Dickies has launched a new line of high-performance workwear that are designed to meet the needs of women and men who are elite authorities in their trade. The new work clothes are designed with best-in-class fabrics and also modern aesthetics.
Dickies says that the modern design and function of their new Performance Workwear enable the wearer to portray a professional appearance no matter how hard, cold, or dirty the work.
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In other words, workwear that works for you, but also looks good.
They sent over their new Performance Workwear GDT Premium Pants for review, as well as a Performance Workwear Professional Bodywarmer Vest. The bodywarmer vest seems to be sold out for the season, but the pants are available now.
The Concept
The Dickies Performance Workwear GDT Premium Work Pants have a lot of things going for them.
Hardwearing Fabrics such as Cordura ensure durability.
Flex construction features 98% cotton and 2% Lycra for comfort and movement.
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Reinforced crotch gusset for freedom of movement and comfort.
Cordura knee pad pouches for convenience (knee pad inserts are sold separately).
Full Features
- Cordura trims on the back pockets
- Cordura trimmed cargo pockets
- Cordura knee pad pouches
- Reflective detailing (on Black & Grey Pants)
- Cordura kick plate
- Wide reinforced belt loops
- Reinforced crotch gusset
- 98% Cotton/2% Lycra
- Machine washable
Dickies says this about the pants:
Dickies’ Performance Workwear GDT Premium Pants instill the confidence you need to master even the toughest tasks. The protection provided in these trousers is unyielding.
Construction
I loved the pockets.
- 2 side pockets
- Enlarged “watch” style pocket on the left
- Rear pockets with hook-and-loop flaps
- Back thigh pockets (layered, right side)
- Deep pocket (inner)
- Reinforced pocket (middle)
- Smaller flap-closure pocket (outer)
- Cargo pockets (left side, layered, reinforced bottom lining)
- Wide pocket with flap closure (inner)
- 2 narrow pockets (each 50% width, middle)
- Expandable outer pocket
I loved the construction – the materials have a top-notch feel to them, and thought went into how each pocket might be used.
The bottom hem is reinforced, which is a nice touch as this is where a lot of my pants tend to see added wear when I wear shoes or sneakers instead of boots.
Did They Work Well for Me?
The fit was off for me. A 31″ inseam was the only fitting option at the time, and is currently the only option on Dickies’ website.
Pants with a 30″ inseam work best for me. Sometimes longer pants can work too if I’m wearing work boots, or I roll up the bottom.
I loved the elastic-supported closure, which meant a belt was optional.
I kept trying to make the pants work well for me, but I was forcing it. The reinforced bottom is nice, but not when the pants are rolled up. Besides which, do I really want to create a surface that will accumulate sawdust, metal shavings, or drywall dust? It might also be a snag point.
The knee pad pockets sat a little too low. They were still functional, but the inserts I used with these pants didn’t sit right. With a 30″ or 29″ inseam option, they probably would have been better placed.
With knee pad inserts, the top of the insert and pocket sat just below my knee cap when standing up. When working on the floor, I did like the shin support and didn’t find it uncomfortable. But, it took a little effort to align things properly, and my knee placement shifted around when on smooth interior floors. There would be less movement when kneeling outside on concrete, and that’s when the abrasion-resistant fabrics really shine.
If you work with one knee bent on the ground and the other bent with a firmly-planted foot, there’s going to be less movement than if both knees are on a smooth floor. I don’t like to work like this anymore, with one foot bent and supporting weight, due to the fatigue and strain on my feet.
In online photos the camo-colored pants look to be made of a different material. That could just be appearances. I received the grey and black versions for testing.
The pocket place was unfamiliar to me, but convenient.
If my legs were a little longer, or the pants a little shorter, they might have worked out a lot better for me. Sometimes it’s okay to go a little long, but in this case I think I’d have preferred if the pants were a little too short.
My Typical Work Pants
For context, I am much more of a plain denim, blue jeans, and basic khaki work pants type of wearer. I wear cargo shorts, but tend to be minimal when it comes to pants.
These pants might have come close to converting me if not for the slightly less optimal sizing. While I didn’t make good use out of every pocket, I liked having options.
Compared to cargo-style work pants I tried previously, these felt better designed, rather than just featuring pockets sewn onto the legs.
Recommendations
Speaking candidly, I am very much against the idea of flex fabrics. To me, when you say flexible men’s pants, I think of stretch jeans, and by extension I imagined stretchy work pants. Does that sound durable to you?
These pants have a little give to them, but you almost can’t notice it. When wearing them, you forget about this.
