After Columbia made the idiotic decision to discontinue making their standard Rugged Outdoor Chinos, I found myself looking for an alternative. I ran across these Carhart khakis on Amazon and decided the price was worth a try. So far, I'm impressed. The material is comfortable and breathable for Texas summers of 100*+ temperatures, and they're durable enough to handle rough daily activity without showing wear. Color holds up well to multiple washings.

Only downsides I see are mostly my opinion. I didn't like the patch rear pockets on the Ultimate ROC's. These Carharts have them, but they're more tastefully done. I also miss having the zippered inside right front pocket and velcro closure on the right leg pocket (hint, hint to Carhart ;) ). But I haven't had any problem with the current pocket design, either.

Important to remember: these pants tend to run larger than their size indicates. I wear a 50x30 in the Columbias, and I had to get the Carharts taken in 2" in length & waist to fit. My next order will be in the 48x30 range or smaller.

Yes, I will buy more of these pants. And I'll try Carhart's cargo pants, too. But I'll still pray that Columbia will have an attack of sanity and start making my classic ROC's again.

Then I'll have to buy both..... :)