I started shooting competitively in 2014 when I was in college at Florida State University. I remember looking for range leggings for women that were comfortable, durable, and designed with belt loops and side pockets. At the time, the only product on the market was the Raven Range Capris by 5.11 Tactical, but there were no external pockets. I wore these for a couple of years, and my only complaint was how thick the material was for shooting in the summer months. I still have two pairs of those capris, and I have never ripped a seam, busted a belt loop, or created a hole in the material. Durability is one thing 5.11 has always gotten right.

Range Gear Built to Last: 5.11 Athene Leggings

While plenty of tactical pants existed for women because of the military and law enforcement demand for women’s clothing, more comfortable and casual range pants were hard to find. It took years for the market to see a need for leggings, and most of those legging designs have been a major disappointment. I have tried every type of shooting range leggings on Earth, and I can rank them from best to worst. Too many brands use thin, see-through fabric, don’t include belt loops in their designs, don’t make them long enough, or will sew in uncomfortable belly band style holster pockets with Velcro grip straps. It wasn’t until this year that I finally found the one legging to rule them all.

At SHOT Show 2025, 5.11 Tactical finally released the Athene Leggings. They are everything a women’s range legging should be. Here are five reasons that make these leggings superior to others:

1. Quality Side Pockets

The Athene Leggings feature two deep thigh pockets to store your cell phone, keys, wallet, ChapStick, and more. I also love that the side pockets are sewn with a thick edge to clip on a knife or flashlight. Most other women’s range leggings with side pockets do not have a thick edge, and I have easily had knives, multitools, and small flashlights slide off, performing the most basic of functions: bending down to pick something up. I recently competed in a 3-Gun shooting competition wearing these leggings, and I am happy to report that nothing fell out of my pockets. In this competition, we were required to climb a 20-foot A-frame, shoot from multiple windows out of a full-size school bus, shoot a rifle prone, jump up to retrieve the shotgun, start shooting, and do even more physical activities.

2. Sturdy Belt Loops

The belt loops on any women’s range legging need to be compatible with sturdy tactical, competition, or concealment belts such as Safariland ELS, KORE Essentials, or Nexbelt. They also need to be able to hold all your gear when you’re fully loaded up. I have tested these leggings wearing my holstered Nighthawk BDS9 pistol (which weighs a few pounds), fully loaded 170mm-long pistol magazines, loaded 30-round rifle magazines, and fully loaded, clipped-on 20-round shotgun magazines. These belt loops fit my Safariland ELS belt and easily supported all my gear, fully loaded through every crazy physical stage I shot.

3. Comfortable, Durable, and Purpose-Built Material

When I first tried them on, I sighed with relief at how soft and comfortable the material felt. Comfort is one thing, and while they are, I had to ensure they would also be practical to wear. My first test was the mobility test. I physically ran around my hotel room, squatted, performed lunges, went from prone to standing, and tried to recreate every motion I might perform in a shooting competition. They were easy to move around in, thanks to the 77% nylon and 23% elastane fabric.

My second test was more important, and that was the see-through test. I think every woman has experienced the nightmare of buying leggings only to find out, usually in a public setting, that those leggings aren’t thick enough to wear as pants. The material is thick enough that there is no chance someone can see through them, but not too dense to be uncomfortable or overly warm.

Finally, I took them to the range to see how they handled dirt, mud, and sweat, and eventually tested them in snow and rain. The Athene Leggings are moisture-wicking and are finished with Silvadur, an antimicrobial, anti-odor technology. I didn’t have any issues of getting dirt trapped in them, nor did I have any sweat build up because of how well the material dries. While I am ready to have multiple pairs of these leggings for hygiene’s sake, I competed in a two-day 3 Gun competition for 6-10 hours each day without any odor issues.

4. Concealment Stretch Pockets

Internally, stretch pockets are sewn into the front and back of the leggings, providing less visible options for storing valuables or concealing a small pistol. These pockets are not designed for full-size handguns but would work with micro-compact pistols such as the Glock 43, Mossberg MC2SC, the new S&W CSX, or the Kimber Micro 9 Rapide, to name a few options. 5.11 states that you can get extra holster retention when used with Velcro.

5. High-Waisted with Strategically Placed Belt Loops

Who doesn’t prefer a high waist, especially when wearing leggings, to get a bit more stomach control? The Athene Leggings are high-waisted with the belt loops positioned lower and not sewn at the top of the legging. This ensures the belt sits at the proper height, which is crucial for a correct draw from a holster. Other manufacturers of women’s leggings designed high-waisted leggings but kept the belt loops at the top, making it extremely awkward to draw your pistol from IWB or OWB.

Time to Shop: 5.11 Athene Leggings

I’m excited about all the progress 5.11 Tactical has made in designing clothing for women specifically. I am a big fan of 5.11 because of the quality of their products, the customer service, and how everything they make is practical for EDC or competition. The 5.11 Athene Leggings are a huge win for women, especially those who compete and seek leggings that can keep up. The MSRP is $98, available in black and sizes XS-2XL.