BAD Workwear Hands-on Review: Hidden Gem for Business Travelers?

The most important gear that a business traveler needs is arguably not the one that has rechargeable lithium ion batteries, but one that is covering your body. Having done hundreds - maybe thousands of flights for business trips, I'm always on the lookout for something that is comfortable but tough and reliable; casual but not homely. Searching for the perfect balance has become somewhat of an obsession of mine, and I believe I have found my next candidate. The interesting thing is, it's not from a place that I expected.

BAD is a Melbourne-based apparel company that focuses on creating work wear that would usually be seen worn by tradesmen or at the construction site. However, I found their line of chino work pants and work shirts surprisingly fitting for what a business traveler would need. Could BAD workwear be the hidden gem that I've been looking for? Let's dive in to find out.

Smart Casual Style

When I'm on business trips, though I want to look smart, I prefer to be efficient and mobile while doing it. So even if that nice pair of tan wingtip oxford would give me the edgy casual look, I prefer not speed walking through terminals in them. I am, however very aware of the fashion suicide that I'll be committing putting on sneakers with khaki chinos. I'm also wanting to avoid the denim/runners combo because it slips just a little too far into the casual spectrum.

The solution? BAD seems to have found one. Even though BAD Work Chinos are designed to be worn with work boots, I found that they match surprisingly well with sneakers - while not looking too casual. The elastic material allows for a slim fit, but since it has good stiffness, the body and profile it provides looks more like chinos than leggings. These hang perfectly in the balance between smart and casual, while making way for a pair of sneakers to slip in unobtrusively.

The upper part of the pants is cut exactly as a pair of chinos would, so both the front and back can easily pass as one. Even though the original intention of putting on wide belt loops must have been for tool belts, they would also accommodate all sorts of wide belts for stylistic purposes, and I found that I could use wider belts that I struggle to fit onto other pants with on the BAD Work Chinos.

Though the option isn't available at the moment, the BAD Work Chinos comes in both normal and cuffed options. Personally, I found the cuffed work pants more appealing, especially when combined with a pair of low-cut runners.

Durability and Comfort

Being made for harsh environments, the BAD Work Chinos has a toughness that normal chinos just won't have. After weeks of daily wear, and at least a half a dozen washes, these chinos are not showing any signs of wear. Since the last thing that one would want on a long overhaul flight is any wardrobe malfunction, the reliability and durability of these chinos will give you a peace of mind.

Because they are stretchable, their toughness is accompanied by comfort - which is paradoxical in the best possible way. Though they are slim fitting, they produce no limitation of movement, even when I'm rushing for the next flight and am close to a full sprint. The comfort is also very useful when sitting through a long flight, when any alleviation of discomfort is sorely welcomed.

BAD have also nailed other important features to ensure durability, like using a YKK zip on the fly, and triple stitching the crutch point. These are pants that won't be falling apart anytime soon.

Pocket Design

Out of all the design features on the BAD 247™ Slim Fit Chino work pants, the utility pocket is by far my favorite feature on the BAD Work pants as a travel pants.

When traveling, one of the most difficult challenges is the need to keep multiple items handy between passing through customs and boarding the plane. At the very least, your inventory would include: passport, wallet, mobile phone, and boarding pass. Most of us would also carry a pen, wireless earphones and some currency.

When you need to juggle so many essential items that must not be lost, a dedicated, easily accessible pocket for the mobile phone becomes incredibly handy - which is what the utility pocket is for. The size is just right for a phone to slip in and be taken out easily, and the height of the pocket is perfectly at arms length. What's even better, since the pocket is on the side, the phone can be easily taken out even when seated at a cramped economy seat.

BAD even reinforced the pocket entrances on these work pants with Cordura, increasing scuff, abrasion and tearing resistance, so that this won't just be a feature that is useful, it's one that will last. It's by far my favorite and most used feature on the BAD Work Chinos.

Matching Button Shirt

BAD also has a whole range of clothing lines that are designed with the same philosophy. Trying out the Stretch Navy Work Shirt, I found the same level of innovation that makes them a joy to wear.

Other than the stretchability, and durability (Triple stitches and reinforcement can be found throughout the shirt), the work shirt has the added feature of ensuring extraordinary breathability. With ventilation in the armpit area and a hidden vent that runs the entire width of the back, this is a shirt that will provide generous airflow: another thing that's sorely needed when sitting in a stuffy flight cabin for hours on end.

Final Verdict

I believe I have found the hidden gems for business traveler apparels: hidden because they are not in the typical place where one would look for their business trip. Even though BAD workwear is meant for people with a tough work environment, I highly recommend their work chinos and work shirt for your next long-haul flight for the best balance of style, comfort and durability.

David is a tech enthusiast/writer who is often on the move and is on a mission to explore ways to make his overhaul flights more enjoyable. This is a contribution to an ongoing IBTimes review series on gadgets for Business Travelers.