Jeans are uniquely American. Probably the most worn type of pant for decades now, they are a mainstay in the American wardrobe. Even so, the traditional cut and material has some definite limitations when compared to modern synthetic materials and blends. As of late, many companies have offered jeans with a blend of material, leading to a more elastic product. This allows the wearer greater flexibility during use. Once you’ve worn a pair like this, going back to traditional denim might as well be the same as using a rotary phone instead of a smart phone.
Even though these advancements in cut offerings and material improvements have resulted in a better jean product, there is still work to do for the gun carrying end user. Condor has brought an offering to the jean market looking to solve this lack of options for the person who wants to incorporate the preparedness lifestyle into their wardrobe.
These jeans offer some unique features compared to the traditional jean manufacturers. What follows is my assessment of Condor’s jean offering after months of having used them in daily life and on the range.
Fit & Sizing – 3.5-4/5
Fortunately, they appear to fit true to size. I wear a 32×32, and this is what I ordered. Relieved I was when trying them on initially and they were the correct length on the legs and fit on the waist.
The jeans were tight on my thighs although I can cut the jeans a little slack, for I’ve got fairly thick legs when compared to the average person. Even so, after a couple times using them, they broke in somewhat and they’re not uncomfortable to wear. Still, slightly tighter than I would prefer on the legs, but not a deal breaker however this is my biggest complaint with the product. To be fair, Condor advertises these jeans as “Slim Fit”, so they are exactly as advertised. I just wish they made an athletic cut and am obligated to share this distinction with the Spotter Up readership.
Fabric & Stitching – 4/5
The coloration of the fabric is excellent. I went with a darker style Condor calls “Indigo” primarily because I did not own any in this coloration. This darker shade certainly looks more formal than the classic blue jean color. Condor has three different color offerings: Black Washed, Indigo, Blue Black. The fabric is mostly cotton with an infusion of Elastane; 97% cotton and 3% elastane. Personally, I would prefer a bit more elastane in the mix but the trade off is a softer fabric. and this provides that stretchy characteristic that I consider the standard in today’s day and age. It is relatively soft on the body and serves its purpose of allowing more mobility when the desire to fire off a roundhouse kick strikes or the desire to bang out a quick set of squats in the garage can’t be denied.
The stitching is high quality, with straight lines, no long strands or frays, and precise. With the Indigo coloration, the stitching is an appealing brownish-gold color which is a nice touch to go with the pant. Built into the waistband are two elastic portions, spanning about 5 inches on the sides as worn. These function wonderfully in allowing flex in the waist when carrying a pistol inside-the-waistband, which is my predominant carry method.
Features – 5/5
The Cipher Jeans have a total of seven belt loops, as opposed to the standard five. Not only are there two more than normal, the loops themselves are nearly twice as wide when compared to the loops on my Levi’s. This is a big upgrade as far as I am concerned. More numerous, wider loops with more stitching means a more secure connection of the belt on the wearers waste. If I need to drag someone for whatever reason, the waist (belt) is one of the first places I am going to move the person into a position better affecting a carry.
Utilizing a standard zipper fly with a button closure on top, the Cipher jeans have the usual complement of pockets on the butt and the two front hip pockets. In addition to these, sewn above the back pockets are what Condor calls “gadget pockets” for a phone, magazine, tourniquet, or similarly sized item. These pockets fit the standard sized iPhones, ar15 mag, 762x39mm AK mag, and even managed to fit a 308 Scar mag in there. It was a tight fit, but the stretch of the material had enough flex in it to fit in the heavy hitter magazine. So if rolling light on the range when training is your preferred loadout, the back pocket reload is certainly a possibility with the Cipher.
Overall Impression – 4/5
Condor has a solid product with the Cipher jeans. They took a classic design, matched materials to reflect modern day fabric technology, and added some small features that, for a gun carrying, armed citizen, make a world of a difference in comfort. Carrying a weapon is a great responsibility. Being able to carry one comfortably isn’t always a possibility. The Cipher jeans allow the wearer to carry comfortably in style particularly if you have “normal” or smaller thighs. Herein lies my biggest complaint with the jeans. If Condor were to incorporate a more “athletic” cut in the thighs, these would be an absolute home run for me. The reason why I rated the fit and sizing a 3.5-4/5 is due to this cut choice. This might very well not affect you, and if this is the case, then rejoice! For you have a functional, comfortable, stylish pair of jeans that come in about $20 cheaper than the competition. And they are built with the armed citizen in mind.
The idea behind these jeans seems to be to refine the classic pants with modern fabric blends and features a gun carrying individual can appreciate. Condor did not go overboard with trying to put a crazy number of pockets hidden away on the pants. They are simple, comfortable jeans with a nice feature set anyone reading this will appreciate. Overall, a solid product that will leave most wearer’s happy and satisfied.
CONDOR COUPON CODE: SPOTTERUP15
*I received this product as a courtesy from the manufacturer so I could test it and give my honest feedback. I am not bound by any written, verbal or implied contract to give this product a good review. All opinions are my own and are based off my personal experience with the product.
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