Here’s something I don’t do very often – review workwear. But, a few weeks back I got contacted by Brunt and asked if I would be interested in trying out a pair of their pants as well some boots. Free crap? Sign me up…
Anyway, a few days go by and a package arrives. Within was a pair of Marin United boots as well as some Costello Workpants. I’ve been wearing each almost every day since and here are my impressions:
The Marin Boot
I’m a born and raised Texan, but I don’t wear boots all that often – opting instead for a pair of Vans or one of my cherished pairs of Jordan 1s. I do own boots, however, and my chosen pair is legendary – The Redwing 1178. In my lifetime, I’ve own two pairs and each has lasted me at least a decade or more and looked great while doing so.
Given that, the Marin has a high standard to live up to. And frankly, I don’t think you can review a pair of boots without beating the hell out of them for a year or more. But, here we are… I gotta give a return on a free pair of boots, right?
Out of the box, the Marin was incredibly uncomfortable because of the stiff/thick leather rubbing the hell out of each of my chins. I soldiered through this and within a week, the pain had subsided. What I am left with now is a really comfortable boot thanks to the crepe sole and relatively light weight. I have no idea how long these things will last in a shop environment, but they feel like quality… and like most quality wearables, they require some break-in for the reward.
At $139, I’d consider these a pretty damned good value. Details here.
The Costello Pant
If you know me, you know that I am incredibly picky about my pants and I’m willing to spend huge money for lasting quality. Right now, my rotation is a pair of eight year old Levi Vintage Clothing Jeans ($250) and a few pairs of five year old Urslow Fatigue pants ($220). I like these offerings because they are beautifully made, fit classically, and last FOREVER – even when you beat the hell out of them. Amortized over a decade, they are cheap too.
So, how would I fit into a pair of flimsy $69 pants created by a seemingly upstart workwear company? Pretty damned good. In fact, I had no plans of really reviewing this stuff… It wasn’t until I wore these pants for a few weeks that I was convinced of the value of a write-up.
The first thing you need to know about the Costello pants is that they are incredibly light weight. The 5oz ripstop fabric (I think it’s Nylon?) has some stretch to it and breathes wonderfully in hot weather. On top of that, they were designed smartly with nice deep pockets, a specialized phone pocket, and a fit that is neither too baggy nor too slim.
And given this light weight, you would think they wouldn’t be all that durable. Surprisingly, they are… I wore them during a roofing project two weekends ago and fully expected to trash the knees. After two days on sandpaper, they were absolutely fine. And when I accidentally stapled myself to the roof, the ripstop material did exactly that.
Like I mentioned, Brunt sent me this stuff for free… and with no strings attached. But I will say this in all honesty – these pants are game changers for those of us in hotter climates.
You know when you are working on a project outside and you start sweating through your inner thigh? In turn, that sweat starts to stick your inner thigh to your unmentionable goods? I call that “Bat Winging.” And Bat Winging happens because your pants don’t breathe well enough to wick away the moisture. In turn, this creates this tiny and very humid ecosystem around your goods… These pants stop that shit right in its tracks.
So yeah, the boots are promising… While the pants are just straight up amazing. Details here.
Happy to answer any questions.
pair. 
. Another rabbit hole you have given me.
