One of the most important things to do when you are on the field is to blend in. Whether we need to openly collect information about our target during a recon phase, or we are executing during the day on an overt entry, having the right clothing that can help you blend it is key, and having that clothing also perform... Well, it’s a tricky combination. Traditional dress pants or chinos can look good and they will help you play the part, however, when it comes to performance, they don’t often deliver.
In our search for better gear, better kit, we discovered Bluffworks, and their ready for anything Chinos
©Bluffworks
Bluff work Chinos combine technical performance with office ready looks. They are made of quick drying and wrinkle resistant materials with a set of features that will provide the traveller, or in our case the man on the ground, with mobility oriented construction (such as gusseted crotch and stretch fabrics) and concealment features (such as hidden zippered pockets). These pants look like a traditional wool pair that you can wear with a button shirt and a jacket, but they are made with modern, performance oriented fabric. In our book, this was something we needed to try.
We took them to Europe during our latest project, and the colors, coupled with their tailored fit, made these pants the perfect fit to blend in on the corporate world in Europe.
The list of features include:
- wrinkle resistant
- lightweight and breathable
- moisture wicking
- quick drying
- hidden pockets zippered security pockets
- Discrete side pocket storage fits most smartphones or your passport
- Can be washed on a washing machine
After 10 days of constant wear, both as a dress and casual pair, we are impressed. We’ve always been advocates of having the right gear for the right job, and having kit that can perform more than one service, allowing your kit to be lighter. In this case, having a pair of pants that can be worn to the office with a dress attire, to a bar in the evening in a casual environment and to the trail if needed (yes the pants will perform there), is a great thing to have. For this trip 2 of us managed to pack only 2 pairs of pants for 10 days, relaying on these chinos to provide the service.
We washed the pants in the hotel and, although, they did came out of the wash a little wrinkled, it was just a matter of splashing a bit of water and laying them flat under the backpack for a couple of hours and they were good as new.
Two things to mention. First, the Chinos have a tailored-fit. They are slim, not skinny, but they are very slim. They have an european look. We all workout in the team and we were ok, however some people might find them very tight. Bluffworks also makes regular fit pants, that still look sharp and provide the same level of performance. The second thing worth noting is the heat factor. While these pants breath and they do it well, they are still synthetic, under a lot of exertion they are hot. We had to run while tailing one of the executives we were trying to red team, and after a while it was hot. Not a big deal, they do dry fast but it’s worth mentioning.
Overall we are all very impressed. The fit, the performance, the easy of care and the adaptation these pants provide are great.
Browse their website and check some of the stories and other pictures there.
They were kind enough to give all Red Teams reader a 10% discount. Use the code PROREDTEAM for all the new items.
Highly recommended.