Do you want highly durable work pants?
Do you like the idea of thoughtfully placed and reinforced pockets?
I think these might be worth a try, especially if you’re close to the available sizing.
As much as I tried, I couldn’t find a way to force these to fit me. However, this was an interesting and beneficial experience nonetheless.
For one, I’m used to thinking of Dickies pants as the lightweight bland and basic workwear brand. I used to have short sleeve coveralls with my high school robotics team branding on it. And no, that didn’t fit me very well either, it was a size too big. Most of the Dickies workwear I’ve seen is made of a similar lightweight fabric.
Sure, I’d think, they make popular everyday pants or uniform-style clothes, but workwear?
Well, these pants sure changed that for me. This is why I tried to hard to make them work despite the mismatched fit.
Dickies has free shipping and they seem to have a reasonable return policy. I’d say that these Performance Workwear GDT Premium Pants are worth a closer look.
If you try them, or already have a pair, I’d love to hear about how well they work out for you!
Price: $69.99
Also, my favorite parts of the bodywarmer vest are the raised cuff and extended hem. It’s out of stock right now, but you can learn more about it here.
Also in the Dickies Performance Workwear Collection (2021)
If the rest of the Dickies Performance Workwear collection are as well-designed and comfortably constructed as these pants, they’re worth serious consideration as well.
Men’s Workwear
- Performance Workwear Everyday Jacket – $59.99
- Performance Workwear Industry Jacket – $54.99
- Performance Workwear Louden Jacket – $69.99
- Performance Workwear Two Tone Soft Shell Jacket – $64.99
- Performance Workwear Pro Bodywarmer Vest – $49.99 (mentioned here)
- Performance Workwear Everyday Pant – $44.99
- Performance Workwear GDT Premium Trouser – $69.99 (reviewed here)
Women’s Workwear
- Performance Workwear Insulated Waterproof Jacket – $99.99
- Performance Workwear Soft Shell Jacket – $69.99
- Performance Workwear Hoodie – $59.99
- Performance Workwear Legging – $69.99
- Performance Workwear Performance Pant – $69.99
Thank you to Dickies for providing samples for review purposes.
Marco
At those prices I wont even look at them. Be in love witb Duluth firehose and firehose flex pants. Wait around for when there’s a 20% off coupon or they go on sale. Extremely durable.
Argie
$70 doesn’t really seem too bad to me. I have tried the firehose pants but they just don’t fit me great – and they’re 60-70 as well (not on sale – but with 20% off that brings it down to $48-$56). Maybe I’m used to Dickies after 10+ years of nothing but them but given the other options I’m willing to spend a couple extra bucks.
Tim E.
The prices aren’t that far off from similar items from blaklader or ES or other such companies. Kind of right in the middle which is right where I’d put these pants against blaklader’s lineup. I’m just not sure about paying those kind of prices with the Dickies name, but more options are always good, and people that like Dickies pants may find these as a nice addition to the lineup.
I love Engelbert Strauss workwear, but that’s more because I’m mostly getting it for when I’m working with the robotics team or going to competitions, and somewhat going for style as much as function. They seem durable, but I’m not wearing them all day every day, so can’t do more than guess at longevity. The ES Motion 2020 black/hi-vis are my favorite, but I only have a pair of pants left and they don’t really fit anymore. Unfortunately I can’t justify spending e-bay reshipper prices when I don’t know what size I need to change to for sure, Engelbert Strauss won’t ship to the US even for non-professional use, and everybody I used to know in Europe mostly aren’t there anymore, and with COVID I can’t even get myself a cheap flight over to visit a store.
Matt J.
100% agree. I have a few different styles of Duluth and they all have been under $70 and all wear hard. Even the lightweight summer dry on the fly ones wear well (almost shockingly) and stretch and move great (note they are more hiking oriented, but make great summer work pants for me). The coolmax and standard firehouse are all great and well worth the money. Super well designed pockets/loops, too.
Argie
These are intriguing for $70.
I agree 100% with you about the inseam options ruining things though. I cant stand having to fold my pants and I am 5’10.5″ with a 30″ inseam.
I do love my dickies work pants though, as they generally fit me well and last a long time. If they release more sizing options I’ll definitely shell out for 2 pair to try them!
teicher
I think it would have been better for you to wait to get a pair of pants that were the right size before testing them and writing a review.
Stuart
Consider this an enhanced news post then.
I lacked sufficient insights to comment much about them outside of the press release, and so I needed something tangible to assess and comment on.
