Best Work Pants/Jeans... as tools.

[WRX/Z28]

I'm definately rough on my jeans and work pants. I'm also a bigger guy at 6' 230lbs or so. I'm looking at some of the loose fit Dickies, Carhartt, Lee and Levis Jeans. I like the carpenter style w/ extra pockets and what not to keep my phone/tools handy without being in one of my main pockets.

What does everyone else wear/like? Any brands I missed? Loose fit seems to work best for me, but i'm open to suggestions here. My most recent Lee jeans were great until I shredded the back of the cuff around the leg opening (38-32's always seem a little long, 30's too short, so I go with the lesser of two evils) and got a small tear near the rear right pocket where it attaches to the jeans. I may consider another pair because they were so comfortable, handy and I think I may have abused them by wearing them more than anything else.

I wear a drill holster/tool belt, and typically hump around a fairly large tool bag since i'm a mobile tech... so belts and pockets for tools are definately a plus for me.

Tell me about your pants...


Specific model's/links are appreciated...

 

[BHH]

+1 for Carhartt I wear there stuff a lot and it is super comfortable. I can't comment on the jeans but I use their other work pants and really like them.

 

[BigMike782]

At work I wear some very stylish(yea right) fire retardant clothing.In the shop and working at home I wear Dickies overalls,in fact I wear them until they can stand on their own.......ya know like NEVER washing a coffee pot?

 

[CHRIS LUCKYMAN]

Dickies. Just the classic straight leg twill pants. They fit high on the waist, good because my *** never hangs out, and my belt buckle never pinches when bent over. Also haved a lot of room in the legs. Probably have 30 pairs of them. I wear them when not working, too. When a nice pair of Dickies gets a stain or something, they get thrown into the "working pants" pile. Recently got a pair of their "carpenter pants" that are denim-like, they are also great.
Tried some of their "loose fit" pants, and found that they were too loose for me.

 

[mr2autoxr]

I have found the fire hose work pants from Duluth Trading Company (google search) to be great. Around $50 and guaranteed for life about wearing out. I'm hard on mine and have had them 2 years now and no signs of wear.

I also have a pair of Carhartts, but prefer the fire hose pants as they are softer and much more comfortable.

 

[american lockpicker]

I just wear wranglers. I never really put much thought into jeans like I do work shirts(dickies or red kap) or jackets(carhart or lee valley.)

 

[Welderguy24]

I'm around your size (6' 220lbs, 34x32) and I kept buying cheap jeans and they would last about two weeks. So I tried a couple pair of Carhart Dugerie (sp?) fit carpenters, loved them so much I went back and bought 5 more pair. Very tough jeans would recommend to anyone.

 

[WRX/Z28]

I have found the fire hose work pants from Duluth Trading Company (google search) to be great. Around $50 and guaranteed for life about wearing out. I'm hard on mine and have had them 2 years now and no signs of wear.

I also have a pair of Carhartts, but prefer the fire hose pants as they are softer and much more comfortable.

Now those look great. Are they loose in the thigh? Fit over boots?

I'm around your size (6' 220lbs, 34x32) and I kept buying cheap jeans and they would last about two weeks. So I tried a couple pair of Carhart Dugerie (sp?) fit carpenters, loved them so much I went back and bought 5 more pair. Very tough jeans would recommend to anyone.

I might try a set of those too. They were on my list. The dungerie's seem to have a bunch of pockets.

 

[Beerman]

I have found the fire hose work pants from Duluth Trading Company (google search) to be great. Around $50 and guaranteed for life about wearing out. I'm hard on mine and have had them 2 years now and no signs of wear.

I also have a pair of Carhartts, but prefer the fire hose pants as they are softer and much more comfortable.

+1 on the Duluth. Not sure which "style" Duluth Trading Co. pants I have-mom bought them at a thrift store for $1 each. But they are great. I'm the cheapest SOB on the face of the Earth and these pants would be a bargain at $50 each. I've worn them HARD since June and they show no signs of wear.



Beerman

 

[muibubbles]

interesting thread. i want to get into dickies but the only place i know that has them is walmart. i bought on and i HATE the cut. they are so wide on my thighs and really "crunchy" feeling. recently ive just been wearing basketball shorts with sweat pants over them. so comfortable, although im just talking about home garage..

