These Workhorse Travel and Commuting Dress Pants Just Keep Getting Better

Rhone’s Commuter Pro Pants look sharper and are easier to care for, making them even more versatile for work trips or grueling commutes.

A close-up of the pocket and waistline of the Rhone Commuter Pants Pro in Navy. A models hand is shown sliding into the pocket

By Ben Bowers

Published March 19, 2025

·

Updated March 19, 2025

Every product is carefully selected by our editors. If you buy from a link, we may earn a commission. Learn more

Men’s technical dress wear – i.e., traditional-looking garments made with advanced and often synthetic materials to combat wrinkles, stains, and stiffness – is marketed under a bevy of terms, with performance and travel being the most common adjectives.

The code word Rhone uses is “commuter.” For nearly two years, we’ve considered the company’s Commuter Shirt the best option for most people looking for a performance dress shirt.

I’ve also liked the brand’s Commuter Blazer as a lightweight option for short business trips or full days on the go where I needed to look slightly more formal.

A male model wearing a navy pair of Rhone Commuter Pro Pants shown from the shoulders down facing forward while taking a step. The model's hand is sitting in one pant pocket. The model is also wearing a white button dress shirt, brown belt, and brown shoes. — Rhone’s new Commuter Pro Pants have been reworked to look more refined. The new design addresses two of the biggest gripes I had with the original version of the generally excellent travel pant.

I’ve also worn the matching commuter dress pant and like them for the most part. They battle wrinkles admirably, regulate sweat and body heat nicely, fit well, and don’t require dry cleaning. But a few minor details about them have always irked me.

A newly released “Pro” edition of the commuter pant addresses most of these gripes, resulting in a pant that looks much nicer while inching closer to being the perfect work pant.

The Clumsy Button Is Banished

A view of the button-less front closer of the Rhone Commuter Pant Pro in grey is shown being worn on a dark-skinned model from the waist to the shin area. — A new button-less front closure makes the Pro version of Rhone’s Commuter Pant look much nicer.

My biggest gripe with the original Commuter Pant was the snap front button. It just felt (and looked) overtly technical and way over-branded. The combination of details slightly cheapened the overall look of the pants and limited their ability to look formal in elevated settings.

A view of the button front of the Rhone Commuter Pant in light khaki is shown being worn on a light-skinned model from the waist to the upper knee area — The button front of Rhone’s original Commuter Pant was the detail I hated the most, largely because it looked overtechnical and cheap.

The new Commuter Pro Pant introduces the perfect fix: it entirely obscures the pant closure method, creating a sleeker and cleaner look. A new permanent center-front pleat enhances the tailored vibe.

The Back Is Also Cleaned Up

A close-up view of the rear left pocket of the Rhone Commuter Pro dress pants in light grey being worn by a dark-skinned male model whose lower fore arm is visible and resting against the pant pocket. — The upper pockets on the new Rhone Commuter Pro Pant feature fewer seams above the pocket.

As with the front, the back of the Commuter Pro Pant has been nicely tweaked to look less busy and, therefore, less technical.

A pair of vertical seams formed rectangles of fabric above each of the rear pockets in the original commuter pants, which was especially visible on lighter-colored versions, adding a bit of visual clutter that never felt particularly necessary.

A close up of the rear butt area of the Rhone Commuter Pant in a light blue. The pants are being worn by a light-skinned model shown from the waist to knee area facing backward. The models arms are shown hanging down. — The original Commuter Pant shown here featured a pair of noticeable vertical seams above each rear pocket that I personally didn’t love.

On the new pro version, this boxed design has been replaced with a single seam above the rear left back pocket.

There’s a Zipper Pocket Too (For Better or Worse)

A close-up view of the zipper pocket of the Rhone Commuter Pant Pro in Black is worn by a dark-skinned model. Only the left hip and a silver of the model's forearm and hand are visible and in frame. — A zipper pocket can help secure important EDC items while running like a bat out of hell to make your connecting flight.

Many people may love that the new Commuter Pro Pant features a “stealth” zipper pocket, and I don’t begrudge them for their opinion. There’s something to be said for better securing essential pocket items, especially during frantic moments sprinting to a plane, train or cab.

I feel the shiny zipper pull, like the button closure on the regular commuter pants, is a minor technical detail that cheapens the look of the pants. But in fairness to Rhone, the pull may tuck nicely out of sight, making my gripe a non-issue.

I also worry about how filling the zipper pocket with items might impact the drape of the pants.

They’re Also Easier to Clean

A view of the ankle and lower leg area of the Rhone Commuter Dress Pant Pro in light sandy / khaki. They are shown on the legs of a model from below the knee down. The model's feet are facing backward to the right of the image. The model is wearing brown colored loafers with no socks. — Like the original Commuter Pant, the Commuter Pro Pant is available in slim and athletic fits across a range of waist and inseam measurements.

Rhone has never been super specific about the materials it uses. For example, the brand calls these pants “Commuter Pro fabric,” though it does mention that the material contains “Elasterell-P” and a “Polyester Blend.”

But one thing that is clear about the fabric swap is that it’s even easier to clean.

A close up view of the knitted material used to make the Rhone Commuter Pant Pro — The new material used in the Commuter Pro Pant is now safe for machine washing, tumble drying and even a little light ironing, which is great news for anyone who likes to spruce up their clothes after removing them from a suitcase.

The new Commuter Pant Pro can be washed and tumble-dried (at least on a low setting). They can also be lightly ironed.

That’s a significant improvement over the baseline Commuter Pant, which were fine to machine wash but needed to hang dry and couldn’t be ironed.

It should be said that technical fabrics always suffer from looking flat and unnatural compared to their natural fiber counterparts to a varying degree. After all, they are derived from plastic.

It’s hard to tell from photos alone where this Commuter Pant Pro material sits on that spectrum, but close-up shots of the fabric suggest that Rhone’s added a bit of texture to help combat this common downside of technical fabrics.

Pricing and Availability

A pair of navy Rhone Commuter Pro Pants shown from behind on a male model from the waist down. — The new Commuter Pro Pant costs just $10 more than Rhone’s standard Commuter Pant.

Possibly, the best news surrounding this release is the price. At $148 a pair, they’re only $10 more than the original Commuter Pant.

They’re also available in slim and athletic cuts to suit various body types. You can likewise specify your waistline and inseam measurements to ensure the best possible off-the-rack fit.

The color selection is a little limited at the moment, though we expect that to change if these pants sell the way we expect them to.

Rhone Commuter Pro Pant (Slim)

Rhone’s Commuter Pants Pro are a refined take on their popular travel/work trousers—designed for more innovative looks and streamlined wear. The Pro edition swaps the busy snap‑button fly for a hidden closure and adds a permanent front pleat, while the rear sees simplified seams above the pockets for a cleaner profile. Built with a tougher “Commuter Pro” polyester-Elasterell blend, they’re machine-washable, tumble-dryable, and can be lightly ironed—much easier to maintain on the go. A stealth zip pocket offers secure EDC storage, and the fabric and tailoring elevate the pants from technical to tailored.