I see my carhartts as a tool so I figure this is the correct section.
I wore 33 x 32 carhartt double front pants for years and they fit perfect. Enough room to move and they don’t slide down my hips.
About two years ago I stocked up on four new pairs and they seem a totally different size. I had to cinch down my belt so snug they were all puckered around the waist and they look like english horseback pants they are so big in the hips.
Even after repeated washing and drying on the hottest temps they don’t fit anything like the originals I wore for years.
I only kept one pair (DW sold the other three on ebay) and kept wearing the old ones.
I am now retiring my last few pairs that fit right as the double fronts are both worn through and when I went to buy some I called three different supposedly well informed “workingmens” stores and they all denied any sizing changes had occurred.
The local store had me try on a pair of the 33 x 32 and said they looked fine and after washing/shrinkage they should fit fine. Hot water wash and dry later they are baggy as ever. I even boiled em on the stove for an hour in water and fabric softener and dried for two hours on the highest temep. Still bigger than my originals but I don’t think they will fall off my hips anymore.
Now I have carhartts from two different regions/sources/years that are clearly bigger than the previous supply. The shopkeepers deny any changes? I doubt that my butt is getting any smaller but it looks like I need to go down a size to get the same fit.
FWIW I have only tried the standard orange/brown that fades to khaki double fronts and these are the style I am trying to figure out.
Has anyone else noticed this change? Did you figure out how much smaller to go on size?
Thanks for your input,
Karl
Replies
Karl, have you emailed Carhartt and asked them ? They are a very friendly bunch to talk to.
mailto: [email protected]
Phill Giles
The Unionville Woodwright
Unionville, Ontario
Phill, Good Idea! Here was what they said. Mystery solved.
Karl
Good Morning Karl,
Thank you for your comments and interest in Carhartt. In response to your e-mail, our style B01 was changed to a work fit a few years ago for better range of motion. Please send us your mailing address for a catalog of our products.
If you have any additional questions please e-mail us or contact Customer Service at 800-833-3118 for additional information.
Hope this information helps you, thank you for being a Carhartt
customer.
Carhartt Customer Service
MRG
Why not go to a store and TRY THE PANTS ON before you buy them?
Doesn't really matter what size you THINK you are. What matters is that the pants fit right.
Q: Why do brides wear white?
A: Because it's nice if the dishwasher matches the stove and refrigerator.
Boss, I tried to make it clear I had tried on a pair that the sales guy could assess.
In the original post I wrote:
"The local store had me try on a pair of the 33 x 32 and said they looked fine and after washing/shrinkage they should fit fine. Hot water wash and dry later they are baggy as ever. I even boiled em on the stove for an hour in water and fabric softener and dried for two hours on the highest temep. Still bigger than my originals but I don't think they will fall off my hips anymore."
Karl
You may be seeing a construction change rather than a fit change. (Hard to tell, if the people making up the patterns have allowed a bit extra for all of those 36s who still think they are 33s, it might not be a "designed" change.)
Anyway, the "modern" technice for clothing manufacture is to unroll (entire fabric rolls) and stack the fabric 12-15" deep on a table. They then applt a mask and sift UV powder through the mask. They then turn on UV lights, and the cutters use what looks like a saber saw with a shoe to cut out the patterns through the entire stack. The quality of the end result depends on how plumb the cuts are through a foot of stacked fabric. The parts are then sewed to the dimensions of the cut pieces.
Now, if you go some place for products in mass use (Mr. Strauss' line leaps to mind), it is not terribly unusual anymore to find an inch variation in just one stack of same-size marked items. (Not unusual to find a left leg different than a right with Mr Strauss.)
Turnover in Carhartt may not be 'fast" enough to get you into the "tighter" sized range. Or, they are 'cheating' sizes and not admitting it, as above.
Price increases with Carhartt sent me (happily) over to Dickies--but that's my personal bias. Just tough to get a brand new $75 chore coat dirty . . .
I agree with the fact that Carhartts are a bit more expensive but they seem to last so much longer. My brother works for a uniform company, he told me he could get whatever I wanted at fairly cheap prices, and that he could have it all embroidered for me cheap too. The only catch was that they couldn't embroider anything Carhartt, it was too thick. They don't have any trouble with Dickies or Walls, but the Carhartts were too thick. Since then I've been checking it out, and just about always when you see a construction jacket that's embroidered it's always some other brand. That right there speaks loads to me about quality of product.
Funny timing. I just went and got a new pair of shorts by Carhartt, and the local store here carries a LOT of "Irregulars"
I am close to 31x37 30's too small, and 38's too long in full length pants..
These shorts are 34" ! it says...all my other pants are 32 or 31 waist..
Anyway, the irregulars a fine for me, cuz I am irregular for sure..
BTW, the irr's are a bunch cheaper..and Carhartt will MAKE anysize you order..for full price...and they are made here in KY.
mebbe the y'all found some irregs, and don't know it?
Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
Repairs, Remodeling, Restorations.
You guys are a bunch of mutants.
Geez, with all of the short heavy set Mexicans coming into this world, You'd figure a short fat Pollock like me would have no problem finding 36 by 29's. But no....
Where do all of these sizes go? It's gotta be a supply and demand situation.
Are the Chinese putting on weight?
