Figured I'd try to give a decent real world review of the two newest additions to my not-jeans pants collection.
I recently bit the bullet and ordered a pair of the TAD Agent XC chinos and the Off The Grid Surplus Trailblazer 3.0 standard fit pants. Both were more costly than my go-to Levi's or Columbia ROC pants, but also have numerous improvements that add to their value. My Levi's usually last 6 months and cost around $50, so I'm expecting that both of these brands offerings to last substantially longer under the same conditions.
For a little background of my use, in my day job I'm a construction superintendent for industrial electrical projects. On a given day I spend my time both in the office and out in the field. On any given day I might walk as few as 3 miles or during an outage over 15 miles, up and down multiple flights of stairs and in all weather conditions. In my free time I hike, camp, travel and work outdoors around the house. I've long been looking for alternatives to jean's that are suitable to multiple environments and can handle the abuse of an industrial environment while not being too hot in the Florida heat and humidity. I like the Columbia ROC's but have been enticed by the offerings from TAD Off The Grid Surplus.
TAD Agent XC Chino's:
I initially cringed at the $155 price for the Agent XC Chino's from TAD, but do realize that you often get what you pay for! So I bit the bullet and hit buy! So far I'm not disappointed and will be looking to get a second pair soon!
The quality appears to be top rate, with quality zippers, buttons and stitching. Not sure what TAD calls it but the button attachments are heavy duty pieces of flat "rope" rather than just stitched thread. These should hold up well to abuse but might make replacing a button harder if you don't have access to the same material.
As to comfort, fit and finish, these pants really shine. These pants look great and are equally at home in an office setting or in a less formal job site setting. In the few days I've worn them I've seen temps ranging from low 60's to mid 90's and these pants were comfortable throughout. Compared to jean's these pants breathe well but are thick enough that they should hold up to abuse just as well. Material wise they feel thinner than jeans but thicker/ stiffer than typical outdoor type pants. I feel like the material can handle some abuse, granted I would likely not try welding in them. One of the best features of these pants are the variety of pockets they offer while not looking "tactical". I can carry all of my normal EDC stuff like knives, leatherman, cell phone, voltage tester, etc. and not have ten things strapped to my belt. The hidden pockets will be useful for stashing things while traveling as well.
The last comment I have about these is the fit. I ordered per the instructions provided on TAD's site and for my 32/33 inch waist I chose the 34's. I'm tall slender guy at 5'11" and 165 lb's and these fit just fine but are just a bit more relaxed in the legs than I would like but don't feel like I'm a walking parachute compared to the Carhart's I've tried in the past. As ordered they are just slightly too loose in the waist area for my liking if I'm not carrying anything in the pockets. Its not terribly noticeable with an un-tucked shirt though and I gather the fit is per design. As such, they fit fine around the waist with plenty of room for my concealed carry and all EDC items with out looking out of place. I do think that I could have ordered a size smaller and they would have fit fine with empty pockets but would not have allowed the room for concealed carry or my other EDC items to fit comfortably. Despite the high cost of entry I feel these are quality pants that likely provide me years of service.
Off The Grid Surplus Trailblazer 3.0 Standard Fit:
While the price for these is not as cringeworthy as the Agent XC's $69 is still a high price for a pair of pants, but comparative to what I've paid for the Columbia ROC's and just slightly higher than the typical $50 for a pair of Levi's.
The quality overall appears to be top rate as well, with triple-stitched seams, crotch gussets, and pre-bent knees. The only potential weak point I see on these is the zippers. Neither seem as heavy duty as the rest of the pants.
As to comfort, fit and finish, these pants are top notch and I think an excellent value. These pants look at home on the job site, but not really suited for a formal environment. I also wore these in the same temperatures as the Agent XC's, temps ranging from low 60's to mid 90's and these pants were comfortable throughout, but definitly hotter in warmer conditions. The material on these is about the same thickness as jeans and might be slightly better suited in colder temps than the Agent XC's. Compared to jean's these pants breathe about the same but do offer more stretch in the material. They should hold up to abuse just as well if not better than normal jeans. I feel like the material can handle some abuse and I would feel as comfortable welding in these as I would in normal jeans. As with the Agent Chinos these pants offer a variety of pockets while not looking "tactical". Just as with the Agent Chinos, I can carry all of my normal EDC stuff like knives, leatherman, cell phone, voltage tester, etc. and not have ten things strapped to my belt. The one notable difference is that these don't have the hidden pockets that are found on the Agent Chinos.
The last comment I have about these is the fit. I ordered per the instructions provided on Off The Grid's site and for my 32/33 inch waist I chose the 32's and while they fit they are a bit too big. On my slender frame these fit similar to Carharts and are more relaxed than my normal Levi's. As such my comments are the same as for the Agent Chinos, they fit fine around the waist with plenty of room for my concealed carry and all EDC items with out looking out of place. I do think that with these the next pair I order will be a size smaller and still have the room for concealed carry or my other EDC items to fit comfortably.
In closing I think I will be buying another pair of both pants. The Agent Chinos will be my go-to for most normal day to day scenarios and my primary camping/ travel pants. The Trailblazer's will be my heavy work and cold weather go-to pants. If I was more concerned about cost or lived in a cooler climate I would likely just go with the Trailblazer's as my primary choice between these two. That said, I may follow up in a few months with a longer term review to see how they have held up. I am also interested in some of the other offerings from both companies and may do more reviews down the road.
