Work/shop pants needed.
- Thread starter 2ndGearRubber
- Start date
I am a BIG fan of Carhartt shirts and Jackets and Artic wear bibs and tops, railroad work was hard on clothes and their jeans always lost a rear pocket or a belt loop. My last 10 years I wore walmarts no name $10 dollar jeans they were durable, thick and had seven belt loops and by the time I lost a pocket they weren't fit to be worn anyway...
danski0224
Well-known member
I like Duluth Flex Fire Hose.
Spendy, but they last about 2 years.
Spendy, but they last about 2 years.
Meursault74
Well-known member
dr_clyde
Well-known member
Like most tools, you get what you pay for and there’s budget pants and overpriced luxury pants.
I wear Carhartt work clothes for 99% of my work. Either jeans or their ripstop cargo pants. I have about a dozen pair of pants and a couple dozen tee shirts. I typically wear a flannel shirt or a hoodie when the weather gets chilly. If I had to work in a shop with no heat I’d wear a layered setup with a vest on top.
Cheap jeans are probably fine for a couple weeks. If you really liked the pants the uniform company provided most of them have an outlet store where you can buy used but still wearable garments.
If you want to spend a little more Duluth Trading stuff is pretty good value. I find Carhartts jeans more comfortable.
Companies like Sidnaw offer a lifetime pair of pants, usually a waxed canvas. They have a break in period, and they’re not supposed to be washed often. But they’re handmade to order and they’ll repair them if you rip them or wear a hole. They’re several hundred dollars a pair tho.
I wear Carhartt work clothes for 99% of my work. Either jeans or their ripstop cargo pants. I have about a dozen pair of pants and a couple dozen tee shirts. I typically wear a flannel shirt or a hoodie when the weather gets chilly. If I had to work in a shop with no heat I’d wear a layered setup with a vest on top.
Cheap jeans are probably fine for a couple weeks. If you really liked the pants the uniform company provided most of them have an outlet store where you can buy used but still wearable garments.
If you want to spend a little more Duluth Trading stuff is pretty good value. I find Carhartts jeans more comfortable.
Companies like Sidnaw offer a lifetime pair of pants, usually a waxed canvas. They have a break in period, and they’re not supposed to be washed often. But they’re handmade to order and they’ll repair them if you rip them or wear a hole. They’re several hundred dollars a pair tho.
RedneckWelder
Well-known member
******* Unifirst…I want to fight our driver in the parking lot just one time…non counting motherfuckers who lose half of what you turn in to wash and flimsy *** clothes. By the time they get broken in good the pants rip the crotch and the shirts have popped all the buttons. Hell they can’t manage to stick the clean uniforms in the right locker half the time either.
Cowkorkers referred to unifirst jeans as discount rite-aid jeans or walmarts quality control rejects. Several of their shirts shrunk length wise in the sleeves, that was first for me. Not to mention all the screwed up deliveries and such like everyone else has mentioned.
OP
2ndGearRubber
Well-known member
We had zero issues at our location, none whatsoever. Unifirst did fine for me. Elsewhere it was supposedly a web of incorrect/double billing, incorrect orders, etc.
IDK it's nuts. We just realized we are also going without shop rags too. We have a couple dozen currently. Going to be interesting when those run out.
IDK it's nuts. We just realized we are also going without shop rags too. We have a couple dozen currently. Going to be interesting when those run out.
mslim
Well-known member
I found that when hauling our 35' 5th wheel, I was on my knees a lot hooking up hoses, checking tires, etc. so I bought a couple of pairs of Dickies Relaxed Fit straight leg double knee work pants. About $35 each and seems to be durable and well sewn for the price. Fits right in at the truck stops when I fuel up and refill my coffee cup.
Only downside is the cell phone pocket isn't secured so you can dump it bending over.
Only downside is the cell phone pocket isn't secured so you can dump it bending over.
snickers muncher
Well-known member
Same here, but I don't dare wear them in summer.
