Pro Tool Reviews: As the calendar turns to fall, it’s a season that has wide swings for professional tradesmen and tradeswomen. In the south, we’re still flirting with temps in the high 80’s while the far north is already getting chilly. To help you find the gear no matter what the weather’s has planned for the day, we’ve collected some of the best new workwear for contractors that caught our attention.
5 comments:
Workwear has gotten pricey lately. I was also surprised to see Dickies and Carhartt only mentioned once each on the list. It makes me question what really justifies a $160 pair of pants. In this case, the pants are designed for hunting, which feels like a bit of a stretch when talking about true workwear. That said, I’m always curious about what’s new, especially since I’m tired of having to replace work pants every six months to a year. Keen continues to produce top-quality boots, and I think they’re starting to dominate the market. They know how to design footwear for every trade, making sure their boots are durable, high quality, and comfortable for long days on your feet. I’m also glad to see more lightweight work jackets becoming available at more reasonable prices than we’ve seen in the past. Its also super exciting to see more women's representation in the workwear available.
I do think there is a time and place for buying new work wear. But for most people they don’t need to be buying to be up to date with the most recent gear for fall of 2025. And maybe not everyone has something just like the items on the list but in reality most people have clothes that will work. This article feels like it is falling into the trap of fast fashion advertising where there are exciting new products that you need to be ready for fall of 2025 but it is not true. Especially if you take good care of your work wear it can certainly last. If something is really no longer functional and irreparable this list might give folks an idea of some replacements but for the most part it feels like an unnecessary purchase that you end up impulse buying because its easy.
I treat my work wear like my mattress: I’m not replacing it until it’s actively falling apart and the idea of cold hard ground sounds more comfortable than it. With that being said I think collating a bunch of the highest quality, best work wear in one place is really beneficial for people trying to upgrade their equipment or who are replacing that old worn out mattress. While a lot of the options here are very expensive, with some savvy shopping you can get most of these items for around half their retail price, and it looks like most of them will last you a really long time. I appreciate pointing out this kind of quality clothing- things that won’t deteriorate after a season of use. I do similar sorts of shopping and cost analysis for fishing waders. I also appreciate the different styles on display and the inclusion of male and female-oriented clothing options, so that everyone with a big enough wallet can find something that suits them.
I feel like this article really nails what it takes for fall workwear, grit. I like how the author doesn’t just pick things that look good, but items that are made to last real job-site work. The Milwaukee long-sleeve tees sound great for layering or working under changing temperatures. The KUIU shirt jacket sounds like it really hits the sweet spot for warmth and mobility. I am from Texas, so I have never really worked in cold weather. I am hoping that I am able to hold up this winter! It sounds like it might be a good idea to look into some of this workwear for that weather. So far, I have been struggling with the colder mornings and pretty hot afternoons, but it sounds like there are options that do suit you for the full day. Boots like Wolverine’s Infinity System get plusses for comfort. I have been struggling with sore feet after long calls all this week, so something like these might not be a bad idea for me!
Everything is so expensive these days. Workwear is something I never buy name brand anymore, unless it’s something small like a hat or gloves. I’ve started buying most of my workwear from Tractor Supply. Their store brand Ridgecut is a good deal cheaper than most of the things featured in this article, but they still offer good quality. I have pants, coats, shirts, and coveralls from Ridgecut and I’m happy with all of them. I will say, I hardly ever wear workwear here because I rarely need it, and because the fact of the matter is that no matter how nice your work clothes are, everyone would rather be wearing their casual clothes. For example, the pants in this article all look nice, but I don’t think that the price tag is really worth it. Likewise, I’ve never tried a work T-shirt, but I don’t think I want to pay $30 for a shirt when I could just put on a coat or an overshirt, and have the freedom to take it off if I want to.
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