This is a topic that has come up for me personally for some time. Those of you who know me know that I travel very frequently. But you probably don’t know that my fashion sense fluctuates and I’ve struggled for years to find the best travel pants for men that are both comfortable and also look good. Many of the countries I travel to have warm climates, so I’d often end up wearing shorts even though the fashion for men in many of these countries is to wear pants.
I ran into this issue in Spain last year when I went for a visit towards the end of Spring. I knew going into the trip that it was going to be hot, especially in the Southern regions. I also did my research ahead of time to figure out what other guys typically wear (so I could better blend in with the locals).
I found that the common fashion was to wear pants, even if it’s hot out. That presented an issue for me as I prefer to be comfortable. All of the pants I owned were either too dressy, too casual or too warm to wear comfortably around a foreign country. In the end, I wore shorts anyway — knowing full well all it was going to do was make me come across as an obvious tourist.
After my trip to Spain, I decided the hunt was on to become more fashionable as I travel.
Enter Bluffworks. The result of 2 years of passion, effort, intense research and a powerful Kickstarter campaign. An apparel company for men that employs the use of technical fabrics with the aesthetics of tailored office attire. Bluffworks manufactures their pants in New York City.
Bluffworks Review: These Are The Best Travel Pants for Men Out There
Bluffworks crafts mens travel pants that appear both classy and dressy, while at the same time offer unmatched comfort, breath-ability and come with practical travel benefits. You can take a look at the full Bluffworks pants line for purchase here.
No matter what your personal style is, this company will be able to match both your taste and comfort level. The pants themselves come in a range of colors and three different styles (though more products are continuing to roll out).
All versions of Bluffworks pants are designed to look like mens dress slacks, yet they can be worn for up to 5 days without needing a wash and are wrinkle-free. Take a ride on a 24 hour flight to Thailand, get off the plane and then bike around Bangkok for the day in the same pair of pants — and look great while you do it.
Don’t believe me? Take a look at the Bluffworks Kickstarter video, below. Founder, CEO and inventor Stefan Loble wears a pair of pants for 5 days straight and puts them through everything an adventurous soul can throw at them.
Bluffworks mens travel pants can be rolled, folded or simply stuffed into any carry-on bag or suitcase. The material allows for little bulk so they don’t take up much room in your bag. Take them out and you’ll have little to no wrinkles.
Aside from comfort and looks, all versions of Bluffworks pants come with hidden zipper pockets within your standard pockets. These pockets are incredibly advantageous for storing smartphones and wallets while safeguarding yourself from pickpockets and losing loose items.
We had the opportunity to interview Bluffworks founder Stefan Loble to get a little bit more insight into Bluffworks mens travel pants themselves. We also got more feedback into what makes this unique startup tick. I must admit, it’s very refreshing to hear from a founder who’s truly passionate about his product. Based on what Stefan had to say, I can say that he’s one of the more interesting personalities I’ve come across.
G: Where did the inspiration to start a mens apparel company come from? Was it inspired by your travels? Was there a particular need that was lacking in the market?
S: 10 years ago, I outsourced myself to work for a Vietnamese software company (where my starting salary was $4 / hour.) While living in Vietnam, I wore travel clothing which was great for commuting to work on my motorbike in the heat.
Back home in NYC, I had to conform to a city dress code, but I missed the comfort and easy care of my travel pants. The problem was, there was no way I could wear them to the office. So I decided to combine technical fabrics with a refined look and Bluffworks was born.
G: How many countries have you traveled to?
S: I’ve visited about 20 countries, but my interest has often been in staying for longer periods of time. When I was younger, I could carve out a month in each country. More recently, we’ve chosen to live overseas to be immersed more deeply in the culture. We’ve found that living in a country is very different from visiting it. Not necessarily better, but different.
G: What’s your favorite city in the world to travel to, why?
S: Right now, It’d have to be Hanoi. It is an intense mix of the old and new, and is never dull to the senses. When I speak Vietnamese there, it opens doors and feels like a welcome but completely different world from my life back home.
G: In your own opinion, what’s the appeal of being based in New York City?
S: New York has a tremendous amount of energy and opportunity especially in fashion and media. Our work in apparel can progress more easily here. But living here, there are things I miss as well, particularly the type of outdoors you have access to someplace like Portland, Oregon.
G: If you could repeat any travel adventure, what would it be and why? What would you do differently if given the choice?
S: When I was twenty, I spent a month in the tribal areas of Pakistan, and my plan to progress to Afghanistan. This was the spring of 1993, when the Taliban was coming up from the south with young guys my age on tanks with carnations in the barrels of their guns. It was a nearly bloodless revolution. I had just come off a close call related to conflict in Eastern Turkey so when the fighting started, I figured visiting was going too far. In reality, going to the north would have been fine, and a last chance too see Afghanistan before a cascade of changes began. Instead, I went to Irian Jaya, a jungle in Indonesia and did a solo two-week trek. But I always consider Afghanistan the path that wasn’t taken.
G: What’s the craziest travel experience you’ve been a part of?
S: It’s kind of a long list. If I take the most recent, last year we went to Panama where we bought crappy bikes in a junk yard and set off into the last peninsula not covered by a guidebook. After taking so long to find the bikes, etc, we set off up a mountain by headlamp in the dark. We eventually reached a village that didn’t have a place to stay, so we drank beers in the cantina long enough until somebody took us in. And the adventure went on from there.
G: Where are you travelling to next?
