Functionality is at the heart of every Gramicci product, and perhaps nowhere is this more evident than on our Gadget Pants.
Re-introduced last season, the Gadget Pants are actually a long-lost classic from the Gramicci range, originally made back in the early 90s. Perhaps best described as an evolution of the classic G-Pant climbing trousers created by Mike Graham in the ‘80s, the Gadget Pants took the revolutionary details of the original design—like the diamond crotch gusset and the built-in belt—and combined them with features from the military and workwear world.
At a time when outdoor sports were becoming increasingly equipment-orientated and more and more technical gear and equipment was seen in the mountains, the Gadget Pants went against the grain, sticking firmly to the tried-and-tested Gramicci recipe of hard-wearing fabric, a relaxed, wearable shape and a few handy, well thought out details.
Sitting on the other end of the spectrum to the technicolor lycra leggings that littered the climbing walls of the early 90s, the Gadget Pants were laid-back, everyday trousers that worked everywhere, from the cliff-face to the camp-site—just as suited for tough climbs in Yosemite as they were for trips to the grocery shop on an old cruiser bike.
It’s down to this versatility and sheer usefulness that we decided to bring them back. Using a vintage pair for reference, we were keen to keep the relaxed utilitarian flavor of the originals, and made sure we retained all the things that made them so good in the first place.
Perhaps the defining detail of the Gadget Pants is the large rectangular wraparound patch pockets which extend right around the trousers. No back pockets necessary here—these have enough space for all the important stuff.
To make those pockets even more useful, on the right pocket entry there’s a strip of banded webbing designed for holding gadgets and gizmos such as keys, carabiners or bottle openers. These aren’t called the Gadget Pants for nothing.
That unique seam configuration is another original feature we didn’t want to mess with. Rather than having two seams on each leg, the Gadget Pants have three, with stitching running down from each side of the pockets down to the hem, as well as the inside leg—helping to add structure to those pockets and keep things reassuringly sturdy.
We also spent a good deal of time making sure we got the fabric just right. Whilst the legs are made from our signature organic cotton twill, the pockets are made from thick canvas. This is the same material that they used to make carpenter pants out of back in the glory days of workwear, and not only is it seriously tough, but it looks great once it’s worn in.
In keeping with the comfortable, everyday feel of the trousers, we garment-dyed them. As opposed to piece-dying, where each section is dyed separately, garment-dyeing is—as you’ve probably guessed—where you dye the whole garment at the same time. Because of the contrasting canvas on the pockets here, this process gives the Gadget Pants a really nice tonal look, as the dye reacts differently to each fabric.
As for the shape, these are ever so slightly shorter than the G-Pants, with a wider hem, giving them a relaxed straight legged fit—and as these are Gramiccis, there’s plenty of room to move, with that diamond crotch panel allowing 180 degree leg movement. Around 30 years after the Gadget Pants were first devised, they’re still the ideal do-everything trousers.