Bluffworks Chinos are even better than the original

So a while back, I made a pretty bold statement when I said Bluffworks were the best travel pants out there. The mix of technical fabric, casual styling, and hidden security pockets were as good a combination as you were going to get, and despite the millions of options available, this is still true.

But in the review, I mentioned one potential problem. The fabric wasn’t stretchy, so it can feel a little restrictive when sitting down on a plane for 14 hours, or high-stepping your way up a Mayan pyramid or something. And although they’ve updated the fit since I first got them (plus added a relaxed-fit version), they were also working on a stretchy new fabric that would offer a lot more flexibility, which they called the Chino.

For the last few years, I’ve been waiting for this new version to show up, often avoiding other pant purchases in the meantime, because I expected these would just end up replacing them anyway. And when they recently sent me a pair to try out, that’s exactly what happened.

These are great. Really, really great.

I’ve tried a million different options over the years, and I’m pretty confident when I say: I don’t think you’re going to find a better pair of travel pants out there. The travel-friendly security features are as good as it gets, and they still look exactly like a regular pair of pants. And with the addition of the stretchy new fabric, they’ve removed the only potential problem they ever had. They look great, feel great, and keep important items safely hidden away. This is exactly what travel pants should do, and amazingly few of them do it.

Here’s what they look like:

Bluffworks Chino Front
Normality!

Notice first of all how you do not see a billion zippers and fluorescent racing stripes and billboard logos everywhere, which everyone else always seems to have for some reason.

Ahem, moving on.

Features:

These have a grand total of 7 pockets, 3 of which are zippered. This is amazingly useful if you’re heading somewhere with annoying pickpockets, or you just like keeping stuff someplace where it can’t fall out. Money belts are fine, but I just prefer these features built-in.

Both front pockets have a hidden, zippered pocket on the inside:

Bluffworks Chino Front Left Pocket
Zippy.

On the right side, there’s also a little hang loop, for attaching keys on a carabiner, or maybe a small camera, which can hang from its wrist strap.

Bluffworks Chino Front Right Pocket
Zippy again.

There’s also a small, drop-in coin pocket in there, but it’s down deep and it’s hard to get a photo of it.

I’d actually like to see “invisible” zippers used here, which are so stealthy that you can’t even see them, as they hide the zipper completely on the opposite side of the fabric. I floated this as a suggestion, so maybe it’ll make an appearance at some point, but in the meantime, the zippers are completely hidden when standing, and only show up when sitting down:

Bluffworks Chino Visible Zipper
It kinda depends on what kind of chair you’re in.

Even then, it’s only from certain angles, but it would still be neat if those zippers were the on-seam kind that remain completely invisible. Plus your hands wouldn’t feel the teeth when you reach into the regular pocket, which would be nice.

Moving on to the back:

Bluffworks Chino Back
Also normal!

Notice the extra back pocket on the right side, up by the waistband, which is designed for a phone. It holds it up high, so if you like to carry your phone in your back pocket, you won’t sit on your phone when you sit down. It even comes with an easily-removable line of stitching to shorten the space, so it can accommodate small phones, or you can remove the stitching, to fit large phones.

Bluffworks Chino Phone Pocket
Remove that extra stitch line if you have a big phone.

(I’m just pointing this out because of someone who didn’t understand the point of the stitch line, and thought his big phone just wouldn’t fit.)

Personally, I always carry my phone in a front pocket, but I like how there’s this extra bonus pocket in back. It’s a good place for keeping a wallet or spare cash, because no one will try to pickpocket something if they don’t know it’s there.

The back left pocket is also zippered:

Bluffworks Chino Back Left Pocket
This zipper is very hard to see when it’s zipped shut, just as it should be.

The right side pockets are just drop-in, I assume because they didn’t want a zipper going right over a phone, since the teeth might press against it and feel weird.

A few more pics for fun:

Bluffworks Chino Right

And the other side:

Bluffworks Chino Left

Like I said, I don’t think you’re going to find a pair of pants with as many built-in security features, and certainly not one that looks completely indistinguishable from a normal pair of pants. If you’re going somewhere with a reputation for pickpockets and you don’t want to look like a dork, this is the only way it should be. I even use these features at home, so coins and keys don’t fall out, which is always nice.