I recently bought a few of the TSC house brand Blue Mountain canvas jeans and like them so far for cheap pants. They're thin, so not too hot. Of course, they're not what they OP is looking for. I've got some Ridgecut shorts from TSC for the summer.
eBay work pants. Lots of cheaper used redcap pants on there. They are tough, comfortable too. My work provides uniforms for the maint crew but I bought a few to wear around the yard/shop working as cintas is slow washing and returning at my workplace.
eBay is full of ads like this
Used Uniform Work Pants Cintas Redkap Unifirst G&K Dickies and others | eBay
Used Work Pants Cintas Redkap Unifirst G&K Navy Blue Dungarees Cargo. Used Hi-Visibility Reflective Hi-Vis Work Pants Cintas Redkap Unifirst G&K. Used Work Pants Dungarees Cintas Redkap Unifirst G&K Cargo Brown.
www.ebay.com
customh
Well-known member
I've been wearing the Carhartt 103334 and I like them quite a bit. Go with Black, I have some grey ones and they stain easily.
I also wear the Duluth Flex Fire hose pants. They are very spendy compared to some of the other brands mentioned in this thread but it's worth it to me. Once I started wearing the Duluth Flex Fire Hose pants, all of the other brands suddenly no longer existed.... at least to me anyway.
oldmachinenut
Well-known member
I like the Carhartt B11 washed duck pants, very comfortable and they probably will outlast me. I buy them from Dungarees. They also have factory seconds, I bought a pair and cannot see why they were seconds.
One thing I've grown to really appreciate is their gusseted crotch. And the flex material. The pants don't end up hanging down on your *** by lunchtime.
Ive never had 'works pants' that I see some people have, Im more of a blue jean type of guy.
Im hard as hell on jeans. I have found that the expensive 'super duper' jeans don't last much longer (sometimes less) than the cheap ones.
I've tried 80 dollar heavy duty Carhartts that were worse than 20 dollar ones from JC Pennys and Ive had 120 dollar ones that maybe lasted twice as long as 20 dollar ones. Its just never made sense from a financial standpoint (for me) to buy anything but the cheapies.
Im hard as hell on jeans. I have found that the expensive 'super duper' jeans don't last much longer (sometimes less) than the cheap ones.
I've tried 80 dollar heavy duty Carhartts that were worse than 20 dollar ones from JC Pennys and Ive had 120 dollar ones that maybe lasted twice as long as 20 dollar ones. Its just never made sense from a financial standpoint (for me) to buy anything but the cheapies.
sparky 1971
Well-known member
I've never paid full price. I stock up when they have the 30% off. A couple weeks ago they had all work pants for $50. I bought several pairs of jeans and carpenters pants.
dr_clyde
Well-known member
I view workwear as a consumable. I'm not looking to buy something that will last a lifetime, but I do want to get a few years out of it.
If I wear a pair of pants once a week for a year for 2 years, that's only 38 cents a wear for a $40 pair of jeans. And I usually get 4 years plus out of a pair. Not so bad.
My problem is usually tee shirts and the sleeves on my flannels get torn and holes in them pretty quick.
If I wear a pair of pants once a week for a year for 2 years, that's only 38 cents a wear for a $40 pair of jeans. And I usually get 4 years plus out of a pair. Not so bad.
My problem is usually tee shirts and the sleeves on my flannels get torn and holes in them pretty quick.
OP
2ndGearRubber
Well-known member
Man I'm tempted now to show up with the bib overalls! LOL
dr_clyde
Well-known member
That's actually not a bad call. Carhartt makes a duck one in black with no liner that's extremely comfortable over jeans and isn't too hot.
dr_clyde
Well-known member
Or, ****, just go the European route and get yourself a pair of coveralls. Then you can just wear those every day and not **** up your normal clothes.
Wrench97
Well-known member
You found a JC Pennys................
Are those not a thing anymore? We are a little behind the times out here in the middle of Nebraska
Wrench97
Well-known member
Kind of like finding a Sears now.........................Are those not a thing anymore? We are a little behind the times out here in the middle of Nebraska
OP
2ndGearRubber
Well-known member
I know you've been on the edge of your seats dying to know the outcome of this thread.
