Protective garment with tourniquet

1. A protective garment comprising:

a waist portion adapted to be donned proximate the waist of a wearer and first and second leg portions extending from a waist portion to at least proximate a knee portion of the wearer;

a tourniquet member attached to an inner surface of at least one of said first and second leg portions;

wherein said tourniquet member comprises:

an outer strap formed into a closed loop and having a plurality of loop openings;

an inner strap interwoven through said plurality of loop openings;

tightening means for reducing a circumference of said inner strap such that said inner strap tightens around a portion of the leg of the wearer.

2. A protective garment according to claim 1 , wherein said tightening means comprises a handle member and said inner strap includes first and second ends extending from respective loop openings on said outer strap and fixed to said handle member; whereby twisting of said handle member results in said reducing of said circumference of said inner strap.

3. A protective garment according to claim 1 , wherein said tourniquet member is removably attached to said inner surface.

4. A protective garment according to claim 3 , wherein said tourniquet member detaches from said inner surface upon tightening of said inner strap.

5. A protective garment according to claim 4 , wherein said tourniquet member is attached to said inner surface using one of stitching and hook and loop fasteners.

6. A protective garment according to claim 1 , further comprising

at least one pocket sized and otherwise dimensioned to removeably receive a ballistic protection panel therein;

at least one ballistic protection panel configured to fit within each of said at least one pockets;

wherein said protective garment is configured to be worn over existing pants and extend from a position covering the pelvic region of a wearer to a position proximate the knee region of the wearer.

7. A protective garment according to claim 6 , wherein said at least one pocket comprises two pockets and said at least one ballistic protection panel comprises two panels configured to fit within said two pockets; wherein said two pockets include:

i. a first pocket configured to overlap the groin region of the wearer;

ii. a second pocket having an opening on an underside of the groin region of the wearer; said second pocket extending substantially across an inner thigh region of the wearer and up to the pelvic region of the wearer.

8. A protective garment according to claim 7 , wherein said two panels include:

i. a first panel configured to fit within said first pocket and overlap the groin region of the wearer;

ii. a second panel configured to fit within said second pocket; wherein said second panel is sized and otherwise dimensioned to extend across the inner thigh region of the wearer and around the buttocks region of the wearer.

9. A protective garment according to claim 8 , wherein said second pocket includes at least one first portion of a hook and loop fastener and said second pocket includes at least one second portion of a hook and loop fastener to attach said second panel in a fixed position within said second pocket.

10. A protective garment according to claim 8 , wherein said second panel is a flexible panel configured to be positioned across the inner thigh regions of a wearer and over a portion of the front and back portions of the leg of a wearer.

11. A protective garment according to claim 8 , wherein said second panel extends to overlap the sacrum and ilium regions of the wearer.

12. A protective garment according to claim 6 , wherein said position proximate the knee comprises a position approximately four inches below the knee covering the upper tibia of the knee.

13. A protective garment according to claim 6 , wherein each of said pockets are provided on an interior surface of the shorts.

14. A protective garment according to claim 6 , further comprising a waistband supported by inner belt loops formed on an interior surface of the shorts, proximate a top region of the shorts.

15. A protective garment according to claim 6 , further comprising a closing means on an outer seam from a rear upper thigh region through a bottom of the shorts to permit the wearer to don and/or doff the shorts while wearing boots; wherein said closing means is selected from the group consisting of a zipper, snap connectors, and hook and loop fasteners, and wherein said closing means is generally aligned with the hamstring of the wearer.

16. A protective garment according to claim 6 , further comprising elastic cuffing on a bottom side panel.

17. A protective garment according to claim 8 , further comprising an opening in the rear of the pants permitting increased airflow to the wearer.

18. A protective garment according to claim 17 , wherein said opening extends from a position proximate a top edge of the shorts to a position proximate the tailbone of the wearer.

19. A protective garment according to claim 18 , wherein said second panel has an opening formed therein corresponding with said opening in the shorts and said second panel otherwise extends across the entire inner thigh and pelvic region of the wearer.

20. A protective garment according to claim 6 , wherein said at least one pocket includes a set of pockets and said at least one ballistic protection panel includes a corresponding set of ballistic protection panels; said set of pockets comprises:

i. at least one sacrum pocket configured to overlap the sacrum region of the wearer;

ii. a least one ilium pocket configured to overlap each ilium region of the wearer.

21. A protective garment according to claim 20 , wherein said set of pockets further comprises:

iii. at least one inner thigh pocket configured to overlap an inner thigh region of the wearer.

22. A protective garment according to claim 20 , wherein said set of pockets further comprises:

iv. at least one outer thigh pocket configured to overlap an outer thigh region of the wearer.

23. A protective garment according to claim 20 , further comprising a closing means on an outer seam from a rear upper thigh region through a bottom of the shorts to permit the wearer to don and/or doff the shorts while wearing boots; wherein said closing means is selected from the group consisting of a zipper, snap connectors, and hook and loop fasteners.