Remember when jeans were stiff and uncomfortable? Maybe if you spent a couple years breaking them in, your favorite pair would develop a lived-in聽sort of comfort, but they certainly weren鈥檛 built for performance. Oh聽how things have changed. Designers have reimagined the classic staple as a stylish piece of gear to handle whatever you encounter throughout the day.
Take 鈥檚 new S.E.A. JEANS, which look like standard denim but have two percent spandex woven into the organic cotton to give these pants an uncanny amount of stretch. That affords聽a full range of movement, whether you鈥檙e biking to work, bouldering, or simply running to catch a flight. And Outerknown isn鈥檛 alone. Designers are building jeans that are tougher and stretchier than ever before, so they can handle life on the trail, rocks, or bike. We鈥檝e picked five of our favorite new pairs of performance jeans that can do anything.
Mountain Hardwear Denim Jean ($125)聽

Mountain Hardwear mixes Cordura with its聽denim to give these jeans a workwear durability,聽but it also adds聽3 percent Lycra for extra stretch. The result is a 聽that can handle a 5.10 sport route or a trip to the market with equal panache. We also dig the reflective stripes on the cuffs for extra visibility during your bike commute.
Sponsor Content: OuterknownOuterknown S.E.A. JEANS聽(From $128)

Cofounded by professional surfer Kelly Slater, 聽are guaranteed for life鈥攊f they wear out or bust, Outerknown will repair or replace them for free. S.E.A. JEANS聽come in three fits (slim, straight, and tapered), three fabrics, three washes聽(dyed, faded, and rinsed), and three lengths鈥攕o there鈥檚 a聽perfect pair for everyone. Bonus: S.E.A. JEANS聽are some of the most environmentally friendly jeans on the market. Manufactured in Vietnam at Saitex, the world鈥檚 cleanest denim factory,聽Saitex recycles 98 percent of the water used in development, and the other 2 percent is turned into sludge that goes聽into building bricks. In fact, S.E.A. stands for Social and Environmental Accountability,聽representing聽Outerknown鈥檚 commitment to people and the planet.
5.11 Tactical Defender Flex ($70)

, created聽from a blend of 76 percent cotton and 24 percent polyester with Lycra, offers聽an incredible amount of mechanical stretch that allows the fabric to bounce back and keeps聽it from wearing out with use. We also like the suite of pockets, some of which are made聽to handle ammo clips but all of which work really well to聽keep your nontactical everyday-carry goods organized.
Patagonia Performance Twill Jeans ($100)

Patagonia makes a few different models of performance jeans, but we like the , which are constructed聽from a lightweight blend of organic cotton and polyester聽that鈥檚 stretchy聽but also works to wick moisture away from the inside聽and repels moisture from the outside. And of course, the pants are sewn using Fair Trade Certified practices.
Raleigh Denim Alexander Stretch ($200)

North Carolina-based Raleigh Denim has helped usher in a聽new wave of independent jean makers, and the 聽is one of the most performance-minded jeans in its聽roster. The jeans are built from 78 percent cotton and 22 percent聽elasterell for stretch, and they鈥檙e given a relaxed fit for added mobility. Even better, they鈥檙e sharp enough to wear on date night.