As luck would have it, the first pant on our list is also the one that’s designed to withstand the harshest conditions. Work is different for everybody and for some, that not only means working in the great outdoors, but doing so in the dead of winter. While Arc’teryx is a mountaineering, hiking and skiing brand, the Beta AR has all the makings of a versatile work pant—the AR suffix is added to Arc’teryx garments designed for use in multiple activities.

Not only does the Beta AR feature an ergonomic shape and zippered side vents along both legs, but the Ripstop [Gore-Tex construction](https://www.grailed.com/drycleanonly/gore-tex-history is suitable for the harshest conditions and stands up well to rain, sleet, snow and whipping winds. Recently, as Arc’teryx has become increasingly popular in more casual settings thanks to the spread of techwear and gorpcore, the Beta AR has become one of the few mountaineering pants to cross into the mainstream, worn as a kind of high-tech track pant.

Carhartt’s story is well-known by now. The Detroit-based workwear purveyor’s garments gained a reputation for their durability and their affordability, before gaining a foothold outside construction sites, as part of the earliest hip-hop and streetwear movements. One of the foundational pieces for Carhartt aficionados—whether or not they actually do manual labor while wearing the brand—has been the Double-Front Work Dungaree, though most probably know it as the Double-Knee Painter Pant.

First introduced in 1939, the Double-Front Work Dungaree is still made in the United States, with reinforced stitching, metal rivets, and a double-layer knee that isn’t stitched together at the mid-thigh, allowing for knee pads to be inserted. The most popular design features are the numerous pockets—all of varying sizes—and hammer loop. That, and the extra-wide, straight-leg silhouette, which has won over everyone from painters to carpenters to skaters.

Work In Progress Is Carhartt’s European, fashion-forward line. W.I.P.’s origins lay in European distribution and licensing in the ‘90s, but the brand has managed to churn out some hits of its own, by making slight alterations to Carhartt classics. Case in point: the Sid Pant.

While the Sid Pant’s silhouette more closely resembles that of a typical trouser or dress pant, it’s crafted from a durable cotton-blend twill, and features the same reinforced stitching as Carhartt’s work pants. But unlike Carhartt’s traditional work pants, the Sid Pant is available in a dizzying number of colors, some which are perennially available and others that are limited to one or two seasons. As W.I.P.’s footprint has grown beyond Europe, the Sid Pant’s popularity has grown with it, in part because it typifies the Carhartt W.I.P. philosophy of streamlining—literally—traditional workwear pieces for slightly less demanding environments.

In many ways, the Dickies 874 Work Pant is the quintessential work pant. In fact, it’s the best-selling work pant in the world, according to [Dickies](https://www.grailed.com/designers/dickies. And while such claims should always be taken with a grain of salt, it’s likely true. Introduced over 50 years ago, the 874 is renowned for its simplicity, durability and affordability, with a straight leg, four pockets, a permanent crease, and stain and wrinkle-resistant cotton twill, and a sub-$50 price tag.

By the ’90s, skaters had adopted the 874. By the turn of the millennium the 874—and Dickies goods in general—were being sold in lifestyle stores as well as traditional workwear outposts. Recently, though, as the ’90s and 2000s have reemerged as drivers of contemporary trends, the 874 is once again a popular choice outside of work shops and construction sites, and is the inspiration behind a number of pants in Dickies’ Construct program, which caters to high-fashion retailers. Still, the 874—which checks in at roughly one-tenth the price of Construct pants—remains the work pant of choice the world over. Used as both a uniform and as a sign of individuality, there’s no work pant that can replace Dickies’ 874 Work Pant.

The more traditional workwear crowd may not be familiar with Engineered Garments, nor is it likely considered to be a workwear brand by the New York label’s fervent fans. Even still, you’d be remiss to omit the brand’s Ground Pant from your rotation of work pants. Like all things Engineered Garments, the Ground Pant’s details are what make it special, like iterations in surplus-style olive or herringbone twill, the cinch waist, the pleat and a buttoned pocket at the rear. It’s also made in a number of colors, which vary from season to season.

While Engineered Garments makes some Ripstop trousers that are suitable for more rigorous manual labor, the Ground Pant is made in America, in the manner of work pants of yore, so it’s built to last. It’s the ideal work pant for more “creative” manual labor—the kind of work that gets done in a studio or shop.

