REVIEW: Crye Precision Combat Pants AC and G3

So we organized a meeting of the generations. The one on the left is actually older than the one on the right. This also applies to the pants (don't be confused by the joke, you can't see the top part of the picture). In the picture, you can see Crye Precision twice from the front and back. The one on the left is the AC Pant - so to speak, Generation II - and the one on the right is the G3 - as the name suggests, Generation III. SPARTANAT explains to you what the difference is. (All images clickable for enlargement.)

"Butt to Butt" and off we go: The AC Pant on the left has a nicely padded top edge. The G3 is not padded, but it has Velcro and a plastic strip that allows the waistband to be adjusted by five centimeters in width. The pocket on the AC is slanted, while on the G3 it's more straight. What you can see a bit poorly here is the biggest visual difference between the AC and G3 (we'll encounter it again at the knee): The Four-Way Stretch expansion joint is khaki on the AC and Multicam on the G3. You can see here that the AC has back pockets with Velcro flaps, while the G3 back pockets have zippers. (Both the expansion joint and back pockets are clearly visible in the header photo of the article, where both are seen from behind.)

There have been some changes in the knee pad suspension as well: AC has a fabric band in the upper front pocket, which serves for height adjustment. G3 has opted for Shock Cord in the thigh pocket directly above the knee area. The pull path has been shortened.

Pocket configuration: The large thigh pocket on the AC is partially to the back, while on the G3 it has moved forward and is vertically adjacent to the front thigh pocket. The interior also looks different. The G3 Pant has an elastic band with which you can attach the popular 0.5 liter plastic water bottles. In the G3, it can be seen that from the top edge of the thigh pocket, the edge of a knife pocket also emerges. A pocket knife with a clip can be inserted here.

Knees together twice: As announced, you can see here very well the biggest visual difference between the two pants, the Four-Way-Stretch in khaki on the AC and Multicam on the G3. Since it has been shown that there are people who like to wear the pants without knee pads (they sweat under them), the opening that accommodates the pads on the G3 can be securely closed extra.

There have also been some changes down below, the small pocket on the lower leg has been raised higher and provided with two Velcro instead of one.

CONCLUSION: The pants from Crye Precision are currently the benchmark and are often copied. In their original form, they are tactically designed trousers for combat with integrated knee pads. Crye has put an end to the eternal slipping of knee pads that are never where they should be. With the AC and G3 sets (we'll take a look at the tops in a future review), Crye Precision has actually revolutionized combat uniforms, set a new standard, and shown that clothing can also be cleverly designed.

If you want to get the pants from Germany, you can order them from SEUL Military Consulting. The AC Combat Pant costs 205 euros there, and the G3 Combat Pant costs 235 euros.