While not all jobs allow for shorts on the job site, if you are so lucky as to be able to wear them in hot weather, we would suggest checking out the Blaklader Bantam Shorts with Utility Pockets for sure. There are plenty of work shorts to choose from, yet few offer the features, pockets and comfort that Blaklader does. We already did our Blaklader Bantam Utility Pocket Pants review, but since I live in the southeastern United States and it is in the middle of July, the timing was perfect for the arrival of the Blaklader Bantam Shorts. I immediately put them on and what jumped out at me was that, after a few minutes, I realized that they were as comfortable as one of my work t-shirts that had been washed hundreds of times – and these came right out of the box! Just like the full pants version with their outside utility pockets, these shorts also include them and they are just the right size and in the right location so that they quickly become second nature to use. There are some pockets behind the utility pockets that also allow them to be tucked away when not needed. It is hard to find faults with the Bantam Shorts since they have pockets in the right places and details that make life on the job easier.
Blaklader Bantam Shorts Features
As with the pants version, the Blaklader Bantam Shorts with Utility Pockets were designed for, well… working. Starting at the waist, there are 7 belt loops and, depending on the belt loop location around the waist, they vary in width to make sure that your shorts never sag. The fly has a heavy duty metal zipper and there is a metal button closure at the waist band. The front utility pockets are made up of two pocket styles: on the left there are two large pockets and on the right there is one large in back and one divided pocket in the front. As we mentioned, when the utility pockets are not needed, they can be tucked neatly into the storage pocket located behind them. Even when the pockets are tucked in, they can still be utilized. The idea of the hanging utility pockets is that you can carry more and still have easy access to their contents – even when kneeling or squatting. There are two large back pockets as well and they are lined with DuPont Corder, which is 10x stronger and more abrasion resistant than cotton. In addition to the extra lining, the utility pockets and the back pockets have two unique features: the lower edge of the pockets is not stitched, but folded; and the pockets have angled interior corners. These two features make it easy to grab fasteners and small things, because it keeps them from getting lost in the corners and seams. And the design also makes it nearly impossible to have a pocket blowout. You also, obviously, won’t find room for your Redbacks knee pads (or any other knee pad for that matter).
On the right hand side, there is a heavy nylon web loop for your hammer. The position of this loop puts your hammer exactly where you would naturally grab it if you are right-handed. Left-handers will have to petition Blaklader for a Lefty-friendly version. Further down each leg are more specialty pockets. On the left there is a phone pocket with a hook and loop flap. If you have any kind of smartphone, it will have to live in one of your front pockets since it probably won’t fit in the slim phone pocket that is provided. On the right side there are two smaller pockets that work well for pencils and screwdrivers. The sizes that we ordered fit exactly the way we anticipated. Since they come pre-shrunk, we didn’t experience any shrinkage, even after a few wash and drying cycles. These shorts are made of a “lightweight” 8oz cotton canvas material. We found this material to offer a decent amount of breath-ability and has proven to be comfortable to wear all day long.
Blaklader Bantam Shorts Testing and Use
While pants offer more protection for your legs, in the southeast (or any warm environment for that matter), wearing shorts to work is a fairly common practice. We loved the Blaklader Bantam Utility Pocket Pants, so when the opportunity came up to try out their shorts, we didn’t offer much resistance. With these shorts, I can leave my Iron Dog Tool belt rig in my truck’s tool box and just load up my pockets with what is necessary. Getting used to the extra utility pockets was really easy and became second nature to reach down and simply grab what I needed for my projects. While I mentioned it before, the hammer loop is in just the right spot so that my hammer does not hit me in the calf like it does when I sport the other guys’ shorts. Even though this might seem like a small item, I find that the true value of these shorts is that they are well thought out and incredibly practical. The front utility pockets perfectly accommodated a tape measure with room to spare. I also discovered that I was able to fit a 1lb box of just about any size fastener or nail into just one of the front utility pockets. The back pockets were large enough to comfortably fit a 6″ Speed Square. The only thing we found lacking is that the cell phone pocket is too small for any of the smart phones we tried to fit in it. Since just about every contractor now carries these around, rethinking that pocket for the realities of larger LCD screen-toting phones would be a huge improvement.
Conclusion
While Blaklader work clothes might be new to many of us here in the United States, they actually are a company that has been making work clothes in Sweden for over 50 years. Welcome to America – and thanks for making the trip. The Bantam Shorts with Utility Pockets show that they understand what today’s workmen want and need in their work clothes. For our Performance rating we gave these shorts a 9/10 since they fit comfortably, provided plenty of pockets (except for an adequate sized phone pocket) and performed well out on the job site. For our Value rating we gave these shorts a perfect 10/10 since they really did a good job of keeping all our supplies and tools in easy reach without having to wear a tool belt. That alone can be a significant cost savings! You will be hard-pressed to find a less expensive alternative that offers the functionality and features that Blaklader builds right in. Wearing these shorts for a while will make you realize just how much your “other” shorts are missing.
