The Money Mustache Community
General Discussion => Welcome and General Discussion => Topic started by: Cork on April 02, 2018, 01:44:21 PM
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Pants!
My fancy dark wash jeans blow-out the inside thighs from thigh-rub (I cycle and squat a lot, shutup). 24 BMI so I'm not overweight and in denial either.
I've started walking to work and I don't want to go through jeans every 3 months! I've patched my favorite jeans 3 times and it extends the life. But are there better options? Magic pants with frictionless thigh material? Would prefer not to bring a change of pants every day.
Anyone found good solutions to this?
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I walk to work nearly everyday, regardless of weather. I wear quick drying hiking pants and regardless of rain or sweat, I'm generally in a presentable state in short order after arriving at work.
I also do a lot of hiking, so it works out pretty well from a cost perspective. A few years back I bought a number of them over the course of some long hiking trips. I would wait until they came on sale or clearance and would pick up them up for fairly cheap. I've been wearing these in some fairly rugged situations for over 4 years now and I've only had one casualty (tear in the butt from dropping down ten feet onto a ledge--not my commute to work).
Here's are a couple of examples from REI . . .
https://www.rei.com/rei-garage/product/139355/the-north-face-paramount-20-convertible-pants-womens
https://www.rei.com/product/827490/columbia-silver-ridge-convertible-pants-mens-32-inseam
They're not completely unprofessional (depending on where you work) and they're plenty comfortable. If you walk anywhere near as much as I do, you'll like these a ton more than jeans.
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Do less squats - If your pants are wearing out, I feel sorry for your balls...LOL.
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Pants!
My fancy dark wash jeans blow-out the inside thighs from thigh-rub (I cycle and squat a lot, shutup). 24 BMI so I'm not overweight and in denial either.
I've started walking to work and I don't want to go through jeans every 3 months! I've patched my favorite jeans 3 times and it extends the life. But are there better options? Magic pants with frictionless thigh material? Would prefer not to bring a change of pants every day.
Anyone found good solutions to this?
My pants wear out there too, though it takes longer (I'm female, big thighs!)
If I were you, I'd carry my jeans in a backpack or leave them at work and wear athletic pants to walk to work.
How do you patch the pants? I've been unsuccessful at figuring it out.
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check out:
https://www.betabrand.com/mens/
This company is an interesting one. lots of thought towards designing clothing for bicycling to work or travel in general and comfort.
I am female and have had a lot of great luck with the ability to move in these clothes.
Plus, they do some interesting crowd funding sort of for the products- it supports smaller designers in their work. good luck!
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I have some rw and co dress leggings that haven't blown out yet (close, but almost a year). I generally just accept that I wear my clothes out.
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I just wear jeans, knowing the inside thighs will wear out. You could have hole-y/patched walk-to-work jeans and change into a good pair (that you always leave at the office) when you arrive. That saves bringing a change of pants every day.
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Inner thighs are a problem for me too. It's so annoying because I can fix a straight tear, but it's a lot harder to fix a worn out area. I had some success sewing on new patches on the inside, that extended the life a bit but they are wearing thin again. Here to see what suggestions others offer.
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Ah...thigh rubbery-dubbery. Know it well. My jean crotches wear out like clockwork, but I have a two pairs of LL Bean "Comfort Trail Pants" that have nary a mark on the crotch. Not cheap, but comfy and light and fast drying. Value for money at least. Not sure what the equivalent men's version is, perhaps the "Cresta Hiking Pants."
ETA: Learned a new term: "gusseted crotch." I think that may be one secret to the LL Bean pants and why the crotch doesn't wear out.
ETA2: I see you don't want to change pants. These pants would be ok for a casual office, maybe.
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In my experience, biking to work one or two days per week will wear out your pants faster than walking to work every day. I just eat through pants when I'm biking a lot. 3 months sounds about right, I usually destroy at least one pair per summer when I'm biking frequently.