An imperfect fit still provides more than zero firsthand insights.
blocky
Standard dickies were very hard-wearing (but too baggy for me) when I wore them as a bike messenger in my early 20’s. I still have a couple pairs and have thought about having them tailored.
This GDT line, both in appearance and ad-copy, reminds me of Truewerk, an upstart company that seems to be growing steadily. They, along with other technical brands, I’m sure are cutting into Dickies’ base.
I have a few pieces from Truewerk that have become staples for me — workwear that can also pass in an office setting.
Been looking into LEO/EMT pants as well since I usually burn through 3 pairs of 513’s a year.
Europe’s a bit ahead of the US on this curve.
teicher
Couldn’t agree more about Truewerk, they have shown the big players that they are leaving good money on the table by not offering a line with more technical fabrics and features and an improved fit.
Bob
I wear the original fit 874 dickies pants. Just checked they are 35/65 cotton/polyester. Could have sworn it was the other way around. Wish they used more cotton as they are quite hot in the summer. After about a dozen washes whatetver they treat them with washes out and they get comfortable. Just ordered a few new pairs, price jumped quite a bit. For $12 they are good enough. For $25 Im starting to look at other brands. They don’t seem to last as long as I remember either?
I might try these new ones. Like the cotton content. Prefer a tool belt to onboard tool storage. But that comes from poking myself in the @$$ from forgetting screwdrivers or whatever in my back pocket then sitting down.
The guy tightening a nut onto rebar was good for a laugh.
If they are marketing these as a way to look professional in your
…enable the wearer to portray a profesional appearence… then how come they are available in camo? I guess professional appearence is open to interpretation.
Argie
The benefit to them not being cotton is I can get battery acid on them without putting holes in my pants. I worked with Engineering/customizing electric vehicles about 10 years ago right out of college when they still had a lot of lead acid batteries in conversions. They were necessary.
Corey Moore
The rebar nut is a real thing lol We use them in underground mining. There’s swellex ground support rods, but for hanging heavy duty stuff on the ribs or back of the drift (tunnel) they’ll drive 1.5-2″ rebar, and use it like Thor’s version of a redhead for stuff that needs 12k lb static test and higher. Not sure what dude in the picture is doing with one, and they have sloppy tolerances so also no idea why he needs a wrench, but it is actually a thing. For whatever it’s worth.
Kentucky fan
These things look ridiculous. Wrangler jeans have done the job for me my entire life.
Rick
I have a 36″ inseam, so these aren’t an option for me.
taras
I’m a diehard Blaklader guy. I gave the Dickies Eisenhower pant a try, as they were somewhat similar to the Blaklader pants that I wear. Initial impression was good, but I wore out the inseam after 4 months, whereas my Blaklader pants are got for at least a year and a half of daily wear in an industrial environment. The Blaklader pants carry a guarantee on all seams so long as the fabric isn’t worn out. The Dickies have no such warranty. I’ll never buy Dickies workwear again except for casual wear. Despite the “tech” they are putting into these garments, they just doesn’t stand up because although they might be using the right ingredients, they just aren’t put together as well.
Ray
I love my Dickies work pants…I’m a chef, and most guys prefer something lightweight because of the heat, but between wear and tear and the safety concerns of potential burns and dropped hot liquids, I looked in to heavier duty options. If I were a tradesman, I’d give these a shot.
Anyone who can make a 30 dollar pair of pants that lasts 2 plus years of kitchen wear is doing something right.
Kentucky fan
I did restaurant work for 6 years and you are 100% correct. Anything that lasts in that environment is good to go. There doesn’t exist a harder environment on clothes and shoes than a high production kitchen.
Koko The Talking Ape
“Speaking candidly, I am very much against the idea of flex fabrics. To me, when you say flexible men’s pants, I think of stretch jeans, and by extension I imagined stretchy work pants. Does that sound durable to you?”
I love stretch fabrics. When I discovered them in Carhartts, they were a revelation. They make the pants more comfortable and easier to move around in, especially in heavier fabrics. As far as I can tell, they seem just as durable as their non-stretch counterparts.
But the big boost in durability comes from using a synthetic like polyester or nylon instead of cotton.
Wayne R.
I agree here too. I think the Flex also somewhat minimizes “focal points” of stress so I find fewer creeping pinpoints of wear/tiny rips. Have some Carhartt and Duluth flex fabric, very nice.
Stuart
This isn’t a justified mindset, it’s more of an inherent bias that I’m slowly pushing back against.
