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Work pants

SeanBeans
SeanBeans Member Posts: 520
Looking to see what brand and model work pants you guys are wearing tje summer to stay cool. Im a carhartt guy but im trying to see of their are better,lighter options out there

Comments

  • Jamie Hall
    Jamie Hall Member Posts: 23,168
    Try Duluth Trading Post.(duluthtrading.com). Quirky, but I've had very good luck with their clothing, both for summer and winter.
    Br. Jamie, osb
    Building superintendent/caretaker, 7200 sq. ft. historic house museum with dependencies in New England
  • Gordy
    Gordy Member Posts: 9,546
    edited June 2017
    Lee carpenter jeans, and wrangler carpenter jeans. Best bang for the buck. Depends what your looking for as in pockets, durability, and weight of denim. Skip the Levi's carpenter pants. Paper thin, but cheapest price. Carhart I think is over priced for the product line.
  • Paul48
    Paul48 Member Posts: 4,469
    Carhartt's work jeans at Tractor Supply are $15-20 cheaper than the Wrangler carpenter pants. Unless you want the hammer loop that no one uses, why pay that? I think they get the reputation of being over-priced, because of their sweat-shirts. I haven't found any that are as good, or last as long.
  • Gordy
    Gordy Member Posts: 9,546
    I like the extra pockets carpenter jeans have. We do not have a tractor supply. We do have a farm, and fleet which is really the only store that carries a complete line of carhart apparel. They cost more than wrangler, or lee.
  • danFromNJ
    danFromNJ Member Posts: 21
    I've always liked Ben Davis pants. They are priced about the same as Carhartt but I find them more comfortable. They are a bit thinner than the Carhartt jeans so they're more comfortable in the warmer months. Don't know any local stores that sell them but they can be bought online, though not at Amazon.
  • HVACNUT
    HVACNUT Member Posts: 5,804
    Toughskins like mom used to get me from Sears.
    I prefer Carhartt carpenter jeans.
    My employer supplies Dickies cargo pants that are light weight and durable. I wear them in the summer and the Carhartts in the winter.
    Never heard of Ben Davis. I'll have to check them out.
  • SeanBeans
    SeanBeans Member Posts: 520
    Right now im wearing carhatt carpenter jeans.. the pockets on the leg are crucial. My old emplpyer bought us the dickies cargo pants but i cant stand loose things in the cargo pocket, im a thinner dude so they always end up banging the same spot on my leg for hours and hours. And i use the hammer loop surprisingly often. I. Gunna try out these recommendations.

    Looking for something with slim pockets o. The sode, lightweight and preferably less expensive than carhartt.

    With my new line of work i foresee my pants lasting much longer than when i was doing residential retrofits
  • Tinman
    Tinman Member Posts: 2,808
    edited June 2017
    Lee Dungaree Carpenter's pants. They fit comfortably for the work we do and have a perfect pocket for a Stabila torpedo level and pencil, and another for a small flashlight.
    15 years straight years or so wearing these.
    Steve Minnich
    Gordy
  • hot_rod
    hot_rod Member Posts: 22,022
    Duluth stuff is some of the best. I like the wide selection of fits, fabrics and fabric weights.

    Ballroom jeans for cool months, lightweight firehose fabric pants and shorts for summer. Finally they have long inseam shorts now.

    Yeah it is more $$, but I get 3- 4 years out of most of their work pants.

    It helps if you can get by one of their outlets to try on stuff occasionally.

    Once you get on their mailing list they have a lot of specials and season close outs.
    Bob "hot rod" Rohr
    trainer for Caleffi NA
    Living the hydronic dream
    HVACNUTDale_3
  • Paul48
    Paul48 Member Posts: 4,469
    I've been very pleased with Duluth also. Their stuff wears like iron. I've had one bad experience, and that was with a hooded sweat-shirt.
  • Gordy
    Gordy Member Posts: 9,546
    While Duluths may wear 3-4 years which is subjective. For the cost I could buy 2 -3 pair of lee dungarees, and have a fresh pair almost each year for the same price.

    I'm from the stand point of jeans that wear well covered with glues, caulks, paints, and grease for three years, verses fresh pairs.
  • hot_rod
    hot_rod Member Posts: 22,022
    Gordy said:

    While Duluths may wear 3-4 years which is subjective. For the cost I could buy 2 -3 pair of lee dungarees, and have a fresh pair almost each year for the same price.

    I'm from the stand point of jeans that wear well covered with glues, caulks, paints, and grease for three years, verses fresh pairs.


    Once I find an article of clothing that fits perfectly and is comfortable, I'll wear it till it is down to the threads, same with footwear.

    I do wear coveralls when dealing with the really dirty or messy stuff. Throw away painter pants or disposable coveralls are even cheaper than Lee jeans if you get a lot of paint on yourself :)

    I've worked with plumbers that get as much PVC or ABS glue on their clothes as they do on the pipe and fittings.
    Bob "hot rod" Rohr
    trainer for Caleffi NA
    Living the hydronic dream
    Gordy
  • EBEBRATT-Ed
    EBEBRATT-Ed Member Posts: 15,453
    Don't know about their pants but I started buying Duluth T shirts about 6 years ago...still wearing them.

    These things wear like iron as others have mentioned. I have so many stained ,faded, covered with pipe dope but they don't rip or tear or wear out.

    I am just starting to throw away the worst ones, still not worn out just bad looking from overwork.....like me!!

    Pants I like Wrangler jeans
  • Gordy
    Gordy Member Posts: 9,546
    hot rod said:

    Gordy said:

    While Duluths may wear 3-4 years which is subjective. For the cost I could buy 2 -3 pair of lee dungarees, and have a fresh pair almost each year for the same price.

