****** - Verified Buyer
4.5
Alright, so I'm a little picky with my work clothes.I'm a commercial HVAC mechanic, and I am HARD on my clothes. I'm up and down off my knees all day, squeezing into thight spaces,crawling through air handlers, constantly surrounded by clothes-destroying jagged metal edges from L bracket or unistrut, sun beating down on me, or rain, or a slippery vinyl rooftop...So...Ive gone through a lot of pants. Snickers, riggs, the classic Carhartt b01, 1620, atlas 46, truwerk, Patagonia, various "tactical" brands on Amazon, and while each has their pros and cons: I think that the Carhartt rugged steel flex just might be what I was looking for.In terms of sizing: I bought the same size I normally wear in Carhartt B01's: 36x34. The fit is slimmer through the thigh and calf, but similar at the waist. The slimmer cut helps with avoiding random snags on the job site, but the stretch in these makes up for the roominess lost. The crotch gusset is a godsend, and I'm very impressed with the codura-reinforced details.The fabric breathes wonderfully, and it seems like it's going to stand up to random snags on the job site. Time will tell, and I'll update my review if I find their durability lacking.It would be nice if Carhartt would make these in the same factory that they make their B01's in: USA made is always preferred. That said: the the folks that made these are clearly skilled at their craft, and whatever money Carhartt saves on getting these made overseas does not equate to lower quality.The price isn't too hard to swallow either...as long as they last. Typically I'll go through a pair of B01's in less than six months of on and off wear and washes every 5th wear. All these have to do to is last about 60% longer than the B01s, to say nothing of the comfort factor, to represent the same value. A lot of other brands can get super expensive...and that calculus gets a little more dicey.So, tentative 5/5 on these. Carhartt seems to have knocked it out of the park with these. We'll see!
