Helikon-Tex is a Polish company established in Poland (duh) in 1983, starting out as a military surplus-retailer. In the late 90s, the company saw an opportunity in the market for them to design and develop their own military and paramilitary lines of clothing and gear. The company has not looked back since.
Today we are checking out their Outdoor Tactical (OTP) pants which are made from a lightweight, breathable and moisture-wicking, four-way stretch fabric. The fabric is made up of 93% Nylon and 7% elastane (Spandex). The combination has more superior breath-ability over cotton in warmer environments while still remaining comfortable to the touch. The pants come in a variety of colors including adaptive green, black, khaki, mud brown, navy blue, olive drab, olive green, ral 7013, shadow grey, taiga green, ash grey/black, crimson sky/black, multicam and Pencott wildwood.
As far as sizing, you can get them in every waist size from 30” to 42”, and with regular to tall leg lengths. I am taller, and slightly slimmer so I found the tall leg lengths to be a much better fit. You will find the OTP pants are true to size, which is nice combined with the elastic waist band which will make sure they stay on without suffocating you.
Key features
- Key loops
- Elastic waist with velcro fastener for additional adjustment
- Two key loops, D-ring or karabiner compatible
- Two mesh front pockets with strengthened edges for gear clips
- Two mesh wide back pockets with easy access. Adaptable for dump bag use
- Two slim back pockets for folding knives, flashlights, pistol magazines inside back pockets. Depth-adjustable
- Two mesh thigh cargo pockets with YKK® reverse zipper for documents and small personal belongings
- Two front velcro-closed flapped pockets for smart phone or AR magazine
- Blue-jeans cut to reduce pants sliding down
- Pant leg rears profiled – divided and connected with profiling pleat under the knee
- Reinforced knees with internal kneepad compartments
- Cuffs with cord channels
- YKK® zippered fly
So how well do they perform? I found them to be very nice for a variety of activities ranging from hiking, to day shooting. I like that I can fit the pockets with lots of stuff such as AR magazines and avoid the awkward bulges which also limit mobility. That is largely thanks to the athletic style of fit Helikon-Tex designed the OTP pant to have. They have excellent stretch properties which will ensure you can bend down or take a knee and not feel tightness.
I was also pleasantly surprised to find the OTP pants are waterproof, even if Helikon-Tex does not advertise them as such. If you spill water on the pants, it just glides across them. I do believe Helikon-Tex sprays the pants with some sort of water resistant spray to prevent water from getting in. This will probably wash off and need to be reapplied at some point but it should also be noted the material combination also offers good water resistance. If you do get completely wet, you probably will get water in but at least it will dry up quickly thanks to the material.
The Helikon-Tex OTP pants are designed to be light-weight and breathable so that you would be comfortable in the warmer climates but I found them to be great in milder weather as well. Due to the overall stretchability of these you can easily layer up if needed. This also allows you to use the OTP pants for a variety of activies from hiking, climbing, contractor work, and range days. Not bad for a pair of pants that can be had for $70-90.
In conclusion, Helikon-Tex OTP pants are not going to be the answer for all situations, but for a large variety of them they will have you covered. These are extremely adaptive pants that you can deploy at a great price point. 8.5/10.
Ben 
Smooth