r/Xennials • u/JeffTS 1977 • 6h ago
Any of my peers rocking cargo pants?
I've always been a jeans guy. When I used to hike, it was always either in jeans or cargo shorts.
After a break of several years, I started hiking again this summer. Jeans felt too constricting and I'm more concerned with ticks in my older years so I ruled out cargo shorts.
So, I bought a pair of cargo pants (and sprayed them with Permethrin; a product I discovered this summer that kills ticks instantly). So much more comfortable than jeans! Now I feel like I may start wearing them regularly.
I've been wearing Wrangler jeans for years and have been wearing their cargo shorts for years as well. So, I picked up their cargo pants.
Anyone else? If so, what brand?
Edit: I'm also a nature/landscape photographer. So they come in real handy while hiking.
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u/wyc1inc 6h ago
Do cargo pants have a sightly negative connotation now? I wear some pants I got at Costco that feel like cargo pants because it has a million pockets, but I think they called them tech pants or something.
But yea, I like these much more than jeans. I carry around a lot of crap so the extra pockets are nice.
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u/Objective-Dust4795 1983 6h ago
My fellow Costco clothes shopper. I have tech pants that are tighter than normal but are stretchy and flex really well.
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u/AlienDelarge 4h ago
Tech pants are somewhat similar but more often have synthetic stretchy water resistant fabrics, lower profile pockets, and usually a little slimmer cut. Cargo pants started as military work pants with the great big patch pocket on each thigh. There is some overlap though in designs
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u/sevenlabors 2h ago
Feels like they are 'back,' but I'll be damned if they don't still feel dated to me
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u/aroundincircles 6h ago
Iāve never not worn cargo pants/shorts. Having pockets is just too convenient.
Brand depends on what I find that fits, changes season to season/year to year. I have a big butt for a dude and most menās pants done account for that.
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u/Stink_Snake 6h ago
What do you use the extra pockets for? The only thing I've ever found conistently useful was putting my passport in one to keep it safe.
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u/ShakespearianShadows 4h ago
Not having to sit on my wallet is a big plus. Left side pocket holds my phone, right side has my wallet. Regular front right pocket is keys. Left front pocket is a Leatherman Skeletool, handkerchief, and a small flashlight.
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u/OhTheHueManatee 5h ago
I live in cargo shorts. I wear pants like 3 times a year.
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u/ButterscotchFar1629 1978 2h ago
Come live in northern Canada and let me know how that works out? Then again I wear shorts at 3 degreesā¦.
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u/kmill0202 1h ago
I live in Wisconsin. Not as cold as Canada, for sure, but still pretty cold. I used to work with a guy who I only saw wear pants once when it got down to -30 degrees Fahrenheit, or about -34 Celsius. Otherwise he wore cargo shorts or jorts. It was -25 (-31 Celsius) the day before, but he was still wearing shorts.
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u/unpolished-stone 6h ago
Yup, love my Wrangler cargo pants. So comfortable and practical. They go great with my solid color pocket tees.
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u/Financial-Yak-4172 1979 6h ago
I like the wranglers cargo I bought except for the pockets. They are arranged too far in for my comfort.
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u/unpolished-stone 5h ago
Do you have a better one you like? I'm always looking for recommendations.
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u/Financial-Yak-4172 1979 5h ago
I don't. the wranglers are the only pair of cargos I own. the rest of my pants are Lee's which I wear to work and jeans. I love my Lee's but they are not cargos.
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u/Jewbacca522 1984 4h ago
Try Duluth pants. I found them WAY more comfortable and ergonomic than Leviās or Wranglers.
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u/NinoNino3 6h ago
45 and its almost all I wear. I love cords and cargo pants. I don't care what is in style. My faves are Stone Island cargos (slim fitted and sharp)
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u/Quiet_Particular8141 5h ago
I just checked out stone island cargo pants and holy shit theyre over $500!!! Theyre nice but damn not $500 nice
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u/tgerz 1982 3h ago
I havenāt spent $500 but I have been buying jeans around $200 jeans (Ā£160). I only have two pairs and I just alternate between them. Donāt have to replace them as often as a lot of jeans have had in the past. The idea is to spent that money and keep those for many years instead of buying new pairs often.
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u/ReplaceSelect 4h ago
They will go on sale regularly, but theyāre an expensive brand. Stone Island holds up extremely well for me and fits well. Iāve yet to find a brand thatās less expensive that I like better.
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u/NinoNino3 43m ago
I only buy on sale or on Grailed/ 2nd hand.. (I've dug fashion my whole life- and I am not normal at all- I've got issues HA) They really make great cargo pants-
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u/MoridinXP 1982 6h ago
Been wearing them continuously for nearly 30 years. Just too convenient having all those pockets. Don't care if they're in fashion or not, personally.