S: This summer, I’m taking my family to France for the first time. My son happens to speak French, and loves high speed trains, so we’re going to do a trip around transport. The current thinking is to bring a packraft and float a river, stopping to hike to train trestles and tunnels where the TGV will zoom by at 200 mph. Then each night, stay in a different old mill that has been converted to a restaurant downstairs, that typically has two rooms upstairs. How bad could it be?
G: As you know, many of us are winederers at this site. Do you have a favorite style of wine and or place you enjoy sipping a glass most?
S: Hands down, it’s Oregon Pinot Noir, drank anywhere where the bounty of Oregon’s amazing food is also available… which in Oregon, is a lot of places.
I also adore Prosecco, well-chilled.
G: Where does the brand name “Bluffworks” come from?
S: When naming the company, we went through an exercise where we brainstormed names inspired by all sorts of categories from the product, to me, to travel, etc. I was attracted to something with a bit of defiance in it, partly because starting a company is so hard, but also because wearing your pants for a few days without washing kinda feels like sticking it to the man. When Bluffworks came up, it met all of our criteria – even tying into the outdoors – so it was a natural choice.
G: What was the biggest challenge in getting Bluffworks off the ground?
S: For me, it was running the company in parallel with my day job. I spent two years writing software and running the company on the side. I think a lot of entrepreneurs pursue their idea based on an optimism stemming from whatever they’re good at – be it product, or marketing, or social. But the hard part comes when a hobby becomes a real company and you are faced with supporting everything a business needs. No one is ever great at everything, and struggling with those tasks on your own before you have a team to rely on is a lot of pressure. I took a few years off my longevity, for sure.
G: Are there more plans for new products and or colors in the future?
S: Tons of new products! This year, our product development pipeline really took off. We have our first shirts in the works, and finally we think a blazer that our customers have been asking about for years. Back to the packraft trip in France, I plan to go from river to the restaurant in style.
G: Where does Bluffworks go from here?
S: Adding products and taking on new adventures, we hope to become the most inspired and trusted travel brand in the world.
Bluffworks Pants – What Styles Are Available?
At this time, Bluffworks offers three different styles for individual comfort. As Stefan noted above, they’re planning on releasing new products in the near future which will also range from Shirts to Blazers. I’m all over the blazer.
Chino Tailored Fit Mens Travel Pants
The Chino’s are slick looking slacks. They feel like cotton, but they’re actually made with breathable quick-dry polyester material and nylon pockets. The material itself also stretches, allowing for more flexibility and comfort when you’re active on the move. Whether you’re hiking, biking or sitting, the chino travel pants aren’t restrictive and they look awesome.
Additional details:
- Zippered front hidden internal security pocket.
- Rear zippered pocket sized for an oversized travel wallet.
- Discrete side pocket storage. Fits passports and most smartphones.
- Hidden loop to clip keys or a security badge inside your front pocket.
- Nickle-free jean tack closure.
- Interior pocket images made to inspire.
- Designed and manufactured in New York City.
- Machine washable. Line or tumble dry.
Original Relaxed Fit Mens Travel Pants
These bad boys offer the typical comfort and style that you might find with khaki pants. However, they’re incredibly light-weight and offer a hybrid look of classy yet rugged at the same time. Go for a hike at lunch and then come back and finish your day at the office. They’re also naturally resistant to wrinkles and stains. The Relaxed Fit allows for even more room for guys who don’t want any restrictive feelings whatsoever. If you want a less loose and more tailored look (yet not as tight as the chino), scroll down for the Original Regular fit Bluffworks style.
Additional details:
- 100% technical, breathable quick-dry polyester. Nylon pockets.
- Zippered front hidden internal security pocket.
- Rear zippered pocket sized for an oversized travel wallet.
- Discrete side pocket storage. Fits passports and most smartphones.
- Hidden loop to clip keys or a security badge inside your front pocket.
- Nickle-free jean tack closure.
- Interior pocket images made to inspire.
- Designed and manufactured in New York City.
- Machine washable. Line or tumble dry.
Original Regular Fit Mens Travel Pants
Just like the Original Relaxed Fit, the Regular Fit comes with all of the same benefits except a slightly more tailored look. The Regular Fit is essentially the “in-between” version of Bluffworks travel pants. Not too tight, not too loose.
- 100% technical, breathable quick-dry polyester. Nylon pockets.
- Zippered front hidden internal security pocket.
- Rear zippered pocket sized for an oversized travel wallet.
- Discrete side pocket storage. Fits passports and most smartphones.
- Hidden loop to clip keys or a security badge inside your front pocket.
- Nickle-free jean tack closure.
- Interior pocket images made to inspire.
- Designed and manufactured in New York City.
- Machine washable. Line or tumble dry.
Sound pretty good? That’s because they are. I currently own 3 pairs of Bluffworks pants, though my favorite is definitely the Tailored Chino Fit. Take a look at their in-depth size charts here if you’d like to order these mens travel pants. Keep an eye on their site and bookmark this page as we do update it when promotions and/or sales are going on.
How Much do Bluffworks Travel Pants Cost?
Chino Tailored fit pants cost around $125 and the heritage style costs $75 currently. Both Original and Relaxed fits cost $98 at the time of writing this review, with the heritage style costing $58. Initially, I know that can sound expensive. But when you take into account the quality of fabric which is both wrinkle-free and quick drying, the hidden zipper pockets and the ability to wear these pants in rugged environments for up to 5 days, it’s actually a great deal.
Your average pair of work khakis costs $35, and chances are you’re changing them on a daily basis. Simple math shows you that even at the $125 chino price, you’re getting a good deal.