A couple of years ago, I became aquatinted with the somewhat new company called Bluffworks. I had read about their products from some friends but had yet to try them at the time. Fast forward a couple of years and just about everything I wear is made by Bluffworks – suit, pants, polos, and dress shirt. In fact, I just came back from a trip where Bluffworks clothes occupied almost all the space in my bag (and, to be clear, they actually don’t even take up that much space!).
Review of the Bluffworks Ascender Chinos
Link: Bluffworks Ascender Chinos (this is an affiliate link that supports this site – and lets me buy more Bluffworks clothes! – if you use it, thanks!) – $125
Tips:
- These come in multiple colors that you can access through the link above
- They are the same price as the original Chinos
- Check out their Fit Guide to make sure you get the right size
The Bluffworks Ascender Chinos are Awesome!
My favorite Bluffworks piece of clothing for everyday use had been the Chinos. I had their Original pants as well but I actually prefer the Chinos for everyday wear. I wore them a lot! I actually didn’t think that there was anything that Bluffworks could improve on them until (disclosure) they sent me their new Ascender Chinos at the start of summer.
As of this review, I have worn my pair of Ascender Chinos at least 60 times in the past few months. A majority of those days were 95+ degree days and many travel days as well – planes, trains, and automobiles. I have walked dozens of miles in them over this time as well so I am very comfortable giving a review of the Bluffworks Ascender Chinos at this point. My verdict? These are the ultimate travel pants!
What Makes the Bluffworks Ascender Chinos So Good?
What did Bluffworks improve on their first generation Chinos to make the Ascender Chinos even better? I will focus this little review on those changes because they actually show that Bluffworks is really thinking about the traveler when they design their clothes.
Pockets, Pockets – Everywhere!
It starts with the little things. One of the things I like about Bluffworks pants is the second pocket inside of the pockets. It has a zipper on it and is large enough to hold a passport, cash, or even a phone. Well, for the Ascender Chinos, they made the zipper go in the other direction – zipping down. The reason they did this is to make it even harder to pick that pocket. Very smart!
If you travel much in some cities, you will find that pickpockets are quite common. Having a pocket like this to keep your valuable documents, credit cards, cash, and even phones can mean the difference between enjoying a great tour and spending your time at the the embassy getting an emergency travel document.
The next thing that Bluffworks did with the Ascender Chinos was to add another pocket – this one on the inside of the pants. This is perfect for actually keeping your passport and/or in and it doesn’t get uncomfortable. In most cases, using your passport abroad is not something you need to do that often but it can be good to have it with you at times. Bluffworks makes sure you can keep it completely safe with this interior pocket. It does have zippered access through one of the front pockets as well if you do need to get at it while out.
Of course, they also carried over the smartphone pocket as well on the back right of the pants. I had never been the guy that put his cellphone in his back pocket because I knew I would sit on it and break it. But, Bluffworks located this pocket just above that back pocket and high enough so that you won’t sit on your phone and it keeps it secure.
More Stretch for More Comfort While Traveling and Being Active
Bluffworks built a bit more stretch into their Ascender Chinos. This means that you may want to go one waist size down from whatever your regular Bluffworks Chinos are – or go for the same size if you want it even a bit more loose. This stretch can help in a few ways. It makes the pants great for things like hiking, climbing, relaxing, sitting for a long time (like on an airplane) – or for those trips where you just have to eat everything you see (looking at you, Italy!).
That stretch has made these very comfortable and even more comfortable that the original Chinos.
Same, Same
Of course, they still have the non-wrinkle tech working for them so you can get off a plane after 11 hours and still have them looking fresh. Or, you can pull them out of a bag – even all wadded up – and just put them on to be ready to go.
Also, they keep smells away very well also so you can wear them for several days of a trip. When you do need to wash them, it can be done in a hotel sink and hung to dry. Within a few hours, they will be good to go.
Summary
I used to use Under Armour pants for travel and everyday use. Not only did I like the feel but I could always get them for at least half off during sales. The Bluffworks pants do cost more than those pants when they were on sale but I have found that they are more comfortable, take up less space in my bag, are more functional and that they stay in better shape for longer.
Yeah, I am a fan and they don’t even need to pay me to say that! 🙂 While they have given me products for reviews, I have also bought several pieces of Bluffworks clothes myself because I like them that much.