I ended up with both dickies and wrangler pants. Wrangler technician pants, well I'm a technician. Fit is good material isn't great though. Hopefully they'll soften up. The dickies range pants are thinner, but they flex and feel great. No stupid tiny belt loops like traditional dickies either.
Also picked up a new work hoodie, fleece, and tried some dickies thermal socks. I'm super picky about socks, but I think these will handle winter better than hospital style socks. Downside, dickies don't have little grippy bits on the bottom. Oh well.
I ended up with both dickies and wrangler pants. Wrangler technician pants, well I'm a technician. Fit is good material isn't great though. Hopefully they'll soften up. The dickies range pants are thinner, but they flex and feel great. No stupid tiny belt loops like traditional dickies either.
Also picked up a new work hoodie, fleece, and tried some dickies thermal socks. I'm super picky about socks, but I think these will handle winter better than hospital style socks. Downside, dickies don't have little grippy bits on the bottom. Oh well.
Meursault74
Well-known member
Oh, yeah. I know the spot. Right across the street from Woolworth.
I'm dying to know if your employer picked up the tab....
OP
2ndGearRubber
Well-known member
I'm dying to know if your employer picked up the tab....
LOL would certainly be nice. Thats why I picked the drab olive green, and matte black colors. Something I could work in later outside of work.
I prefer wearing coveralls all year. Light weight for summer heavier in the fall. No tucking in shirts or pulling up pants.
2ndgearrubber as for socks I like redwings wool ones for winter and KBNI bamboo for summer. Thick, good stitching and tough, but I don't like cotton socks.
Meursault74
Well-known member
What about the shirts?
Do your normal work shirts have your name embroidered on them? I'd think not, considering how miserly you've made your employer out to be.
Makes me think of Al Bundy having to put on Habib's shirt to do some work at the gas station. He looks thrilled, now doesn't he.
nbpt100
Well-known member
bottom line what ever you are comfortable in. I like Carhart becasue they fit me well. I do not like the price but they are very durable. More so than Dickies. You can also buy with liners for winter.
leadfoot415
Well-known member
I would probably buy some redkap industrial cargo pants like cintas supplies us now (need decent pants bending down, kneeling in puddles, etc) but would wear the most offensive (beer/liquor, local ***** bar, polarizing political candidate or idea) tshirt of my own until they wised up and provided the full uniforms they bill us techs for ($4 week to launder/supply).
OP
2ndGearRubber
Well-known member
What about the shirts?
Do your normal work shirts have your name embroidered on them? I'd think not, considering how miserly you've made your employer out to be.
Makes me think of Al Bundy having to put on Habib's shirt to do some work at the gas station. He looks thrilled, now doesn't he.
We have logo t-shirts we can buy for $7? each, The uniform shirts did have our names, but I didn't wear them until the weather got cold. They'd cook you in the summer. The t-shirts are really nice shirts for $7. The gave me 4 t-shirts to help get me through the lack of uniform service. I probably have 15+ tshirts, they get turned into rags when I'm done with them.
thool
Well-known member
On this recommendation, just picked these up. They fit me well and I like the reinforcements.
Ordered a pair of redkap shop shorts to try. I've been getting by with a pair of twill pants I cut off at the knees for summer. I'll keep them too, but figured I might not scare off my neighbors with some normal looking clothes rather than walking around looking like a dirt bag.
I like Carhart pants quite a bit, but they're spendy for sure. The redkaps were 27 bucks.
I like Carhart pants quite a bit, but they're spendy for sure. The redkaps were 27 bucks.
Qualitytools
Well-known member
One can find Snickers on Amazon. Also Blacklader are very similarIn Europe we have a Swedish workwear brand called "Snickers" who make everything from reasonably priced service line clothing to ultra high end Arctic grade stuff.
I believe they use a different brand name in the USA (because of the chocolate)
If I were to spend my own money they would be top pick
Work trousers for professional craftsmen | Snickers Workwear
A wide selection of comfortable and durable work trousers in many sizes and models for men and women. Find alternatives for every season.www.snickersworkwear.com