 

[TreePointer]

For work jeans I've been wearing Riggs Workwear (Wrangler). They have extra tool pocket(s), a loop, gusseted crotch, and leather topped pockets. The best thing about these jeans is that they fit my fat **** better than than any regular jeans I've tried lately.

http://riggsworkwear.wrangler.com/Features

Every now and then, I get a Tractor Supply discount coupon and buy them there.

 

[KF5LCH]

For work jeans I've been wearing Riggs Workwear (Wrangler). They have extra tool pocket(s), a loop, gusseted crotch, and leather topped pockets. The best thing about these jeans is that they fit my fat **** better than than any regular jeans I've tried lately.

http://riggsworkwear.wrangler.com/Features

Every now and then, I get a Tractor Supply discount coupon and buy them there.

Yes. Best blue jeans on the planet. Our local Tractor Supply quit selling them & non of the local mom & pop shops have them. Im down to my last pair. They're going on 4 years old! Im 6'2" @ 300lbs, so do to the fact they fit me, last 4 years & dont strangle my "boys", they get a thumbs up from me.

 

[packofqtips]

i like the jeans i got online from american clothing company. American made and very comfortable

 

[Walterchang]

Wranglers for me. They are cheap and last quite awhile.

 

[TreePointer]

Yes. Best blue jeans on the planet. Our local Tractor Supply quit selling them & non of the local mom & pop shops have them. Im down to my last pair. They're going on 4 years old! Im 6'2" @ 300lbs, so do to the fact they fit me, last 4 years & dont strangle my "boys", they get a thumbs up from me.

Oh no! I just checked the Tractor Supply website and they're no longer listed. I'm going to hit my local stores to see if they have any old stock left.

 

[blue dog]

Carhartt double front carpenter duck brown jeans, they last. No other jeans i have compare to them. Heavy denim jeans

 

[Danglerb]

interesting thread. i want to get into dickies but the only place i know that has them is walmart.

Dickies sold in Dickies stores are not the same items, most of the time, as are sold in Walmart. The make stuff slightly cheaper for Walmart, thinner fabric, sometimes no Dickies sewn on tags on the outside, little stuff that knocks off a few pennies.

I'm wearing Dickies jeans right now, used to be die hard Levis, but last pairs I bought at $45 each didn't hold up as well as I liked, so now I am just about 100% Dickies in pants. I just got $100 worth from the Dickies clearance sale (50% for clearance, another 30% for the sale, and free shipping, its in the hot deals thing a week or so ago).

 

[Grayguy]

I used to wear the double layer carhardts, and they were tough, but always failed with in a year right on the thigh where the double layer ended, and they were hotter than heck to work in.

I've been destroying a pair or wranglers carpenters a few times a year (5-6 pairs a year) for the last few years, but I think I'm going to try some dickies next.

Oddly enough, the off color jeans (green, tan, etc) seem to be more rugged, or maybe I'm just crazy...

 

[gmwelder86]

Carhartt double front with the foam knee pads. I know it sounds crazy but these paints with the double knee and small foam pads you can get make working on your knees a hell of a lot easier on your body. I thought it was a gimick because of how thin the foam is but it sure does help. As a pipefitter I am always up and down and dragging the pants on the ground and they last for about 8 months of solid use. At that point they are ready to be retired. They can get warm in the summer time but its the freakin summer if your working around open flame and welding sparks your going to be hot no matter what.

 

[balrog]

Blaklader makes pants with extra utility pockets.

http://www.blakladerusa.com/catalog/workpants/

 

[BajaBound]

Carnarrt double knee duck pants... The best!

 

[lowmad]

I have found the fire hose work pants from Duluth Trading Company (google search) to be great. Around $50 and guaranteed for life about wearing out. I'm hard on mine and have had them 2 years now and no signs of wear.

I also have a pair of Carhartts, but prefer the fire hose pants as they are softer and much more comfortable.

+ 1 on these! I'm wearing a pair as we speak. Very soft and comfortable, plenty of room where you need it, and they fit over boots nicely.

I love their flannel lined shirts also.