Ken
Ray! They actually did. They were called Toughskins – sold by Sears. The original “work/play trousers” took a year to break-in before you could bend your knees… and they were 15 bucks. I was partial to the burgundy… Although, they might have been sold in boy sizes only… long time ago.
Lyle
I like Wrangler Riggs Workwear
Thebear
I’ve worn the same 3 pairs of navy blue Dickies straight leg cargo pants for over 10 years now. Bought all 3 pairs for less than 20$. Recently got 2 pairs of black wranglers cargo pants as a gift that I just opened and tried for the 1st time today. Only issue I have with my dickies is my hem line is trashed from getting wet and dragged when wearing sneakers, I prefer a longer leg, I’m a 31 inseam and wear a 32. I could never justify working in pants that cost more than my entire wardrobe unless they were going to do the work for me.
Mac
I wear Dickies double knee black pants for my DJ side gigs. Love them. Fit is good…they last through the abuse of unloading a box van full of gear, setup and teardown and still look like a classic pair of black slacks. The pockets suck… however…small and the material inside is thin.
I bought a pair of their boots and they fell apart quickly…ripped the eyelets out. If it wasn’t for a warranty swap that took three months I wouldn’t have gotten a year out of the pair.
I destroyed a pair of Duluth fire hose pants inside of a year. Knocked a tiny hole in them when I drpped my impact driver on my thigh. They unraveled and disintegrated rapidly.
Sticking with Carhartt. I usually can get their stuff cheap at sierra.com.
Still looking for a pair of indestructible work pants for volunteer trail maintenance in the pacific Northwest. Need something that will keep me warm and dry at 34 degrees when it rains and pours all day…while operating a chainsaw and shoving logs out of trails.
-Mac
Paul
Filson tin cloth is the only pant that is going to keep you warm and dry in Pacific Northwest territory. Very expensive. Will be the ugliest pair of pants you own and you can’t “wash them”.
For general use personally I’ve found that Wranglers disintegrate in one to two cycles. They are best used if you buy them from Walmart and wear them on jobs where you are going to throw them away anyways like an acid plant job. They are total crap, don’t hold up any better than the Walmart store brand pants on the shelf next to them.
At the same price you can buy Key. Not the best made but they get the job done. Biggest complaint is the side pockets are too small to comfortably hold a cell phone.
Next price point up is Roundhouse. Cheaper than Carhartt. They are just as comfortable as Northern’s pants, and hold up as long as, and are as comfortable as Carhartt. But with a big difference….made in the United States. I was never into the whole “Buy American” thing but at this point I can’t in good conscience buy anything coming out of a Socialist country in Asia if I don’t have to. And there’s no reason to bother buying Carhartt so nuff said.
The other category for me is that I do a lot of energized electrical work. So sooner or later eventually I’m going to probably be involved in a very ugly situation based on the antique equipment I usually end up stuck working on. So that means FR. Work supplies Carhartt twill pants and shirts. The pants are total, 100% crap. Only good thing is the price which for me is $0. Still based on shirt prices FR premium should be $10-$20 over regular. So why does Carhartt jump from $40 to $90 for the exact same pants except FR treated??? I’ve been able to find them discounted to $40-$50 and Key (when I can find them in my size) is in the same price range. So that’s been my last couple pant purchases.
In the FR category the nosebleed crowd of insane pricing is of course Ariat that thinks they are selling Duluth Trading pants with the stretchy 80’s workout tights come roughneck oil rigger look. I have no idea how you can wear those girly pantss on a job site without expecting some inappropriate comments. I have no idea how well they hold up. I don’t want to attract that kind of attention.
josh Morris
I almost exclusively but carhartt with pants have had several negative experiences why dickies.
I usually get mine as factory 2nds from sierra.com
20-30 for nice pants
Double front usa made pants from carhartt are 30$
With the duck fabric
Bruce
I suppose heavily reinforced work pants make since if you want to look like a refuge from a tactical store. I don’t think it presents a professional appearance. There are plenty of work pant options that will hold up to job site abuse that can pass for at least business casual.
Chris D
I always wore jeans until my friend gifted me a pair of hiking pants. They have a gusseted crotch and some stretch, and are vastly more comfortable than jeans. I don’t even wear jeans anymore.
They aren’t quite durable enough for heavy work because they are a lightweight fabric. I’ve been looking at the European work pants, but they are expensive and the sizing seems weird. So I am definitely going to take a look at these.
If you haven’t worn pants like this: keep in mind they aren’t stretch like yoga pants. It’s just a little give so it doesn’t dig in you bend and move.