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Prana Stretch Zion is univerally praised amongst thru-hikers, and I find them to be nice enough looking to wear to work.
https://www.prana.com/men/featured/stretch-zion-family.html (https://www.prana.com/men/featured/stretch-zion-family.html)
If you're not a fan of the cargo pocket, checkout the stretch brion. For a cheaper option, I've heard this costco alternative has a similar material and fit.
https://www.costco.com/UB-Tech-Men's-Travel-Pant.product.100303218.html (https://www.costco.com/UB-Tech-Men's-Travel-Pant.product.100303218.html)
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Jeans and dark khaki shorts. They last a long time for me
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I walk to work regularly (7,5 km each way) and I wear a sports legging or a sports suit for that. When I hike in the weekend, I wear outdoor cotton-like trousers. But they do indeed get worn through. I am planning to repair my latest homesewn pair, because it is wearing through on some of the folds. If you have a look at Barbour clothes, those are cotton clothes that are waxed. I managed to rub through a Barbour jacket by walking in it and using a shoulder bag against the coat. Maybe if I had waxed it properly, it wouldn't have been damaged.
For years I have walked to the train station in my regular clothes (13 minutes each way). Being a woman with substantial thighs, my trousers have rubbed, but not within 3 months, usually after a year.
When cycling to work I have always worn cycling pants. When I was a teen ager I cycled to school (15 km each way) and wore my regular clothes. Can't remember my trousers got ruined fast at that time. Maybe it makes a difference what kind of bicycle saddle you are using?
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I have had good luck buying a size or two bigger and just wearing a belt.
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You can get teflon spray for clothing. I've used it with my hiking gear and not only do my thighs not wear through, but thorns slip off more often than not too.
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You can get teflon spray for clothing. I've used it with my hiking gear and not only do my thighs not wear through, but thorns slip off more often than not too.
Does it make the fabric change color or look shiny?
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You can get teflon spray for clothing. I've used it with my hiking gear and not only do my thighs not wear through, but thorns slip off more often than not too.
Does it make the fabric change color or look shiny?
For the stuff I was using, I couldn't tell a difference, but I'd certainly try it out on some old clothes first. It's been several years since I did that so I'm not even sure which brand I used.
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Hiking pants are where it's at. I also have the large leg muscle problem and I have always hated jeans because they don't fit right. I switched to some nice looking khaki hiking pants and I will never go back. They stretch, look nice and fit well.
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Try some of the Duluth Trading post products, in particular the Firehose Flex jeans.
The underwear are pretty awesome too. Stuff is expensive, but worth it.
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Prana Stretch Zion is univerally praised amongst thru-hikers, and I find them to be nice enough looking to wear to work.
https://www.prana.com/men/featured/stretch-zion-family.html (https://www.prana.com/men/featured/stretch-zion-family.html)
If you're not a fan of the cargo pocket, checkout the stretch brion. For a cheaper option, I've heard this costco alternative has a similar material and fit.
https://www.costco.com/UB-Tech-Men's-Travel-Pant.product.100303218.html (https://www.costco.com/UB-Tech-Men's-Travel-Pant.product.100303218.html)
Can confirm. I have worn my Stretch Zions many hundreds of times and use them for everything. Biking to work, work (ie. sitting quietly hoping people forget I still work here), backpacking, fixing the car, picking berries. They still fit and look as-new. They are also frequently found on sale at MEC (the more polite version of REI). Final selling point - they have inconspicuous buttons sewn into the calf area that allow them to be changed to a fetching pair of clamdiggers.
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Prana Stretch Zion is univerally praised amongst thru-hikers, and I find them to be nice enough looking to wear to work.
https://www.prana.com/men/featured/stretch-zion-family.html (https://www.prana.com/men/featured/stretch-zion-family.html)
If you're not a fan of the cargo pocket, checkout the stretch brion. For a cheaper option, I've heard this costco alternative has a similar material and fit.
https://www.costco.com/UB-Tech-Men's-Travel-Pant.product.100303218.html (https://www.costco.com/UB-Tech-Men's-Travel-Pant.product.100303218.html)
I have 3 pair of Stretch Zion. For a while (over a year), they were very nearly the only pants I wore. Work, home, dance, etc. They're great.
