The Slim Dungarees do indeed shrug off everything from water to coffee to wine without staining or even getting very wet… for a while.

For the first eight months or so, any liquid that made contact with my Outliers would bead up and fall off without leaving much of itself behind. After that (and a few washes with fabric softener, which they recommend against), the water repelling property began to vanish completely to the point that they could almost be called absorbent (though they still dry very fast). They also never seem to stain, even 25 months in.

The way Outlier makes their pants liquid repellent and yet breathable is interesting. They use something called NanoSphere treatment by Schoeller Textiles. In the words of the Outlier team on Core 77:

“Schoeller’s proprietary Nanosphere treatment. Most fabric treatments work on the micro level, bonding to the surface of the fabric itself. As the name implies, Nanosphere works on the nano level, bonding to the actual fibers inside the fabric, creating a “self-cleaning” surface that emulates a lotus leaf. This leaves the pores of the fabric open to maximize breathability while retaining a substantial amount of water and dirt resistance.” The pockets are strange, thanks to being made of water-resistant Supplex cloth. If water gets in the pockets… it stays there. It takes a long time for that water to drain out. This is interesting, but never posed a problem to me (though I can see it potentially ruining a phone in your pocket). It also began to fade about 8 months in.

However, sweat from your legs seems to have no problem getting into the pockets (perhaps thanks to prolonged contact), which can cause everything you’re carrying to get damp). I’m not sure why this is the case, but be aware of this if you get a pair for yourself.

So, the water repellent properties of the Outlier slim dungarees are excellent. But not extremely long lasting.

Dry Fast

Verdict: TRUE

These are among the fastest drying pieces of clothing I’ve ever owned. I’ve literally taken them fresh out of the washing machine (with a spin cycle at end) and put them right on. They felt a bit damp, but dried off after an hour or so of wearing.

No matter how soaked, they’ll be dry after about 45 minutes in the sun. It’s awesome.

Look Good

Verdict: TRUEish

So this is obviously subjective, and you’ll have to make the call yourself. According to my wife Asha, these pants look average. They’re not specifically dapper, nor do they look cheap.

Buuut, I never bothered to get them tailored to fit me (except for their length, which alone took me over a year to actually get around to).

If you were to tailor the pants to your body shape, the clean and simple looking fabric would look like a well put together pair of jean-ish pants.

It’s worth noting here that these pants don’t get stained & repel water, which means you don’t have to worry about a spill ruining your look.

Resist Odor

Verdict: TRUE

I went a little overboard with testing this one. There were multiple occasion in the last 25 months where I wore the pants every day without washing, often in sweaty weather & while adventuring, until I could smell them myself.

Let me re-iterate that: I let them get so bad that their stench was able to overcome my body’s olfactory adaptation multiple times a day.

So, how long did it take?

In the beginning, it would be about 7-10 days of hard use before they began to stink if you got your nose closer to them than most people would. At around the three week mark, it was noticeable. At a month plus… well, I shouldn’t have kept wearing them.

However, for whatever reason, their ability to resist odor went away over time. My guess is that it’s linked to the same property as their water resistance: the NanoSphere treatment.

After about a year, they would begin to smell slightly after 3-5 days of good use, and really stink around 10.

Keep in mind with those numbers that I sweat. A lot.

That’s still pretty damn good, and the early days were straight up excellent.

Very Flexible

Verdict: TRUE

Thanks to the Slim Dungarees’ gusseted crotch & Workcloth’s slight two way stretch, these are just about the most flexible pants I’ve ever worn that aren’t tights.

To really push the limits of their flexibility, I went to a full range yoga class. The most flexibility-requiring moves, from tree pose to bound angle to the warrior poses, were no problem at all.

I’ve also done acro-yoga, parkour, building climbing, and a bunch of other stuff without feeling restricted at all.

That’s one of my favourite things about these pants: they’re durable and flexible enough to be perfect for just about any adventure I can bring them on, without looking strange in a bar.

Are Highly Breathable

Verdict: TRUE

There is some black magic I truly do not understand at work with this bit. The Slim Dungarees were both warmer than normal jeans in Canada’s winter, and cooler than normal jeans in Singapore’s summer.

I hear that other styles of Outlier pants are more breathable (and I’m thinking of trying them out), but these pose no real problem unless you’re in truly intense environments.

Nomadic Info

Durability: 4.5/5

These are the most durable pants I’ve ever encountered.

While their finer properties like water repellency does go down over time, it took a near-heroic effort to really damage these pants and wear them down.

Maintenance: 5/5

When you get the pants, you’ll probably want to take them to a tailor to get hemmed and perhaps tailored to your figure. Not a big deal, but since they’re likely coming in the mail, they may need some work to fully fit your body.

From there, maintenance is extremely minimal. One wash every 1-2 weeks if you’re wearing them daily, and you may need to get the stitching re-done every year.

No biggie.

Weight, Size, & Noticeability: 5/5

If you’re a nomad, you know that nothing takes up more room in your backpack than your clothing.

And, unless you want to find yourself with a big clunky bag or, god forbid, checked luggage… you can’t have much of it. Which means that the clothes you do own have to be able to get you through every adventure, any weather, and all the rough & tumble stuff you’ll put it through… all while looking good enough to go to a formal dinner.

The guys at Outlier clearly understand this. In the words of Abe Burmeister and Tyler Clemens, Outlier’s founders,

“One well considered object can take the place of many cheaply made ones.”

The Slim Dungarees weigh about the same as normal pants, but can work as adventure pants, every-day pants, and semi-formal pants all in one. Hell, they’re so fast drying you could even use them to replace a swimsuit in a bind. And you won’t have to get a new pair for years.

The Results

The Outlier Slim Dungarees are without a doubt the best nomadic pants I have ever encountered. There are many other brands I haven’t tried yet, but they will be extremely hard pressed to meet the standards that Outlier has set.

Are they worth the ~$200 USD price point? Well, seeing as they last probably over an order of magnitude longer than normal jeans, and are wayy more versatile, I think they’re actually a money saver.

They’re extremely durable, completely flexible, look like classy jeans, dry quickly, resist odor & stains, repel liquids (for a while), are shockingly comfortable, suitable for all weather, and very clearly made by people who are trying to make the best pants in the world. A 21st century jean, in their words.

I think they may have achieved that goal.

You can get the Slim Dungarees on Outlier’s website.