The Best Cargo Pants Help You Carry More (and Look Good Doing It)

Truthfully, I turn to cargo pants and chore coats for the pockets primarily. Stuffing them with my wallet, keys, phone and any more EDC I need is easier than carrying a bag, I’d argue. But plenty of people turn to the style simply for its aesthetics — rugged, hard-wearing and, oftentimes, rather traditional.

What Are Cargo Pants?

Like many men’s garments, cargo pants derive from the military. First, they were a part of the British army’s official Battle Dress uniform. Dubbed the Battle Dress Trousers, they featured a large front pocket for maps or other paperwork and a tinier hip pocket for finer items. They were an upgrade on the original outfit because pockets and belts and straps created cohesion between the soldiers’ tops and bottoms. The makeover also improved the standard-issue pant’s functionality, tying a thread back to the armed forces’ fit-for-purpose focus.

Later, the US adopted a similar design. Lieutenant General William P. Yarborough, who served from 1931 through to 1971, created a jumper covered in pockets. Known as the M42 Jump Uniform, it debuted during WWII and set the standard for separates, known as the M-65 Field Jacket and, yes, you guessed it, Cargo Pants, to come. Cargo was a reference to the more than 100 lbs of equipment American paratroopers jumped from planes with, which was originally strapped to their backs exclusively but eventually distributed across the body (hence all of the pockets) with the introduction of Yarborough’s Jump Uniform.

How to Style Cargo Pants

Nowadays, the best cargo pants for men exist in both tactical and fashion contexts. There’s overlap between the two, but you can tell a lot about a pair of pants by how many pockets it has — and whether or not those pockets are specialized. We’re avoiding iterations that have add-ons designed to accommodate weapons or anything beyond your usual EDC. TLDR: we’re talking about fashion-focused pairs only, not tactical gear, because the category is rife with issues, including overstep into the civilian realm.

Buck Mason

Best Overall Cargo Pants

Buck Mason Twill Desert Cargo Pant

• $148.00 at Buck Mason

Buck Mason’s midweight cotton twill cargo pants feature six pockets in total, plus an adjustable waist and drawcord hems. Because they’re neither too slim nor too wide, you can wear these a number of ways. They’re truly the most versatile option on this list.

Ralph Lauren

Best Upgrade Cargo Pants

Ralph Lauren Canvas Cargo Pants

• $138.00 at Ralph Lauren

Ralph Lauren’s ode to the iconic design comes cut from Cotton Canvas and finished with a retro-tinged “Utility” tag. Plus, the hems cinch courtesy of two strings.

Urban Outfitters

Best Affordable Cargo Pants

Dickies Cutoff Cargo Pant

• $65.00 at Urban Outfitters

This version of Dickies’ simple cargo pant comes with a tattered hem and a tailored, albeit kind of cropped, hem. It’s available only at Urban Outfitters.

Huckberry

Best Cargo Joggers

Proof Meridian Cargo Jogger

• $88.00 at Huckberry
  $148.00 (41% off)

Joggers are in a category of their own, but cargo joggers count. Proof makes its iteration from Primeflex warp knit fabric, which is soft and structured but flexible and breathable, too. These won’t sag in the knees like sweatpants do.

Todd Snyder

Best Sweatpant Joggers

Todd Snyder Utility Cargo Sweatpant

• $598.00 at Todd Snyder

Remember mash-ups? When a DJ would mix two of your favorite songs into one, combining the lyrics from a top 40 hit and the beat from a record that’s more obscure? Well, this is Todd Snyder’s sartorial version of that. It’s his classic sweatpant combined with a military cargo pant.

End Clothing

Best Retro Cargo Pant

Nigel Cabourn Dutch Cargo Pant

• $245.00 at End Clothing

British designer Nigel Cabourn is an avid collector of militaria and other vintage menswear. He leverages his collections into his own signature designs, which mix components and parts of several pairs into one original.

Mango

Best Dressed Up Cargo Pants

Mango Cotton Cargo Pants

• $70.00 at Mango

Most cargo pants look best with sweatshirts and hoodies or a vintage tee, not a sweater or a polo. However, Mango’s tailored cotton cargo pants could totally work with an Oxford shirt or a pique Polo.

Madewell

Best Front Pocket Cargo Pants

Madewell Garment-Dyed Hybrid Cargo Pants

• $98.00 at Madewell

Most cargo pants have pockets on the sides, along your IT band (thanks, anatomy class). Madewell’s version of this traditional trouser features two big pockets on the front, occupying the length of your quads. It’s a different look and probably more comfortable, to be honest.

Saks OFF 5TH

Best High Fashion Cargo Pants

John Elliott Field Cargo Pants

• $190.00 at Saks OFF 5TH

This pair was approached through a streetwear lens, because that’s where John Elliott pulls from most often. That doesn’t mean they’re covered in graphics, but rather that they come with accentuated pockets, super visible zippers and a wider leg.

Carhartt

Carhartt WIP Regular Cargo Pant

• $128.00 at

You know Carhartt WIP. The European offshoot of the American brand sells an extensive catalog of work-ready, streetwear-centric apparel. Apparently it takes cues from the military, too, as evident by the Regular Cargo Pant, an olive-colored rendition with a ripstop construction.

Urban Outfitters

Rothco Relaxed Fit Cargo Pant

• $59.00 at Urban Outfitters

Because they’re relaxed-fit, Rothco’s cargo pants run wide but remain flattering. They flow down the leg and have a durable, somewhat smooth feel, because they’re made from a mix of cotton and polyester.

Pacsun

PacSun Baggy Cargo Pants

• $54.00 at Pacsun
  $60.00 (10% off)

Cargo pants are no longer standard issue in the military. They’re everywhere — including on runways and on popular style Instagram pages. These, which are from PacSun, pair best with sneakers and streetwear tees, especially since they’re super-wide.

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