The material these pants are made of is very stiff but softens to wearable after a couple washings. They do shrink a bit if you dry them. If they fit perfectly when you get them I would suggest to machine wash cold but hang to dry. The material is tough but does show "white" wear spots on the knees if you kneel a lot. I really like all the pockets on these pants. The extra 2 on the outside of the right cargo pocket are useful additions. I also like the snaps on the cargo pockets vs. cheap hook-n-loop. I wish the back pockets had flaps also. It's very nice that they come in odd sizes. I never have understood why pant manufacturer's think all men can wear pants that are sized 2 inches apart. That extra inch is a lot especially when you wear the next to smallest size. I haven't had this pair long but have a few other pair I've had for a couple years. They are not inexpensive but in my opinion worth the extra vs. most in the $25.00 range.