BT’s Professional pants feature industry-first hard rubber molded knees coupled with serious padding and adjustment straps that position the knee pad where it should be, regardless of your height. Flex panels add comfort and venting.
There are 1 photos of this product, click on a thumbnail to browse the gallery.
Empire Battle Tested - PRO Pants Reviews
Empire Battle Tested PRO PantsAfter 5 years of constant use, my Tru-Spec MARPAT BDU pants finally tore up, and I was in the market for a new pair of paintball pants. I wanted something with a similar pattern and also wanted...
After 5 years of constant use, my Tru-Spec MARPAT BDU pants finally tore up, and I was in the market for a new pair of paintball pants. I wanted something with a similar pattern and also wanted something that would better protect my knees. The BDU pants I was using had pockets sewn into the inside of the knees to store pads, but these pads had to be pretty thin. I've tried using other kneepads in the past for construction, skateboarding, or paintball-specific pads, but all of them were very constricting, a hassle to put on, and usually slid around as I was running, meaning that when I put my knee down to the ground I could rarely count on protection actually being there.
I found the solution in the BT Professional Paintball Pants. Although the price tag is very steep, these being some of the most expensive pants on the market, my local store had them on sale for $90, and I justified the price by figuring that for this price you get both the pants and a nice pair of kneepads.
My first impressions were not completely positive. The pads are hard rubber and not terribly flexible, which makes walking feel very strange at first. This took some getting used to but after 5 months of use they feel very natural and I don't notice the pads at all. I bought the size large pants, since that was what was on sale, and they were pretty tight. I had about a 42 size waist at the time but have since lost a good bit of weight to around a 37, and they fit much better now.
The pants have an integrated adjustable belt and close with two snap buttons on a flap that folds across the waist. I've always gone ahead and worn another belt over this through the loops. Unlike BDU pants the fly is an easier to open zippered type with an extra velcro enclosure over that. The crotch and the back of the knees are made of a stretchy material and while the official materials claim that the crotch is padded I don't see any padding other than the triple-thick material created by the fly. http://img198.imageshack.us/img198/6053/pants2001.jpghttp://img198.imageshack.us/img198/p....jpg/1/w80.png
The pockets on the pants are very useful. It has the usual forward slash pockets which are plenty deep enough to secure my keys and cellphone. The rear pockets are zippered, which is a nice feature to keep your wallet in place. There are also a pair of rear squeegee pockets that allow quick access to your swabs. There are another pair of larger pockets at the hips that I have found useful for storing a grenade and a point-and-shoot camera. These pockets close with a hard snap "Fastex™" encolsure which is nice but prone to breaking paintballs, as you can see. http://img138.imageshack.us/img138/9164/pants002.jpghttp://img138.imageshack.us/img138/p....jpg/1/w80.png http://img683.imageshack.us/img683/4374/pants003.jpghttp://img683.imageshack.us/img683/p....jpg/1/w80.png
The real star of the show are the kneepads. I can't stress how much more enjoyable paintball has been since using these pads. I play mostly indoor and urban fields and had been used to spending Mondays and Tuesdays at work favouring my skinned and bruised knees. No more. The pads are thick rubber with a chunky neoprene pad on the inside that lets me drop down with confidence on concrete and gravel, or slide like a greased eel across the astroturf floor at the field. The great thing is that because they're integrated into the pants themselves they're not going to slide around as you're moving. There are two straps to each pad that keep them flush against your leg, and while they don't bother me while I'm playing I've found that undoing these straps makes walking and driving a little more comfortable when I'm not going to use the pads. http://img198.imageshack.us/img198/9964/pants011.jpghttp://img198.imageshack.us/img198/p....jpg/1/w80.png
When I first wore the pants it was at the indoor field when the outside temperature was around 90 degrees. The pants felt pretty hot, especially compared to my old baggy BDU pants. There are vents along the sides of the legs, and the bottoms of the cuffs zip up to provide additional venting and to let you wear them over boots, but I found that this venting only worked when I was moving. If I stood in one place for too long they tended to heat up pretty good, and didn't seem to breathe as well as cotton. http://img138.imageshack.us/img138/6571/pants005.jpghttp://img138.imageshack.us/img138/p....jpg/1/w60.png http://img684.imageshack.us/img684/5996/pants2002.jpghttp://img684.imageshack.us/img684/p....jpg/1/w80.png
Although they're advertised as having a "woodland digital" pattern, the BT pants are not an exact match for MARPAT. The BT pattern is a little darker and a little more green and less brown than the marine pattern, and no where near close to ACU or Multicam. BT's own jerseys match this pattern, as do certain Invert and Empire jerseys that advertise a "woodland digital" pattern. One of the nicer things about the nylon material of these pants is that it means that it's not going to fade in the wash like my cotton pants did, which should keep them nice and dark. The instructions say to hand-wash these things only, but I've washed them twice and let them drip dry. They seem to be holding up just fine so far. http://img138.imageshack.us/img138/1513/pants008.jpghttp://img138.imageshack.us/img138/p....jpg/1/w80.png http://img717.imageshack.us/img717/3958/camo4.jpg
So, to sum things up, the BT Professional Pants are an excellent choice for those looking for the absolute best in knee protection. If you regularly find yourself kneeling or sliding on gravel, concrete, or packed earth I would strongly consider looking into these, but would also urge you to try them on first; the pads can feel unusual and take a bit of getting used to. http://www.btpaintball.com/images/pr...t_propants.png
This review has been rated:
Currently 5/5 stars.
Empire Battle Tested PRO PantsThese pants are very adjustable and will fit me for many years to come. I believe this justifies the high cost. Kneepads are great, durable, and stay in place well due to built in velcro...
These pants are very adjustable and will fit me for many years to come. I believe this justifies the high cost. Kneepads are great, durable, and stay in place well due to built in velcro restraining straps. Plenty of pockets for scenario gear and every seam is reinforced and incredibly strong. There are zippered compartments along the side of the pants that when opened, reveal mesh used to stay cool during the summer months. The pattern of the pants looks great and does not fade at all. The fabric does not rip, despite being dragged through thick thorns. Very much worth the cost. The kneepads alone make these pants great.
This review has been rated:
Currently 0/5 stars.
Empire Battle Tested PRO PantsOne of the best pair of pants i've owned. They look good and they feel great one. The camo is really nice, and the zippers are good quality.
Great product.
One of the best pair of pants i've owned. They look good and they feel great one. The camo is really nice, and the zippers are good quality.
Great product.