Paul

1956 Nomad

 

[lauver]

I have found the fire hose work pants from Duluth Trading Company (google search) to be great. Around $50 and guaranteed for life about wearing out. I'm hard on mine and have had them 2 years now and no signs of wear.

I also have a pair of Carhartts, but prefer the fire hose pants as they are softer and much more comfortable.

+1 for Duluth Fire Hose pants. Good stuff. Comfortable, tuff as nails, and last forever. They are treated with something that makes them water repellent and stain resistant. Best work pants I've ever found.

 

[bart1]

You might loook at the options from Filson as well. They are expensive, but anything from Filson is pretty much bulletproof.

 

[HandyManny]

Back in the day Oshkosh and Filson were the stuff for durable workwear. At some point Oshkosh abandoned the men's workwear market in favore of toddler cloths and Filson got too high-end expansive. I stopped buying Filson years ago and went with Carhartt instead. To me Carhartt is more genuine. I agree with the Carhartt double front pants. The canvas carpenter dungerees are some of the best and most durable pants I've ever owned. Stiff as tin at first, but will eventually break-in with wear. They are also great for upland bird hunting and biggame hunting as well. Nothing stands up to the brush like these things.

 

[kruegdr]

+1 on the Carhartt gear. I've got bib overalls, winter jacket, and jeans. They break in well and are real comfortable.

 

[mikewoods]

Mountain Khakis. toughest pants you'll ever wear. They're expensive, but last forever. I have a pair that I wore everyday for 8 months while working overseas and they still look like new.

http://www.mountainkhakis.com/products/men/pants/original-mountain-pant.cfm

 

[bp460]

I bought a pair of these about a month ago:

http://www.baileysonline.com/itemdetail.asp?item=P200WA+3630&catID=

They are tough, made in the USA, and the price is right.
It takes a couple of washings to break them in and they
will shrink a bit. I normally wear a 32" waist but ordered
a 34" and the fit was good. I am not crazy about the
suspender buttons, but you can grind them off.

-Brad

 

[poprockcrusher]

I want made in USA .

I get the free ones at work , and it would sicken me to pay for work clothes .

 

[bacpacker]

I'm 6-4 and about 270 so finding something that fit's me comfortably can be a challenge. For work pants Carhartt's are some of the best I've ever used. I've been wanting to try a pair of the fire hose pants, from some reports here, sounds like I need to make that happen.
If look is not a big deal to you, the most comfortable and best wearing pants for me are army suplus BDU's, they wear forever, are super comfortable, & have great ppockets for holding tools, etc.

 

[avnsteve]

dickies carpenter pants, the tan colored ones are NOT denim, more like twill or firehose, durable as hell, and affordable

 

[twincam00]

love the Dickies duck brown carpenter pants too, I have a pair of Carhartts but they are just too expensive for me

 

[Need4racin]

levi's are not made good anymore. they are made like **** and designed for hipsters. I just order 4 pairs off sears and took them back.

 

[NJHandyGuy]

I love dickies pants but the legs are to narrow for me to wear any more no i just wear baggy levis or loosefit wranglers

 

[Monte]

www.snickers.se

 

[Packard V8]

FWIW, I just tried to order some Bailey's Wild-*** Jeans and they are out of stock in all sizes.

The Duluth Fire Hose pants look good, but at $55 each, they should be.

Mountain Khaki head-fakes customers, making a big deal about Jackson Hole, WY and how their products are inspired by the mountains. Be aware it's all ********; they are just a marketing company and don't make squat in the USA. Their pants I've seen are made in Cambodia, Guatamala and other third world sweat shops.

jack vines

 

[Old Donn]

Wranglers for me. They are cheap and last quite awhile.

And Wranglers are what cowboys wear.

 

[camarotoolman]

Yard sale brand for me, sometimes I go up town and get flee market brand!

 

[sharkytm]

Carhartt B136's. I go through 4 pairs a year (wear the pockets, knees, and ankle cuffs out), but I'm HARD on pants. I buy them from Sierra Trading Post in bulk... 4-6 pairs at a whack. I've got to try the Duluth Fire Hose pants, I have one of their jackets and its been really good. I wear a lot of the Duluth stuff. Pricy, but very good.

 

[kxxr]

+1 carhart. Riggs Workwear Ripstop by Wrangler is good too. Check out the military surplus options too.