Fabric:

These are 100% polyester, with 2-way mechanical stretch. They feel great, and they’re super soft. While the original fabric felt like canvas (think carpentry pants), these feel pretty much just like a pair of nice cotton khakis. And the stretch, despite only going in 2 directions (left and right, but no up and down), really makes a huge difference, especially with the modern, trim fit. There’s even an inseam gusset that helps too. They’re really comfortable, and I wear them all the time. I much prefer them over the original version, because of the stretch.

These were also designed with a non-grainy appearance, for a more casual look. The originals look like wool, while these look like cotton:

Bluffworks Chino vs Original Fabric
Grainy, wool-like original fabric (left) vs smooth, cotton-like chino (right).

They also dry ridiculously fast. Putting them in the dryer is almost pointless. You can take them right out of the washing machine and wear them, and they’ll be dry in minutes. They’re also great at resisting wrinkles and stains, and they’ll probably last forever, as they’re made of 100% polyester.

Speaking of polyester, when it comes to travel, certain people prefer natural fabrics, or blends, especially in tropical climates; there’s nothing wrong with that, but I’ve generally run into more trouble with slow-drying natural fabrics than non-breathable synthetics, which is why I usually go for the technical fabrics. If they’re light enough, they’ll work well enough in hot weather, and if it’s really hot, you’re probably going to wear shorts anyway. That’s just how I look at it, which is why I prefer things like these.

The only high-tech fabric alternative worth looking at would be soft shell pants, which provide crazy yoga-pant levels of flexibility, due to the 4-way stretch, so you can go rock climbing, or something like that. Soft shells also seem to hold up to rain a little better, though I think that’s because of the pre-applied rain-resistant spray-on finish rather than the fabric itself. The downsides are that soft shells are usually twice as expensive, and threads get snagged more easily. So I’d like to see 4-way stretch in something like this, but I wouldn’t get too worried about it. The only time I could really feel the difference was on really cold days, when I was wearing leggings underneath. Because of the extra friction, the pants couldn’t move anywhere, so I could feel the resistance when kneeling down to tie a pair of shoes, for example. So if you need crazy stretch, get a soft shell. If not, you’ll be fine with these.

Conclusions!

As you can tell, I’m overjoyed with these. The travel-friendly safety features are unmatched by anything else I’m aware of, and the development of the softer, stretchy fabric has solved the one and only problem with the original version. These also dry faster and resist wrinkles better than the originals, making them even lower-maintenance than they were before. I wear these all the time now, and it’s hard to imagine traveling with anything else. When Bluffworks says these pants will replace three in your drawer, I think they’re right.

A few things worth mentioning: I’d like to see 4-way stretch someday (as long as it could avoid the thread-snag problem of soft shells), along with invisible zippers in the front hand pockets. I’ve also heard these don’t breath quite as well as the originals, so you might still want shorts in oppressive heat. Also, I don’t think these come pre-finished with a spray-on rain-resistant treatment, so it’s not a bad idea to spray this on if you’re going to be out the rain constantly. Lastly, the softer fabric picks up cat hair a little more easily than others, which is worth knowing if you live with pets.

But that’s it, and none of those issues are particularly significant. If you’ve been on the lookout for something like this, I don’t think you’re going to find anything better. They’re light, soft, strong, stretchy, stylish, and secure. You can probably just get two of these and not shop for travel pants again for another 20 years. Like I said, they’re really great.

Check them out here.

About SnarkyNomad

Eytan is a pretentious English major whose rant-laden sarcastic tirades occasionally include budget travel tips and other international nonsense. You can follow his every narcissistic word on Facebook or Twitter.

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86 Comments on “Bluffworks Chinos are even better than the original”

  1. I just received my pair. I have to say I agree with you in most regards. The material is awesome and the features are great. Like you, I love the they look normal.

    Unfortunately, I can’t wear them as the legs literary have to stretch to fit around my calves. 5’9″ and less than 150 lbs, I have only a 30 inch waist and can normally wear trim fit pants. These, I would argue though are more “skinny” than “trim.”

