Also see:
- Out and Out Is in Barcelona! Any Must-Dos? (And Updates!)
- Coco Luxe: Coconut oil on-the-go for $12. Worth it?
- 10 Fun Things to Do in Barcelona
Update 3/7/16: Bluff Works has generously offered a $10 discount to Out and Out readers! Use promo code PROBLUFFOUT when you check out. It’s valid until April 15th, 2016.
Out and Out was recently in Barcelona. For the trip, 2 very different companies set up collaborations.
The first was Coco Luxe (coconut oil on-the-go, which is one of my travel must-haves).
The other was a company that makes another kind of on-the-go products. And with it came the chance to try new pants!
About Bluff Works
- Link: Bluff Works
Bluff Works is an NYC-based company that makes “travel pants for adventure” for men.
They are made of wrinkle-free material. And are good for up to 5 days of wear without a wash.
Bluff Works are made for on-the-go
The fabric is breathable, and they dry quickly. Here’s how Bluff Works describes their pants:
“Jammed into a hot subway train” is too real
But the main draw is the styles.
They come in khaki, navy, and black. And their modern cuts come in fun colors, too
The pants come in tailored, regular, and relaxed fit.
So when they reached out about giving them a shot, I threw them in my bag and trotted around Barcelona in them. Here’s how they held up.
Getting the Bluff Works overseas
I knew from the start I wasn’t going to go easy on these pants.
After receiving the package from Bluff Works
Straight out of the package, they looked smooth.
Packing the Bluff Works pants
I wadded them up as best (worst) I could and stuffed them into a corner of my Tumi T-Tech Continental.
Here’s how they looked when I got to my Dream Suite at the Alexandra Doubletree in Barcelona:
Totally smooth again!
I was impressed with how well they withstood wrinkling, considering I’d balled them up and shoved them into a corner of my suitcase.
With that, it was time to do a really awkward modeling photo:
With Coco Luxe and Bluff Works, the two collaborations I took to Barcy
Lol, I don’t know what I was thinking. I wanted to commemorate the two collaborations I bought with me to Barcy… or something.
I wanted to bring these pants to Barcelona because they have a pocket within the side pocket – on both sides – that has a zipper. So you can put your credit card, license, or whatever into the pocket inside the side pocket. That’s a great defense against pickpockets.
The back pocket has a zipper on it, too.
It’s not *as* secure as the side pockets, but I don’t recommend putting anything sensitive into your back pockets anyway. I put my hotel key back there because I figured it might distract from my side pockets. And it wouldn’t be much of a loss – the desk agent could easily make another one if it was stolen. So, a bit of a decoy.
Anyway, you can at least see what the pants look like on. I got the steel blue tailored fit chino.
The Bluff Works experience
First of all, the material they use is very rustle-y. It’s not exactly cloth because it has moisture-wicking built-in. And it’s super light and breathable.
But it does make a swishing sounds when it rubs against itself.
Made in NYC
Also, they are very light. They’re better for hot weather, or summer. I can’t imagine wearing these in below-freezing temps, though. Your legs would definitely be cold, as they don’t provide much insulation.
Bluff Works pants out in the wild
All that to say, I really enjoyed wearing these pants around Barcelona. They fit well, kept my important things safe, and never got wrinkled.
Bluff Works says you could wear these hiking, and then go into the office.
They definitely look like a normal pair of khakis. But they hold up a lot better against the elements. They wick away sweat and water. And again, no wrinkles.
There they go, wandering down Las Ramblas
Worth it?
A few things to note.
Bluff Works actually sent me two pairs of pants, which was beyond generous: a pair of tailored fit, and a pair of regular fit.
Oddly enough, the regular fit were wayyyy too tight, even though I ordered the same size in both styles.
Typically, I have an issue with the tailored stuff being too tight.
Bout an inch of difference
The regular fit were about an inch narrower – or a couple of inches tighter in circumference.
Maybe I need to lay off the booze and carbs, but I couldn’t get them zipped or buttoned.
Now, Bluff Works has great customer service, so I have no doubt they’ll gladly replace a pair.
But I didn’t know whether the tailored fit were cut big. Or if the regular fit were cut small.
Meaning, if I’d asked for another pair of the regular fit, and they were the same, that would’ve meant the tailored fit were cut big.
Then, I’d have to send the replacement of the regular fit back, and ask for a bigger size.
That would be 3 transactions in total, with 2 returns to send back and 2 replacements to coordinate.
Since I got these the week before the Barcelona trip, I simply didn’t have time to deal with it. So I recommend ordering an inch or two bigger in the waist to be on the safe side. And just use a belt if they’re too loose.
Bluff Works pants have a higher-end price tag
Also, they’re not cheap. A pair can run you a little under $100, or a little over $100, depending on what kind you get.
For comparison, you can get a pair from Columbia for ~$40. And there’s another brand called Royal Robbins that sells for ~$80, but they have a very limited selection of sizes on Amazon.
But, I like the overall style of Bluff Works better. And the secret pocket is a nice feature against pickpockets – having your stuff safe could be worth paying more.
Bottom line
I really enjoyed wearing Bluff Works pants. They’ve become a go-to staple in my pants rotation.
They never wrinkle and always look great. I don’t have to wash them or take care of them often. And the secret zippered pocket inside the side pockets is super handy. I also like the colors and styles they have available.
The biggest detractor is the price. But if you want a pair of pants that will hold up for the long-haul, they’re a good investment.
The only thing to watch out for is the sizing. I’d err on the side of caution and get and inch or two bigger than your normal size. Although the Bluff Works team is great about quickly responding to customer inquiries if you needed to swap them out.
