Bonobos Made in the USA Travel Jeans – $78 – $98
Bonobos might have built their business on the butts of their washed chinos, but it’s their more substantial travel jeans that keep many of us coming back to scour their sale section.
They’re mid-weight jeans that have the fit Bonobos is famous for, they’re made in the USA, and they seem to hit the sale section in a variety of colors with some consistency. For $60 – $80 (on sale with codes) they’re noticeably more expensive than Levi’s, but the fit, feel, and flexibility of these things is pretty incredible.
The Travel Jeans in their Straight Fit. Size shown: 32×30
Cut from 10.5 oz Cone denim, they’re not super lightweight like oxford cloth pants or summer weight chinos, but they’re softer than your average pair of jeans. The 1% of “stretch” (spandex) in the fabric goes a long way. (Maybe that’s what accounts for the very, very slight slub-like texture in the weave?) Despite feeling like they can take a beating, they don’t fight against you.
The Straight Fits feel somewhere between a 514 and a 505.
Good for guys with some extra weight on their legs.
The straight fits are neither too wide through the leg nor constricting on the calf, but for those who prefer a closer fit, they do make them in slim as well. Rise is neither super low or navel slicing high. Waist seems to be a little generous in circumference. Construction feels extremely good, and the hardware is heavy duty & solid.
Made in the USA from Cone Mills denim. ‘Murica!
This particular shade of grey is pretty much a go-to for plenty of us this time of year. It looks a little cleaner than a standard khaki in bright sun, and even though they’re denim/5 pockets, this lighter dove-grey can be dressed up a bit. It pairs perfectly with navy polos & blazers, or whites on days it gets unusually hot. Sneakers and t-shirts do just fine here too.
Currently on sale and the extra 20% off code SALEAWAY (expires 5/1) dips them down into the attainable realm for most. Sure, you could probably get a pair of similar 5 pockets from Banana Republic for less if you catch a good code (those have been my personal go-to grey & off-white 5 pockets for the last couple of years), but they’re just not going to be quite as good. And if you end up disagreeing? It’s Bonobos, so you can always ship them back for free.
NOTE: It appears that at some point Bonobos changed the fabric used on their Travel jeans, and that didn’t sit well with those who had previously purchased the old version. Never had a pair of the old Travel Jeans, so I can’t compare. These have the “new” fabric from Cone Mills, and I personally love em’. See comments below for more info.
Not Exactly The Muscles from Brussels…
Polo by UNIQLO (last year), shoes by Zara.
I recently got into this company. They are great.
Nice job working the Zara suede single monks into the photo shoot. I bought them back when you posted your original review and they have held up great. A little surprised I see some sock.
Worth noting, Bonobos claims to always be a bit generous in the waist, so size down if you’re in between sizes. The descriptions of the straight and slim-straight seem to suggest that the thighs are about the same in both and that it’s just from the knee down that’s different, but the straight fit actually gives an extra half inch in the thigh, too, in case you’re not one to skip leg day. Bonobos customer service is simply remarkable, they’ve already helped me several times in the past few months since I started shopping with them. Totally my go-to for pants now.
This is all true, but I’d emphasize the “size down” even more. I wear a 29 waist in these things (straight, as my calves don’t do slim), and I’m usually around a 31 (or a de facto 32) in most everything else.
Their inseams also feel a little long, so err on the side of small there, also. Not nearly as much as the waist, though.
Good point about the inseams. I typically wear 32×34 in every other brand, but I’m 33×32 in Bonobos dress pants/Weekday warrior pants, and have to get the waist taken in (I go 33 because the thighs run so slim). I still go 32×34 in both the travel jeans and washed chinos, though, but they’re obviously a more causal look, but the ankles are pretty stacked.
Hmm. Most of the recent reviews on their travel denim are 1-star’s. A lot of complaints about a change in fit and lower quality fabric. Some even say the LA Gray’s turn slightly pink after a few washes. It stopped me from buying a pair a couple weeks ago.
http://www.bonobos.com/grey-straight-leg-denim-for-men-travel-jeans-la-grey
If the jeans in this review are a recent purchase then maybe they are having some quality control issues with certain colors but not others?
Maybe it’s just my dryer, but I have one pair of these and they always come out of the dryer ridiculously wrinkled. They’re very deep, strong creases too, so it’s tough to iron out. I love the pants, but it takes a lot of preparation/ironing for me to get them to a wearable state.
I would recommend keeping these out of the dryer or at the least a low tumble dry and let them air dry to finish. I’ve never had that issue.
I have 4 pairs in various colors and I don’t have any complaints at all. The fabric seems to be a good quality as I put a beating on them and they are still as good as new. I have a grey pair, (not LA Gray but it’s pretty much the same color) and haven’t had color issues but perhaps there is some QC issue with that or it could be guys trying to wash it with something red. I treat these as I do other denim, wash sparingly gentle cycle and air dry and I haven’t had problems.
Why do I feel like the first and last pics were inspired by the Night Fox from Ocean’s 12?
Hopefully you finally got in that building okay.
I like the fit but like someone mentioned the inseam is long and they don’t offer anything but 32 and 30 (I normally wear 30 but these are at least an inch and a half long).
I’d echo some of the other comments regarding fit and sizing down. The slim/straight is similar to their chinos but the stretch does go a long way. Size down if you’re anywhere close to being between sizes because they will stretch and mold to you.
“Ah ha. The Laser field…”
Just a heads up: these travel jeans fade very quickly. I had a navy pair that looked worn after a few washes. I think that they would have worked out better if I had picked a light color like the grey that Joe chose.
Well played, sir. Well played indeed.
Tailor can help with that.
