By: XEONIQ [ Instagram | Tumblr ]
Contents
- Introduction
- Performance Specifications
- Design Features
- Issues and Concerns
- Use Case and Styling
- Summary
1. Introduction
I’ve long grappled with how to handle reviews of items that have been gifted to me by different companies. All of my reviews thus far have been of products that I paid my own money for, with no endorsement, in the hopes that the positives and negatives of each product, while being my own subjective evaluation, would be seen as genuine to give the review some sort of integrity. This review is different.
As many of my readers know, my partner owns and runs the Made to Order brand ROSEN and its technical fashion sub-label ROSEN-X. While these remain exclusively her businesses that I do not receive any proceeds of, she does make me products that I am interested in from time to time to test out and provide critique for. The pair of Hiten Trousers in this review were made for me to wear, in a material that at the time was not available as I requested something lighter weight and more breathable than the thicker cotton that the original Hiten Trousers launched in.
I felt it was necessary to talk about these pants because quite frankly I have not worn or tested anything as lightweight or breathable as the Hiten Trousers. My previous go-to lightweight pants were the ROSEN-X Yama in nylon spandex, which are loose and cropped in a karate pant design, but this NyCo used for the Hitens is even lighter and more breathable. For summer techwear or technical fashion outfits in warm climates I cannot name an equal to these pants in terms of comfort in hot and humid weather. The fact that the Hiten Trousers are in a flattering and aesthetically versatile slim, tapered fit and black colourway makes them an item with what I believe to be very wide appeal. And thus I felt it was important to talk about these pants and why I wear them so much in a more in-depth long form article, despite the compromise in integrity of reviewing a piece from my partner’s own brand. If you are interested in reading on, please consider this review in that context.
The ROSEN-X Hiten Trousters in lightweight NyCo retail at $USD299 not including shipping and are made to order taking between 4-8 weeks on average: [STORE LINK]
2. Performance Specifications
ROSEN-X offers the following performance claims for the Hiten Trousers in lightweight NyCo:
- Non-elastic tailored waistband with wide belt loops to accommodate tactical belts
- Multiple waist pockets
- Hidden thigh pockets with zippered closure
- Darting on the knees to increase articulation
- Hardy but soft NyCo fabric
- Lightweight and breathable
- Minor stretch
3. Design Features
This review is for the lightweight NyCo trousers however there are also a sturdy cotton pair that is more similar to denim jeans and a 2-Layer nylon spandex with poly fleece lining water-resistant [STORE LINK]. I own all three but by far the most worn and tested by me is the lightweight NyCo, which since moving to Singapore with its year round hot and humid climate, I have been wearing four times a week minimum.
Let’s get this point out of the way and make it clear: I have not worn a pair of pants that are as lightweight as these and the reason for this is the material. A similar pair of pants that I used to wear years ago were Nike’s SB Flex Icon Chino, from their skateboarding line which featured a cotton spandex blend. While the silhouette was similar and they were robust enough for sports use, they were significantly thicker than these NyCo Hitens and did fall apart after about a year of heavy use. The Nyco material is so light I initially worried that it might tear, rip of break somehow after many wears. It feels like wearing a pair of shorts however you get full leg coverage from the sun. Yet, after around one year, and over a hundred wears, the pants are still fully intact with no damage whatsoever except some overall uniform fading in colour. I am not presenting these pants in their brand new form or after freshly ironing or steaming them; all the photos taken are when the pants have been worn a minimum of two times without washing and are my pair that I’ve had for over a year.
On top of the NyCo in the Hitens being extremely light and breathable, the material is also quick dry on account of its nylon component. Typically after washing a load of laundry with these pants included, when I go to hang the clothes, the Hitens are already mostly dry. When it does rain and the pants get wet, they are quickly dry just from walking around. As anyone who lives somewhere with regular summer rain, it is not fun having to sit in drenched or damp pants outside all day.
One issue that most people who own technical pants will notice is the sound that nylon pants can make when walking, with polyester quieter and cotton quieter again still. Fortunately, the cotton component of the NyCo material keeps these just as quiet as cotton with virtually no noise at all. NyCo does seem to offer the quiet and comfort of cotton with the robustness and quick dry properties of nylon.
I felt it worth noting that the product listing indicates the fabric is “stretchy”. It definitely has stretch to it, but it is not as much as you might expect if you are used to poly-spandex from fast fashion brands. The stretch allows the NyCo to accommodate areas of tightness but it is not overly stretchy compared to the 2-Layer nylon spandex material that ROSEN-X also uses.
In terms of technical features, the Hitens have zippered side seam pockets and darted, articulated knees to keep the pants slim but still provide a good range of motion. I’ve biked, lifted weights at the gym, hiked and performed all manner of physical activities in these with no problem. The belt loops are very wide, I wear a 1″ webbing belt I had made for me with my Hiten Trousers, but these could easily accommodate a 2″ webbing belt. Sturdy and effective YKK zippers are used for the fly and the two side-seam pockets which haven’t failed or had any issue despite heavy use.
While a loose cropped fit with a large seat will fit most people regardless of body type consistently, it is rarely flattering. The slim tapered fit of the Hiten Trousers is something that I think most people can wear and that adds to aesthetic versatility beyond more dramatic silhouette pants.
