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10 Pairs of Lightweight Jeans You Can Wear All Summer Long

Summer-friendly renditions of the classic five-pocket pant.

collage of jeans buying guide july 2023 Gear Patrol Staff

By Evan Malachosky and Jacorey Moon

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As hot as summer gets, some people still won’t go out without wearing a pair of jeans. But diehard denimheads don’t have to suffer through the intense heat, baking in their blue jeans. There are plenty of stylish jeans out there catered toward keeping it cool all summer long. Emphasizing lighter-weight denim, these jeans shed the weight to make a for a breezier experience.

What’s the Right Weight for Summer?

Typically, most garden-variety blue jeans will use denim that weighs about 12 to 16 ounces per square yard. Some serious jeans even push the limits and tip the scales well past that, packing on the ounces to the twenties. A few have even strived to make jeans using denim that weighs a full 32 ounces per square yard. That’s two pounds. For reference, that is quite literally like wearing a rug.

What Else to Look for

While some jeans go for denim below that 12-ounce threshold, others take into account additional factors like the weave of a denim as well as materials. If you want to keep extra cool, giving your legs some breathing room with a looser pair of jeans also helps. There are plenty of summer-friendly lightweight jeans on the market and here are our picks for the ones you should consider.

The Best Summer Jeans for Men

Pros

  • They come in size options for different body types

Cons

  • Popular combinations sell out quickly

Cut: Athletic, slim, slim taper, straight and tailored

Washes: 13

Bonobos’ All Season Jeans can really be worn all season (no pun intended). They come in five cuts, have a contoured waistband and feature denim that’s both slightly stretchy and sturdy.

Pros

  • Designed for mobility

Cons

  • Runs somewhat large

Cut: Slim taper

Washes: 5

Remember what I said about jeans that look stretchy? These are definitely one of those, but that’s OK. Bust these out when you want to wear jeans, but it’s sweltering outside. These use American Eagle’s proprietary Airflex+ technology—which adds stretch to the denim, along with a cocktail of fabrics like cotton, recycled polyester and spandex that help the jean breathe, keep its shape, and, well, flex when you move.

Pros

  • High-quality Japanese Denim

Cons

  • They’re on the pricey side

Cut: Classic, relaxed, slim and straight

Washes: 3

Todd Snyder is known for creating durable, fashionable garments with an everyday appeal. These limited-edition jeans are made with Japanese cotton and come in fits ranging from slim to relaxed.

Pros

  • Made with Italian denim
  • Comes in three inseam sizes

Cons

  • Pricey compared to American Eagle and Levi’s

Cut: Slim

Washes: 6

Outerknown’s Ambassador jeans have the right amount of stretch—2% spandex —to keep you comfortable all day. They’re fitted in the waist and cut slim from hip to hem for truly slim fit.

levis men's 502 flex taper jeansCourtesy of Macy’s

Best Traditional Summer Jeans

Levi’s 502 Taper Flex Jeans

Pros

  • Versatile wash options

Cons

  • Popular combinations sell out quickly

Cut: Slim taper

Washes: 17

Regarding jeans, no other brand is as renowned as Levi’s. The brand’s 502 Taper jeans have classic 5-pocket styling and are relaxed fit through the thighs. They also feature Levi’s flex technology providing plenty of give with the addition of one percent Lycra in the weave.

Pros

  • 100% cotton
  • Has a versatile fit

Cons

  • Only comes in one color

Cut: Tapered

Washes: 1

For the selvedge lovers who don’t love the patina process, this pair comes with the “worn” look. They’re made with 100% cotton and have gunmetal shanks and rivets for an understated finish. Also, 3Sixteen states these jeans run big, so make sure to size down or check the sizing chart.

Pros

  • Uses Zimbabwean cotton

Cons

  • Only comes in 1 wash option

Cut: Tapered

Washes: 1

Momotaro, founded in Kojima, Okayama in 2005, offers a selvedge denim option made by hand using Zimbabwean cotton. This cotton type is one of the rarest cotton and it’s harvested by hand in Southern Africa. The brand’s attention to detail, and its methods of quality control, helps make sure these are some of the highest-quality jeans available.

Pros

  • Versatile design

Cons

  • More expensive than Levi’s and American Eagle

Cut: Slim

Washes: 7

Made with cotton, Lycra and recycled polyester, these jeans from J.Crew have a five percent stretch, which will help with comfort. They can easily coordinate with a polo shirt, a button up or a plain ol’ t-shirt. Although they’re more expensive than entry-level jeans, the option’s versatility outweighs the dough.

Pros

  • Vintage-inspired design

Cons

  • Popular combinations sell out quickly

Cut: Tapered

Washes: 8

A straight-fitting silhouette can help keep you cool by lifting the fabric off of your skin, leaving room for you to breathe. But a lightweight, straight-fitting jean is even better — like Abercrombie & Fitch’s 90s Straight Jean, a pre-washed, well-worn pair of jeans that are genuinely brand new (and totally feel like something Zack Morris would wear during the college years of Saved by the Bell).

mens beanflex jeans ll beanL.L. Bean

Best Size-Inclusive Summer Jeans

L.L. Bean BeanFlex Straight-Leg Jeans

Pros

  • Has a wide range of sizes
  • The fabric has moisture-wicking properties

Cons

  • Has a dad jeans vibe that might not fit everyone’s tastes

Cut: Straight

Washes: 8

These are L.L. Bean’s year-round jeans. They’ll wear as nicely in the dead of winter as they do in the dead of summer because they’re neither too heavy nor too light. Plus, they come in an extensive size range: 30-44 in the waist and from a 28-inch inseam up to a 34-inch inseam.

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