Strange. I’ve got these two (both in straight fit) and have had no issues with fading:
http://www.bonobos.com/brown-jeans-for-men
http://www.bonobos.com/slim-teal-jeans-for-men
Just make sure you ask for “original hem.”
My mind instantly went: “Laser fields? Catherine Zeta-Jones movies?”
http://media.thethousands.com.au/media/2013/07/04/01/13/35/302/2Tout394madracket.jpg
When did you last buy a pair? From the reviews it sounds like the fit and fabric has changed drastically from older pairs. It’s just weird that there are so many reviews saying the same thing, but Joe’s review doesn’t mention any changes. There’s even more bad reviews on the “Manhattan Midnight” travel jeans.
http://www.bonobos.com/black-jeans-for-men-travel-jeans-manhattan-midnight
entrapment….. ahh.
First pair I ever owned were purchased in early fall I think. These grey ones are brand new. If this is the “new” fit, then I guess I prefer the new fit. Never had the old fit, but I love these things.
I have some grey ones also and they faded after 5-6 washes. Not drastically, and the fade isn’t as noticeable as on inky denim. Still, it’s worth watching.
I have a pair of the Travel Jeans ‘to Palermo faded olive’ that I bought October 2012 with the older fit and finish, as well as the same gray pair that Joe reviewed- bought those in February of this year. The difference between them is night and day:
OLD–>
thinner material
immediately comfortable
more stretch
do not really wrinkle
negligible fading
NEW–>
much thicker (feel like jeans that need to be broken in)
less stretch
seem to fade quicker
overall not as comfortable
Both are straight leg, same size. I didn’t check the ratings, just thought I was crazy! I was planning to order them in navy but after receiving the gray pair figured I would look elsewhere.
Strange indeed. Maybe all travel jeans are not created equally.
Thanks for the insight. You’ve been referencing the fit and comfort of travel jeans and they’ve been featured on the site over the last couple of years so I assumed you had an older pair.
I guess they’re not as good as the old ones but still pretty good. I bought the BR 5-pockets after those reviews scared me away but it sounds like the travel jeans are still just a bit better?
Thanks, this is exactly what I was looking for. Thats too bad. I still might check them out for myself the next time I need some new colored jeans.
Sadly it seems not all items at Bonobos are created equally at all – remember they’re old return policy? you might be buying a pair that looks new, but has undergone “testing” ( I recently bought a shirt from them whose buttons were all but falling off on arrival) – still love their stuff though.
Good grief, I’m a huge fan of what I’ve got, but yes, it seems like Bonobos made a change at some point that didn’t really sit well with others.
I think it might be a case of simple change.
I’m a fan of the medium weight denim (what you referred to as “thicker”. Far from raw denim territory to me, and like I’ve said in other comments, I’m not having the fading issues.
I prefer them to the BR 5 pockets, yes. By quite a bit.
I’d avoid the dryer for most items in general but especially pants and most especially denim. I use a hand-cranking camping washer for all my denim and lay flat or hang on a rack to dry. Wrinkles won’t be an issue and, at least in my experience, your pants will last longer.
Anyone know how the new material feels after breaking in for awhile? I was also a fan of the softer old material. The newer travel jeans feel rigid and uncomfortable to me.
Not sure on the color options, but Levis 513s are also 1% spandex anywhere from $40-$50. What a difference that 1% makes!
What a wonderful, horrible movie.
I know spandex/elastane/stretch denim is considered a serious faux pas among denim-heads, but I recently got some Levi’s in stretch denim and they are fantastic. These jeans turned me into a stretch denim believer. I can actually move comfortably in them without resorting to a fit or size that looks sloppy or baggy. Before this, the jeans I’ve owned have tended to either look nice and feel like sausage casings, or feel comfortable and look like parachute pants.
If you’re not the sort of person to put the time, money, and body odor into breaking in your own raw denim, I’d definitely suggest giving a low percentage (1-2% elastane) stretch denim a shot.
I like Bonobos pants, especially their chino material, but the jeans just fit me weirdly.
I am 6’0″, 150 lbs, and I wear a size 30×32 in Levis 505. Any advice on what size to look for here?
6’2, 175lbs. Just went to try on the Travel Jeans at the Bonobos Guideshop. Wore a pair of 32×34 Levi’s 505’s into the store today coincidentally (which fit me quite perfectly). The 32×34 Bonobos in the Straight leg fit exactly the same. Maybe a tiny bit more room in the thighs. I wish I would have tried on the slim-fit for comparison purposes, but I didnt think it would even fit considering how well the straight leg fit me.
Just to add to the discussion. I bought 31×32 as I am normally a 32×32. I went with the slim fit, as I’m 6′ and 150, so rather slim. However if you had a rear end and don’t need the extra help….you might have them end up rather tight in the mid section, as I do.
I’ve found the waist sizing to be a bit inconsistent as well. I ordered two pairs of their travel jeans in the same size but one was slim straight and the other was a straight cut. The slim straight cut was actually looser in the waist by 2 inches than the straight cut.
Compared to their washed chinos (I have three pairs, all the same size though two are slim straight and the other is regular straight), the travel jeans seem to be cut a bit more generously in the waist as well.
I actually got the 30×32 in standard and they seem to be a tiny bit loose in the waist. I might order 29×32 to see how they fit. Also FYI, I ordered the “southside steel” but what was shipped to me says “mirage grey”. Not sure if they are the same color with a different name. They look similar but it’s hard to tell for sure. They might be a little darker.
Another note, they are definitely longer than my levis 505’s so I went ahead and ordered a 30 length for my re-order.
Thanks for this detail. I’m 33×30 in the Weekday Warriors because of my thigh meat, and wasn’t sure what size to get for these as I’m 32×30 for everything else.
I just got a pair in and the same thing happened…I can’t find mirage grey on their site though…but these look more grey than the southside steel. Hmmmm.