    Getting ready for a year long trip backpacking in with my family, I have recently tried on a dozen or so pants trying to find the best to wear/pack. Were it not for near-skinny fit, these would easily be them. If you think you can be comfortable in the trimmer cut, I’d highly recommend them.

    1. Hmm…that is unfortunate. I think Rohan might be a good place to look. They have similar features, but without such a trim fit, at least from what I’ve seen. Try the Fusions or the Grand Tour Chinos. They both look quite nice. Bluffworks also makes the original fabric version in a relaxed fit, so that might work too (though it won’t have the stretch of these).

  2. SN,
    Great recommendations on travel clothes…! I thought I’d give my two cents on the fit of Bluffworks. The original “relaxed fit” Bluffworks fit me perfectly in size 34W, 30L. My only minor “nitpick” about them is that I wish they had more stretch. The formal cut doesn’t bother me so much… I like them so much that I have two pair in Navy and Charcoal.

    The Bluffworks Chinos meet the requirement of “less formal” and “more stretch/comfort”; however, my only nitpick in this case is (like others) that the cut is a little bit “too slender” for my tastes. I purchased the Chinos in 35W, 30L; however, the calves are a tiny bit snug. Don’t get me wrong… it is not unbearable, but more of a preference thing… Given time, I have a feeling that the Chinos will “break in” a little bit more around the legs. That being said, the fabric is nice, soft, stretchy and relatively wrinkle free. It would be perfect if they came out with a relaxed version!

    Finally, the Rohan Jeans Plus you recommended are surprisingly comfy with stretch. Fit wise, I had to go for 36W, 31L. The longer length is ok, because the leg opening is on the slender side. No cuff dragging on the ground…
    (Yup, based on the Rohan’s, much to my sadness… the reality is that I’m really more of a 36 waist, instead of 34 waist… Size inflation has struck again!) Hope this helps the other readers…!

    1. Yeah, I think that when Rohan says “true to size,” they’re correct, but when Americans say it, maybe they’re being a little generous.

  3. We just spent three weeks in Equador and this is the only pair of pants that my husband brought. He raved about them and they still look brand new. Love the newer style with the additional security pockets.

  4. I bought a pair of the original Bluffworks based on your review. I love them and wear them often. The only issue I have with them is that there is very little room in the crotch area and they tend to bunch up there. This is not a problem when walking around or doing anything, but sitting in a chair for 8 hours a day, the pants begin to be uncomfortable, as you alluded to (14 hr plane ride). Do these fit any differently at intersection of leg/toros, and does the stretch factor help that problem?

    Thanks!

    1. Yeah, they’re definitely different. Firstly, the stretch fabric helps a lot, but these also have a gusseted inseam, which helps reduce the pressure. There’s one other issue as well, which is that the original Bluffworks had a fit update at some point, pretty early on, to listen things up. You can go on the site and look at the very specific measurements and compare the numbers to yours to see if you have the first or the second version (and by the way, this is in addition to the relaxed fit version; so there was original regular, updated regular, and relaxed). The fit updated added 1″ to the waistband, so that’s the easiest way to check which version you have. But either way, I still find the stretch version much more comfortable, even with identical sizing.

  5. I don’t know why they don’t come in more muted shades, at least a navy would be good. I (and a lot of other men) simply don’t want garishly coloured trousers and in the UK khakis in the office are a no-no.
    Plus these are $32 more than the originals at $125, and the originals were already very expensive for trousers and a lot of budget travellers can’t justify the cost. I’d love to see a company make affordable technical travel trousers now that still look normal!

    1. I would certainly agree–although if you take a look at the Kickstarter campaign, you’ll see the latest update has photos of the light grey and dark grey, and they look great.

      As for price, it’s certainly true that most people out there would have trouble paying $125 for a pair of pants, and it’s nice when companies offer more affordable alternatives. On the other hand, a lot of people in the United States get frustrated with jobs being shipped overseas, and quality going down when products are made in other countries (although I think that last part isn’t always true; iPhones are made in China, and they’re pretty great). So although expensive products are out of reach for a lot of people, that’s part of the cost of doing business in the United States, and certain people out there might be happy to support that, if they’re able to do so. Plus…if it lasts twice as long as something that costs half as much, it’s more of an investment than an expense.