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Thanks everyone! I'll try some of those fancy stretch Zions. Otherwise I'll just pack a pair of pants into work.
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Prana good, north face makes good hiking pants as well. Buy them from one of the discount online, cashback places (activejunky redirect to backcountry, moosejaw, etc. )
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Used to buy ll bean dress khaki at the outlet for $20 then return them when they got worn out.
Now that the return policy is changed I will probably still get them as the price is worth. Outlets in Nashua nh, north Hampton nh, and Freeport me
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I used to walk to work -- I found no problem with dress slacks / casual dress slacks, like I do with jeans. Wool blends, polyester blends, not tight fitting. I recommend going up a class for your working clothing.
For cycling -- I guess I never cycle in jeans or cotton either? Usually synthetic shorts or athletic wear.... keeping a pair of jeans at work may be your best option here. Jeans worn only at work do not need to be washed very often, just aired out.
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Another fan of the Prana Stretch Zions. I wear them pretty much every day for biking, hiking, and to work. My belt did tear out in one pair soon after getting them though.
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Walk like you've been riding a horse? I'm a fatty and I've noticed myself widening my step unconsciously if the inner thigh seams are the sort of thing that catch on each other...
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Used to buy ll bean dress khaki at the outlet for $20 then return them when they got worn out.
Now that the return policy is changed I will probably still get them as the price is worth. Outlets in Nashua nh, north Hampton nh, and Freeport me
You are the reason they changed it. Thanks for ruining it for the rest of us.
On another note, you can add another vote for the Prana Zion pants.
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It may be just me, but I hate walking in jeans, even in jeans that are loose fit--Like 569's. The primary reason I don't like them is that the fit in the seat and waist is just too tight for walking. Perhaps it is the way I choose to wear my jeans; I absolutely refuse to wear a pair that are baggy in the seat, because it makes you look like someone's grandpa. Looking good in loose fitting jeans is a hard look to pull off. And before you harsh me for appearance comments, You do have to consider that for many people, your appearance at work does matter. Body type matters too--If your are thin, you can get away with wearing loose fitting jeans. I'm overweight, so loose fitting jeans look like crap.
For walking, pleated pants are the way to go. They fit properly on the waist but still allow freedom of movement, especially in the upper leg and hip. Since slacks are meant to be worn looser than jeans, they don't look like crap when fitted properly. So I'll opt for RL khakis, or else hiking/convertible shorts. I have some from REI that are going on 5 years, and even with thigh rub there is no wear.
My round trip walk to and from work is 3 miles.
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Professional golfers walk 7+ miles per round, so it seems like their pants would be good for walking long distances.
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I killed many jeans by recklessly cycling. Always a tragic loss to blow-out a good pair, reminds me of Cat Stevens:
They will vanish away like your dads best jeans
Denim blue, faded up to the sky
And though you want them to last forever
You know they never will
And the patches make the goodbye harder still.
Meanwhile I have walked several miles a day in my dress pants for years with no discernible wear. I got a few pairs of Kenneth Cole pants at an outlet for <$20 each ~4 years ago, those have been the most durable in my experience.
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I actually wear khaki hiking pants. The synthetic fabric stretches and seems to last a very long time. At the same time, quick to dry, take up little space.
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This is a fascinating thread...I've been a big walker for years, and I have never had a pair of pants wear out in the thighs my entire life. Hems go ragged, knees get holes, seats occasionally rip, but I've never heard of the inner thighs wearing out. It must be just anatomical differences?
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Thanks everyone! I'll try some of those fancy stretch Zions. Otherwise I'll just pack a pair of pants into work.
FYI, after reading everyone's comments here, my DH ordered some stretch Zions, but they turned out to be cut very skinny...sort of hipster cut (based on the comments on the website, the cut has been changed recently). He's not overweight, but he does have a well muscled lower body and these pants seem designed for tall, thin men. So if you aren't one of those....
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Thanks everyone! I'll try some of those fancy stretch Zions. Otherwise I'll just pack a pair of pants into work.
