Over the past couple of years, we鈥檝e seen men鈥檚 blue jeans get completely reinvented, thanks to the addition of Lycra (which also goes by spandex or elastane). Lycra, when mixed with cotton, adds stretch, so jeans are comfier and better for everything from commuting to climbing. 听
Proof has taken that concept one step further and added Lycra to a pair of work pants. Its听model is called (as in Land Rover), and they鈥檙e the first pair of work pants I鈥檝e ever worn that don鈥檛 feel like they need a two-month break-in period. The pants are not as comfortable听as stretch jeans, because they鈥檙e made from a thicker, more durable cotton, but they鈥檙e miles ahead of the work pants you鈥檙e used to suffering through.
Proof also mixed in quite a bit of Sorbtek, a synthetic material that excels at wicking moisture. So if you wear these pants to dig out a buddy鈥檚 car in the snow, or put them on to tackle听a sweaty听summer-construction project, they鈥檒l stay a lot drier and softer than what you鈥檙e used to.
Other features include a gusseted crotch for an increased range of motion and a pigment dye that allows the pants to develop their own unique patina over time. Plus, because the Rovers forgo double knees and hammer loops, they don鈥檛 scream 鈥渨ork,鈥 which means听you can wear them off the jobsite, too.
Are the Rovers as durable as the work pants you鈥檝e had for the past five years? Probably not. Proof did give up a little strength in the trade for luxury, but it鈥檚 a sacrifice I鈥檓 willing to make. They鈥檙e that much nicer to wear and tough enough to put up with at least a couple years of abuse.
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