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u/Astrazigniferi 4h ago
I finally went in to REI and bought real hiking pants and they are slowly replacing jeans as my āeverydayā pants. Super comfy, generally look put-together, plenty of pockets without looking ridiculous. They are, of course, also great for hiking. I keep going back for additional colors.
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u/Traditional_Entry183 1977 3h ago
I went to my local one and none of the ones they were selling had thigh pockets. I really like having one for my cell phone and another for my meds (I'm diabetic).
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u/Aescwicca 1983 3h ago
Wrangler trail pants are great. Target has them in several different material types.
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u/tgerz 1982 3h ago
I walked at REI back in 2019 up until we all went home. Got into quite a few pairs of REI and Prana pants. Scored a pair of Arcāteryx joggers once and they were the most comfortable pants Iāve ever owned.
For activities Iām all about these purpose type pants. I still like jeans, but now Iām investing in better quality like Japanese salvage denim. Been much happier.
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u/Lornesto 1980 5h ago
I go with the synthetic material hiking pants, of which a lot of them have extra cargo pockets, but they're not obviously cargo pants like the old ones. They almost look like just a pair of khakis.
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u/JeffTS 1977 5h ago
That sounds like my first purchase when I started hiking again and wasn't digging the jeans. Amazon and Gemini steered me wrong on them. They had air vents on the inner thigh that I thought would be great for hiking in the summer. I was lead to believe that they had a mesh screen. Nope. Wide open for ticks to just crawl right in. That's when I bought a pair of cargo pants.
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u/Lornesto 1980 5h ago
I personally like the Eddie Bauer hiking pants. I think I have 4-5 pair of them.
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u/Seven22am 1982 6h ago edited 5h ago
Warmer months: cargo pants and zip offs from Costco. Donāt mess with me.
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u/Puzzleheaded_Race_90 1979 5h ago
If you see a guy wearing cargo shorts and a hoodie with the sleeves rolled up, that's probably me
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u/Zombie_Red 5h ago
Im wearing cargo pants right now. They're wrangler, I got them at Costco.
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u/Inside-Judgment-725 5h ago
How much? I got some cargo wrangler pants at Walmart for $20 ea. They are light ripstop but the pockets are velcro
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u/bcentsale 1981 6h ago
I work for a small IT company and sometimes need to go to a customer site and test stuff ot replace equipment or reterminate network cables, and all the pockets in cargos are great for the various tools and testers and jacks and need to carry, especially into crawl spaces or up ladders
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u/japhia_aurantia 1977 6h ago
I'm a field botanist and all my field pants are cargos. I really like the Duluth firehose ones, but I have a pair of wranglers that are good too. Shorts are only ok for hiking on well maintained trails.
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u/Dear-Bet5344 6h ago
Been wearing the cheap wrangler ripstop ones from wally world for over 20yrs. Always a size up, for comfort.
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u/strangesam1977 5h ago
I started wearing surplus German army trousers in the early 90s. When they became impossible to obtain in non-camouflage fabrics sometime about 15 years ago I switched to 5.11 Taclite Pro.
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u/Gonna_do_this_again 6h ago
I do when I'm doing manual labor because pockets but not really casually anymore
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u/MetricJester 6h ago
After spending my professional life in black chinos, going back to the wrangler carpenters is so comfortable
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u/TuckerCarlsonsOhface 1977 6h ago
All the time. Also cargo shorts. Whenever I donāt I end up having to carry something in my hand that need a bigger pocket
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u/NoContextCarl 1981 6h ago
Either cargo shorts, jeans or athletic shorts. I've given up fashion. Just comfort and utility now.Ā
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u/FajitaTits 1979 6h ago
Absolutely. Got a pair of black Wranglers. They're apparently back in style, but I wouldn't care either way.
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u/Monatanaisdumb 5h ago
On my first date with my wife, we went for a hike and I wore camouflage cargo shorts. A few days later when she was helping me pick out some clothes, she said, "Yeah, the last time someone got a handjob in cargo shorts was in Nam." šŖšš«”
I haven't worn them since.
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u/Blovesmusic 5h ago
I'm a woman that recently discovered the comfort and usefulness of wearing light weight hiking cargo pants to work. I work in delivery and they stay comfortable in both hot and cold weather. I've also found that they're great for music festivals to keep my hands free. I can fit my drink in a pocket if I need to.
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u/CubistHamster 5h ago
Pretty much all I wear unless I'm actively trying to look dressed up.
Worn them for work pretty much my adult life (Army, then military contractor, now engineer on a commercial cargo ship) and at this point anything else feels too restrictive and doesn't have enough pockets for all the stuff I want to have readily available.
At work I mostly wear LA Police Gear Battle Rattle Stretch Pants, mostly because they've got built-in kneepad pockets that fit me perfectly (and those are absolutely life-changing if the work you do involves a lot of kneeling. They've made a massive difference in how worn out I feel after a rotation on my ship, though I wish I'd started wearing them 10 years ago.)
