Ultimate Pants?

[workathome]

Look dressy but using adventure-clothing material, plus lots of hidden pockets.

bluffworks.com

http://www.divergenttravelers.com/mans- ... rks-pants/

~$100/each, and appear impossible to find used/third-party because they were created by a Kickstarter startup.

[JL13]

Thanks for the tip, I've really been needing a pair of pants that'll handle bike-commuting in iffy weather. I might try these out and report back.

[Pronoid]

I actually bought 2 pairs of these and got rid of all my other pants and jeans. They are the piece of my minimalism puzzle to someday fit everything I own in a backpack. I ride my bike to work wearing them and a button down and it looks great. Then I can wear them on the weekends with a regular tshirt/polo and it still looks fine. They are very well made and I am quite happy with the purchase. I've worn many dress pants in my time and these feel way sturdier than any other I've tried.

Even better, since I handwash/hang dry all of my clothes, these dry in a few hours tops. I was very impressed the first time washing and drying them.

[C40]

How long do you think they will last, Iwantless?

[Pronoid]

I've been wearing them exclusively through my normal daily routine for the past 2-3 weeks and they still look like the day I bought them. I have an athletic/muscular build which means I usually wear through seams pretty easily from biking and walking everywhere, but these pants are still solid so far. They are the best multiuse pant that I've owned. Only downside is cost. But I felt like it was a good deal as long as they hold up, which they have been. I bet they'll last for a long while.

[jacob]

More than 2 years?

[workathome]

This guy wore a pair exclusively for 3 months on a trip:

http://www.halfwayanywhere.com/reviews/ ... vel-pants/

[Pronoid]

I could easily see them lasting 2+ years. They aren't a typical soft dress pant. Kinda hard to explain. They are still very nice but not super delicate. The stitching also seems heavy duty.

[theanimal]

Outlier and some other companies makes a similar style pair for a much higher price, so this seems like a pretty good deal if they're durable.

See:http://shop.outlier.cc/retail/pants/

[tommytebco]

I have several pair of convertible hiking pants that I wear everywhere. The best pair is slate gray. They have cargo pockets. They convert to Bermuda length shorts. they are cotton/nylon blend. I have worn this pair for a month hiking and several times a month for nearly a year. They still look pretty good.The brand is Columbia.

wore this pair to Mexico for a month (only trousers I brought) they were perfectly adequate.

I usually buy here, when on sale for $20 or $30.
http://www.campmor.com/outdoor/gear/Sub ... _200368501

[Pronoid]

The more highly reviewed outlier pants like the Slim Dungarees seem to be quite popular. I have personally never been able to fit in a pair of skinny jeans so all of their pants ended up not being an option. I even emailed their rep to see if the waist could be tailored if I sized up and they basically said they never tried and never heard of anyone doing so. With that, the Bluffworks pants were the clear winner especially with the price factor. Bluffworks are an athletic fit vs skinny jean fit.

So be sure to look at your measurements when looking at the various options.

[arrrrgon]

Amazon sells Carhartt twill work pants in the 40 dollar range that are rugged and dressy. I don't know if they're as rugged as these, but they're on par with my jeans for durability so far (9 months).

[ohcanada]

Carhartt not dressy or quick drying. Convertibles also not dressy.

[workathome]

@IwantLess - Have you found an "ultimate shirt" to go with the pants? I thought this looked promising for a Business casual look:

http://www.exofficio.com/products/detai ... ong-sleeve
http://www.exofficio.com/products/detai ... ong-sleeve

[Pronoid]

@workathome - I personally go for fabrics that are moisture wicking, quick drying, light weight and odor resistant if possible. So that basically means no cotton. Merino wool and synthetics are the main hitters. I've read there are some chemically processed cotton that gains those attributes but I've never tried it.

So with that criteria, I personally would be hesitant on the first link since it is mostly regular cotton. The second has mostly modal, which I'm not too familiar with. From a quick google search, it looks similar to cotton with some other attributes but I'm not certain. I do own Exofficio underwear which has been working great, though.

I have had issues finding inexpensive button down shirts that meet my criteria. I own one from Arcteryx that isn't too bad but I don't know that I would recommend it just yet. I also have a merino wool dress shirt from icebreaker on order to see how well it does that I found on sale. I own merino wool polos and tshirts and they are great. There are various brands of nice merino dress shirts out there but they are all expensive. Like $150-250. I'm not that brave to buy those to test out.

For socks, I have become a fan of the Darn Tough merino socks. I've been wearing smartwool merino socks for the past year but the toes are starting to wear out. I recently got some darn tough ones and they are substantially better made. I haven't gone the distance in them yet but I think they will easily last for several years.

[theanimal]

+1 to Darn Tough socks

[workathome]

@IwantLess - Try mailing your socks back to smart wool. They have a pretty good warranty program. We've had several replaced for holes and never been rejected.

https://www.smartwool.com/marketing/dow ... y_Form.pdf

That said, thanks for the recommendations! I will check out Darn Tough next time.

[m741]

I don't know whether Darn Tough is better made than Smart Wool, since I don't own Smart Wool socks. But I've torn through the toes of Darn Tough socks after about a year of wear. Will be mailing them in soon.

[JL13]

+1 on merino wool shirts. They last a long time as you can wear them multiple times between washes. I'm on year three of one Smartwool shirt that I wear probably 4 days out of the week.

[Spartan_Warrior]

$100? Whoa. Too pricey.

After careful, rigorous analysis and much field testing, I've determined the ultimate pants to be ass-less leather chaps. Leather is durable, with no worries about wrinkling or ironing. Easy to add or remove layers depending on the climate, and what could beat that refreshing breeze?* Can be paired with a dress shirt and tie for a business casual look when needed. And if you buy used, you'll find all kinds of bargains!

*Kilts are not technically pants, and so were disqualified from consideration.