Riggs work wear by wrangler for me. VF Factory outlet for about $24 a pair. Rip stop nylon and very tough. Cargo pants have double fabric in front, wades through briars pretty good. Kinda hot in the summer, though. Riggs Carpenter style pants for summer. Jeans are not as tough as they used to be. They are made for more fashion than work.
why not levis?
+1 for 5.11 pants. They're even pretty resistant to the Beggar's lice we have here in Texas.
why not levis?
All of us NC folks should wear Wranglers. VF corporation is headquartered in Greensboro.
When I was in 7th grade, one of my friends wore Wranglers and sat in the back desk very close to the radiator. The radiator heated the Wrangler patch on the back pocket and burned his butt. I've worn Levi's ever since, but honestly, they don't wear any better than Sam's Club brand for half the price.
why not levis?
5.11 only for me at work , wranglers otherwise 🙂
And don't forget the belt loops that pull loose from their bottom stitches leaving a hole and a flapping loop.
why not levis?
One of my sons is a hands-on mechanical engineer. He always wants jeans for Christmas gifts. Maybe I should slip in pair of 5.11s this year.
Texas Jeans
If you want American made, you should look at http://www.texasjeans.com/
I have never bought any but the price is right and they are made in North Carolina.
From their website:
>Are Texas Jeans really 100% American Made?
>
>Yes. All components on our jeans from the fabric, thread, buttons, zippers, etc. are made from vendors in the U.S.A.
+1 on the 5.11 pants.
I wear the TacLite Pro pants and their Stryke Pants. The stretchiness of the Stryke Pants are really nice.
Miguel A. Escobar, LSLS, RPLS
Texas Jeans
I buy the Texas Jeans. They're as good as any I've ever bought. If you buy three or more pair, the shipping is free.
Texas Jeans
I bought 2 pairs of Texas jeans. I think they are made in North Carolina. They lasted 3 or 4 months of outside work. It's a sorry situation.
The Costco jeans for 13 bucks are better made.
I wear Carhartt jeans with the double knee. I've worn a pair for 5 years, that is just now coming apart. Great pants for about $45.
Duluth
I am a big fan of the Duluth trading jeans and fire hose pants. I have had good luck with both and the firehose have a lifetime warranty though they cost around $65 a pair if I recall correctly. I really like the fit and the pockets.
I wish Duluth made made FRC's as we have to wear them on a lot of our jobs and I have not found a brand I really like and they are all expensive.
Another vote for riggwear pants by wrangler. Tough as nails. Ripstop denim, double or triple stitched, and double knees.
Hot as hell in midsummer, but some of the longest wearing pants I have had.
Oh, and the fit is not a typical wrangler fit. They fit like carharts with a little higher waist.
Like all proper work pants, they do take a while to break in.
The old denim is once again being produced in Greensboro, NC, and perhaps elsewhere. That's good, but a pair of jeans from this fabric will cost around $150. I don't know if Levi's uses it for high-priced jeans or if someone else does.
Would you pay $150 for a pair of (probably) long-wearing jeans?
I'd say that Levi's are overpriced to start with. I wear Carhartt jeans; I think they're a better value and reasonably well made, not to mention readily available in this rural area. They seem to last about twice as long as the cheapies.
I am a big fan of the Duluth trading jeans and fire hose pants. I have had good luck with both and the firehose have a lifetime warranty though they cost around $65 a pair if I recall correctly. I really like the fit and the pockets.
Haven't tried these as it takes a morning to get them, (they're based here in Wis) but their stretch work pants look good.
flexible firehose work pants
If I can pay $35 for Carhartt jeans, I could think these would be worth the $65 if they're well made.
I like the pocket design and layout.
For winter work, I like the German Army wool pants; some have plastic in the knees (what a great idea!) and the wool "moleskin" sheds dirt - even mud - well.
Here's a bunch of outdoor guys talking about them:
German Military wool pants
Duluth
I like the Wrangler carpenter FRC jeans, but your right about the price they always seem to be double the price of regular jeans.