Maharishi’s Snopants were “the most copied pants of the [1990s]”, per Arena Homme Plus, and while it’s hard to find empirical data to back that up (plagiarizers and bootleggers aren’t exactly in the business of citing their sources) it’s impossible to deny that they were very much the it pants of the ’90s. Maharishi was still a nascent streetwear brand at the time, but the Snopant was revolutionary, with a Snocord system that adjusted the waist and hem, and the ability to be worn as pants, capris or shorts. From Brad Pitt to Victoria Beckham, everybody wanted Snopants.

After enduring financial hardship in the mid-to-late 2000s, Maharishi has slowly returned to prominence over the last decade, and so has the Snopant, which is still offered as part of each collection—in colors like olive, navy and black, and also with intricate embroideries down the legs.

Its versatility, durability and comfort —make it an essential work and tech pant. One last detail that might endear it to some of you: A hidden stash pocket at the ankle has long been a favorite feature for Snopant aficionados. With the emergence of techwear in modern menswear circles, combined with more tech fabric usage by classic workwear brands, it’s hard to deny Maharishi’s impact on modern wardrobe.

If work is a more loosely-defined term for you, or if comfort and range of motion and pocket storage is your primary concern when choosing a pair of work pants, then Needles’ BDU Pant is worth consideration. While not marketed as a work pant, the BDU Pant has all the makings of a great pair of pants for painters. It’s essentially an oversized cargo pant, with an exaggerated wide leg and large side pockets.

It has been among Needles’ most popular pieces—forming the foundation of the brand’s offering alongside butterfly-branded tracksuits and 7-Cut flannel shirts. An adjustable hem and an ingenious cutting pattern give the BDU pant a surreal silhouette. With six pockets, the BDU has ample storage, too, whether it’s for snacks, supplies, tools or paint brushes.

Speaking of paint, Stan Ray’s Painter Pant is one of the quintessential work pants. Dating back to 1972, little has changed in how Stan Ray makes their vaunted Painter Pant, with a wide, straight-leg, high-waisted fit and reinforced stitching. Nor has Stan Ray changed where they make their pants, as they’re still produced in the United States.

What’s really interesting about the Painter Pant, though, is that Stan Ray’s version is likely not the one worn by painters and other workers. Those are likely produced by Earl’s Apparel, a sister company named for the brand’s founder, Earl Beard. They’re the same pants though, just finished with a Stan Ray label and sold to the likes of Oi Polloi and Urban Outfitters, with the latter playing a massive role in Stan Ray’s increased popularity over recent years.

Supreme has dropped a number of work pants—or work pant-adjacent pants—over the years, but, for the purposes of this list, the cargo pants that the New York skate imprint released in collaboration with Realtree for Fall/Winter 2011 are probably the most interesting. Besides, since Supreme has become an all-encompassing force in modern men’s style, we’ve been regularly revisiting the brand by going back and uncovering the best of Supreme’s past seasons.

These pants are not dissimilar from some of the others on this list: They’re made from a cotton twill, have an adjustable waist, cargo pockets, and a reinforced seat. But it’s the Realtree camouflage patterns that Supreme used, which make these pants stand out—or blend in, depending on your environment. They’re also emblematic of how skate fashion has co-opted traditional workwear silhouettes, textiles and styles. While Supreme has regularly collaborated with Realtree—including on other pants—this specific offering from the Fall/Winter 2011 collaboration remains extremely hard to come by.

WTAPS’ longstanding success owes to the Japanese brand’s ability to reimagine timeless pieces, infusing traditional military and workwear styles with the slightest touch of streetwise cool. The Twill Khaki Pant is an excellent example of that. While the inspiration is likely aforementioned Dickies 874 Work Pant, the Twill Khaki Pant features slightly more luxe detailing, WTAPS’ classic woven patch at the rear and the distinction of being made in Japan.

WTAPS is in the business of riffing on American classics, elevating the pieces that are forgotten or taken for granted. As a work pant, the Twill Khaki Pant doesn’t necessarily offer anything more than the above pants, but for those seeking a refined version of a menswear classic, it’s hard to beat.