The only store out here that I know of to get Carhartts carries the irregulars. The last 34x34's my wife picked up for me are way too big, both ways. I assume its the irregular thing, as I weigh the same and I'm sure I haven't shrunk 2 inches.
I noticed the same thing, and my local store said that Carhartt was now preshrinking their pants b/c peole found the old shrink at home pants too unpredictable.
Mike Fitz
Stone-
It could be worse. You could be me.
A pollock looking for non-existent 37s and fearing 38s.
I would become self-employed except I'm too cheap to pay myself anything.
sobriety is the root cause of dementia
Edited 8/7/2004 1:25 am ET by rez
I talked to a local Carhartt store a couple of years ago and complained that they were dropping the tool shorts. Which fit me well, my thighs were too big for their regular shorts. For me to get shorts that fit good in the thighs I had to get ones that were several sizes too big in the waist. The people at the store told me that Carhartt was getting lots of complaints about this so they were resizing their shorts and pants to make more room for us guys that arn't sticks. Sure enough I went out and bought new ones a short while later, got two pair that fit me great, and one pair which must have been the old cut that feels like someone cinched a belt around my thigh. So I think that the people that told you that there hasn't been any changes didn't know what they were talking about.
Where can I get Carhartts at a discount? Mail order, that ends up being cheaper even after paying the shipping. Anyone?Matt
Sierra Trading Post...
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming
WOW!!! What a Ride!
Anyplace else to buy Carhartts discount? After the above sizing problem discussion, I'm not so sure I want to go through the possible hasle of buying seconds.Matt
I had the same problem witht the shorts -- ususally wear 35 waist and the 36 were so tight in the legs taht I could not wear them -- went up to 38 waist to get the room in the leg and the belt really has to cinch up the extra material in the waist
I know your pain...Last year I got a pair of 34" shorts on sale, they got to be a bit tight...I got tired of being a lard butt, did a little manipulating, and the 34's fit fine.
Place that sells Carhartts is a tool store too, I know, very dangerous. So I'm there for saw blades and see they're having a 25% off sale on Carhartt shorts. I pick a couple of 33's off the rack(Did I mention how svelt I am?), ask if I can try 'em on, try a pair (where does that pair thing come from, anyway?), fits like a glove, figure the other 33'swould be the same...Ha...they had to be 35's...store would'nt take them back...hot washing and drying has gotten them close...hey, I'm thinking the National Lumber Sizing Association has taken over pants grading<G> Don't worry, we can fix that later!
What are you saying - pants sizes are "nominal" :-)
Where is the store you are taling about? Over tward raleigh at all?
Matt
I'm saying pant sizes ain''t even close to nomimal, try all of 'em on & factor in "shrinkage" ( with a tip o' the hat to Seinfeld<G>)
Paynes Power Tools, 54 & 55, highways not pant sizes! Don't worry, we can fix that later!
Are Carhartts all still made in the USA? I'm beginning to believe that the US inch is different than the Mexican inch is different than the Costa Rican inch is different than the Dominican Republic inch is different than the Chinese inch etc etc etc.
And not just clothing, shoes too. Am I the only one who wears 101/2's from one manufacturer and 11's from another?
Ahhh... yes.... and me father warned me about the cursed "Irish inch"!
Ahh. Was he cursed with that?
Made in Ky.
The problem is they are following the "relaxed fit" trend, for all the fat azzes out there, and wanna be carps that wear thier pants around thier kneecaps.
Me? still 32w x 38 inseam...They make em if ya order them. I get loggers for 29.oo a pair.
Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
Repairs, Remodeling, Restorations.
32s? Whatta bum...er...dude! I can still do 36 if I want pain.
Wonder if Buckbuck ever lost his...ah...gut?
38 inseam?! Geeze, you pulling them up to your chin or something? I only wear a 35 inseam.
jt8
and he is only 5'9...
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming
WOW!!! What a Ride!
Sphere,
Do you order through your local dealer or straight from Carhartt?
Any idea if they will make the old "not relaxed" aka skinny azz fit if you do a special order?
Thanks,
karl
Karl, we have a local boot shop ( as well as a carhartt outlet) that does just that..I tell em what I want, and two weeks later they call me.
I had one pair that was not available in the size/fabric/style I wanted..she orderd them and viola' , they arrived...great company.
I still have not persued the coveralls (insulated) custom made, cuz the off the shelf ones are almost right...the other problem I have is a 36" sleeve and WIDE shoulders..oh well, we can't all be perfect.
Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
Repairs, Remodeling, Restorations.
Seriously - 38" inseams? I sure could use a pointer to find those. I'm really tired of wearing them as high waters, but I've never seen them longer than 35". Order them directly from the company? Think they could do 34-40's?
Littledenny
sure..just get in touch w/ a local place that gets them in stock, and KINDLY ask them to order them for you...if all else fails, try to find a ph# or webbby site.
They custom make clothes for obese folks, why should WE be any different?
Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
Repairs, Remodeling, Restorations.
Thanks, and Amen to the special sizes for special people. Suspect your pockets are farther off the ground than most guys, mine sure are.
Littledenny
34-40s!! Do you own any step ladders or would that be pointless for you. I bet your highschool basketball coach loved you.
You know, that's funny.
I have just the opposite problem.
I SWEAR all the pants of the same size, are getting smaller.
; )
"Criticism without instruction is little more than abuse." D.Sweet