10 Best Work Pants in 2022
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A good pair of work pants are more than just clothing: they are a source of protection, extra carrying space, and better comfort while working and can sometimes even come with their own unique materials and features that set them apart from most other pants on the market. But how do you choose a single pair of work pants when there are so many different brands on the market, and which ones actually put substance over style? Knowing what to expect and the kind of things you should look for makes a big difference to how well they will serve you when you are actually wearing them during work.
View the Best Work Pants , Below.
- 5.11 Tactical Men’s Taclite Pro Work Pants
- Carhartt Men’s Ripstop Cargo Work Pant
- TRU-SPEC Men’s 24-7 Tactical Pant
- Wrangler Authentics Mens Fleece-Lined Cargo Pant
- Carhartt Men’s Washed Duck Work Dungaree Pant
- Dickies Men’s Original 874 Work Pant
- Carhartt Men’s Relaxed Fit Washed Twill Dungaree Pant
- Dickies Men’s Loose Fit Double Knee Work Pant
- Wrangler Riggs Workwear Men’s Ranger Pant
- Caterpillar Men’s Trademark Pant
1. 5.11 Tactical Men’s Taclite Pro Work Pants
These 5.11 Tactical polyester and cotton pants boast two separate cargo pockets, giving you two differences places to store valuable or easily-broken items without leaving them exposed to weather damage or regular wear and tear. The relaxed and slightly loose fit offers greater comfort and easier movement in nearly any situation, and there are extra pockets on the rear to give you quick access to useful tools like pocket knives or mobile phones. Thanks to the lightweight and tough materials, they can hold up to rain, snow, and other types of bad weather while still letting you move unencumbered.
These work pants are not only great in terms of the materials they use but can also help you carry plenty of extra gear and items in the reinforced pockets, making them great for use in the workplace.
Check Price on Amazon ➞2. Carhartt Men’s Ripstop Cargo Work Pant
The relaxed fit of these work pants makes the much more comfortable than some of their stricter alternatives, and the gusseted crotch section improves comfort even further without sacrificing durability. The design uses a special "ripstop" fabric to make tearing and ripping far less likely, even under heavy stress, while you're doing difficult work. There are multiple different utility pockets to give you more carrying space for tools or other items, as well as two large cargo pockets with snap-closed flaps to keep important equipment safely contained under the fabric. The double-front construction also improves overall durability dramatically.
Having so many different pockets lets these work pants handle a wide range of different tasks, and the high comfort combined with the materials combined with the durability of the design makes them a great all-round option.
Check Price on Amazon ➞3. TRU-SPEC Men’s 24-7 Tactical Pant
These lightweight tactical pants use a specially-chosen blend of polyester and cotton pant materials to give you plenty of comfort without being too relaxed or vulnerable. The fit slider waistband is supposed to help you make quick adjustments to how they fit on your body, and the deep hook and loop pockets help you store more items at once while also having a way to secure them if you are about to do something risky. This, combined with the high level of durability they offer, makes it really easy to ensure that both you and your tools are safe from harm.
This pant design is both light and protective, making it an excellent choice of work pants for somebody who needs to move around frequently.
Check Price on Amazon ➞4. Wrangler Authentics Mens Fleece-Lined Cargo Pant
These cargo pants use a special fleece lining to add far more comfort to the design, as well as helping you stay warm if you work in cold conditions for long periods of time. The slanted pockets make storing various tools incredibly easy and convenient while also reducing the chance of anything slipping out, and the simple zip-based fly with a top button make them easy to put on and take off without them being too lose to wear properly. The design is 100% cotton and fully machine washable, but is still tough enough to deal with cold or wet weather quite easily.
This pant design offers a mixture of warmth and practicality, making it a great pair of work pants for taking on colder months or windy outdoor areas while staying comfortable enough to do your job.
Check Price on Amazon ➞5. Carhartt Men’s Washed Duck Work Dungaree Pant
These dungaree-style work pants use a 100% cotton design to provide a very comfortable level of protection and support, using a standard button closure that is easy to do up or undo when necessary. The flat-front design uses slanted side pockets to keep items more secure, as well as a hammer loop on the rear to hold heavier tools that won't fit into a standard back pocket. Not only that, but thanks to the materials used, they are fully machine washable, and have reinforced belt loops to make sure that the strain of any tools attached to your belt doesn't break it entirely.