Koko The Talking Ape
Yeah, I’ve been wearing hiking pants too, the ones that aren’t convertible to shorts. Light, durable, comfortable. As you say, not for heavy duty work, but much better than jeans.
Brent C
What brand are you talking about? I live in AZ and in the summer months (7+) I don’t wear jeans because of the heat.
Koko The Talking Ape
I know you were asking Chris D, but I mostly get REI Co-op, which is REI’s house brand, and also Columbia. Both are cheaper than the premium brands like Patagonia and North Face, but still solid, and a good value.
Duluth Trading Company also makes synthetic work pants, but I haven’t tried them.
Chris D
I like Prana Sretch Zion. They are really comfortable and lightweight. They also wick moisture so they don’t feel as heavy as jeans feel, if that makes sense.
Koko The Talking Ape
Really! I’d never really looked at those. To me they seemed pricey and meant for guys who are into yoga. But maybe I should try them out!
Stuart
They are pricey, even with a 10% “sign up for our newsletter” discount.
Thanks – I might give those a try as well.
PETE
My goodness- the amount of fashion diva novas in this thread are ridiculous.
They’re pants.
Personally i’d buy a pair, but not at $60 unless i can try them on and be sure that they’ll fit and test their functionality & fit.
What i would really like is a pair of Milwaukee work bibs that aren’t insulated. That if i needed to work in something wet/muddy that I can slip them over my clothes/ boots. They should be waterproof and tough.
Scott
Check out “TMG Trousers” and “TMG bib and braces”. Can be hard to find in the US, but sometimes also can be available for super low prices. I have a two pairs of the bib and braces (overalls) that were less than $40. Fantastic cordura fabric, knee pad pockets, lots of other pockets, super durable. They are my cold weather garage work choice. If you can work out your size in the Euro equivalent sizes. They were readily available on Amazon a few years ago, now it is hit and miss. EBay people will sell them too.
salmon
As someone who has worked overseas quite a bit, I can say without a doubt that European workwear is 100 years ahead of American gear. I’d love to wear a pair of Englebert-Strauss trousers with built in bags.
Unfortunately I don’t know if my feelings are tough enough to stand being in public with a pair of those on.
Rafe
Why is there just a pair of kneepads in the end of the lineup of styles?
Gene
I go to Germany about every 5 weeks or so, and I always look at their work pants in their version of Home Depot. I want to get a pair but never do, and seeing these here remind me of the ones I see workers wearing there. Maybe you have inspired me just a touch. haha
Kent
>> meet the needs of women and men who are elite authorities in their trade.
Can I say how much I hate the things marketing people say? WTF is an “elite authority” and how many can be on a jobsite at once?
Here’s my take on Dickies:
I’ve been a Carharrt guy for 20 years now. I know the product, and it’s never let me down. Durable, available in enough colors, nice enough that I can wear them to work and look professional to the office folks but still fit in with the shop folks.
I tried a few pairs of Dickies, because the price was $10 or $15 less. They cheaped out on *so may things*. The zipper pull is so small I feel like I’m wearing children’s pants (save a penny every hundred pairs?). No watch/ticket pocket. Poorly designed pockets that let things roll out.
That’s all fine – they compete on price. But when you compete on price, and then release a high end product it doesn’t work. There’s no way I’d take a $70 gamble on a pair of Dickies.
Kia & Hyundai used to make crap cars that only competed on price. Now they make cars as well as the Germans, but even 20 years later still can’t sell them at the same price as a BMW/Audi/Mercedes. Yeah, Dickies dug a deep hole, and it’s going to take a while to get out.
Shane
Does anyone have any experience with the caterpillar work pants? I’ve been looking at them lately and it’s a less expensive alternative to the blaklader ones.
Fred
They don’t stay very up when I bend over. Plummer crack but lol. They should use magnets instead of Velcro
Saif
I’m wearing casual Dickies. But why more expensive in jeddah.
Gordon R. Brown
5.11 pants. Many have pockets in which to insert knee pads.
Darren Railey
Once I tried flexible pants, I could never go back. Of course they are durable but comfort is my number one priority.
Daniel L.
Cool, but only 31″ inseam available? For *all* waist sizes? Cause, it’s not like there are tall dudes in the world.
Yeeesh. Typical.
John H.
I’m a chef by trade, and Ive come to find with dickies that I’m always either having to roll them up or find someone to hem them. With no way to get them sized to fit me otherwise, while only standing 5’4, but I do love dickies as my everyday work wear especially with cargo options, but not being able to get them in my size requirements has limited me purchasing any in a couple yrs.