I bought these pants as well as a pair of&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/5-11-74273-Men-s-TacLite-Pro-Pant/dp/B005L7YQ6G/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">5.11 #74273 Men's TacLite Pro Pant</a>. Both are good quality pants, but I prefer the Blackhawk pants.

As far as comfort I found them both about the same. They both fit well in the waist but were not too tight. I've been hiking in mountainous areas in both pants and they were both loose enough to not be restrictive when you need freedom of movement. The material of both pants was breathable. I just went on a trip to Death Valley and while it was "only" around 100F this time of year I never felt my legs get very hot in either pants. Both seem to be well constructed and made of quality material. As for carry space, both have four large cargo pockets on the front and back about where your normal jean pockets would be located. The front ones are open and the rear ones have a single small patch of Velcro in the middle. Both pants also have a cargo pocket on the side of each leg with a flap that Velcros shut to totally close the pocket. In addition both have a small utility pocket on the front of each leg (middle of your quads) about the size of an iPhone. On the Blackhawk both of these pockets have a Velcro flap to be completely shut. On the 5.11 the left pocket is like that, but the right one is just a slit with no flap on top and is clearly meant to hold an ID card, driver's license, or credit card sized item. Both pants also have a small loop on the right front just under the belt line you can use to attach a lanyard. The Blackhawk's loop is made of cord while the 5.11 is metal.

In addition to the pockets mentioned above the Blackhawk also has a small zipper pocket located just above the right rear cargo pocket. This lets you securely put your wallet in its "normal" place and not have to worry about it coming out of the large cargo pocket. Additionally, the Blackhawk has a zipper pocket right behind the right front cargo pocket to allow secure storage of small items there. Also, the Blackhawk has a small zipper pocket on the side of each of the leg cargo pockets for even MORE secure storage of small items. Do you see the trend? For me the additional zipper pockets make the Blackhawk a clear winner. I love the large cargo front and back pockets, but if you really get to moving around or pulling other things out of them I can see small items falling out so its nice to have those extra zipper pockets.

Obviously both companies make other styles of pants so this is not meant to elevate one company over the other but since these are the two pants I have in hand that is what I reviewed. Also, depending on your particular needs the 5.11 pants still might be better for you. While one brand may serve you better I don't think you will be disappointed in either.