FYI, after reading everyone's comments here, my DH ordered some stretch Zions, but they turned out to be cut very skinny...sort of hipster cut (based on the comments on the website, the cut has been changed recently). He's not overweight, but he does have a well muscled lower body and these pants seem designed for tall, thin men. So if you aren't one of those....
I should probably try the new cut then, as the old cut is loose on me at 6' ~160/165. :P
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Just wanted to say thanks to OP for posting this and for everyones' suggestions as I have been wondering the exact same thing.
Since I started biking a few months back I have worn through the thighs on both my pairs of jeans and all my sewing stuff is still in storage for a few more weeks.
For those with a sewing machine -
I have fixed them this way in the past, and b/c of where the holes are it is almost completely unnoticeable:
https://fatshionista.livejournal.com/4648359.html (https://fatshionista.livejournal.com/4648359.html)
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Just wanted to say thanks to OP for posting this and for everyones' suggestions as I have been wondering the exact same thing.
Since I started biking a few months back I have worn through the thighs on both my pairs of jeans and all my sewing stuff is still in storage for a few more weeks.
For those with a sewing machine -
I have fixed them this way in the past, and b/c of where the holes are it is almost completely unnoticeable:
https://fatshionista.livejournal.com/4648359.html (https://fatshionista.livejournal.com/4648359.html)
Bookmark-a-roonie. Gonna fix my favorite pants. Thanks.
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Thanks everyone! I'll try some of those fancy stretch Zions. Otherwise I'll just pack a pair of pants into work.
FYI, after reading everyone's comments here, my DH ordered some stretch Zions, but they turned out to be cut very skinny...sort of hipster cut (based on the comments on the website, the cut has been changed recently). He's not overweight, but he does have a well muscled lower body and these pants seem designed for tall, thin men. So if you aren't one of those....
Based on the apparent popularity of the old Stretch Zions, as evidenced by this thread, I now regret not ordering them in bulk and selling them at wildly inflated prices once they changed the cut.
I did find mine stretched a fair bit after a day of wear (odd for a synthetic fabric), especially after squatting to pick things up etc. so they might end up fitting your husband after all. That being said I am indeed a tall skinny man that hasn't done a legs day since around 2006.
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Despite being the classic workmans wear, denim is the bottom of the barrel in terms of durability. If you like cotton, go for duck fabric. I buy Dickies for my general purpose farm pants. Despite being a bit thinner, they outlast jeans 2 to 1 due to the tighter weave pattern. Almost any synthetic will outlast cotton by a wide margin, but there are some weave patterns (especially the athletic type pants) that seem to catch and "run" worse than others if worn near briars or shifter cable ends, etc). Mechanic type polyester work pants are tough as nails, and very affordable, but I do a fair bit of welding, grinding, brush burning, etc, and I prefer to have pants that won't melt. Cotton feels the best to me as well.
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In my experience, biking to work one or two days per week will wear out your pants faster than walking to work every day. I just eat through pants when I'm biking a lot. 3 months sounds about right, I usually destroy at least one pair per summer when I'm biking frequently.
Buying a better quality pair of jeans might help. I ride a bike nearly every day (don't have a car) and there's a huge difference in quality between brands / material. I've had my current pair for almost 9 months and that's my longest lasting pair so far. They were good quality Levi's - bought secondhand with tags for about €25.
I can imagine it's the same for walking. If you can change clothes at work, I would look into outdoor / hiking brands. If you can't change, buy durable materials and be prepared to replace your jeans / pants a bit more often. One or two extra pairs a year are still much cheaper than driving. If you're a woman, wearing a skirt with thicker, good quality leggings instead of tights is an option as well.
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Just popped into say that the thread title has been making me smile on a daily basis, as I live somewhere where pants usually means underwear rather than trousers.
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Despite being the classic workmans wear, denim is the bottom of the barrel in terms of durability. If you like cotton, go for duck fabric. I buy Dickies for my general purpose farm pants. Despite being a bit thinner, they outlast jeans 2 to 1 due to the tighter weave pattern. Almost any synthetic will outlast cotton by a wide margin, but there are some weave patterns (especially the athletic type pants) that seem to catch and "run" worse than others if worn near briars or shifter cable ends, etc). Mechanic type polyester work pants are tough as nails, and very affordable, but I do a fair bit of welding, grinding, brush burning, etc, and I prefer to have pants that won't melt. Cotton feels the best to me as well.
