Switching my life to "not Jeans". Can I get some recomendations for good NON JEANS

SBSYNCRO

Well-known member
I just received a pair of the Duluth "Alaska Hard Gear" Stone Run Pants (slim fit) yesterday. My initial impression is that they are just about perfect for a mid-weight all around outdoor pant. If you're looking for something less baggy than the typical "relaxed fit" cargo pants but don't want an extreme taper like some hipster would wear, I think these are great. I'm 5'10" and 160 with a 31" waist and 30" inseam and a mid-50's 'dad bod'. The fit is perfect in the lower leg with enough taper to keep them neat-looking but loose enough to get them over the top of a pair of boots. The thighs are actually cut generous for a "slim fit" pant (could even be a bit slimmer fitting on me). The seat is snug but not too tight (my wife immediately said "ooh, those are the best outdoor pants you've ever had!"). There is a horizontal slit pocket on the lower right thigh that completely holds and hides an iPhone XS. There is a zippered vertical pocket on the left thigh that is large and will hold a small note pad, wallet, or that sort of thing. The main front pockets are cut horizontally and are very deep, but a bit tight to reach down into. The backs of the pant leg cuffs are reinforced with an extra fabric panel. The knees and seat however are single panel of fabric (not reinforced)Fit was true to size right out of the box. The interior waist band is finished with an extra band of soft fabric to make it really comfortable and keep it from rolling over. Fabric is cotton/nylon blend with a touch of spandex to give them a little bit of stretch. I think this is the perfect fabric - it still feels natural because of the cotton, but the nylon gives it a lot of durability and the spandex gives it stretch, but not as much as something like an all-nylon stretch pant like the Prana Zion (which become saggy after a season or so of wear).

Only Negatives I can see so far are:
1. Would like reinforced knees (but then you end up with those weird patches of different colored fabric after they are washed a few times)
2. No reinforcement on the pockets for a knife clip - if you EDC a knife with a pocket clip, these will fray eventually

MSRP of $89, which I'd say is worth it considering some of the competition, but Duluth has frequent sales (I got them for $67 with free shipping and wish I'd bought 3 pairs at that price!)
 
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ThundahBeagle

Well-known member

As someone who owns some North Face hiking pants/zip to shorts, some Columbia shorts, and L.L. Bean Cresta hiking pants (also zip to shorts), I have a few pair of these Wranglers. Imatter of fact, I'm wearing them as I type this. I gotta say they are not bad. For the price they are very good, and you dont wind up with a wide leg all the way to your ankle.

Only drawback is after a bunch of washes, the material develops little lint balls. Nothing a razor or another 22 bucks wont cure
 

aknightinak

Active member
After a long shop at all manner of technical and hunting pants---Triple Aught that I got from someone here (seem to be permanently out of stock), Beyond Clothing, Kuiu, Kuhl, FirstLite, Dickies, Duluth, etc. forever, I finally settled on trying a pair of Propper HLX pants as a do-it-all not jean---it had the price point, and actually was appealing in that if I was looking for a more technical fabric, it had the lowest cotton content of many of the "outdoor" pants I looked at, also low profile pockets and closures (I think to a degree in terms of what pant can go in a wader at a moment's notice).

I just wore them two weeks straight for fieldwork (walking census-type stuff) on Kodiak, came home, and ordered two more pair, still wearing them unlaundered, even before the per diem check arrives. They don't show any marks from the salmonberry brambles where I had to check meters to try to determine a vacant address, shed all the weather the island threw at them, what little wet they did get at times dried before I got out of the truck again, didn't stain or even hold dirt really, the unavoidable smudge of boot grease on the inner cuff notwithstanding---ymmv, I use bear fat. The color is more evenly dyed than some photos on the site suggest, and I don't find the 'stretch panels' have appreciable stretch, which I didn't really want anyhow. All-in-all, they're the closest fit of any Docker or Carhartt to my favorite "just right, Sunday best" denim, way lighter than a jean let alone canvas pant but take a beating, and can go field to office like a casual walking pant without screaming uniform/tactical gear.
 

calicamper

Expedition Leader
Weatherproof brand for summer pants. Just as good as Columbia for 1/3 the price. They started doing lined pants too. Had those this winter good for mild winter actually snow skiied in a pair last week in spring skiing weather. My ski gear was too damn hot.
 

Hilldweller

SE Expedition Society
After a long shop at all manner of technical and hunting pants---Triple Aught that I got from someone here (seem to be permanently out of stock), Beyond Clothing, Kuiu, Kuhl, FirstLite, Dickies, Duluth, etc. forever, I finally settled on trying a pair of Propper HLX pants as a do-it-all not jean---it had the price point, and actually was appealing in that if I was looking for a more technical fabric, it had the lowest cotton content of many of the "outdoor" pants I looked at, also low profile pockets and closures (I think to a degree in terms of what pant can go in a wader at a moment's notice).

