Duluth trading company makes some, but I don't know how they fit

http://women.duluthtrading.com/store/womens/womens-pants/womens-work-pants/34719.aspx?processor=content

Thanks, daki. What I need are carpenter pants. They have pockets on the thighs for a hand tool (in my case, my hand pruners). They usually have a hammer loop on the other leg, which I don't need.

Have you searched for cargo, hiking or trail pants? Many versions have pockets on the legs. Or, is there a tool belt that you can use? Good luck!

I really can't use cargo pants, they mostly have flaps on the pockets. And I can't wear lightweight fabric or denim, they just don't hold up. I really need the heavier duck or canvas materials. Apparently nice girls don't do heavy work. *sigh*

Lee Valley Tools garden pants??

If you find a pair that you like and the only issue is that they have pocket flaps, you can aways cut the flaps off.

http://www.leevalley.com/en/garden/index.aspx

Try here I've never posted a link before so I hope it works!

:( The Lee Valley site says these products are no longer available. Too bad, that looks like a viable option.

Did you look further at the Duluth work pants page? They have gardening pants that have a pocket on the thigh that looks like it is made for pruners (scroll down to the bottom of the photos on the left for a close-up). It does not have a flap with Velcro. I'm a gardener and I know what you mean. There are also some really cute overalls.

I've ordered a couple of t-shirts from Duluth but not any pants but am very tempted by these pants. I usually wear some old hiking pants but keep forgetting things in the pockets when I wash them.

Have you considered having the pockets of cargo pants that are made of sturdy material AND fit you altered to meet your needs? Remove the flaps? Tailoring at dry cleaners is usually not too spendy.

most paint stores sell them. Sherwin Williams and Benjamin Moore near me have them all the time. Nothing will need to be altered.

yeah so just buy men's pants. Duluth Trading has fairly sturdy "firehose" material. They do have a women's line with heavy fabric also. I bought a pair of generic bibbies at Tractor Supply awhile back (on sale) lots of pockets and I can wear over my leggings and riding pants for barn/garden dirt work.

I can alter cargo pants myself, I've just never seen any that looked sturdy enough. Hadn't though of paint pants, will look. I've only ever seen them in white, which will NOT work! Ideally I need mud-colored. :)

I'm going to hit Tractor Supply again this weekend. The men's smallest are too big, but maybe not TOO big. Roomy is OK.

Thanks for the suggestions! I'll keep them on hand if TS doesn't pan out.

Sorry didn't see you were a Minnie ;) my son has a 28 inch waist and has fashion choices but not dirt work choices. Still think women's line at DTC

I sympathize with your son. My DH has a 30" waist. The good news is, his size is often on clearance because nobody else can wear them!

Some thoughts:

Buy pants that fit and sew on your own pocket (or have a seamstress do it if yo don't sew). Might not match perfectly, but if you are talking a khaki color, you should be able to get close.

Don't write off painters pants just because they are white. A bottle of RIT dye can fix that.

Yep, cawaps, I often sew on pockets on DH's pants. He has certain picky requirements too, LOL! My problem is compounded by the issues of size and durability. I'll check the painters pants, I am not familiar with the weight of the fabric.

Interesting! I just looked at Dickies painter pants. They come in 28 x 30. Their carpenter pants, which are the same except for color, only come in 30 x 30. I guess painters are smaller people? If the fabric will willingly take the RIT dye, I will invest $22 in a pair of pants and experiment!

I bought DH a pair of Carhartt duck (they're lined although they also sell unlined) coverall bibs. He uses them for snowpants, working outside. We were living on his family's farm at the time in NE Iowa, and he is hard on stuff. He's worn them for about three years now, and no rips and still look pretty new. They sell them in women's too. I bought his on amazon, but I'm sure you could find something similar in a store to narrow down the size. The reviews for his said they run a little small since they were lined.

His have the little pockets on the side because he is always carrying a pair of pliers or something.

Hahaha! I don't want green body parts! That's a good point. I've used RIT a lot in the past, but never on something that routinely got wet. I think my skin would wash off (or at least no one would see it!) But I'd had to die my skivvies to match.

I think the Carhart bibs would be too hot in our NC summers. I've had the Lady Carharts, and they didn't wear all that well. The regular men's don't fit.

Maybe I should just go on a campaign to eat a bunch of Girl Scout cookies?

