Reader Advice: Duck Hunt Camo Pants

Full disclosure:  Overall, I’m not a huge camo fan.  I do like some camo accessories – we have a tote bag, and I have some Field Notes and a few caps that are in various styles of camo, but that’s about it.  I do really like the old duck hunt camo.  It has a cool, vintage look, but has been been dated by some of the more technical camos that are out there today.

I came across these pants on Ebay for an extremely low price, and I bit.  For $20 (shipped), you’re looking at a pair of old Wells canvas pants, complete with Ranger pockets.  They are way too long for me, so I’m looking for a little advice: what would you do with these pants?  I believe I have four options:

  1. Leave them as is, and wear them with boots.
  2. Get them tailored like a pair of everyday khakis – think ‘J. Crew Essential Khakis’.  I’d wear them almost like a pair of jeans.
  3. Get them tailored like a pair of dress khakis – no break with 2″ cuffs.  I’d wear them with a blazer and loafers…probably to outdoorsy events/banquets.
  4. Get them cut into shorts.

Let’s hear it, folks – what would you do?  Here are more images:

Let me know what you think in the comments below.

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14 Comments

  1. Jonathan
    01/30/2017 / 7:54 AM

    Camo is for the field. Any attempt to wear anything other than a camo hat (extremely casually) and you run the risk of looking like you’re trying too hard.

    That said I’d cut ’em into shorts at best.

  2. Kurt
    01/30/2017 / 8:04 AM

    Make them field pants. Wear with boots to sporting clay events and such.

  3. Nem
    01/30/2017 / 8:36 AM

    Shorts, hemmed just below that flap pocket.

  4. Carl Hudson
    01/30/2017 / 10:01 AM

    Just have them hemmed and wear as regular field pants, let the utility fit the purpose.

  5. MP
    01/30/2017 / 10:12 AM

    Please avoid option #3

  6. SRL
    01/30/2017 / 10:52 AM

    Shorts for sure

  7. CDS
    01/30/2017 / 11:37 AM

    Option 1.
    These would be money for dove hunts and turkey hunts. If you can grow your wing shooting interest in that direction.
    Also suitable for another quail hunt. Top em off with an orange vest and hat.
    And that would still make option 2, well, an option.

  8. WL
    01/30/2017 / 12:08 PM

    Great pair of pants – definitely wouldn’t turn these into a pair of shorts. Don’t see anything wrong with the pattern, even if worn with blazers (reminds me of some of the loud “go to hell” pants offered by Bonobos sometimes). Only potential concern with option 3 (and to a lesser extent option 2) would be the pockets. Otherwise I say keep these as field / utility pants.

  9. Scotch
    01/30/2017 / 12:12 PM

    Options 3 and 4 made my physically ill. As others have suggested, field pants. Please don’t cut them down to shorts.

  10. Mickey
    01/30/2017 / 1:36 PM

    ” “Ivy Leaguers take themselves quite seriously,” notes Denis Black, manager of J. Press’ Boston store. “But when they have a festive occasion, they like to show up like they work for Ringaling Brothers. They come dressed like that at Harvard commencement, or for the Harvard-Yale football game. They all work for important firms where they’re stodgily dressed, and want to unwind on the weekend in kelly green corduroy pants with a bright yellow shetland sweater. ”

    From: http://www.ivy-style.com/damned-dapper-chens-on-go-to-hell-for-the-rake.html

    If you’re already wearing loafers with no socks to work then what’s the point of GTH? Earnest irony cannot be accomplished by many and if tried it typically equates to cosplaying…

  11. Seth Tapp
    01/30/2017 / 5:40 PM

    I have a pair similar sans pockets on the legs that I wear to outdoors events so I say go for it.

  12. Jeff L.
    01/31/2017 / 10:21 AM

    #1 or #2 but definitely not #3 or #4. The last two options are a bad look once you are out of college.

  13. DCW
    01/31/2017 / 2:21 PM

    I love that you bought those pants with no plans, they are a great find especially at that price. They have pockets that remind me of cheap shorts you could buy at Cabelas or Bass Pro Shops. Just add a styrofoam cooler of bud light(not good). I say hem them like jeans and wear them to bust clays or kick around outside. They are an outdoorsman’s version of go to hell pants like someone said earlier. I was originally going to say wear them with a blazer until I saw those front pockets. Just my two cents, have fun.

  14. Tcb
    02/01/2017 / 8:59 AM

    I’d have a hard time believing the misses would go along with camo shorts. I’d tailor them to fit like everyday kahkis.

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