When I first set my eyes on a pair of Mountain Khakis a couple of years ago at the Outdoor Retailer show I couldn’t figure out the hype. A beefy pant that looked like Carharts yet built for mountain bound people like myself? I wasn’t buying it. Then I landed a pair and put them through the ringer and 2 years later after many climbing, bush-whacking, canyon country and other outdoor adventures including building my house with them I’m a believer. Not only have they held up but they are one of the most comfortable pants I own.
Although Mountain Khakis offers a few different models the Original Mountain Pant is my favorite. Here’s why.
About the Mountain Khakis Original Mountain Pant
At the heart of the Mountain Khakis Original Pant is a 10.4 oz cotton duck canvas fabric that despite continued abuse has held up. Even the couple of times I’ve caught it on a metal corner or the time a sharp stick sliced a little rip in it the pants have not come apart like others would. Sure they are frayed a bit at those spots but unlike a pair of jeans which after a one or two washes and continued use would rip out, these have been strong.
But don’t let this lead you to think that they’ve been easy to rip or tear. It’s held up to climbing Little Cottonwood granite on multiple occasions, many scrub oak bush-whack adventures in Lambs Canyons and the Uintas, in addition to 11 months of demolition and then construction work rebuilding my house including tearing off an old roof and putting a new one on. Let me put it this way – I’ve retired more than a couple pair of jeans over the same time from less abuse.
Another cool feature that lends well to mountain adventures is the “Action Gusset” which minimizes stress to the seams and lends to a comfy fit and feel for those of us with an X and Y chromosome.
I have two pairs of these pants now and in the early models the cotton would shrink quite a bit leaving some waiting for the flood. So my second pair I over compensated and now I’m draggin’ in the dirt like all the young kids. Essentially, they heard from customers about the shrink problem and fixed it so I recommend ordering true to size.
The only drawback I’ve found is that regardless of how quickly you pull these things from the dryer they always come out super wrinkly. If you’re not one to pull out the iron, relish the wrinkle free look when you bring them home from the store. Sure the wrinkles aren’t a problem if you’re just headed back to the crag to work on that boulder problem or if you’re lucky enough to work at an office with other mountain lifestyle folks who don’t care.
Don’t want the wrinkles? Get used to either pulling out the iron or accept strange looks from the more “refined” folks in town.
I will mention the double pocket on the right side. I’m not quite sure what the more stealthy pocket is for. It’s much deeper than the other and takes a very flexible wrist to retrieve anything from its depths. It’s not that big of a deal as it doesn’t alter the feel or functionality of the pant but it seems rather worthless to me.
The Bottom Line: Mountain Khakis Original Mountain Pant
Despite looking like Mr. Wrinkles every time I pull these things out of the dryer, I often pull these pants on day after day because of their comfort and durability. On more than one occasion I’ve gotten the “didn’t you wear those yesterday…and the day before?” from my wife.
They’re burly, durable, very comfy and last a LONG time – well worth the $69 clams they’ll run you. As you can tell I dig them and suspect I’m not the only one out there whose stoked to have found the Mountain Khakis Original Pant.
2 Comments
Nice khakis! I am planning to go skiing and snowshoeing this December and I might buy some of that…How much that it cost?
Hope to hear from you. Thanks!
To much hype! These pants are ok, but mine tore and they would not replace! For the price i could have gotten 4 pairs of dockers! Not worth it!