Outside of work, I mostly wear VertX pants. They're all cut with a gusseted crotch and a slight bend at the knees, which allows more freedom of movement with a less baggy fit than most pants. They've also got a bunch of designs that are fairly discreet while still having plenty of places to stash things.
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u/Inside-Judgment-725 5h ago
Yes. All my pants and a couple pairs of shorts. I hate having stuff in the upper pockets.
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u/Grymm315 5h ago
I used to wear cargo pants- now I wear joggers and Iām not going back. Like cargo pants and skinny jeans had a baby. Super comfy, lightweight, pockets, and elastic on the cuffs keep bugs from crawling up. The lookā¦ well I donāt wear them for the looks.
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u/PoisonMind 5h ago
Yeah, I started bike commuting about 5 years ago. Hiking pants are ideal for it. I like Prana Stretch Zion the best. They are stain resistant, and if I get caught in the rain, they go from soaking wet to dry in about an hour.
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u/firedude1314 4h ago
I wear absolutely nothing but 5.11 apex pants and shorts. There are pockets inside the cargo pockets. You can have my cargo pants when you pry them off my cold, dead legs.
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u/whither_wander_you 3h ago
OMG my dad is a retired LEO and I stole a pair of his old 5.11 BDUs for work pants! theyre like 4 sizes too big for me but theyre so amazing and the pockets are to die for!!!
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u/nate_7667 6h ago
I haven't worn jeans for close to 6 years. Ive been wearing cargo/tac pants from all the normal companies. Last few years have been LA police gear Urban Ops. They are light weight and comfortable/relaxed fit for me. I honestly wish they didnt have the cargo pockets. I dont use them. But I cant find the same fit/style in pants w/o cargo pockets. At least for the same price. They end up with wood glue, laminate contact cement, lacquer, and metal cutting fluid on them. Im not spending more on pants. So, is what it is. I do need to run a price check on these ones i wear against some Dickies and Duluth. The LAPG pants have almost doubled in price the last few years...like everything else lol
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u/boodgooky 1981 4h ago
It would be a pretty easy sewing project to remove those pockets if theyāre in the way.
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u/Clockwork12782 6h ago
Iām still out here. I literally have a hoodie from 1995 that I still rock.
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u/Spuckler_Cletus 6h ago
I wear purse pants pretty much every day. My wife refers to those pants and a blue t-shirt as my āuniform.ā
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u/GenderOobleck 6h ago
Yes, though my Union Bay cargo shorts finally gave out in the crotch after years of faithful service. Annoyingly, theyāre sold out online right now, so I canāt replace them.
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u/TheHarlemHellfighter 1984 6h ago
I did years ago. I actually use to have a decent amount of cargo pants.
Now, not so much.
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u/Roscoe_P_Trolltrain 6h ago
not as often as i'd like. harder to find at costco these days. stuck with shorts unable to hold cargo
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u/H3lls_B3ll3 1980 6h ago
I want some good cargo pants. I miss them. Haven't worn any in about 15 years.
Anyone know where i could get some really baggy ones?
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u/Stink_Snake 5h ago
I never used the extra pockets so I switched over to plain khaki shorts a few years ago.
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u/Shortbus_Playboy 1979 5h ago
I love the Amazon Basics cargo sweat pants, but those are the only variation of cargo pants I wear these days.
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u/Existing-Bus-8810 5h ago
If I'm wearing pants, I'm wear jeans. If I'm wearing shorts, I'm wearing cargo shorts.
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u/Apprehensive_Hat8986 5h ago
Burnt out my last pair and haven't been active enough to necessitate a new pair.
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u/GearsAndSuch 5h ago
Duluth! For mild to cool: Flexipedition. For warm to hot: Quickdry on the Fly. I used to wear Proppers BDUs, but I stopped when they became a symbol for a kind of world view and not just a think for people that wanted be able to haul things.
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u/Wallabunga657 5h ago
Yep. Wrangler is my brand too. I wear both jeans and cargo/tech pants, and have been since I was real young. I also work in the trades, so these pants are very useful for it. But even in my down time I still wear them.
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u/Arizonagamer710 5h ago
I mostly wear cargo pants and cargo jeans I don't give a fuck what anyone thinks my favorite brand is Carhartt by far.
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u/LaFantasmita 5h ago
Cargo pants from military surplus shops. I love the Rothco vintage paratrooper pants.
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u/One-Earth9294 1979- That's the year that the funk died 4h ago
I have a couple of pairs of Eddie Bauer golf pants with one pocket on the right leg that makes a bitchin' phone pocket... does that count?
