Helly Hansen Manchester Construction Pant Lets Some Contractors Forgo the Tool Belt
It’s the same old routine—pull your work pants on one leg at a time, drive to the jobsite, and strap on your tool belt. The Helly Hansen Manchester Work Pant challenges the notion that your work pants and tool belt have to be separate pieces. We gave it a shot to see how well the concept works.
Pros
- Comfortable to wear
- Reinforced high-wear areas
- Knee pad-friendly
- Moves well when you bend or kneel
- Perfect fit
- Can replace a tool belt for many tradesmen
Cons
- Pockets aren’t as durable as your tool belt pouches
- Not as customizable as a tool belt
Helly Hansen Manchester Construction Pant: It’s (Almost) All About the Pockets
The main draw for these work pants is the pockets. In addition to some of the standard ones, there are several specifically to fit the needs of contractors.
Starting with the basics, you have left and right pockets for your keys, pocket knife, and other daily gear. They’re a little shallower than what we’re used to, but still deep enough for your full hand to fit inside.
There are also rear pockets on both sides. These are a little deeper than some, and I was able to fit an iPhone 8 Plus vertically inside them. One possible downside for some folks is that there’s no button or zipper to secure them.
Moving onto the not-so-normal, there’s a tool belt pouch-esque pocket on each side covering the normal front pockets. Each one has a medium-size pocket in the back with three smaller sections in front of it. They’re stitched on just below the belt loops and easy to flip up to access the pockets behind them.
Moving down to where you might see cargo pockets on other pants, the right side has two pockets stacked one on top of the other. Each is about 3.5 inches wide.
On the left side, a larger and deeper 7-inch pocket has two smaller pockets stacked in front of it with a hook and loop flap that covers both.
Hidden on the inside, pockets at the knees can hold knee pads.
So What?
The big question is… what can you do with all of these pockets?
They’re intentionally arranged to replace your tool belt, but you lack a few things such as a hammer loop and the ability to expand the number of pouches you carry. That said, it’s a really helpful setup if you keep a couple of things in mind.
The big one is that the materials aren’t as durable as the leather or thick nylon pouches on a tool belt. That’s going to limit the weight of how much you should carry. Also, tools or fasteners with sharp tips may successfully poke through (think drywall screws and finish nails).
From there, the possibilities are only limited by your imagination (and the pocket dimensions).
Helly Hansen Manchester Construction Pant Fit and Comfort
I ordered a size 36W, 34L and the fit was perfect. The waist measurement was dead on and the leg length covered the tops of my boots without dragging to the ground.
Comfort largely starts with material selection. For the Manchester, Helly Hansen chose a 68% cotton, 23% elastane, and 9% polyester blend. It’s very comfortable right out of the package with a 2-way stretch that moves well.
It’s also a lightweight pant, making it an excellent choice for late spring through early fall. If you’re in a warmer climate like Florida’s, it works all year long.
Overall, the Manchester wears lighter and more comfortable than jeans and most of the other work pants out there.
Additional Highlights
- Reflective piping
- Hem designed to extend up to 5 cm by clipping the stitches on the legs
Helly Hansen Manchester Construction Pant Price
If you order direct from Helly Hansen or at Amazon, you can pick up a pair of these work pants for $70. They run in waist sizes from 30 to 44 and lengths from 30 to 34.
The Bottom Line
Helly Hansen Manchester Construction Work Pants have a great fit, wear comfortably, and offer many professional tradesmen the opportunity to avoid wearing a separate tool belt. Just avoid overloading the pockets with as much as you can carry in those tool belt pouches and you’re good to go. It’s not going to be a perfect match for every contractor, though. There are some tools and gear that are a better fit for the higher strength of a tool belt.
Check out more Helly Hansen workwear by clicking here.
