Table of Contents
- Introduction
- Mott and Bow twill chino pants
- Table of brands
- Maverick tech chino
- Joseph A. Bank traveler collection
- Brooks Brothers performance series stretch chinos
- Conclusion
Introduction
With the pandemic, I was fortunate to have a full-time job that I could do from home. My employer is starting to make plans to open to a hybrid arrangement (part of the workweek at home and part of the workweek at the office).
While working from home, I did not have much need for the dress clothes that I wore to the office. I did not do telework in casual clothes, as I found that I could not get into work mode without dressing somewhat more formally than jeans and a t-shirt.
Now that I will return to an office commute (maybe?), I had an interest in refreshing my wardrobe. Perhaps, the reader is in the same position. First, I looked for pants. I tend to wear wool dress pants that I pair with a blazer or sports coat.
It is a neat outfit. However, rain can present a problem—soaking the wool and ruining the crease. This happened to me several times. While I will not give up on wool pants, I was searching for pants that are formal enough for the office and can deal with rain well.
I found a category of pants called men’s tech pants. The pants typically have cotton, some elastane for stretch, and polyester for some water resistance. I found several brands that sell this type of pants. Most are formal for a workday, and a few others have a casual design.
I also added two pants from Mott and Bow for comparison: The Everyday Chino and the Mercer Twill Denim. Both pants have mostly cotton with some elastane for stretch.
I ordered the Chino Charles to use as pants for work at home space and the Crosby jeans to have as another pair of jeans. According to the label in the chinos, they designed in New York and made in China.
The chinos feel soft to the touch. The pants are wider at the hips and become narrower at the calves and ankles.
Mott and Bow: Twill Chino Charles
Brands of Tech Pants / Stretch Chinos
| Pants | Waist Sizes | Fabric Composition |
| Brooks Brothers Performance Series Chino Pants | 30 inches to 40 inches | 59 percent cotton, 35 percent polyester, 6 percent elastane. |
| Joseph A. Bank Traveler Collection, Traditional Fit Dress Pants ($79) | 32 inches to 42 inches | 66 percent wool, 30 percent recycled 37.5® polyester, 4 percent Spandex. |
| Joseph A. Bank Traveler Performance Traditional Fit Pleated Front Pants ($59) | 32 inches to 42 inches | 100 percent polyester |
| Perk Feel Good Chinos ($108) | 28 inches to 42 inches | 97 percent cotton twill, 3 percent Spandex |
| Western Rise, AT Pant ($128) | 28 inches to 40 inches | 97 percent nylon, 3 percent Spandex |
| TAYLRD Tech Chino Pants ($89) | 28 inches to 44 inches | 96 percent cotton, 4 percent Spandex |
| Rhone Commuter Pant (five styles-regular, slim, skinny, five-pocket, and jogger) ($128) | 28 inches to 40 inches | Proprietary “Flex-Knit™ fabric” |
| Mack Weldon Maverick Tech Chino ($128) | 30 inches to 44 inches | 78 percent cotton, 17 percent Lyocell, 5 percent elastane |
| 2Eros Bondi Pants (Australian $120) | S, M, L, XL (28 inches to 37 inches) | 84 percent nylon, 16 percent elastane |
| TAYLRD Warp Knit Pants ($108) | 28 inches to 44 inches | 100 percent polyester |
| Mott and Bow, The Everywhere Chino ($99) | 30 inches to 40 inches | 97 percent cotton, 3 percent elastane |
| Tailored Athlete, Everyday Tech Trousers ($116) [article, clothing for bodybuilders] | 28 inches to 38 inches | 90 percent nylon, 10 percent Spandex |
| Five-Pocket Pants FourLaps Traverse Pant ($98) | 28 inches to 40 inches | 89 percent recycled polyester, 11 percent Spandex |
| Huckberry, 365 Pant ($98) | 28 inches to 44 inches | 98 percent cotton, 2 percent Spandex |
| Mott and Bow, Mercer Twill Denim ($118) | 30 inches to 42 inches | 98 percent cotton, 2 percent elastane |
| Western Rise Evolution Pant ($149) | 28 inches to 40 inches | 96 percent nylon, 4 percent elastane |
Review: Maverick Tech Chino
I decided to try Mack Weldon’s Maverick Tech Chino. I was familiar with Mack Weldon through previous orders. I decided to try the Maverick Tech Chino because it was like the pants I had worn for work from home days (100 percent cotton). I bought the belt that Mack Weldon recommends for the pants. I wore the pants as some when I received them.
Despite the cotton in the pants, the fabric is a little stiff. (The pants get a little less stiff with wear.) They are comfortable for my sedentary job. While I planned to use the pants for work, I also wore them to the supermarket and the coffee shop.
The pants have been working well for me. I will likely buy another pair.
Review: Joseph A. Bank Traveler Collection
I needed to buy some pants to replace some wool pants that had reached the end of their usable life. I returned to the office for some days in the week. So, I was looking for clothes suitable for office wear with some contact with the public.
For the Traveler dress pants, it is a wool and polyester blend.
I am a fan: the wool-polyester blend works well
The wool-blend dress pants I wore to the office when there was an outdoor function. These pants were surprisingly comfortable. I will buy more of these.
Once during the summer, there was an unexpected rainstorm and I forgot my umbrella in the car. I quickly walked to the car and these pants were wet. However, with the air conditioning, the pants quickly dried out.
Pros and cons of 100 percent polyester pants
I have liked the Traveler Collection at Joseph A. Bank, but I noticed a recent change, the increase in synthetic material. In the performance pants version, the fabric used is 100 percent polyester. I am wary of 100 percent polyester, but the price was right, so I bought them. I miss the cotton-based version, though. (There is a golf chino that has a cotton-polyester blend, but the colors are more suitable for casual use.) That version I had bought for many years and had no complaints.
| Pros | Cons |
| Durability and longevity | Lack of natural fibers and breathability |
| Wrinkle resistance and easy maintenance | Static cling and potential discomfort |
| Moisture-wicking and breathability | Environmental impact (e.g., reliance on fossil fuels, microplastic pollution) |
| Wide color and design options | |
| Affordability |
100 percent polyester? For dress pants, no.
Gym shorts have a 100 percent polyester. They are comfortable while exercising, but what about office clothing?
The feel of the Joseph A. Bank Traveler performance pants fabric is smooth, but in photos, there is a definite sheen on the pants. I am not a fan of these pants, as I love the wool and polyester version.
Brooks Brothers Performance Series Stretch Chinos
I am a fan of Brooks Brothers. I found that they have a pair of tech pants available, called the performance series stretch chinos. These pants have a higher price point, $148. The fabric composition of the pants is 59 percent cotton, 35 percent polyester, 6 percent elastane.
Conclusion
New pants to suit at-home or in-office wear. Also, they can be used for casual events.
Have any of the stretch chinos discussed interested you? If so, let us know in the comments. If you have any questions about these pants, please send a message or write a comment. I will try to answer it in the blog.
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