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u/boodgooky 1981 4h ago
I donāt even like jeans for everyday wear, so I cannot imagine hiking in jeans OR (cotton) cargo pantsāI prefer fabrics that stay dry and donāt have tons of seams rubbing everywhere. I live out west now (from the South) and they say ācotton killsā in the context of potentially sweaty outdoor activities like hiking.
If I need a tougher fabric, I layer something like silk or merino wool long underwear under pants, or I really like Carharttās technical stretch fabrics and Duluth makes quality hiking clothes too.
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u/sleeperninja Supervisor at the Pyramid Mines on Mars.:illuminati: 4h ago
Definitely, but they arenāt denim, I look for cargo joggers that let me move around less restricted, since we like to hike and bike and things.
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u/cloudsurfinglion 4h ago
I never stopped wearing cargo pants. Recently, Dickies and LA Police Gear. Before, whatever I found at stores like REI, Dick's Sporting Goods and Academy. Jeans always felt too heavy and restrictive. I wear jeans when it gets colder. Otherwise cargo pants and in the summer cargo shorts
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u/Jewbacca522 1984 4h ago
Every day, Duluth cargo/carpenter pants. Although I wear the for work but a good half of my āniceā pants are also the same Duluth pants anyway just because theyāre comfortable to me.
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u/trainwreck84 4h ago
I haven't worn jeans in probably 15 years. Carhartt cargos all the way, so I can carry all my shit around.
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u/Lil_Quip 4h ago
Of course. They are peak functionality.
They weren't fashionable but fashion seems like attractive people look ugly.
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u/MukYJ 1980 4h ago
I wear cargo shorts most of the year, with a couple pairs of jean shorts thrown in for variety.
In the winter I usually wear either jeans or hiking pants. The hiking pants are mostly Columbia zip-offs that happen to have cargo pockets. I recently picked up a pair of Wrangler cargo pants at Costco that I liked so much that I went back and picked up a pair in the other color.
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u/Pugets_Sounds 3h ago
I'm sitting here typing this out in cargo shorts. I install and service appliances for a living and I need cargo pants and shorts. It's soooooooo convenient. I keep gloves in one pocket and shove trash into the other pocket as I'm setting appliances up.
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u/isolation_logo 3h ago
BC Clothing's cargos (found at Costco, maybe elsewhere?) have been my work pants staple since 2004. I've been a pocket fiend since the mid-90's.
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u/Traditional_Entry183 1977 3h ago
A few years ago, it was pretty easy to find performance material pants that had zipper pockets on both thighs, and it was great. Now, no matter where I go, its nearly impossible unless you want big, baggy heavy ones.
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u/RhetoricCamel 3h ago
I'm actually about to make the switch to cargo or khaki because I recently picked up cycling and it absolutely sucks riding in jeans and people at work look at me weird if I wear sweatpants.
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u/0peRightBehindYa 1979 3h ago
If my shorts or pants don't have multiple pockets on the legs, I'm not wearing em. Even my lounge shorts have thigh pockets on em.
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u/ButterscotchFar1629 1978 2h ago
I wear them for work. Normally I wear jeans but all my shorts are cargo shorts. Yes I wear socks and sandals as well.
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u/YoshiandAims 1h ago
I wear cargo tac pants, like tru-spec all the time. Phenomenal. Pockets, can handle abuse in the wild. Love em.
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u/kmill0202 1h ago
I've noticed that cargo pants seem to be making a bit of a comeback, at least the baggier y2k styles, anyhow. My husband, who is not quite a xennial (he's younger than me) has never really stopped wearing cargo pants. He usually just buys tactical pants. I've picked up a few pairs in recent years, in various styles. I find them to be very comfortable and practical. I like taking long walks for both exercise and mental health. I like not needing to carry a purse, backpack, or any other kind of bag. Everything I might need can go in my pockets. You can't do that with jeans, leggings, or sweatpants.
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u/WetDogWalker 1h ago
I wear cheap cargo pants,made in China, and bought on Amazon Japan for work. For some reason the crutch on them doesn't seem to split, whereas all my Levi or Wrangler jeans or other cargo pants do .
I have 2 pair that are 3 years old and 4 pair that are 2 years old.
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u/Electronic_Rope4178 1h ago
If Iām not wearing my work uniform itās short and flip flops. Iām the winter in Illinois Iāll put a hoodie on with my shorts and flip flops. Even when I run the snow blower, Iāve just always hated long pants and I only wear normal shoes and boots if I absolutely have to.
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u/krunkytacos 26m ago
I mean I feel like if I'm "rocking it" then I'm concerned with the way it looks. I am not concerned with the way it looks but I could carry a shitload of rocks in all these pockets. I hate the gimmicky cargo shorts and pants though. I don't need 37 micro pockets I literally just need huge useful pockets and strong belt loops cuz I'm going to load those m************ up.Ā Ā
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u/dequiallo 6h ago
Duluth trading company firehose flex cargo pants.