  6. I have had awful experience with these pants. The crotch-movement is non-existent. For a company that advertises climbing and adventure with their pants, they have NO movement. I don’t know if they changed before/after you got a pair, but mine are awful. Seriously, do NOT buy, unless, perhaps, you have stick-figure legs or something.

    To be fair, they don’t wrinkle at all. But pants you can’t walk in are pants you don’t worry about wrinkling anyway.

    1. Hmm…I was happy with the fit and stretch, but if you need something stretchier, soft shell pants are where to look. Different fabrics will have different stretch capabilities, but some of them are as stretchy as sweat pants.

  7. I bought a pair of Bluffworks a couple of years ago and had to return them. They were the same as the ones currently called “original, regular fit” on their web site, except that the current pants have added another zippered pocket. I loved the fabric, but I had to return the pants for two reasons, and I’m wondering if I would like the chinos better.

    The reasons I returned the originals are:

    (1) The pockets didn’t work at all. I don’t carry a manpurse, so my wallet, keys, flashlight, cellphone et cetera go into my pockets. The pockets were so shallow that, every time I sat down, stuff dumped out of my pockets. They did have a zippered pocket up front (now they have two), but, most of the time, I don’t want to have my everyday stuff in zippered pockets.

    (2) The fit was truly bizarre. To put it mildly, I have a fat rear end; nevertheless, the pants were so large in the back that even my rear end completely disappeared in them. I do not like my pants to fight tight, but the pants were so large and baggy back there that they just looked silly. I would have needed a waist to hip ratio something like a centerfold model’s to make them work.

    Do you feel that the chinos would not have these issues?

    I’m also wondering about the fabric. I really liked their “original” fabric because it was very light and because it did NOT stretch. (In my experience, stretchy pants are a very bad thing.) How much heavier is the chino fabric? And how stretchy are they?

    Thanks!

    1. So there was a time after the first year or so when the fit changed slightly; not the addition of the relaxed fit, but the regular fit was loosened up just a bit. So it’s possible that even without changing sizes, the new version of the regular fit might not be the one you originally got. But anyway, the pockets were also made a bit larger as well; the front hand pockets on mine are exactly 11″ from top to bottom, so maybe you can try comparing that to something at home. The fabric itself stretches 15% (so something 10″ wide stretches to 11.5″ wide), which I think is subtle, but helpful. It’s not like wearing a pair of sweatpants, which are “too” stretchy.

      With the hip sizing issue, I’m not sure I have an answer…their site does have a lot of exact measurements, so if you can find a pair of favorite pants you already own and see which size compares best to one of their sizes, it might work.

  8. Eytan,
    In another place on this website, you talked about doing your travel laundry in the shower. I’ve only washed underwear in the sink. Have you actually washed a pair of these in the shower, and had them come out looking decently? If so, I’m assuming you don’t wring them to get the water out. So what is the drying time?

    John

    1. Shower washing definitely has some pros and cons compared to a sink; you can’t immerse them, so they don’t get clean as quickly, but you also don’t have them soaking in the same water where someone brushed his or her teeth last night. It also depends on the water pressure. So although I like the fact that I’m at least capable of washing them in the shower, but I’d still use a washing machine whenever one is available. Drying time can be something like 12 hours, depending on the environment.

    2. I just recently took them on a trip and washed them in the sink. There is no problem wringing them out, but I always use a microfiber travel towel for another level of drying (wrap them up in it and wring again), at that point, I could _almost_ wear them, if it was warm out probably. It was on the day of my return flight so I didn’t actually get a chance to let them dry for hours, so I can’t be sure how long it would take. I would say they were dryer after the towel than my original Bluffworks, but would probably take longer to dry the rest of the way? The originals just drip the water off pretty fast as they don’t absorb anything.