Finally, while not a design feature, the made to order process is something I talked about in my introduction of my friend Dylan’s futuristic fashion brand ENTREM [ARTICLE LINK]. ROSEN-X products will take between 4-8 weeks to get to you from ordering them in my experience. Part of that time is interfacing with the owner, Gracia, who will confirm details of the order and your sizing. The practical benefit of made to order is that you can get a much more tailored fit than something off the rack from a factory produced brand. Ethically, direct to consumer, made to order garments from independent brands like ROSEN-X are only produced once you have made the order, and this means that unlike factory-made batch productions, which use a huge amount of resources and create significant waste, the overall supply chain has less waste attributed to it and the proceeds go to the tailors who make the clothes and the designer rather than other middle men. The disadvantage of made to order is the wait time and for new customers the process can seem daunting with getting your ideal measurements right. However, ROSEN-X’s owner, Gracia, always takes great care in rectifying issues that do occur with sizing issues to ensure her customers are happy with their clothing.
4. Issues and Concerns
4.1 Lightweight NyCo is Prone to Wrinkling
While this material does iron or steam smooth very easily, being articulated and with a slim tapered fit they will wrinkle quite easily during the day. The thicker cotton fabric version [STORE LINK] and especially the 2-Layer nylon spandex pair do not wrinkle appreciably at all which means that this is the NyCo material’s property and not a design issue. This is a compromise for how lightweight and breathable the material is and should be considered when evaluating the pants for purchase. I’ve included several photos of the pants in this article that are presented worn without being steamed and out and about as they would look typically to give an indication of the level of wrinkling one should expect with this material.
4.2 Slim Tapered Fit may be Challenging to Style with Chunky Footwear
While no pair of pants is going to work with every shoe silhouette, some are definitely more versatile than others. In this regard, my most versatile pair of pants are easily the ROSEN-X Yama Pant, now discontinued, with their regular fit and cropped length, they work with sneakers, boots and shoes all equally well. The ROSEN-X Hiten Trousers with a slim tapered fit on the other hand I only wear with slim sneaker boots, my Danner Tachyons [STORE LINK] specifically, or slim profile low tops. If you prefer wearing chunky sneakers most of the time, these pants might not be an ideal choice for styling.
4.3 Uniform Colour Fading
While the cotton and the 2-L nylon spandex Hiten Trousers I own barely register any fade whatsoever, my lightweight NyCo pair are now a faded off-black. Unlike in denim jeans, the fading is not occurring at high-abrasion wear points like the knees or hips but rather is a overall fade, perhaps from washing. Keep this in mind if you are looking for a pair of jet-black pants that keep that colour for a long time as the NyCo will fade more than the 2-L nylon spandex version.
One thing to note is that NyCo, like its parent materials nylon and cotton, takes to RIT dye very well, and refreshing the blackness with a bottle of liquid RIT in the washing machine or sink is not a huge job to do every year or so. I actual prefer the off-black fading personally but should make it clear it will happen over time.
5. Use Case and Styling
The Hiten Trousers can be styled casually unlike many more dramatic techwear pants. A tucked in tshirt or button shirt and low-top shoes gives a simple casual look. With the right technical accessories, tactical bag, more aggressive performance shoes or boots, it will give you a military casual look. The same can’t be said for many techwear pants that only work in more dramatic techwear outfits and look quite out of place in casual social situations. The Hiten Trousers are highly versatile in that regard.
I’ve included two outfits below for sample styling.
5.1 Layered Military Casual
Outfit Summary
- Issey Miyake Cotton Fleece Vest
- C.P. Company Nylon Shacket
- ROSEN-X Hiten Trousers in NyCo [STORE LINK]
- Danner Tachyons [STORE LINK]
- Nike NSW Eugene Cheyenne 2000 Backpack
- Jean Paul Gaultier Sunglasses
- Casio G-8000
5.2 Minimal Military Casual
Outfit Summary
- Cotton On Crewneck Tee
- ROSEN-X Hiten Trousers in NyCo [STORE LINK]
- Danner Tachyons [STORE LINK]
- MWC Field Watch
- Condor Failsafe Elite [SHELLZINE REVIEW]
- DIY Holster Bag
6. Summary
6.1 Pros
- Lightweight NyCo fabric is the lightest, most breathable material I’ve ever had for pants (and I’ve tried a lot given I live in the tropics)
- Very quick dry NyCo material that is quiet unlike most nylon pants
- Versatile and flattering slim tapered fit works for most people and can be worn in minimal casual outfits, not just dramatic techwear or military-inspired outfits
6.2 Cons
- NyCo fabric is susceptible to wrinkling compared to the cotton or 2L nylon spandex pairs in the same design
- Slim tapered fit doesn’t work well with very chunky footwear (in my opinion)
- Nyco fabric experiences uniform colour fading over time with many washes
6.3 Verdict
These are my go-to warm weather “do everything” pants, the fact they are made to measure for a tailored fit to my body and are aesthetically versatile is icing on the cake. If you find your current pants to be just too insulating in the summer or want a pair of pants for summer techwear outfits that will get a lot of use, then consider the ROSEN-X Hiten in the NyCo material.
Ethical Statement: This product was made for me for free, by my partner who owns and operates the brand ROSEN-X. I made this review on my own accord and receive no compensation from this; however unlike all my previous reviews for Shell Zine, I did not pay my own money for these pants. Consider the review in that context.