You can’t tell how high tech these pants are, and that’s the point

Behold the first-ever content series between Digital Trends and The Manual. The Bromance has begun. Since there are a plethora of brands out there melding style and technology, we thought we would take this opportunity to profile a few items, breaking them down and offering each of our unique takes on their tech and style components. For the whole series, click here; for the last pair of pants you ever need to buy, read on…

The Manual

After a weekend lounging in jogging shorts or gym clothes (we know you do it), there isn’t much that is worse than having to pull on a restricting pair of tailored pants on a Monday morning. You know there could be some bending issues, def some unbuttoning issues after lunch and dammit, you just want to be comfortable.

Mr. Omar Rada is saving our day with Proof NY, his recently launched line of tailored clothing made with technical fabrics. His first pant, the Nomad, are casually cool and durable enough for hiking, biking, crow pose… hell, they’re even water repellent enough for a quick swim.

This Thursday Omar launches a new pant called Surface that is basically the best chino in the universe. “It’s the same fabric they use in the horse world for riding breeches,” he tells us. So now you can look sharp in the office and still be ready for that after work chukker.

Digital Trends

Very little about Proof NY’s catalog or brand says “tech,” but that’s because the details are hidden under the… ahem… surface, just like they are in the clothes. Take the Surface pant, the goal of which was to complement the Nomad with something that incorporated the most common, comfortable material in everyone’s wardrobe: cotton.

Omar being Omar, he didn’t just source some high-end fiber. Rather, he scoured his vendors until he found a cotton/nylon/elastane weave coated with a NanoSphere treatment. The end result is soft and supple but still way more durable and water/stain repellent than your average Dockers.

If you need pants that will handle a 10 mile bike commute and a full day at the office, you probably still want the Nomad. If you just want a well-tailored pant that is going look brand new five years from now, the Surface is your jam. Either way, you’re getting American-made clothing that redefines the lifecycle of a product that’s become far too disposable in the consumer’s mind.