The Banana Republic Slim Traveler Pant – $98.50
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Over the last few years there has been an increasing desire for hybrid pants that not only look good in a smart casual/business casual office, but are also comfortable enough to be dressed down and worn on the weekend. Trousers that can do it all. And during that time, the BR Slim Traveler Pant has become a go-to for many guys in terms of filling that do-it-all category. These pants have racked up over 1,000 reviews on the BR site, with an average of 4.7 stars out of 5. And that solid reputation is well deserved. Here’s why.
Available in lots of colors. Lots.
The Look
What I love about these pants are that they’re flexible enough, stylistically speaking, to work in many environments. If you work in a space that allows business casual, then you’ll fit right in. If you’re at an airport traveling, then you’ll fit right in. If you’re on that special date with that special person, then… you get the message. I opted for the olive color, which was on the more muted side, and I loved this shade. I was able to match this with a blue/white checkered shirt, along with any neutral colors that make style matching easy. The overall look of the pants seems reserved which allowed me to wear these 5-pockets (read: a regular jean style, not a more conservative/dressy style) at the office without anyone really noticing. They’re versatile. And they also quite comfortable.
The BR Slim Traveler Pant size 30 x 32 on 5’10” / 170 lbs
The Feel
The first time I put these pants on, I literally said “wow” to how comfortable these pants are. I wouldn’t go so far as to say these are as comfortable as sweats, but they are definitely pants you can move in. The “specially engineered” Italian cotton they use for these pants feels amazing on the skin. They don’t feel super light nor super heavy which makes them suitable and comfortable to wear all day. And you know those afternoon naps you take after work? Yes, that is definitely possible with these pants. If you’re doing some traveling you can wear these with ease, no matter how long your flight(s) and how many connections you’ve got to make.
Shown above in the “bracken olive”
The Fit
The look and the feel of a pant doesn’t mean anything if they don’t fit the way you expect. For the most part, these pants fit very well. The fabric does sit a little closer to the skin, however they’re pretty stretchy. But if you run even slimmer, or do lots of squats, BR has you covered with both Skinny and Athletic fits (colors are limited on athletic).
Something I noticed is the inseam of the pant seemed rather long. The 30 x 32 pair I ordered fit my waist very well, I’m assuming due to the nature of the stretchiness, but the length of the pant seemed excessive, to the point where I would have to roll up the pant every wear. Now I like to roll my pants, so it was no issue for me, however if you like the length to be exact out of the box, these might pose a problem for you. However a quick tailor job will fix any issues you may have. And the feel of these pants would be worth the additional fitting.
Inseam seems to run a little long on these pants. At least for me?
In Conclusion
At $98 full retail and often excluded from BR’s codes and promos, these aren’t the cheapest pants available. But given how comfortable these are, and the ability for them to work in most situations, I believe these are well worth the price, especially if you DO get them on some sort of discount. In today’s world where we’re constantly on the go, the introduction of super comfortable pants that can serve multiple purposes has been a huge plus to the style world. And BR’s Slim Traveler pant is a great iteration of this trend.
If you are a frequent traveler and always on the move, yet still want to look good in any situation, these pants should definitely be high on your list. Even just for all day style and comfort, you’ll have no regrets picking this pair up.