      1. Brian and Eytan,

        Thanks for your replies. I’m just amazed that you can wring these out and not end up with a wrinkled mess when they dry. I don’t like wrinkled, rumpled clothing. I normally wash shirts and pants on the delicate cycle in order order to avoid the high spin speed of other cycles. But I’ll try washing these by hand at home and see how it works.

        John

  9. The Chino material is really nice: it is more casual than the original fabric but still looks sharp.

    As a longtime Bluffworks wearer with multiple pairs of the Originals, I am not on board with the new “trim” cut of the Chino, though.

    To me, the Chino seems more skinny than trim. Although I am a pretty lean guy, I find the Chinos super-restrictive through the knees/calves/ankle — so much so that crossing legs while seated becomes problematic, and binding occurs trying to navigate stairs. They feel “painted on” and restrict my normal range of motion… a deal breaker for me.

    That said, I love the new branding, new pocket fabric, and the addition of the second zippered front pocket; the shipping box is also more appealing than the previous floppy mailer bag. Bluffs’ customer service remains fantastic.

    1. That’s too bad…they worked for me, but not everyone has the same body type. I actually found them more flexible than the original fabric of the same size, but that was just me. If you want something with a similarly slim fit, soft shells will offer more stretch.

    2. I have the opposite reaction from G7. I thought that the original Bluffworks were scratchy and I didn’t like the way they were cut through the crotch: there’s way too much fabric for my tastes.

      By contrast, the new Bluffworks are really soft and comfortable, and I like the trimmer cut. I don’t feel like I’m wearing a mizzenmast between my legs. I guess buyers need to consider the kind of slacks they normally buy. If you prefer the “relaxed” fit or the “classic fit,” get the the originals. But I think most people who prefer slim-cut pants will like the new ones.

      1. Agreed that the new Chinos are really soft and comfortable. The fabric is great. As is your advice about the cut: if you like slim-cut pants, you will like these.

        Bluffs’ Regular cut is as slim as I’d ever want to go, though. I find even the Regular cut to be a little restrictive around the knees and calves; the Chino’s more aggressive taper below the knees is just too far outside my comfort zone. (I had the same reaction to these as I did to Outlier Slim Dungarees: they felt like tourniquets around my calves.)

        Were the Bluffs Chino offered in a Regular or Relaxed version, I’d have several pairs hanging in my closet, for sure.

        Another Bluffs customer described his reaction to the new Tailored cut thusly in his review on their www site:

        “These things look like hammer pants on me, loose down to the knee and snug from the knee down. They are snug on my calves while standing, which makes them bunch up above the knee. I have muscular calves but not like Popeye. If you like the skinny look, and have skinny calves, these may be for you. If you like a more traditional fit you may want to pass.”

        That sums up my feelings about them pretty well.

        PS – Recently tried the Ministry of Supply Aviator 2 chino and found the fabric of the Bluffs Chino far more appealing: while less stretchy, it has none of the creepily-synthetic polyester feel of the MoS Aviator 2. Here’s hoping Bluffs expands its lineup to include other cuts using the Chino fabric.

        1. Good to know about the Aviator 2. I have the original, which I thought felt quite nice, but I haven’t tried the new one yet.

  10. I just received a pair of the Chinos – fit wasn’t bad, albeit almost too much taper on the leg.

    The biggest problem I had was how noisy they are! I briefly tried them on for fit, and walked around and the noise was nearly comical.

    Did anyone else experience this? If so, does it go away after the first washing?

    I don’t want to wash them if they won’t get quieter, as I’ll need to return them.

    Love the reviews, SnarkyNomad!

    1. Hmm…I actually haven’t found them to be noisy, and I’ve had much noisier pants that I got rid of. They seem pretty comparable to most other pants I’ve used, synthetic or natural.

      1. I’m curuios if you’ve noticed any change in the noise after wearing and washing a few times. I just got a pair and love everything else but the noise is particularly noticeable for me.

        1. I haven’t noticed a major change over time, but I’ve had quite a variety of pants over the years, and these don’t stand out to me as particularly noisy. I’ve heard worse. It could be better, but it’s still fine for me.

          1. New ones are way better. There’s still a bit of a zip-zop sound, but to me it’s negligible on the new ones.

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