5.11 Question

The strap is actually on the rear right hand pocket and was intented as a means to carry a two-way radio. Some manufacturers place a spring loaded clip on the radio. The strap allows the radio to fit into the pocket yet still be accessible as the clip goes over the strap. Other uses are to hold handcuffs or hook your hearing protectors on to while at the gun range. You won't lose your "ears" while you bend down and pick up brass, but you will look pretty silly with them hanging off your @55. Hope this helps.

Makes sense. I'd assumed something to do with hancuffs, but the radio makes a lot of sense. Thanks!

Also you can latch a Carabinier to it with... well whatever you have on your Carabiner.

The original Royal Robbins pants were designed for climbers and therefore the strap was used to hold carabiners. For some reason the FBI started wearing them at Quantico and now all law enforcement uses them. But originally they were designed for climbing not for crime fighting.

I use the strap when i have a small fixed blade in a sheath on my riggers belt, i put the sheath behind the strap keeping it partialy in the butt pocket, that way when you wear a t-shirt or other garment over your pants no one will see the knife.

Other uses include cliping a carabiner with a set of keys on it, although i prefer to have them on a grimlock on my right side belt loop.

The strap is also handy for putting newspapers behind since the butt pocket is deep enought to house one.

Now that I've been wearing them for a little while (and discovered I prefer the Classic Tacticals MUCH more than the Covert Khakis) I've figure My use for the strap.

I keep my key keeper on it, so that the key hang low enough that I can tuck them into the pocket, reducing the noise they make significantly. I usually keep my radio on it as well because the clip doesn't snag as bad when I pull them. Must have something to do with the thickness of the material...

When wearing 5.11 pants, I use that strap to add more security to my holster. I will wear my holster on my belt, and then tuck the holster behind the strap.