Honorable Mentions
Photograph: Gap
Gap Heavyweight French Terry Seamed Wide-Leg Sweatpants for $70: As I mentioned earlier, sometimes nontraditional pants are just a bit too out of my comfort zone, and I found these to be difficult to style. The heavy French terry fabric is nice and warm, and some colors look almost like denim. But on my 5’1″ frame, with no drawstring on the waistband, these regularly pooled at my ankles, and not in a cool counterculture way. I felt like I was dressing up in my dad’s clothes, and I constantly needed to hike them up on my waist. I could see these being very cool to the right demographic, and they’re well-constructed with neat seam detailing. I just didn’t love them as much as the others I tested. —Louryn Strampe
Photograph: Mack Weldon
Mack Weldon Ace Sweatpant for $88: I like that Mack Weldon offers a Regular or Tall fit for its Ace Sweatpant—I tried the latter—and it went down to my ankles (yay!). The fit is really nice here, though the pants tend to look a little wrinkly. The standout is the micro-brushed French terry texture. It feels smooth and soft to touch, though the pockets have an odd crinkly feel. There are two zippered pockets, one on the back and one low on the right side, the latter of which is a nice spot for earbuds. I like that the ankles are back-ribbed, which helps maintain a nice shape. These pants are made from 95 percent cotton and 5 percent Stretch. —Julian Chokkattu
Photograph: Buck Mason
Buck Mason Welterweight Sweatpant for $138: I love the look of Buck Mason’s 1940s-inspired Welterweight sweatpants, with a lovely wide, ribbed waistband. The 100 percent cotton French terry fleece feels hardy and, while they don’t feel tight and drape nicely, they’re not what I’d pick for lounging on a couch. If I’m wearing these, I feel like I need to put a little thought into my outfit and then head out the door and show them off. I have two main issues, though: The first is that these pants are just not long enough for my 6’4″ frame. That might not be an issue for you, but they land well above my ankles. Also, the inside of the pockets feels rough. —Julian Chokkattu
Reigning Champ Midweight Terry Standard Sweatpant for $110: I regret asking for these sweatpants in white. Don’t buy white pants. You’ll quickly learn that it’s really hard to keep stains away, especially on a piece of clothing designed for bumming around. Thankfully, Reigning Champ has multiple other color options, and the Vintage White I have isn’t available anymore (it’s not just me!). I’m 6’4″, and I would have liked the pants to be a little longer to get closer to my ankles, but this is a common problem for me. My only other gripe is the label on the inside back of the sweatpants—the corners are super sharp and scratchy, and when they inevitably make contact with the skin, it’s extremely unpleasant. When that’s not happening, these 100 percent cotton sweatpants are comfy with a nice silhouette, and the slant pockets are roomy. —Julian Chokkattu
