Looking for recommendations - mens pants to be worn in Italy in July

There is no rule against wearing shorts. Men do it every day. The only times you'll need long pants are for visiting certain churches and for very nice dinners. All other time shorts are fine. Both men and women wear shorts while touring Rome. I wouldn't worry too much about it.

Donna

Check out Bluff Works (http://shop.bluffworks.com/).

I travel a lot for work and this last year my wife bought me two pair of Bluff Works travel pants. They are by far my new favorite travel gear. They pack light, dry easily, look good and still have the key security features I look for in travel pants (hidden pocket, zippered back pocket, small phone pocket, security loop).

I've had REI and Eddie Bauer travel pants in the past and those don't come close to Bluff Works.

DJ

If you want to be an American in Europe wear shorts. Not that that is bad, it just is. Ihave done it but not very often.

I wear dockers or any light khakis. It can get hot but not that bad, nor worse than the US. Travel pants would be fine too.

Germany, Austria and Switzerland are a bit cooler generally.

Convertble pants with zip off bottom legs are very popular. I usually wear them as shorts and carry the bottoms in the cargo pockets. I zip on the legsjust before going into a church or in the evenings.

Many Italian men as well as Austrian men wear shorts during the summer if they aren't going to work. Nobody cares what you wear, I promise. Just wear what is comfortable - you are a tourist after all and there will be no hiding that.

My husband likes these---now on sale at REI. The fabric is stretchy and comfortable, cool and dries quickly. The cut is not as casual as a hiking pant with cargo pockets, so they are nice enough to wear to dinner in the evening.

Brett, I like Haggar Cool 18 slacks which I buy at Kohl's, where they are inexpensive and seem to always be "on sale". They are lightweight, nice looking, easy to wash and quick to dry ( although I get them dry cleaned at home). You can check them out, even order, at Kohl's web site, no doubt other places too. They come either with pleats or without, in many, many sizes. They also come in black, navy, and various shades of grey and brown. I prefer the mid-brownish, even olive-ish, color which I think is called "brown heather" or something close to that.

We've traveled to Italy for over 10 years now, one trip a year. My husband wears jeans for the plane ride, and for going out to eat at night. He likes shorts, as he gets really hot. That said, our travels are usually in May, not in the heat of summer.

I pack him some Docker or Timberland shorts that hit the knee. You'll see "manpris" on men...capris for guys worn by europeans (mostly likely Germans!)

You are there for a short period of time, with LOTS AND LOTS of other American tourists. Wear what you want to wear, be comfortable. Honestly, you are the only one who cares what you look like. There will be lots of strange fashions everywhere that you can look at too.

Jeans would be too hot in the summer, nylon can also be very warm. Cotton khakis sound about right for the temps, but I'd recommend a darker color like grey (neutral color) that would hide your gelato and tomato sauce stains. : > )

Convertible pants, I know, someone else here loves them, are in my mind the tackiest way to dress. Those are really for camping, not sightseeing. (somehow the travel industry thinks these are good looking- they were designed in the outdoor industry first for hiking trips) But, I already said, wear what you feel comfortable wearing...so there you go! Each to their own!

Shorts will be an issue if you wish to go into churches or other religious venues, but just fine everywhere else....really.

I will second the recommendation for the Bluffworks Pants. They are made with the traveler in mind and only the traveler. Therefore, they work at all levels. They are light, look great, have perfect sizing options, wash quickly and easily, have several security pockets and always look like they've just been ironed, but you didn't iron them. Win - Win.

I travel in Sportif pants. They're available in regular or cargo styles and have just enough stretch in the fabric to make them super comfortable. And forgiving for all the good food you'll eat! The regular style has an interior front zipper pocket and they come in two different weights.

I was pretty happy last July with Columbia "Royce Peak" pants. Comfortable and pretty low maintenance. If you need an extra couple of pockets, they make a cargo version with pockets that aren't too conspicuous.

Thanks for all the comments. Some good suggestions to check out and it sounds like shorts are a possibility as well.

I see I forgot to include the link! Here it is:

http://www.rei.com/product/810258/prana-stretch-zion-pants-mens-32-inseam

My favorite travel pants are the REI Adventure Pants (without cargo pockets). Color choices are a bit limited but they are light weight, stretchy, quick-drying, and have a hidden zippered pocket in one of the front pockets (perfect for security). Wrinkles seemed to fall right out of these pants and they dried overnight after being washed. And, they're only $49.95 (full price)!

I've found that Italian men have a higher temperature point before they switch to shorts than we do in the US. The exception unsurprisingly is resort towns/beaches.

