So...
I hope it doesn't come across as condescending - to the contrary, I'd love to help if I can. However, I'd like to pose the following questions as part of a serious recommendation:
-You say that since you are not military, you "cant just grab some Crye's" and go; you also state that one of the reqs is that you cannot use a US camo pattern.
Is that a formal requirement from your terms of employment or is it your your own choice and preference?
-If it is a formal requirement then I would also ask if there is a SPECIFIC dress code that you are expected to meet. If there is a specific dress code or an "unofficial" commonality among the folks you will be working with, then I would definitely get with some of them to see what is already in use and where your prospective team mates are currently buying their gear.
In my years coming and going, we had lots of different contractors attached to my ODA's and AOB's and it was more than common for them to wear civilian purchased Crye in camo patterns similar to what we were issued in the Army. Equally noteworthy - there are old camo patterns that the US has used in the past that are no longer "US Pattern" and that are now being used by other countries. I've seen Iraqi's using old school US desert camo and tons of Afghans using old school woodland camo. If you have flexibility, you could save a ton by hitting an old Army/Navy surplus store and finding some good fatigue pants in an out-of-use camo pattern. Depending on where you are going to be working, you could even grab some non-US camo patterns. The
Kuiu Hunting Pants that amlove21 mentioned also have knee pad options if knee pads are an absolute.
I would always assume that durability is a given if you are looking for "combat-type" pants but there are degrees of durability based on the practical application. If you are doing dynamic PMC work in one environment "combat style" pants might need to have a different level of functionality than if you are doing static security work or serving as a trainer. When I first left service, I did training on a military contract; I wasn't out patrolling or doing security work - but when I was doing small arms training, it was certainly appropriate to have some good tactical pants that allowed me to demonstrate what I was teaching. My "go to" was nothing more complicated than a few pairs of
5.11 Cargo pants - I had black, tan, green, and khaki as well as an old pair of old OD green Army issue field pants. I also had a few pairs of fly by night cargo pants that weren't any tougher than a pair of tacticool chinos. I normally only wore those when I was pacing back and forth in a class room trying to keep people from falling asleep on me.
The 2" belt loop requirement seems like it could be negotiable. The standard width of most "rigger belts" made out of A7 cargo straps is only 1.75 inches and its cheaper to buy a new belt than it is to limit your choices of good pants because of belt width.
The knee pad inserts seem like another requirement that might be a bit negotiable depending on the available selection of pants. I've been issued pants that had those knee pad inserts and I hated them. I thought they were uncomfortable, and in situations where it was appropriate to have increased knee and elbow protection, I was also issued knee/elbow protection that was far better than the small bit of padding that fits into the knee of a pair of pants. If the knee pad capability is a hard and fast preference or requirement and you aren't worried about the price, then there is always the gold standard
G3 Cryes - but they are five times the price of a good pair of 511's. Crye's were great when the Army was buying them - not so great if I had to buy them myself. Just stay away form the standard US Issued Multicam color and you should be good to go. A slightly cheaper (but still way too expensive for me) is the
Vertx Recon Pants -they also have removable knee pads for half the price as Cryes.
Hope that helps a bit..
