I’m not big into clothes. My wife says I have no style. I say I like what I like and I don’t care all that much what other people think about what I wear. So, if it was up to me I’d wear a hoody and a pair of jeans half the year, then a pair of shorts and flip flops —dare I say Crocs— the other half.
But I’ve been married for 6 months now, to the day as I’m writing this. And I’m finding what every husband finds, a happy life and a happy wife come by way of compromise. And compromise we have found in the Costa Tackle Hybrid Pants, the most comfortable pair of good looking pants I’ve ever put on.
BUILT FOR FISHING BUT NICE ENOUGH FOR CHURCH
Y’all may think I’m joking, but what I wear is one of the biggest and really only points of contention for my new bride and I. She’s banished Crocs forever, non-negotiable there. But she’s also relaxed her no-fishing-shirt-at-church policy, which has made way for me to wear some of my nicer button up comfortable shirts.
The look of these pants made them an easy sale for her. And the comfort of Tackle Hybrid Pants made them a quick favorite of mine to wear. Compromise at its finest. (And I want to add here before moving on that I have a fantastic wife. And I appreciate that, thanks to her, I no longer look like a bum 80% of the time. Love you babe. Alright now, back to business.)
Costa sent out a couple pair of these pants for testing, one in khaki and another in navy. I’ve worn one pair or the other probably 15 times over the last 2 and 1/2 months. I’ve worn them fishing several times, literally to church a couple times and out and about around town a few times. They work great and look great in any setting. And they feel like you have nothing on at all.
COSTA TACKLE HYBRID PANTS SPECS
The Tackle Hybrid Pants retail for $80, come in three colors (black, khaki and navy) and are available in five men’s sizes from 32 to 40. There are five pockets scattered about the pants, some with zippered and velcro closures for safe storage of gear. The pants are water resistant, quick drying, stretchy, lightweight and made primarily from recycled material (88% Recycled Polyester, 12% Polyurethane).
This last bit should mean a lot to us as anglers. There’s a ridiculous amount of garbage in the water now. And while I’m not sure how many turtles are actually being saved every time my lips get stuck to a paper straw, the idea of recycling materials and reducing waste in a practical way that benefits all living creatures is something I can definitely get behind.
That’s what Costa did with these pants and does with many of their products, making tangible efforts at keeping the oceans and waterways clean. This is something Costa says they are passionate about, and they prove it with their products as well as their participation in several conservation and cleanup initiatives.
MY FAVORITE FEATURES AND EXPERIENCE
I really love the fit of these pants. They’re not baggy, but not tight either, with a great stretch to them. I currently weigh 246 pounds (sigh). I was around 235 when the pants came in back in October. I ordered them in a size 38 and they fit then and fit now. The pants have belt loops, but I usually wear them without a belt and they stay up well. I think the elasticity of the material is to thank for all of this.
The pants are super light, literally to the point you don’t feel like you have anything on. And they are breathable and quick drying, cool to wear on a hot day and quick to dry if you get in the water a bit or start to sweat.
I hate using sunscreen, as bad as I know I need to wear it. So, having pants like these that offer more protection than shorts but are still cool to wear is a big win for me. I’ve been wearing them through the fall and into the winter, but I did get to try them out early in the fall in Alabama and down in Florida with air temps hovering around the 80-degree mark.
These are really great for weather from 65 to 85 degrees I’d say. I look forward to having them to wear in even hotter temps, but definitely suggest having something to layer over them for the cooler mornings when the temp is below 65.
One thing I noticed on the lighter color khakis is that they did show stains pretty bad, so you might want to consider that and go with one of the two darker colors if you decide to try a pair for yourself. But I was excited to see that the dinginess and marks washed right out in the washer. So, I’d say these pants are pretty resistant to stains overall.
FINAL THOUGHTS ON COSTA HYBRID PANTS
Again, I’m not a big fan of clothes. So if I were to even consider spending $80 on pants, I’d want a dang nice pair that were comfortable and versatile. And that’s exactly what I’ve found in the Costa Hybrid Tackle Pants. If I had to pick a favorite article of clothing for the lower half of my body, it would be a pretty close tossup between my gray joggers, my favorite pair of jeans and these pants. I’ll speak for my wife in saying it be no contest for her, with these pants winning out.