One thing I like about lightweight long pants in warm sunny weather is that you don't have to put sunscreen on your legs. And you don't have to worry about what to do if you stumble across a church that you want to check out. (It tends to be the larger churches that have rules against exposed knees.)

As for Germany/Austria/Switzerland, it appears that shorts are virtually mandatory for men once the temp gets above about 65. (^_^)

I wear the same pants for work with button down shirts in my office that I do when I travel. Get a few pairs of Golf Pants (Nike, Callaway, Greg Norman). I found several that are wrinke wristant, and they are already lightweight material. I only travel with 2 and pack super light. 1 pair of black and 1 pair of grey. Pretty much goes with any shirt color top you want.

Dockers has many clothing lines and some are travel-oriented. I try to stay away from jeans or other cotton pants when travelling because they just don't do heat well. Microfiber slacks are always on sale at department stores, Marshalls, etc. They also don't mind getting wet.

Or you could get heavy duty

https://www.clothingarts.com/collections/pickpocket_proof_business_travel

I'm European (Danish) and I do like funpic.

Convertible pants with zip off bottom legs are very popular. I usually wear them as shorts and carry the bottoms in the cargo pockets. I zip on the legs just before going into a church or in the evenings.

Some people say they look goofy - who cares.

I second Lola's suggestion.
The PrAna brand Stretch Zion pants.
The best pants I have ever owned, actually wearing pair in Dark Khaki right now.
REI carries them but usually have to go online rather than in store to find all sizes/colors, etc..
The REI brand stuff and other brands look too casual.

Available in different inseams until this year they were hard to figure the best size as they were sold in SM, MD, LG, XL, etc... and with just one inseam but now for 2016 they are sold in 30/32/34 inseams and by the waist so just like any other pant brand. They have about 8 colors.

Lightweight, never wrinkle, water proof. Super stretch for leg movements when hiking, dry almost immediately, near impossible to stain. Crotch area is very roomy, air vents everywhere. They come rolled up in a tiny package for travel.
I can wear to work or out hiking, for Europe traveling and packing light there is nothing better.
This model is a bit more casual as they have a cargo pocket and the bottoms can be rolled up and buttoned.
Seriously good for super hot or super cold weather.

They also make a convertible short/pant version which is more casual but otherwise the same pants.
If you need something a little more dressier but still all of the same benefits except for air ventilation and without the cargo pockets.
They make a Brion models less colors but also fantastic pants, a little dressier when you lose the cargo pockets and any holes or exterior button snaps but same amazing material

Pricing is on the high side but well worth it, think the Brion are $75 ; the Zion $85 and the convertible Zion $95

They are on sale at REI right now, and probably other places as well.

Lola, I believe all sales are for the pre-2016 versions and very limited stock remains most everywhere.
Same pants so worth checking out but need to guess a bit more on the size since they are not by waist measurements.

Instead of giving hard and fast rules like no T shirts and no white sneakers, I just suggest you look age-appropriate. Whatever that might happen to be. And perhaps dress up a bit more than you would at home, like you were visiting relatives you haven't seen for a while.

It's been said before and it's true, look at online travel videos and check out how the locals are dressed and how the tourists are dressed. It's your call. Rick is always neat and presentable but hardly overdressed.

Take the same pants you would wear at home. I do that and fit in quite well. Jeans and darker khaki pants that do not require dry cleaning are my choices. Since I am not hiking the forests for days and camping or climbing mountains, the type of pants you find at outdoor stores don't really seem to have any appeal to me, especially the zip off leg type.

I'm not much for wearing shorts except around the house to do yard work or when I am at the beach. Most of the people I saw on my last trip to Italy who were not obviously tourists wore long pants.

Another vote for Prana Zion. I bought a dark charcoal/black pair at REI and they were even perfect for an opera - really!

My DH found a pair of so-called "golf pants" on sale at Dillard's a couple of years ago, and they've been his main travel pants ever since. I think the brand was Greg Norman. Light weight, wrinkle free, easy to wash, quick to dry, lots of pockets, and they look great. His other travel pants are more along the Dockers line - and not all that different from the golf pants. My own rule: be comfortable. If you're not comfortable in what you're wearing, you're taking away from the pleasure of your trip. I seldom wear jeans or shorts at home, so I don't wear them while traveling (unless we're hiking, here in the States.) Being comfortable is paramount.

Some nice jeans/dockers will work. don't over think it. What would you wear here in the States when you go out on the weekend to be around town. Same for Italy!