Where Can You Buy Women's Tactical Pants in Petite, Tall, and Plus Sizes?

You can buy women's tactical pants in petite, tall and plus sizes from tactical brand websites, public safety uniform suppliers and your department's uniform contract, but no single source carries every range in every style. The best approach is to know your three key measurements, check which inseams and size range each brand actually makes, and plan on hemming when length is the only problem.

Finding a pair that fits is hard enough at an average height and a mid-range size. For women who are 5'4" and under, 5'9" and over, or above a size 16, the options shrink fast, and many end up in men's pants or pinned hems. At MGT Gear, we design duty pants for women's bodies, and this guide covers where to look, how each size range differs and what to do when your size is not on the shelf.

Petite, Tall and Plus: What Is the Difference?

Petite and tall describe your height and leg length, while plus describes your proportions. That distinction matters, because the fix for each is different.

Standard women's sizing in the U.S. is built on body measurement tables for the misses figure type. ASTM International's standard tables for adult female misses cover sizes 00 through 20 and give manufacturers a baseline for patterns in that range. Plus sizes are typically patterned on separate proportions, which is why simply grading a misses pattern larger often leaves gaps at the waist or pulling at the seat.

Petite Women's Tactical Pants

Petite women usually need two things a regular pant gets wrong: length and rise. A regular inseam bunches over the boot and frays under the heel, and a regular rise can sit too high, so the waistband rides up under a duty belt. Knee shaping also lands below the knee, which makes kneeling awkward.

If a brand offers a short inseam, start there. If it does not, a regular pant can be hemmed, but hemming only fixes length. If the rise and knees are also too long, a petite-specific cut will fit better than any amount of tailoring.

Tall Women's Tactical Pants

Tall women face the opposite problem: hems that float above the boot and ride up further when kneeling, and a rise that is too short, so the back of the waistband drops when you squat. Look for a long or tall inseam, and check the rise measurement if the brand lists it.

Do not size up to gain length. A bigger size adds width at the waist and hips as well, which creates a gap and a loose seat without fixing the length problem for good.

Plus-Size Women's Tactical Pants

Plus-size women need room through the hips, seat and thighs without a waistband that gaps or digs in. Check that a brand's chart lists hip measurements, not only waist, and that its larger sizes were drafted for a fuller figure. Stretch through the seat and a waistband with some give at the back both help with movement and comfort through a long shift.

Size labels vary widely. One brand's 18 can be another brand's 20, and some brands use W sizes for plus. Always compare your actual waist and hip measurements to the chart.

Where to Look for Extended Sizes

Different sources carry different ranges, so it pays to check more than one:

If your department issues pants and your size is not available, ask your supervisor or quartermaster about a special order or an approved alternative. Many agencies have a process for this, and documenting a fit problem helps the next woman who needs the same size.

Measure Before You Shop

Extended sizing makes accurate measurements more important, not less. Before you order, measure:

1:-Natural waist: around the narrowest part of your torso, snug but not tight.

2:-Hips: around the fullest part of your hips and seat.

3:-Inseam: on a pair of pants that fits you well, from the crotch seam to the hem, with your duty boots in mind.

Compare all three to each product's own chart. Our guide on how to measure yourself for women's tactical pants walks through each step.

If your waist and hips land in different sizes, fit your hips first. A pattern built for women's proportions should then keep the waist snug. If the back still gaps, the cut is wrong for you, a problem we cover in why women's tactical pants gap at the waist.

When to Hem and When to Keep Looking

Hem when length is the only problem. If the waist, hips, seat and rise fit and the hem is simply too long, a tailor can shorten tactical pants for a modest cost. Have them hemmed while you wear your duty boots.

Keep looking when the rise or knees are also wrong. If the waistband sits at the wrong height, the knee shaping lands well above or below your knee, or the pants only close when you size up, hemming will not fix it. That is a sign you need a different inseam or a different cut.

Does MGT Gear Carry Petite, Tall or Plus Sizes?

MGT Gear's Women's Tactical Pants and Workwear Pants come in sizes 2 to 18 with two inseams, Regular 31-inch and Long 33-inch, on one women-first, mid-rise fit with an elastic back. We do not currently make a petite-specific, tall-specific or plus (W) line.

Here is who that range serves well:

1:-Shorter women: the Regular 31-inch inseam can be hemmed, and the hems can be tailored for your height. For reference, our product model is 5'6" and wears a Regular 31-inch.

2:-Taller women: the Long 33-inch inseam adds two inches over Regular. Our post on choosing a 31-inch or 33-inch inseam helps you decide.

3:-Curvier and fuller figures up to size 18: the pattern gives room through the hips, seat and thighs, so you do not need to size up for your hips. Our grouped size guide runs up to a 38 to 40 inch waist and 48 to 50 inch hips at size 18.

If your measurements fall outside that range, or you need an inseam longer than 33 inches, we would rather tell you now than have you order a pair that will not work. If you are close to the edge of a range, email our support team with your waist, hip and inseam measurements for a personal recommendation before you buy. You can see both styles in our women's duty pants collection.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can tactical pants be hemmed?

Yes. Most tactical pants can be hemmed by a tailor. Bring your duty boots so the hem rests correctly on the boot. Hemming fixes length but not rise or knee placement.

Should I size up to get longer tactical pants?

No. Sizing up adds width at the waist, hips and seat along with length. Choose a longer inseam option instead, so the rest of the pant still fits.

What size range counts as plus size?

It varies by brand. Many brands start plus or W sizing around a 14 or 16, while others extend their regular numbered sizes instead. Go by the measurements on each brand's chart, not the label.

What if my department does not stock my size?

Ask your supervisor or quartermaster about a special order or an approved alternative brand. Write down your measurements and the sizes you tried, so the request is specific.

Do petite tactical pants have a shorter rise?

A true petite cut usually shortens the rise and moves the knee shaping up as well as shortening the inseam. A regular pant that is simply hemmed keeps the regular rise.

Find Your Fit

The right pants for petite, tall and plus-size women start with honest measurements and a brand that lists every inseam and size it makes. If you fit within sizes 2 to 18 and a 31-inch or 33-inch inseam, start with a pant patterned for women from the beginning.Try MGT Gear's Women's Tactical Pants, with room through the hips, seat and thighs at your true size and hems that can be tailored to your height. Eligible returns are accepted within 30 days, so you can check the fit at home in your boots and belt.