Finding work pants that are worth a damn was what sent me down the content creation path. So I decided to tear apart 7 pairs to learn more.
The Contenders
Which work pants are best? It’s hard question to answer since every job is different and will require different features. One thing is true across the board though: we need our work pants to be durable and comfortable. So in this article, I’ve assembled a collection of the most common work pants I see on the jobsite to see which holds up the best to my torture tests.
Carhartt B01
- Price: $60
- Fabric type: Cotton Duck Canvas
- Fabric weight: 12oz
- Waist measurement: 16”
- Belt loops: 7
- Triple stitched main seams
- Double knees
- Weight: ~2lbs
- Made in: USA
1620 NYCO
- Price: $198
- Fabric type: CORDURA Stretch NYCO fabric, woven in USA
- Fabric weight: 14oz
- Waist measurement: 17.24”
- Belt loops: 7
- Triple stitched main seams
- Double knee
- Crotch gusset
- Weight: 1lb 13oz
- Made in: USA
Patagonia Iron Forge Hemp Work Pants
- Price: $89
- Fabric type: Hemp blend
- Fabric weight: 12.9oz
- Waist measurement: 17”
- Belt loops: 7
- Triple stitched main seams
- Double knees
- Crotch gusset
- Weight: 1lb 12.5oz
- Made in: Sri Lanka
Duluth Trading Co Fire hose double knee work pants
- Price: $85
- Fabric type: Duck canvas with 3% spandex
- Fabric weight: 8oz.
- Waist measurement: 17.5”
- Belt loops: 7.5
- Triple stitched main seams
- Double knees
- Crotch gusset
- Weight: 1lb 9.6oz
- Made in: Indonesia
Ben Davis Original Bens Pants
- Price: $50
- Fabric Type: blended twill poly/cotton blend
- Fabric Weight: 10.5oz
- Waist measurement: 17”
- Belt loops: 7
- Double stitched main seams
- Single knees
- Weight: 1lb 5oz
- Made in Dominican Republic
Truewerk T2 Work Pants
- Price: $79
- Fabric Type: Double woven, poly blend with stretch
- Fabric weight: ??
- Waist measurement: 17”
- Belt loops: 7 & suspender loops
- Double stitched main seams
- Single knees
- Crotch gusset
- Weight: 1lb 2.9oz
- Made in: Bangladesh
Snickers Workwear Ruffwork Canvas+ Work Pants
- Price: $138
- Fabric Type: Canvas+ & Cordura
- Fabric Weight:
- Waist measurement: 17.5”
- Belt loops: 7
- Triple stitched main seams
- Cordura knees
- Weight: 1lb 15oz
- Made in Vietnam
The Tests
While nothing can truly replicate honest wear and tear on the job, we will be testing and measuring fabric strength, seams, puncture resistance, abrasion resistance, and flame resistance.
Test 1: Seams and Fabric Strength
To test the overall strength of the seams and fabric, each pair of pants was secured to an engine hoist and pulled until the tearing point by the legs.
While not a perfect test, the Carhartt B01 won by a large margin, taking over 300lbs to tear! 1620 Workwear took second, and Patagonia Workwear took less than 100lbs to tear apart at the legs.
Test 2: Belt Loops
Few things are as frustrating as tearing off a belt loop, using the same method with a scale and engine hoist I measured the force it took to tear off a belt loop from each pair of work pants.
Carhartt won this test taking nearly 80lbs of force to tear off the belt loop, followed by Ben Davis, Truewerk T2, and 1620 Workwear. The Duluth Trading Co belt loops tore off easiest with just over 40lbs of force.
Test 3: Hammer Loop
Only three pairs of work pants were equipped with a hammer loop, but while the pants were on the test bench I pulled those off as well. Not surprisingly Carhartt won, followed by Duluth Trading Co, and 1620 in last place.
Test 4: Puncture Resistance
Pulling the fabric over a section of pipe, I used my drill press to puncture the material. Beneath the pipe was a digital scale which measured the force needed to puncture each pair of work pants.
This test needs a little clarification: The Snickers Workwear pants are constructed with two materials: the Canvas+ and Cordura. The Cordura took the most force to penetrate with over 50lbs needed. The Canvas+ was much less puncture resistant and only needed ~35lbs to penetrate.
The material which needed the most force to penetrate was the Carhartt 12oz duck canvas at ~45lbs, followed by Ben Davis at ~42lbs.
Test 5: Double-knee Puncture Resistance
Only some of the pants had double knees, but the results were similar to those above with Snickers Workwear ultimately taking the most force to penetrate followed by Carhartt B01 work pants.
Test 6: Abrasion Resistance
Before I purchased a real abrasion tester, I tried to simulate my own using a railroad segment, multitool, and timer. These results were somewhat inconclusive, but subjectively it appeared that the Truewerk and 1620 pants were the most abrasion resistant.
Test 7: Flame Resistance
This was a test which didn’t really need to be done, but it was a lot of fun anyhow. The 1620 pants are made from a no melt/no drip material and simply burned like paper where the Truewerk and Snickers turned into a sticky, melted mess thanks to their synthetic material.
Conclusion
Which work pants are right for you will depend on your individual needs. Some people will value light weight and flexible, others will need the toughest pants they can find. Of this lineup however, the Carhartt B01 offers an impressive value, being the strongest and second most puncture resistant while being the second cheapest and made in USA.
Also impressive were the 1620 pants, though they cost much more than the rest. Which pair is right for you?
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