See why I need mud colored pants? :P

Check out Red Ant pants. I can't tell if pockets are adequate. They are pricey but look like they are worth it.

Sorry can't edit my post but wanted to add they come in mud color!

They do look perfect. Color, fit, pockets. But dang, they're pricey. Not sure I can justify that!

If you are going to go to the trouble of dying something, use something better than RIT dye. This site has lots of different dyes for all types of fabrics and good advice too: Dharma Trading

Have you considered a garden tools apron or belt. You can get various styles with lot, lots of storage.

Ahh, I had forgotten about Dharma Trading. I bought stuff from them years ago.

I don't think a belt/apron would work. I don't need lots of pockets, but 10+ years of carrying my hand pruners on my right leg has me in a bit of a habit. I think an apron/belt thing would get in the way. We are often pruning shrubs or hauling tarps, an apron or loose belt wouldn't survive.

I don't have any helpful suggestions but I want to say I just love this place and all the unusual requests and helpful advice that gets doled out. From mud colored working pants to wedding attire, someone is always here with a link and an idea.

Wait, I do have a suggestion - you need a holster like an old gunfighter. You can strap your hand pruners on your thigh while wearing whatever pants you want.

When I was a sophomore in HS, painter's pants were the thing to wear. I remember them as being thin material, and off white, so they might be too fragile for your line of work.

Good luck, I hope you find your holy grail.

Heyyy, a gunslinger. I like it! I can be the slayer of overgrown shrubs and untidy leaves. I'm picturing something sort of Crocodile Dundee inspired!

And yes, the breadth of knowledge here is staggering. No matter what the question, someone has the answer!

Here's your gunslinger! It's made just for pruning shears. I googled pruning shears scabbard.

My husband wears pants by Wranglers that we get at Walmart, they come in browns and rust colors and they have that pocket on the side of the leg no flap. He puts his cell phone in his. They do have some pockets on the legs too. They come in 2 materials a rip stop fabric and a duck fabric. You might consider looking at them.

Watch the video of these pants it shows that hidden pocket which is behind the big cargo pockets. They call it a hidden tech pocket he puts his cell phone in it in the video.

These Wranglers come in jeans, duck, rip stop fabric that I have seen. Small sizes too. At Walmart in the men's department they are folded on shelves.

Video of hidden pocket.

Oh gosh Hhireno, I remember painter's pants being "the thing" in jr high also-- we bought them at the Ram's Horn (I think that was the name of the store). Yes, the material was pretty thin.. a thin canvas.

These are really nice but pricey

Blaklader

Garden clothes for women

Duluth has hidden pockets too.

Duluth women's gardening pants

I came back to add the RedAnts pants are made from canvas. I suspect they would last twice as long as any other fabric and the fit looks like it's fantastic for all kinds of shapes and sizes. I have no affiliation, but was excited because they are made in USA and looks like it could be a woman owned company! Great return policy if you decide to check them out.

Our Mission:
We provide women’s workwear
for the makers and the growers,
for the builders and the doers.
We support them with humor & heart,
quality & class,
integrity & courage.
Always.

Thanks for your interest and support!

Sarah C. Calhoun
Founding Owner, Red Ants Pants

http://redantspants.com/

More great ideas! I'm on my phone, but I'll check them out when I have a computer.

American made, woman owned, work pants in two different fit styles, you'd want the straight. Red Ants Pants

edit - oly I just saw your post - yes, Sarah is the owner, a friend of my son. They are the only work pants he wears (Nat'l Park employee)

For outdoor/sport activities I have clothing from these 2 brands:
http://www.511tactical.com/womens/womens-pants.html
http://www.kuhl.com/kuhl/womens/pants/

Fire & law enforcement clothing:

http://tacticalgear.com/womens-clothing

May also want to look at hunting pants.

Thanks for all the suggestions. I went ahead and bought some from Tractor Supply, to tide me over. If I find something better, DH can wear the new ones.

How about these? They have double knee fabric. You can even buy little pads to stick in. They come in several colors.

https://www.constructiongear.com/review/product/list/id/35652/category/4402/

Juesterrilynn, I saw those, but again the smallest they come is 30 x 30. They'd be a good possibility if they came a bit smaller. There seems to be nothing between a big-boys size 18 and a men's 30x30. I guess boys that age/size don't wear stuff like this.