About the author: Michael Robin is an LA-based television writer. When he’s not working away on his latest pilot script, you can find him scuba diving, hosting Shabbat dinners, or goofing off with his goldendoodle, Biggie Lebowski, who’s now on Instagram @biggie_lebowski.
Pants. We all wear ‘em. (Mostly.) It’d be easy to think there’s not a lot of room for innovation in the “pants” space. Pants are pants are pants, right?
Enter: The Banana Republic Fly-Weight Traveler Pant.
The flyweight in Casablanca Beige. Size 33×30 on 5’9″, 175ish pounds.
Banana did themselves a disservice when they first introduced these under the moniker “Fly Weight Traveler Jeans.” Fortunately, someone realized the boo-boo, and they’ve been rechristened as “Fly-Weight Traveler Pants.” Because jeans they ain’t. What are they, you ask? Imagine combining the best qualities of a pair of Traveler Pants with a pair of LuLu Lemons, and you’re in the ballpark.
You think the regular Traveler Pants are stretchy? Well, they’ve got NOTHING on these suckers. We’re talking Stretch Armstrong levels of stretch here. According to theon my pair, fabric is 74% cotton, 11% poly, 4% elasthane, and 11% elasterell-P (who is also one of my favorite rappers). And yet, in spite of the stretch factor, you could wear these yogesque pants to the (smart casual) office without anyone batting an eye — because they look just like a normal pair of five pockets.
Strettttttttttttchy
The feel is similar to the Traveler Pant — super soft, super comfy. The fabric is lighter weight than the standard Traveler, making them perfect for late spring/early summer. That said, for something described as “Fly-Weight,” the fabric isn’t as thin or as breathable as I had expected — I doubt I’ll be wearing these when the temps in LA get above 75.
Looks-wise, they’re almost identical to Banana’s normal Traveler Pant, though the Fly-Weights lean slightly more casual, and the fabric has less of a glossy sheen than the regular Travelers. Otherwise, they’ve got the look of a standard five pocket — change pocket on the front right side, patch pockets on the back.
Available in Rose Smoke, Cactus Green, Casablanca Beige (shown) and Skyline Gray
The fit is is where the stretch factor really shines. Like the regular Travelers, these are a trim pant, but because of the stretch, the thighs and waist are a lot more forgiving. Depending on how much I’m hitting the gym and how much I’m hitting the, uh, Ben & Jerry’s, my waistline is between a 33 and a 34. I wear size 34 in regular Traveler Pants, which are maybe a hair too big, but size 33 Fly-Weight Traveler Pants fit me just right. So, if you’re in between sizes, you probably want to size down.
Will I be busting these out in the height of summer? No. For that kind of thing, Banana’s Core Temp Chinos or some oxford cloth pants will come in handy. But, for a great pair of wicked comfortable transitional pants? These are pretty darn perfect.
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