Outlier Slim Dungarees Review

They’re not jeans. They’re not sweatpants. They’re technical pants—and they’re a game-changer when it comes to travel. If you want to be comfortable, wash your pants less, and still look sleek, the Outlier Slim Dungarees may be for you.

We’ve been testing the Outlier Slim Dungarees for three years and counting. Yes, you read that right, three years. We’ve taken these pants around the world, but even when we’re not traveling, they’re our go-to. Needless to say, we highly recommend them. Why? Well, the beauty is in the details, so let’s check them out.

Fabric & Fit

We’ve been testing the pants in Black, Bluetint Gray (Long) and Charcoal Gray (we really like gray, okay?), but they’re available in 12 colorways at the time of this review. Six of those colorways are only available in a Long fit, which as you may have guessed means they’re for the taller folks out there who don’t want their pants cutting off above the ankle (you can also custom tailor these pants if that’s your thing).

We love that these pants look like, well, pants. Not technical, outdoorsy pants with five-million zippered pockets. Just pants. And, as the name suggests, the Slim Dungarees have a slim fit. Slim, but not skinny. They look tailored, which is a major plus in our books. The travel pants of yesteryear tend to be loose—think cargo pants—and can’t look sophisticated no matter how hard you try.

While these dungarees are by no means fancy, you can dress them up with the right shoes and shirt and wear them to a nice restaurant, yet they’re still comfortable enough for lounging. Nobody has to know that you fell asleep in them the night before as you cut into your flæskesteg while in Copenhagen. We won’t tell anyone 😉

The Dungarees are made from Outlier’s own 275GSM Workcloth Doubleweave Canvas, which is two different fabric blends: Cordura-grade nylon canvas weave on the exterior and a nylon-poly blend on the interior, giving you comfort, durability, and function (we’ll get into its specific features below). GSM, grams per square meter, measures the thickness of a fabric. At 275GSM, these Dungarees are plenty thick, but the weave allows for maximum breathability.

Features & Usage

The features of the Outlier Slim Dungarees are what makes these pants a true game-changer. With a NanoSphere® treatment on the fabric, the pants are resistant to all kinds of stains: coffee, beer, jelly, even dirt and water, making them great for hiking and just living your life (although be aware that the water-repellent property tends to decrease with wear unless you retreat them with something like Granger’s Performance Wash.

You’ll hardly ever have to wash these pants (hooray!) because they don’t pick up smells and much dirt, but when you do wash them they’ll come out soft and fresh. They dry fast and we’ve found that hang drying them works best. There’s no need to iron these pants. Even if they wind up balled up in your bag and a bit wrinkly, the wrinkles fall out after wearing them for a bit.

And their two-way stretch, which stretches horizontally not vertically, keeps them comfortable and looking custom-fit. The breathability of the fabric is also a major feature, allowing you to wear the Dungarees in warmer climates without sweating profusely.

The front pockets of these pants are deep and roomy so you can easily carry everything you need. When traveling, we recommend keeping your valuables in the front pockets because the back pockets aren’t as deep and items tend to slip out.

Although the pants repel dirt and grime, we can’t say the same for paint. This isn’t a fair test and is pretty ridiculous, but just don’t get paint on them and you’ll be fine.

Durability & Testing

At the time of this review, a pair of Outlier Slim Dungarees will set you back nearly 200 bucks, but hear us out—we’ve put three pairs of the Dungarees to the test for over three years and they’ve seen heavy use. They have some wear and tear, but nothing major yet, meaning the cost per wear is less than a cheaper pair of pants. Plus, their versatility and odor/stain resistance allows you to lighten the load and travel with fewer pairs of pants.

Lighter luggage + less laundry + good cost per wear…What more could there be?