Many types of work require tough gear, and this pant design focuses on durability and strength more than anything else, but still manages to stay fairly soft and flexible when you need it most.
Check Price on Amazon ➞6. Dickies Men’s Original 874 Work Pant
These work pants are designed to resist wrinkles and stains, staying cleaner for longer, and reducing the need to iron or press them often. They use a mixture of materials that is mostly cotton and polyester, with some stretch and flexible elastane mixed in to give you some extra freedom of movement. Although initially stiff, the fit loosens up over time, becoming more comfortable while still offering great durability and protection overall. The hook-based fastening system is easy to use and prevents anything from catching when you are trying to undo or adjust them, making them far easier to use.
This work pant pair is ideal for anybody who considers looking good as important as feeling good, offering stain and crease protection without having to give up any comfort in return.
Check Price on Amazon ➞7. Carhartt Men’s Relaxed Fit Washed Twill Dungaree Pant
These relaxed dungaree men's work trousers use a loose fit that makes them more versatile and easier to wear, as well as a hammer loop and a range of different utility pockets to give you plenty of ways to carry more gear and tools. The cotton used in the design provides a softer and more comfortable type of fabric while still keeping your pants tough enough to handle all kinds of work, and the wide belt loops let you use most kinds of belt with them for maximum versatility in how they fit. They fasten using a simple zip that is easy to zip and unzip at any time.
These are some of the best work pants in terms of how they fit, giving you plenty of comfort and still holding together when you are taking on tough jobs.
Check Price on Amazon ➞8. Dickies Men’s Loose Fit Double Knee Work Pant
These stain-resistant and crease-resistant work pants use a double knee design that works with the loose fit to provide excellent protection and a soft feel during tough work shifts, as well as multipurpose side pockets that can help you hold all kinds of gear without it slipping out. The simple hook-based fastening system allows for quick adjustments without forcing you to stop and fiddle with the pants themselves. Since they are made with a mixture of polyester and cotton, these pants are not only machine washable but offer a high level of resistance to minor types of wear and tear.
These are some of the best work pants for all-round use, providing a mixture of different benefits while still being versatile enough to handle tough situations really well.
Check Price on Amazon ➞9. Wrangler Riggs Workwear Men’s Ranger Pant
These Wrangler Riggs workwear are mainly made with cotton, using a special ripstop fabric blend that prevents small-scale damage to the pants and keeps them ready to use in even the most extreme situations. The hammer loop on the right side, combined with some excellent cargo pockets, lets you quickly and easily store your gear while still keeping it ready to use at any time. The simple button-based fastening means it doesn't take much time to slip them on when needed, and the cotton is strong enough to stay tough through most work environments.
These modern work pants are easy to wear and incredibly reliable, offering you a very general option that doesn't feel out of place in any worksite or situation, but still provides enough strength and durability to work well anyway.
Check Price on Amazon ➞10. Caterpillar Men’s Trademark Pant
These work pants are designed for safety and durability, using a strong fabric mixture and plenty of extra utility features (such as gripper tape on the waistband) to keep you and your gear safe without making you use something that's too rugged and extreme. The carpenter loop on the back can hold larger tools really well, and the wide belt loops mean that you can easily use a heavy-duty belt with them if needed. Not only that, but they have several cargo pockets, including one that's specially designed to keep your phone protected and safe without needing you to search for it every time.
If you need work pants that can protect you just as well as it protects your tools, this may be one of the best options out there, especially since its all machine washable and can support a range of different belt types with no changes necessary.
Check Price on Amazon ➞Work Pants Buyer’s Guide
Finding the best work pants for any situation isn’t always easy, and it can sometimes be difficult to figure out exactly which features, fabric types and style of pants would be most suitable for your situation. If you’re able to figure out the basics and narrow things down, you might be able to find a proper starting point that you can use when you’re searching for other work pants, making the entire process much easier.
Related: Work Boots.
Materials
Different materials can completely change the way pants feel when you’re actually wearing them, from cotton, canvas, and polyester to full-scale denim jeans. The type of fabric that’s being used might make more of a difference than you’d expect.
For example, you might end up looking at duck canvas pants. Duck canvas can be used as both a lightweight and durable version of regular canvas, meaning that duck canvas pants are often supposed to be stronger. However, the cotton canvas can be more comfortable and flexible in the long run, so duck canvas isn’t a direct upgrade to other types of canvas pants.