Other things to note: not great for cold weather. And expect the material to rustle.
All that said, I’m grateful they gave me the opportunity to review them – thank you, Bluff Works!
If you have any questions about them, let me know!
Guys, do you have any travel pants like this? Would you consider buying a pair?
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I cycle a lot and thus have larger legs/thighs than the average joe. I’d love to try these out but slim-fit or tailored fit pants seem to never pass through my thighs! Ugh! How did they hold up in actual travel on a plane? Comfortable? Are they stretchy too? I’m guessing the rustling is the “thigh swoosh” (from urban dictionary)? Thx for the review!
They were comfy on the plane! And yup, a little stretchy. Very “forgiving” material if you have a little belly like I do lol. 🙂
HAHAHAHAHAHA “thigh swoosh!!!!!!” I couldn’t have come with this such a pointed and elegant combination of words on my own. Yes, they have the thigh swoosh. LOL.
You might try the relaxed fit – the loosest style. That should work for a bigger thigh area. Although my thighs are kinda bigger too (so. many. stairs!) and I they didn’t feel too tight.
Even though they have “thigh swoosh” (gosh I just love that), they’re very soft. I’d travel with them again for sure.
Thanks as always for reading, Joey! 🙂
The regular look tight. Would you recommend the relaxed fit?
Anything but the tailored fit, really. Relaxed might be the way to go.
i like pants
LOL, pants are a good thing. 🙂
I have a pair of the original bluffworks that I’ve been using about 1 year.
They tend to wrinkle a lot. Maybe not as bad as cotton but more than I’d hoped for.
Waist sizing was tricky. I ordered 3 pair and return the ones that didn’t fit. (Calculate $12 extra onto your final price for return shipping of the extras)
I agree that they are overpriced. This month Costco is selling a similar hi-tech-stretch men’s travel pant for $20. Bluffworks should hire a pricing analyst, I suspect a 30% price cut would drive unit sales up more than enough to compensate for the reduced price. I would buy some additional pairs, but not at the current price. When the Bluffworks were originally introduced there were not as many available alternatives.
Hi David,
This is Stefan, the founder of Bluffworks. Thanks for the comment and I’m happy to hear you’ve been wearing them a year.
I’d love to reduce our prices, but they are a function of producing a longer lasting product, and the cost of sewing in the USA (which results in lower margins.)
We think the difference between our pants and the others you mentioned are our unique fabric and more refined style.
As for care, if you’re having troubles send us a note at team@bluffworks.com. A wrinkle reset would keep them without wrinkles for an extremely long time.
Thanks again for the comment and I’m glad they’re still going strong for you!
Cheers,
Stefan
Hey David!
Maybe they’ve made some changes to the material blend. Or maybe whatever they use to treat the fabric has worn off from your pair? In any case, mine are still very wrinkle-free. But good to know – I’ll keep an eye out for that!
Agreed re: waist size. But if I remember correctly, my package came with a postage-paid return label. So as long as you open it carefully, you can re-use it to send the too big/too small pairs back for free. Maybe that’s new, too.
They sometimes have promotions and discounts – like $10 off codes and Black Friday sales.
I hear you on the price. For me, I just simply like how they look. Other travel pants tend to be too boxy.
But yes, always good to see alternatives – there’s a seat at the table for every niche.
Thank you for reading and commenting!
You seems either to have strong thighs or wore those pants one size down. I like man have strong legs and see them in short pants or brief but I am not too sure that pants show the best of your physique.
Maybe just strong thighs. 😉
I’m getting one more pair in a bigger size just in case, though. We’ll see what happens!
Yes, please do more demos. I am a big fan!
I have 3 pairs I purchased a year ago.
I am 6 4 about 220 with a wee bit of a gut for a guy 56 years old. Got black, grey, and khakis color. Got a size bigger than needed and went to local dry cleaner and had them sew in a button for a smaller size. This worked out great for me.
Took 2 pairs to a vacation. Wore the black pair during cross country flight and 4 days in LA. Wore it on next hop for trip to Bora Bora and were in them for another 16 hours. After arriving threw them im y back back and didn’t take them out for 10 days until I flew back to LA. They did not stink and looked great.
Funny thing when I checked into la hotel took a shower and put on other pair trip on my shoe laces and ripped them. Reached out to customer service and they replaced.
Currently unemployed but when I was working wore these pants every day. Washed maybe once month.
My son is starting a summer internship and is looking at these.
Pricey yes but very nice well worth it.
I love these pants! Have traveled to Europe, Africa (hot steamy climate) and wear them often for work. The material stays wrinkle free and drapes well.
But what is with the pockets? Every time I sit down, almost everything falls out. After measuring, discovered they are about 1 1/4 inch deep at the seam. When you are standing, no problem. The minute you sit, everything slides toward the seam and promptly falls out. I had written Bluffworks earlier about this, but subsequent generations of pants are still cut the same. I’ve had a tailor add some length to the pockets and “Voila”! Problem solved!
Bluffworks designers need to sit around with stuff in their pockets and see what happens. Nothing lost by making the pockets a little deeper, especially for travel wear (they do provide a zippered pockets but this in not practical for frequent use).
I noticed that too!
Great tip on the tailor. And glad to hear they held up across several environments – here’s hoping they rethink the pocket situation.
Using “TFC” as a promo code on their site will get you a discount on your entire purchase.
Use promo code TFC and get 10% OFF your entire order on bluffworks.com
I have 4 pairs of pants which I like but in less than a year they have shrunk from 30″ inseam to 29″. No satisfaction from the company, sadly. Don’t buy them unless you buy them an inch long