I used to wear polyester work pants, they were very hot, but wore well. They are also fully resistant to battery acid, which is the reason I needed them for that job.
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Thanks everyone! I'll try some of those fancy stretch Zions. Otherwise I'll just pack a pair of pants into work.
FYI, after reading everyone's comments here, my DH ordered some stretch Zions, but they turned out to be cut very skinny...sort of hipster cut (based on the comments on the website, the cut has been changed recently). He's not overweight, but he does have a well muscled lower body and these pants seem designed for tall, thin men. So if you aren't one of those....
I should probably try the new cut then, as the old cut is loose on me at 6' ~160/165. :P
I was just thinking the same thing. At 6'3 and ~160 almost everything is loose on me...
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Thanks everyone! I'll try some of those fancy stretch Zions. Otherwise I'll just pack a pair of pants into work.
FYI, after reading everyone's comments here, my DH ordered some stretch Zions, but they turned out to be cut very skinny...sort of hipster cut (based on the comments on the website, the cut has been changed recently). He's not overweight, but he does have a well muscled lower body and these pants seem designed for tall, thin men. So if you aren't one of those....
Yep, I had the same problem. Decades of cycling have given me (ahem) well developed glutes and in the Prana pants there's no room for them. They seem to be made for people suffering from n'assatall's syndrome.
Arcteryx pants fit me well, but I didn't buy the set I tried on because they cost a fortune. They also LOOK like hiking pants, which isn't a big deal since I'd probably be actually hiking in them. I probably wouldn't wear them to work though.
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Try pants made of ripstop Nylon. My doesn't even wear jeans, anymore most of the time in favor of these. He buys his from a tactical supplier like L.A. Police gear. They are about $22 and very durable.
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Yep, I had the same problem. Decades of cycling have given me (ahem) well developed glutes and in the Prana pants there's no room for them. They seem to be made for people suffering from n'assatall's syndrome.
My DH has the same problem. Some years he cannot even buy a new pair of jeans, because thin is fashion.
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I would just walk in leggings. Granted, I'm not a guy, but they make running/hiking tights for men! Stretchy, breathable, and then change into work appropriate pants when you get to work. All of my male co workers are always commenting "leggings look so comfortable and easy to move in, I wish men could wear them" and I always say...why not?? More men should wear leggings!
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"leggings look so comfortable and easy to move in, I wish men could wear them" and I always say...why not?? ]
Because people are offended by the bulge, that's why. There's no hiding the package in leggings.
Male leggings would violate the cardinal rule of male fashion, which is to always conceal the penis and testicles from view. Women are allowed to reveal anatomy through their clothing. Men are not.
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"leggings look so comfortable and easy to move in, I wish men could wear them" and I always say...why not?? ]
Because people are offended by the bulge, that's why. There's no hiding the package in leggings.
Male leggings would violate the cardinal rule of male fashion, which is to always conceal the penis and testicles from view. Women are allowed to reveal anatomy through their clothing. Men are not.
One of my male colleagues runs from the train station to work in black running leggings. I think it is accepted for men to wear leggings when running/cycling. Not so as office wear.
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"leggings look so comfortable and easy to move in, I wish men could wear them" and I always say...why not?? ]
Because people are offended by the bulge, that's why. There's no hiding the package in leggings.
Male leggings would violate the cardinal rule of male fashion, which is to always conceal the penis and testicles from view. Women are allowed to reveal anatomy through their clothing. Men are not.
One of my male colleagues runs from the train station to work in black running leggings. I think it is accepted for men to wear leggings when running/cycling. Not so as office wear.
Oh, I didn't mean to imply wearing them as office wear. In my comment I mentioned "changing into work appropriate clothing" once you arrive. I just think they would be the most comfortable pants to walk/run a long way to work, especially for someone with a muscular lower body who has trouble fitting into conventional pants.