Boulder Denim Review
Boulder Denim is a Canadian Company that makes my favorite pair of jeans of all time.
They’re launching a new product, their Jogger/Chino jeans, which I got to try out. I took them and 3 other pairs of their jeans for a test run last fall. Long story short: these are legitimately my favorite jeans of all time.
Me and the wonderful Kate Sabo enjoying a day out in Indian Creek, fall 2019
Waaaay back in 2015 I supported their Kickstarter where they raised over $90,000. After a few years wearing their jeans I ran into the owners, Brad and Taz, via the internet. As it turns out, they used my build out videos to build their van!
Their original pair of pants is their ‘Skinny fit’ jeans for climbing.
Classic Boulder Denim Women’s Skinny Fit - Tiffany Nardico Photography
While climbing, the Boulder Denim doesn’t ride up, the tight ankle keeps the jean material out of your way, and the high waist means I can move freely without having to hike my pants up every few seconds. The deep pockets are honestly the best part. Women’s jeans are notorious for having small useless pockets, but the Boulder Denim jeans prove that you can have a cute pair of jeans and deep pockets.
Boulder Denim has designed a pair of jeans that are stylish, durable, and practical.
Their original pair of jeans was so popular that they came out with their 2.0 series, which I got to test out over the last few months.
Boulder Denim 2.0 Women’s Skinny Fit
Boulder Denim 2.0 Women’s Skinny Fit - Slate Grey
Boulder Denim 2.0 Women’s Straight Fit
Boulder Denim 2.0 Women’s Straight Fit - Cobalt
The Boulder Denim 2.0 series is less of an activewear pant, and more of a stylish brand that is also really practical. The climbing benefits of the Classic Boulder Denim pants were the high waist and the tight ankle fit, neither of which the 2.0 series has. The 2.0 skinny fit is a low rise pant, and the 2.0 straight fit doesn’t tighten as much around the ankle as the OG series. That being said, I went climbing in both of these jeans and they were great. The 2.0 jeans are durable and very stretchy, which made them appropriate for both bouldering and crack climbing. They also have a hidden zipper pocket, so you won’t lose your phone keys or wallet while moving around!
Boulder Denim 2.0 Women’s Skinny Fit
I liked these pants for casual bouldering. The tight ankle was nice, but I ended up rolling up the cuff anyway to keep the material from catching at my heel. I did need to make a belt for longer days of climbing, the high waist wasn’t as tight as the classic Boulder Denim Jeans and I kept having to hoist them up while climbing.
Boulder Denim 2.0 Women’s Straight Fit
The Straight fit jeans are much like the skinny fit. Great all around jeans, super comfortable, they look great and the deep pockets make me never want to wear another pair of jeans again. Are they my ‘go-to’ for climbing? Not really. But when I’m in a rush and I don’t have time to change, I would take these to the gym or crag no problem.
The Women’s Jogger/Chino
Boulder Denim 2.0 Women’s Jogger/Chino - Granite Grey
Boulder Denim 2.0 Women’s Jogger/Chino - Granite Grey
The Women’s Jogger/Chino jean in granite grey is Boulder Denim’s newest pair of jeans. I took them out climbing a few different times and to summarize: These jeans are great for bouldering, and ok for trad climbing.
The Jogger/Chino’s have everything all the classic Boulder Denim Jeans have: comfortable high waist, deep useful pockets, stretchy and durable material. However, they’ve also added a few key features that set them apart.
The low profile hidden drawstrings in the ankle material makes it easy to hike up your jeans and keep them from catching on your ankle while bouldering. They’ve also included a set of hidden zipper pockets on the thigh that (from experience) fit your phone in its massive lifeproof case perfectly. They’re also stain and water resistant, which helps a lot if you’ve only packed one pair of jeans for a weekend trip to Joshua Tree. For casual bouldering these jeans are great, they are comfortable, durable, and easy to move around in. They are a pair of great looking jeans that also happen to be a pair of climbing pants.
I love the utility, I love the look, I love that I don’t need to change before I head out to climb.
I took the Jogger/Chino’s out trad climbing a few times as well and here are my initial thoughts. 1. They are super durable, which makes them ideal for granite meccas that are known for tearing clothes. 2. They’re a bit heavy, which makes them better for winter climbing. Joshua Tree in the winter comes to mind, or Bishop in the fall. 3. They’re great for thin cracks, but not for wide crack climbing. The drawstring on the pants cuff rides up against your ankle bones, which is not ideal for crack climbing. However, they are called Boulder Denim jeans, so I can hardly fault them for this.
I am a big fan of Boulder Denim. I met one of the founders, Bradley, in person recently. He was concerned with making the best jean possible, as well as being environmentally conscious. Boulder Denim Jeans aren’t cheap, running at about $100 a piece. But with the steps they take to be as low impact as possible, and the fact they have a Lifetime Warranty on their jeans. The price is more than worth it.
Kate and I wearing the Boulder Denim Women’s Skinny fit
Note: You should buy your jeans 2 sizes down from your regular size. The first pair I ordered was way to big for me. (Fortunately, they fit my boyfriend great!)
Final Thoughts
I only wear Boulder Denim Jeans.
This isn’t a marketing schtick, this is true. I’ve spent a lot of time trying to find a pair of comfortable, good-looking, and functional jeans. Boulder Denim has everything I need in jeans. Do I exclusively wear their jeans when climbing? No. Jeans—in general—aren’t great for crack climbing. But for bouldering and sport climbing, these jeans are great. Not to mention, they are just super rad pants to wear around in the world.