Adventure Jeans Review
An active lifestyle requires quality, comfortable and stylish clothing. Jeans are a staple in my wardrobe, and the style pant I wear most often. While I’d love to live in board shorts and slides sandals everyday that just isn’t appropriate in many situations. The following is a review of four top quality adventure jeans that I’ve been wearing for years.
REVIEWER: 6’3”, 170 lbs, 32”x32” pant size
Prana Axiom Jean 32/32
MSRP: $89.00 (BUY NOW)
MADE OF: 99% Organic Cotton /1% Spandex
MADE IN: China
DETAILS: standard fit, gusseted inseam, contrast zig-zag stitch on hip at side seam, faux suede rear patch & coin pocket accent
THE COMPANY SAYS:
“The Axiom jean features the comfort of stretch denim and the full range of motion a gusseted inseam brings.”
MY THOUGHTS:
The Prana Axiom is a super comfortable stylish jean. The relaxed fit, slight stretch and lightweight denim make for a very comfortable active lifestyle pant. I love the small stylish touches on these jeans, like the orange contrast zig-zag stitching on the hips and small faux suede accent on the coin pocket.
I have owned many pairs of these jeans over the years, and have found that the different colors offer quite a bit different fit, and that can change from year to year. These jeans always come with quite a few loose threads and overall wear through quite easily at the knees and fray along the pocket edges.
The Axiom is the jean that I wear the most, as it is just super comfortable, stylish without being over the top and lightweight. On the flip side of that coin, an almost $90 pair of jeans should be made to a higher more consistent standard and be more durable.
Mountain Khaki Original Mountain Jean 32/32
MSRP: $69.95 (BUY NOW)
MADE OF: 10.8 oz 100% Cotton Denim, YKK zippers
MADE IN: China
DETAILS: five pockets, diamond-shaped action gusset, topo map pocket bags, custom embossed leather bison patch, rivet-reinforced stress points, triple-stitched seams, garment washed, regular fit
THE COMPANY SAYS:
Discontinued item, so not sure.
MY THOUGHTS:
The MK Original Mountain Jean is extremely durable and has a very classic style. I’ve had two pairs of these jeans and find the build quality to be extremely variable, with lots of loose threads. With that said, they are build in an extremely durable way, so the loose threads are more of a fashion frustration than a functional one. They are a snug fitting 32 waist, but the length is good. These jeans are thick and heavy, and while not offering any stretch, the gusseted crotch does allow for good active mobility.
I honestly don’t reach for these jeans often, as I tend to like a lighter weight more flexible jean. Comfort and mobility is key for me, and I just don’t think these jeans excel at those functions. The heavier physical weight also comes into play when traveling, especially by plane or motorcycle.
Club Ride Cog Jean Indigo 32/33
MSRP: $79.95 (BUY NOW)
MADE OF: 12 oz Denim, 98% Cotton / 2% Spandex
MADE IN: China
DETAILS: pre-shrunk, garment-washed, seamless crotch gusset, RideLight reflective accents, NoCrackBack, zippered side pocket, straight fit
THE COMPANY SAYS:
“Whisk around town in style and comfort in the Club Ride stretch denim pant. Our 12 oz per meter denim is sturdy enough to take the abuse of all day / every day use, and has enough stretch to allow the freedom of movement you need on the bike or off. The reflective accents under the drive side of the pant leg and in our labels provide night time visibility. The large zippered leg pocket keeps your large phone/device secure while pedaling or during other active times. Whether you’re out on the town or cruising around the campsite, the Cog delivers fit, function and the style you need.”
MY THOUGHTS:
The CR Cog is a feature rich stylish jean that is designed for those with an active lifestyle, originally tailored towards cyclist. I find them to be a bit formal looking at times, but I think that is mostly due to the rich Indigo color. In reality they aren’t very formal at all, as they have ton of useful design elements for the active adventurer.
The zippered leg pocket is perfect for securely transporting hotel room keys, loose currency or other important items while traveling. While it is designed as a cell phone pocket I’ve never been able to make that work, as it’s WAY to small for my big iPhone 7+. The main front pockets are super comfortable to put your hands in, but they aren’t super deep, as my big cell phone sticks out the top just a bit.
My first experience with the CR Cog was taking them as my only pair of casual pants on a 5K+ mile solo motorcycle adventure in NE Canada. They held up extremely well to daily use in demanding conditions while off the moto. Most importantly they were/are crazy comfortable, which I attribute to the stretch fabric, articulated knees and crotch gusset. For over two years now I’ve worn these jeans at least once a week, and they still look and feel great.
DU/ER L2X Relaxed Fit Rinse 32/32
MSRP: $129.00 (BUY NOW)
MADE OF: 70% Cotton / 28% CoolMax Polyester / 2% Lycra
MADE IN: Pakistan
DETAILS: active relaxed-fit, signature seat gusset, double layer pockets, reinforced stitching, 16.5” knee & 15” leg opening, Silvadur silver ion microbial protector
THE COMPANY SAYS:
“Timeless essentials like Performance Denim in Rinse are the foundation of a wardrobe that works for you, not the other way around. With a relaxed-fit providing added room in the calf and thigh, these comfortable classics are made from our notoriously flexible and lightweight L2X™ fabric and enhanced with durable design features so you can keep on moving.”
MY THOUGHTS:
The DU/ER L2X jean is a high tech garment that is extremely well made. The fabric is super stretchy and offers quality body temperature regulation, through the integration of CoolMax fibers. I find the 32 waist a bit baggy, the 32 length to be appropriate and the knee and calf cut to be a bit snug. While the fabric allows for lots of mobility, the leg cut makes for a restrictive feel.
The company says to go down a size in these jeans, but I didn’t find that to be a good idea. I did try on a few sizes before going with my normal 32/32. The company also claims these jeans are “30% lighter and stronger than a traditional pair of jeans,” a claim I have a hard time refuting, as they are light weight and seem to hold up very well.
These are the most tailored and fashion forward jeans in this review. While I love the contrasting orange stitching and high tech comfortable fabric, I’m not a big fan of the cut, which you could argue is a bit “hipster.” Because of that cut and restrictive feel, from the knees down, I don’t tend to grab these jeans on a daily basis. If I’m going out somewhere nice, where jeans are appropriate, these are the best jeans in the review for those occasions.
CONCLUSION
The Mountain Khaki are the most traditional and durable, while the DU/ER are the most fashion forward and technically advanced, and their prices at each end of the spectrum reflect this. The Prana and Club Ride are the most comfortable and most well suited for an active travel lifestyle, and the jeans I wear nearly all the time. I’d say the Club Ride are considerably better made and durable than the Prana, but I do find myself wearing the Prana more times than not. I find the Prana to be extremely comfortable everyday jeans, but I do wear them out relatively quickly.
In the end it all comes down to personal taste, but hopefully this review introduced you to some quality adventure jean options that you might not have considered, or made your decision just a bit easier on your next purchase. Now pull up those pants and go live a life of adventure! Cheers…
(Disclaimer: Many of these jeans have been given to me over the years from the manufactures, while others I have purchased for a deal. At the time of this review I have no particular affiliation with any of these manufacturers and will/have not received any compensation for this review.)