    I'm from the stand point of jeans that wear well covered with glues, caulks, paints, and grease for three years, verses fresh pairs.


    Once I find an article of clothing that fits perfectly and is comfortable, I'll wear it till it is down to the threads, same with footwear.

    I do wear coveralls when dealing with the really dirty or messy stuff. Throw away painter pants or disposable coveralls are even cheaper than Lee jeans if you get a lot of paint on yourself :)

    I've worked with plumbers that get as much PVC or ABS glue on their clothes as they do on the pipe and fittings.
    I'll have to give the "Ball room" line a try. Reminds me of an AC/DC song :)

  • bob_46
    bob_46 Member Posts: 813
    I like Key brand bibs. Bibs don't keep falling down .
    bob
  • JUGHNE
    JUGHNE Member Posts: 11,042
    Finally, someone else who likes bib overalls.
    I have worn Key bibs for the last 30+ years.
    I live in a very rural area and some locals wear bibs, actually some here think someone in a uniform looking outfit are expensive city workers.

    I was at first hesitant to wear the "farmer" outfit, but this eventually became my trademark uniform.....along with the former ambulance van work truck....BTY which is easy to spot by the electrical inspector and fire marshal.

    Very comfortable, side buttons for ventilation (or growth ;) ).
    No "plumber butt"
    The bib protects your shirts from burns, glue etc.
    100% cotton, will not melt into your skin like poly if on fire.....this I absolutely know as fact.
    Pockets are large, hammer loop good when needed, plier/screwdriver pockets on right side.
    Bib pockets for pencils, small screwdrivers etc.
    "Watch pocket" for small parts...screws...wirenuts...etc.
    Tool belt friendly...not fighting belt on regular pants.
    Sized as "overalls" to fit over regular clothes, summer time loose and cool.....wintertime sweat pants & sweat shirt underneath. (cotton also).
    With the description of overalls as protective clothing they are an obvious tax deductible item.
    25 to 30 bucks a pair, less than many jeans.
    They don't stay as blue as they used to, the job ahead determines the fade/condition of the bibs for the day.
    New, fresh and bright blue for first impressions, then the "worker" pairs as the job dictates.

    Years ago this was the standard apparel for mechanical tradesmen.
  • mcgee45
    mcgee45 Member Posts: 7
    Another Carhartt carpenter jeans user here.
  • newagedawn
    newagedawn Member Posts: 586
    shorts in summer, most definitely, some company's wont allow shorts tho , but there are light weight pants out there for summer
    "The bitter taste of a poor install lasts far longer than the JOY of the lowest price"
    Boon
  • EBEBRATT-Ed
    EBEBRATT-Ed Member Posts: 15,453
    Coveralls or bibs for the dirtier jobs. They do look "farmerish" but if it works it works
    JUGHNE
  • delta T
    delta T Member Posts: 884
    Carhartt bibs for me all the way. Just the right amount of pockets for phone, pens, sharpies, chanelocks, level, flashlight, etc... I have found them to not be terrible on hot days. As you start to sweat a little bit, the wicking action of the cotton cools you off to where it is not actually that uncomfortable......most days. Also, you never get the dreaded 'crack' showing..... ;)
  • j a_2
    j a_2 Member Posts: 1,801
    A few years back, we were working on a steamer in the Jamaica Plain section of Boston, it got so dam hot that day we took of our pants and worked in our boxers...just saying
  • HVACNUT
    HVACNUT Member Posts: 5,804
    > @j a said:
    > A few years back, we were working on a steamer in the Jamaica Plain section of Boston, it got so dam hot that day we took of our pants and worked in our boxers...just saying

    >>HEY! That's NOT a torpedo level.
  • mcgee45
    mcgee45 Member Posts: 7
    edited July 2017
    JUGHNE said:

    Finally, someone else who likes bib overalls.
    I have worn Key bibs for the last 30+ years.
    I live in a very rural area and some locals wear bibs, actually some here think someone in a uniform looking outfit are expensive city workers.

    I was at first hesitant to wear the "farmer" outfit, but this eventually became my trademark uniform.....along with the former ambulance van work truck....BTY which is easy to spot by the electrical inspector and fire marshal.

    Very comfortable, side buttons for ventilation (or growth ;) ).
    No "plumber butt"
    The bib protects your shirts from burns, glue etc.
    100% cotton, will not melt into your skin like poly if on fire.....this I absolutely know as fact.
    Pockets are large, hammer loop good when needed, plier/screwdriver pockets on right side.
    Bib pockets for pencils, small screwdrivers etc.
    "Watch pocket" for small parts...screws...wirenuts...etc.
    Tool belt friendly...not fighting belt on regular pants.
    Sized as "overalls" to fit over regular clothes, summer time loose and cool.....wintertime sweat pants & sweat shirt underneath. (cotton also).
    With the description of overalls as protective clothing they are an obvious tax deductible item.
    25 to 30 bucks a pair, less than many jeans.
    They don't stay as blue as they used to, the job ahead determines the fade/condition of the bibs for the day.
    New, fresh and bright blue for first impressions, then the "worker" pairs as the job dictates.

    Years ago this was the standard apparel for mechanical tradesmen.

    Bibs are totally useful indeed. My uncle uses them every day at work with ease of carrying tools and stuff. He even uses it at home when working in his garage and I got a chance to wear one as well when I helped him restore this 1994 F150, install new wheels, Toyo tires and suspension lift kit. The pockets carry lots of tools.