinforced seat and the flaps covering the rear pockets. You can also here see the Canadian style webbing buttons that TAD uses throughout. A much stronger system of attachment than the typical sewn buttons. 

Main fly button is of course also attached with the webbing. The pants come with a couple of replacement buttons that simply thread onto the webbing. 

This is the D-ring located directly above the front welt pockets. Handy for keys or other smaller items. I've used it to secure a compass before. 

My only beef with the way these D-rings are attached is that the cloth loop could be a little tighter in order to prevent the D-ring from rotating. It's mostly an annoyance for me and not a deal-breaker, but it would be nice to see that improved. 

The kneepad pockets are external and accessed from the bottom. The shape is optimized for use with the T-Pro brand knee pads, both their typical thin neoprene-type pads and the more structured ones. 

All the buttons on the Force 10s are covered with a flap that prevents them from snagging. Just another detail that shows how well thought-out these pants are. 

The cargo pockets are bellowed to the rear only, so as to minimize snagging when moving through brush. 

The webbing strap that holds the buttons can be seen here. This is a VERY strong way of attaching buttons. You'd really have to work hard at screwing these up. 

Somewhat difficult to see here, the three internal pockets. In the top left you can also see the D-ring strap that lets you tie down a piece of equipment inside your cargo pocket. There is also an opening in the top of the flap that lets you insert an item without undoing the flap, but also lets you have something like a map sticking out of the top of your pocket while still having it be relatively secure. 

Yup, made in the US. How often do you see that these days? 

The flap for the rear pockets has the corners taken off, which is a much more attractive option than leaving them squared off, and keeps the corners from sticking out. 

Access to the buttons is generous and easy. Of note, these flaps tuck inside the pockets cleanly so if you prefer, you can run the pockets without the flaps hanging loose. 

 Final thoughts

I'm very pleased overall with the Force 10 ACs. The material is relatively quiet and very comfortable, with a good DWR coating that means rapid drying and very little water retention. For hot-weather use, you'd be hard-pressed to use a better fabric. The cut and design is also extremely well-done and provides almost no restriction to your movement. I also absolutely love the pocket layout, and even though my wife isn't a fan... I find the pants to be quite good-looking. At 99 dollars retail, they're not cheap, but I challenge you to find a better pant that is made in the US, with the same features and quality of construction.
Now, that being said, I do have a few things I'd like to see improved upon.
The aforementioned D-ring issue, which would be an easy fix, but I would also really like to see the Force 10s being upgraded to a similar weight ripstop material. I've managed to get some tears in the Force 10s, a hazard with any lightweight material, and it's something I think could be mitigated with a quality ripstop material. It may of course be a trade-off for weight and drape, but I think it would be a worthwhile upgrade.
And that's basically it. Other than those two minor niggles, I couldn't be happier with these and I would highly recommend you look into these for your next pair of hot-weather pants.

Recommended.