Trouser issues

[Ashcroft]

Okay, this is very embarrassing... but you guys seem to have a large amount of random knowledge, and the question I'm going to ask doesn't seem to be one that will be easily found otherwise.

*ahem*


What kind of fabric or style can I get trousers in that won't result in friction wearing the thigh area threadbare in a few months?
Background is that I suffer from depression, and have been on medication since a few years ago. It caused an initial jump in weight and although it steadied, my not-so-fresh metabolism and sedentary lifestyle and unemployment all group together to make it difficult to shift. While the weight itself isn't much of an issue, and can be dealt with in time, my clothes are not capable of waiting that long it seems.
I've gone through a few pairs of cheap jeans (see aforementioned unemployment) in about 6 months just due to wear around the thighs. I thought even cheap denim would be more resistant than other fabrics, but is that just making the issue worse? They were rotated through fairly regularly. And I can't keep buying new trousers or having them repaired/reinforced every couple of months when I could possibly buy a decent pair of trousers that would last longer. Even if they are a bit more expensive, they would be worth it to help prevent this kind of maintenance/budgetary strain.

I don't mind wearing heavy-duty or work orientated clothing as general wear, as due to working with metals as a business/hobby I would need something than can stand stresses and sharp edges. It's also best to avoid something overly flammable as I work around fire and red hot metals regularly.

My target is something that isn't overly expensive, or is at least well worth the price tag attached. I live in a city so could go around asking in shops, but going up to random clerks and saying 'my amount of movement and weight gain have caused my loins to devastate my current wardrobe, what do you have that resists fire' would be very embarrassing... and may result in more mental health checks.
Even if I could get a target fabric, then it's just a matter of finding something that I could regularly wear, and would be an absolutely enormous help.

Again.... I'm really embarrassed, but grew up rather svelte so don't even know if this is just a part of weight gain. To go from having pairs of jeans to easily last me a year, down to half that time or less is kinda distressing and making me feel a bit of a pig

[Pimento]

Have you considered car harts or dickies? They'd be more costly but I used them as a construction welder and can attest to their sturdy fabric

[42_42_42]

Hey, don't feel bad. I have the same problem and I know there's lots of us out there.

I try to stock up on jeans and khakis when they're on a really good sale because I know that a pair will last me a year if I'm lucky (depending on how often I wear said pair). I do find that washing and rinsing them in cold water and then hanging them up to dry instead of putting them in the dryer extends the length a little. This means occasionally having to iron a pair of pants (the khakis) but usually I can manage to smooth them out when I hang them up to where they aren't all creased.

Actually, I think jeans and cords tend to do the friction rub wear down faster than khakis, but whatever cotton-poly blend my dress pants are made out of wears down the least fast. At my old job I wore dress pants every day and those same pants are still hanging in my closet, good to wear. I think the fabric in them tends to slide with the least amount of friction, so they aren't wearing away.

Hope that helps!

[Kittish]

The thigh thing is an issue I've had all my life. Heavy denim is probably the best bet. Even that is gonna get all worn and thin eventually, and anything heavily textured such as courduroy will wear really quick. Microfiber fabrics, long as they aren't lightweight seem to hold up fairly well. I have one pair of pants made of a thick microfiber material that have lasted me over 5 years now, and I wear them at least a couple of times a month. Some knit fabrics, especially sweat pants, hold up ok, and if you look around you can probably find them cheap.

If the worn spots and eventual holes aren't easily visible when you wear the pants, patching them might be an option. Use pants that are not revivable for material for the patches. This does not work with knit fabrics, though.

[Mytical]

If there is a big and tall store (or equal) try there. I am not sure what fabric I wear, but they suggested it. (I was 305lbs at the time). Lasted quite awhile.

[crazylegs]

I wear 5.11 trousers at work and they're constantly being rubbed against concrete, the back of the truck, kit bags etc and they hold up pretty well. They're expensive but last well.

[Chromatix]

The trousers I currently wear are 100% cotton cargo pants. I've favoured that general type for several years, and I find that they tend to go at the seams or buttons (which are both repairable in principle) rather than wearing through. Anything that *has* worn through was at the knees, which are relatively easy to cover with patches without looking horrible.

The trick is to find trousers which are actually intended for practical use as cargo pants, rather than just looking like them from the outside as a fashion statement. The knee or thigh pockets will be attached to the outside of continuous leg fabric, and made of that same fabric, which will be heavy cotton.

[smileyeagle1021]

As others have mentioned, Dickies are really good (they are what I wear, and while I have never had a problem with the thighs wearing out on pants, my problem has been the seem in the crotch coming apart when getting in and out of cars, and the current set I have has lasted me a good three or four years and still are in really good shape).
Now, to the question that I think may really need to be answered is that I'm not sure it is a problem with the fabric that is causing you problems, but a problem with the cut/style. If you find a store that specializes in big and tall, a lot of them will have less traditional cuts that may prevent the chaffing in the first place.

[Gizmo]

Just to make you feel better.... I do this too!

[mathnerd]

I can't speak for anybody else's experience, but I've had really good luck with Calvin Kline brand jeans. I bought several pairs of jeans of different brands back in May. The CK's are the only ones that haven't worn in the inner thighs yet, and they're the ones I wear the most. They're a little pricey, but they're worth it considering they last longer. Plus, I tend to only buy jeans only at the discount places, so I can get them for substantially less than regular department store prices.

[csquared]

Fire Hose. Unfortunately, they don't come in my size, so I have not tried them. I do have a fire hose coat. Love it. Read the reviews from the roofers.

[EricKei]

The first thing that came to mind when I read this were "Draggin' Jeans" -- heavy-duty denim lined with kevlar on the inside -- but then I checked their site and saw that they start at around a hundred dollars US >_<

[Seshat]

I've had the problem all my life as well; and even worse, many fabrics cause chafing and blisters and skin loss in the thighs.

Something that can help is actually to put leather patches in the crotch. It takes some effort to make it look intentional, but it's worth it.

[Ashcroft]

Thanks for all the advice everyone. Despite regularly going into tool shops and such I've never thought to look at their work clothing. Selling jewellery I need to look less like I actually work to make stuff and more like it just materializes at my demand. I tend to prefer loose fit and maybe regular ft, as it gives me more freedom and I can actually fit in them >.>
I looked up a few of the brands you mentioned, and they look really good, and have a lot of excellent price points. I'll have to look locally and see if any of the workshops have any thing I could wear out n about.
It being Ireland they tend to only carry basics, and due to christmas any orders would be best left until January.

You've all been an enormous help, thank you all, really.

[Shalom]

Just to point out, I've got "thunder thighs". I usually wear wool on the Sabbath, and wool trousers on me wear through in just three wearings, so when I take them to my tailor to have the legs shortened (etc.), I have him put in a satin lining in the crotch. That eventually wears through, and gets replaced, but at least the pants themselves don't.