Royal Robbins sent their Shop Jack and Traveler Stretch pants over for testing back in October. I‘ve been working and playing since then, trying to see how they hold up to abuse. I‘ve worn the clothes to work, around the house doing yard work, and on a couple backpacking trips. Everything looks just as good as when it first arrived at my doorstep.
Royal Robins says the Shop Jack is a winter weight jacket and I agree that it offers plenty of warmth especially for here in the south. The Shop Jack is almost like an insulated shirt but it has 40 grams of polyester fill insulation which makes it a bit heavier and made like a jacket. I‘m a bigger guy at about 6 ‘˜ 1” and 225 pounds and I‘ve got plenty of room in the extra-large Shop Jack.
Hand warmer pockets are nice and soft and a zippered breast pocket on the left side is big enough for a cell phone or wallet. The acrylic/wool blended outer material feels really study and it isn‘t itchy. A slicker material lines the inside so shirts slide easily into the sleeves. The Shop Jack uses metal snaps down the front and on the two chest pockets. They are easy to fasten even with gloves on.
Find the Traveler Stretch pants on Amazon!
Find the Shop Jack shirt on Amazon!
The Traveler Stretch pants are not only great for hiking and backpacking but are also fine to wear around town. The pants use Discovery Stretch Nylon which is 96 percent nylon and 4 percent spandex for just a bit of stretch. The fabric is quick drying, wrinkle resistant and it is substantial enough for me to feel comfortable wearing them in public. Some performance oriented pants are so thin that I am self-conscious to wear them out and about. The Traveler Stretch pants offer performance and keep a classy look.
There are plenty of pockets to carry everything you need. The left rear pocket closes with Velcro for easy access and the right rear pocket has a zipper for more security. A side zippered utility pocket on the right thigh gives the convenience of cargo pants but keeps a sleeker look. The two front pockets have wide openings and all pockets are mesh lined.
The Traveler Stretch pants have a standard fit. My legs and rear end are a bit large so I chose one waist size larger than normal. The overall fit is great including the waist. Maybe my winter size stomach is taking up the extra room.
I‘ve worn the Shop Jack and Traveler Stretch pants out doing yard work trimming trees and trimming briars. I‘ve been backpacking and hunting in them as well. Durability has been great so far. I brought in my seamstress consultant for this review, a.k.a. my mom. She has been sewing for the public and our family for over 40 years. Mom says the material selection is excellent and the craftsmanship is great. You gotta trust mom right?
The Shop Jack has an MSRP of $120 and it comes in three colors. The Traveler Stretch pants sell for $75, come in two colors and are available in a wide range of sizes. The quality is great, so you should get plenty of use out of these clothes. Click here to browse over to the Royal Robbins website and see everything that they make.
Mark
I‘d like to thank Royal Robbins for the test samples. We at Industry Outsider have limited budgets and the ability to provide honest, useful information on gear hopefully benefits everybody.