Jeans are one of the biggest offenders, since not all jeans use the same materials, and many work pants use the same materials as jeans without actually being jeans. It goes by two names: denim and dungaree fabric. You can buy pants that use dungaree cloth without them being jeans, and you can also buy jeans that don’t actually use real denim, so it is important to get the hang of identifying which fabric each pair is actually using.
Fit
You always want your pants to fit. There’s no reason to get work pants that don’t fit unless you have a very specific need for something baggier, but this isn’t just exclusive to work trousers. Men’s’ pants, in general, are often designed to be a set size, so finding the best fit possible makes a huge difference to not only how comfortable they are but to how well they serve as work pants.
Some pants also have varying fit types. Slim fit work trousers are going to be slimmer and closer to the skin, while loose fits will leave more room. The former is better for looking professional and minimizing the change of something catching on your pants, while the latter allows for a greater range of movement and more flexibility overall. Medium fit pants also exist, and they’re a middle ground between the two, as you’d expect.
You are not just choosing the best for your job, though: you also want the best style for you on a personal level. Some people are simply more uncomfortable with the idea of having fabric closer to their skin, so a loose pair of pants will feel better even if they are functionally identical to a slimmer pair of pants.
Strength
Work pants are meant to be used for work purposes most of the time, which means that you want a pair of work pants that can actually survive the conditions you’ll be putting them through. A stronger fabric can be the best way to achieve this since it makes the pants far less likely to fall apart or break down unexpectedly, but that isn’t the only feature you’ll want to look out for.
Things like knee pads and reinforced fabric are a great sign that your chosen pair of pants will be able to endure rough conditions, both natural (weather) and unnatural (damage from machinery, whether they can catch fire). Obviously, you’ll want to tailor this to your job, since the best work pants for any situation are always the ones that can serve well in your particular situation. A pair that works for one person might not work for you purely because they need a different kind of pants with a different practical purpose.
What are the most Comfortable Work Pants?
In almost every case, the best work pants in terms of feel and texture are the ones that appeal to you. Every person had their own preferences for a pair of pants, and finding pants that feel nice on you can be a big part of the process. Think about each pair of pants you already own, and which pants you would prefer to use instead of others: not all pants use the same materials, and it’s very easy to forget that certain textures and weights can completely change the way they feel when they’re on your skin.
There are dozens of types of pants available on the market, so you’ll find something eventually – it just takes some time. Try to use your current pants as a reference point for the materials you might like.
What are the Best Work Trousers?
Understanding which pants are best for your job is also quite difficult, but it’s not too hard. Take a look at people who do the same job as you, or a similar one: you might be able to get an idea of what kind of pants they’re wearing most often, as well as any brand names or specific products that they might use on almost every workday.
While everybody has different preferences with clothing, especially pants, having a general starting point makes it much easier to find pants that you like, even if you don’t end up using any of the pants that other people are.
Are Dickies Work Pants any Good?
No brand is perfect, so following a brand name and always buying their pants exclusively can be a bad idea. A good brand might be higher-quality, but that doesn’t mean that all of their pants will be exactly what you need: make sure to do research and look at all pants as a separate product rather than as part of an existing brand since this makes it easier to compare them fairly and get an idea of what you’re actually being offered.
What are the Best Work Shorts?
Alternatively, you could also consider shorts or short pants. These aren’t a good choice of pants for wet weather or places where you want to avoid skin contact with certain materials and chemicals, but it can be a good way to keep yourself cool if you’re in hot conditions. If your pants are more for storing tools than keeping yourself protected, shorter pants can actually be a very useful option: they’re cooler and usually already lighter than regular pants, so adding more gear to the pockets or hammer loops won’t feel as heavy or restrictive.
Remember that pants need to cover your knees and below to offer certain features, though: for example, you can’t have pants with built-in knee pads if they’re not covering your knees, and they can’t really stay insulated from bad weather if the pants are leaving half of your lower body exposed.
Expert Tip
You can sometimes stretch the waistline of your pants, either while wearing them or using special tools and techniques. This can be a good way to make tighter pants fit, especially if they’re just slightly too small for you.
Did you Know?
Some pants might have a zip on the legs that let you convert them into shorts by unzipping them horizontally. These aren’t very common in work pants, but they can be a good option for people in warmer areas that want more control over how hot they’re getting.