We all know that military technology eventually trickles down to the consumer sector. GPS, microwaves, the internet, digital photography, and even duct tape all began with defense applications.

One of these that's often overlooked is cargo pants. A British invention from 1938, they met World War II's need for British troops to carry maps, extra ammunition and medical supplies.

American paratroopers adopted them shortly thereafter; because these soldiers jumped out of planes wearing anywhere from 70 to 160 pounds of kit, being able to distribute some of the load into leg pockets was a welcome innovation.

Throughout the 1950s, '60s and '70s, cargo pants were something civilians could only find in an Army-Navy store. But in the 1980s they entered mainstream fashion, propelled by hikers, outdoorspeople and fashionistas seeking novelty.

Here in 2025, we're now seeing the most extreme version of cargo pants yet. An Italian company called Minimal Organised Wear (MOW) acknowledges that "we've come to rely on expensive electronic devices that accompany us everywhere, yet we often lack the protection and organisation they demand," they write. The company's mission is to "embrace the challenges of water, weather, and unpredictability to design extreme waterproof solutions tailored to modern nomadism."

MOW's solution is these Caligo All-Terrain Travel Adventure Pants. They feature no less than 18 freaking pockets, which can carry objects as large as camera lenses and 10-inch tablets.

There's even an RFID-blocking pocket for carrying sensitive gear.

The pants are lightweight and breathable, being made from ripstop nylon, and feature weatherproof YKK zippers. MOW says the pants are durable and can stand up to harsh weather conditions, and that they've both used recycled material to create the pants and that they are themselves fully recyclable.

Here are some examples of the extreme stuff they can carry:

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Demand for these is startlingly high. They've been successfully Kickstarted with over $160,000 in pledges at press time, with 2 days left to pledge. Buy-in starts at €95 (USD $104) and they expect to ship in September.