5.04.2010

Epaulet Hoyt: Here Comes A New Challenger!

I've talked about my challenges fitting into denim before. But that long wait has Epaulet has completed their new cut of jean, the Hoyt.  They've updated their beautiful Smith model to include more room in the seat and thighs (exactly what I need), expressly designed for men who are "into things like cycling, rowing, crossfit, etc." I'm going to do a paper comparison to the only other pair of selvage denim I own, A.P.C. Rescues (that is until my Hoyts are delivered).
Pictured on the left (A.P.C. Rescues on the right), the Hoyt is cut from a 12.25oz. natural line selvage from the Cone Mills White Oak plant in North Carolina. By comparison, the A.P.C.s feature 14oz. red line selvage denim from (I don't actually know). Both have contrast stitching, five pockets, and rivets in all the usual places. I think the kicker is that the Epaulet jeans are manufactured in the United States, whereas the A.P.C.s are manufactured in Macau, a territory of China. While this shouldn't really say much in terms of comparative quality (a debate for another time), as an American, I feel great supporting workers here in the US, both in the textile plant the denim was produced and also in the shop the full product was constructed in.

But enough of the details, what of the fit? Certainly the most important part of the modern jean should not be neglected.  Well, I can speak to the fit of the A.P.C.s, which are 'vanity sized'. This is the annoying part of buying A.P.C. denim. Maybe it has to do with the fact that they are generally unisex jeans but the general rule is to size down two to three from your normal size. For me this meant a size 30 in A.P.C. Any larger and I run the risk of the waistband stretching to an abnormal proportions. Denim is generally known to stretch out or relax after wear but it seems A.P.C. is especially known for this.  Seriously, when I first tried my Rescues on, I could not physically button the top two buttons. Now, one year later, the waistband is about one inch too big (while the thighs remain pretty tight). This is my dilemma. On paper, let's compare the A.P.C. Rescue's sizing to the Epaulet Hoyt's (which Epaulet recommends you buy true-to-size, in my case a 33):
*Total rise on the Hoyts were calculated from an average of the front and rear rise, which was specified on the product page.

As you can see, the Hoyts have a bit more room in the upper legs than the Rescues.  I am quite interested in the full extra inch in the thigh and the higher rise. We'll see how it works out when I get my hands on the EPs. Expect a full write-up with fit pics and comparison to the A.P.C.s. I know from experience that men with larger legs have very limited options when it comes to quality denim and I am happy to share my experience for the betterment of my large-thighed brethren.

4 comments:

  1. A few days I discovered your blog, and I think it would be one that I wll frwequently visit. A big applause for this post and the other one in regards to selvaged jeans and the problem with the guys in bigger tights. I do have the same problem with you both in jeans as well in Chinos, two of my favourite kind of trousers. In case you dont know that, althought in different price level, Armani Jeans have a well fited jeans for our "type" of body. Also the new lines of GAP jeans, have a great balance in tights and the legs. But of course all this is a matter of taste. Levi's 501 is an all time clasic though...
    Kepp up the good work!!!

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  2. Looking forward to the fit comparison once the Hoyts arrive. I'm in the same boat, thigh-wise, so I'm hoping these are as great as advertised.

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  3. yeah I can't wait to see the write up on these. i've been following Epaulet on their blog and twitter for months waiting for these.

    i also just saw that Gap now has a "loose fit" selvage jean: http://www.gap.com/browse/product.do?cid=16127&vid=1&pid=683779

    think i might order a pair of those online and see how they are (was in the store yesterday and they were nowhere to found). i currently can fit into a 35 waist in banana republic relaxed fit jeans, so i'll probably pick up the same in the Gap selvage. if i was ordering the Hoyt's right now, i'd get a 36, but they're out of stock.

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  4. I hear that the Hoyts will be restocked in 3 or so weeks. Keep your eyes peeled.

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