I just wore them two weeks straight for fieldwork (walking census-type stuff) on Kodiak, came home, and ordered two more pair, still wearing them unlaundered, even before the per diem check arrives. They don't show any marks from the salmonberry brambles where I had to check meters to try to determine a vacant address, shed all the weather the island threw at them, what little wet they did get at times dried before I got out of the truck again, didn't stain or even hold dirt really, the unavoidable smudge of boot grease on the inner cuff notwithstanding---ymmv, I use bear fat. The color is more evenly dyed than some photos on the site suggest, and I don't find the 'stretch panels' have appreciable stretch, which I didn't really want anyhow. All-in-all, they're the closest fit of any Docker or Carhartt to my favorite "just right, Sunday best" denim, way lighter than a jean let alone canvas pant but take a beating, and can go field to office like a casual walking pant without screaming uniform/tactical gear.
And they come in a 36" length. Finally some grown-up sizes!
 

Timcampsallover

Tree top flyer
After a long shop at all manner of technical and hunting pants---Triple Aught that I got from someone here (seem to be permanently out of stock), Beyond Clothing, Kuiu, Kuhl, FirstLite, Dickies, Duluth, etc. forever, I finally settled on trying a pair of Propper HLX pants as a do-it-all not jean---it had the price point, and actually was appealing in that if I was looking for a more technical fabric, it had the lowest cotton content of many of the "outdoor" pants I looked at, also low profile pockets and closures (I think to a degree in terms of what pant can go in a wader at a moment's notice).

I just wore them two weeks straight for fieldwork (walking census-type stuff) on Kodiak, came home, and ordered two more pair, still wearing them unlaundered, even before the per diem check arrives. They don't show any marks from the salmonberry brambles where I had to check meters to try to determine a vacant address, shed all the weather the island threw at them, what little wet they did get at times dried before I got out of the truck again, didn't stain or even hold dirt really, the unavoidable smudge of boot grease on the inner cuff notwithstanding---ymmv, I use bear fat. The color is more evenly dyed than some photos on the site suggest, and I don't find the 'stretch panels' have appreciable stretch, which I didn't really want anyhow. All-in-all, they're the closest fit of any Docker or Carhartt to my favorite "just right, Sunday best" denim, way lighter than a jean let alone canvas pant but take a beating, and can go field to office like a casual walking pant without screaming uniform/tactical gear.

Really happy with the Propper brand too! Best value and quality mix I’ve had in many years. Ordered more Aeros pants this week in advance of a trip to the mountains. ?
 

stevo_pct

Well-known member
Kuhl soft shell pants are amazing! Check out the Destroyer or the Klash. They’re the heavier weight designs.
 

ITTOG

Well-known member
Kuhl soft shell pants are amazing! Check out the Destroyer or the Klash. They’re the heavier weight designs.
I like their stuff but man they are proud of it. I have a hard time justifying buying their gear when I can get similar for half the price.
 

stevo_pct

Well-known member
I like their stuff but man they are proud of it. I have a hard time justifying buying their gear when I can get similar for half the price.

I hear ya, although I haven't found something that compares to the shoft shell designs. I'm sure there's something out there.
 

aknightinak

Active member
I hear ya, although I haven't found something that compares to the shoft shell designs. I'm sure there's something out there.

Based on your description, Beyond Clothing appears to have a nice, possibly comparable, soft shell line and an interesting layering system to build outfits according to conditions.

The $100+ price tag stymied me on a lot of options when I got into the reviews and saw how many people complained about pants blowing out under medium use. The worst review I found on the HLX just seemed to be the way the pockets stack, which didn't bother me in the end, and at $45-$55 they fit my financial risk-taking sense. (It's hard to lay eyes on the real deal of anything like this up here if it's not carried by REI or a box store.)
 

SBSYNCRO

Well-known member
I just added two more pairs of the Alaska Hardgear Stone Run pant when they went on sale recently. Three overland trips on them so far and for a non-tactical, non-cargo pant I really like them. They are a smooth tight weave cotton+spandex blend. Normally I stay away from cotton but these have a great feel to them and if they get wet they dry quickly (pretty good DWR out of the box but it’s gone after a couple washings)


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

Hilldweller

SE Expedition Society
I just added two more pairs of the Alaska Hardgear Stone Run pant when they went on sale recently. Three overland trips on them so far and for a non-tactical, non-cargo pant I really like them. They are a smooth tight weave cotton+spandex blend. Normally I stay away from cotton but these have a great feel to them and if they get wet they dry quickly (pretty good DWR out of the box but it’s gone after a couple washings)


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I bought a pair of their 40-Grit lined pants that were on sale ---- sizing is always a crap-shoot with Duluth. But, for winter camping, they're my favorite now. They're a fairly light but fairly tough chino-ish weave with a synthetic lining. Went hiking with them, started in the low 20s and was in the 50s by the time we returned to camp. They were comfortable the whole way without a base layer (besides my regular underbritches).
 

AbleGuy

Officious Intermeddler
I’m in the process of setting a personal record for wearing the same pair of camper pants.

I’ve worn my 511’s every day going on 14 days now (and no, they’re not filthy or stinky).

These are comfortable and durable and have lots of roomy pockets in the right places. When I occasionally do get some food or drink stains on them, a quick wash in the sink with cold water and hand soap gets them clean,

So, while they’re perhaps a bit pricey, their durability means owning fewer pairs of pants. Packing these and one pair of quick dry shorts has been all I needed for weeks long camp trips.
 
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Hilldweller

SE Expedition Society
I’m in the process of setting a personal record for wearing the same pair of camper pants.

I’ve worn my 511’s every day going on 14 days now (and no, they’re not filthy or stinky).

...
People are usually immune to their own personal perfume

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