Tested: LIVSN EcoTrex Pants, Reflex Shorts, & Women’s Trail Tights

Buying clothes hits us all in different ways. Some people buy clothes to replace worn out ones or sizes we have grown out of. Others buy clothes to stay on trend with the latest colors, and styles but at the end of the day, we all need to buy clothes on a regular basis. That translates to a massive impact on the planet, with the apparel industry being accountable for 20% of global plastic consumption, pushing out nearly 10% of global emissions, gobbling up fresh water, and the fast fashion trend also being fast at going from shelf to landfill.

To make the clothing we wear a more sustainable venture, buying clothes designed to minimize their impact on the environment that have been designed to last can make a huge impact. Finding brands that truly take this to heart is a challenge, which is why it was so refreshing to discover the high quality, sustainable products from LIVSN.

In the event of a manufacturer defect, LIVSN stands behind their products with a full manufacturer warranty, repairing, replacing, or refunding owners for the faulty product at no charge. If you wear out their products, LIVSN is still in your corner, repairing the product for you at zero mark up. If they can’t repair it, they’ll hook you up with a fat discount on a replacement. This is clutch. The more use we can get out of our gear, the lower the negative impact our lives will ultimately have on the planet.

LIVSN EcoTrek Trail Pants

Right out of the gate, LIVSN’s Ecotrek Trail Pants absolutely scream quality. They are made from a nylon blend they call Blue Ocean Nylon that boasts a core of 70% recycled nylon sourced from retired ocean buoys. Many nylon products are thin, feel cheap, and aren’t built with durability in mind but these are different. They pack a heavier weight than any other nylon pants I’ve seen, with a feel that’s much closer to a denim or lightweight canvas than nylon.

Disclaimer: Not my butt. Image courtesy: LIVSN

After testing them around town for a few days, I wore them on a trip overseas and found the balance of durability, flexibility, and weight to be a dream. From temperatures of 10C to 28C, they breathed, stretched, and even kept me warm when it counted. On long flights, they didn’t bunch up and kept all my parts happy, breathing, and organized.

From the start, they were comfortable and didn’t need any time to break in before they felt right. They fit like a second skin, ready and waiting for me to figure out what adventures were in store for us. The zippered rear pockets were perfect for keeping my passport and phone safe from pickpockets when running around the city.

Image courtesy: LIVSN

I’m hard on my things, so durability is an important factor for my pants. I regularly go from keyboard jockey to gardener to cabinet builder and back before lunch and having gear that can keep up is critical. These pants took everything I threw at them and still look brand new. It is clear that LIVSN is relentless about quality, with double-needle flat-felled seams, reinforcement tape and stitching at every turn, these

Taking them out onto the trails, the water resistant fabric kept water out, while the mesh lining inside wicked unwanted moisture away from the skin and out. I spend a lot of my week on ebikes, and was thankful for the built in roll up cuffs with reflective striping. It’s a small detail, but I’ll take every piece of extra safety I can get my hands on when cycling around town.

Image courtesy: LIVSN

Capable of tackling anything from rock climbing to internet browsing, cycling to business meetings, the LIVSN Ecotrek Trail Pants are the ultimate swiss army knife of pants. Just throw them on and know that you’ll be ready for whatever the day has in store for you. At $129, these pants aren’t cheap, but they are well-positioned to step into just about any wardrobe to replace several pairs, letting you do more with less.

LIVSN Reflex Shorts

Summer is upon us and with yet another toasty forecast on the horizon, it’s time to bust out the shorts. LIVSN’s Reflex Shorts are designed for the active lifestyle with a heavy duty elastic waistband and stretchy gusseted crotch that look like they were ported over from a pair of workout tights. These foundational elements are framed out with a lightweight, water resistant recycled polyester fabric blend that leaves the shorts with an airy, weightless feel.

The wide waistband of the shorts didn’t feel like most shorts with their defined waistlines, but after a few minutes, I had completely forgotten about it. Inside of the band, LIVSN included a drawstring, so you can tie them up before spontaneously hitting the high dive to minimize the potential for them to accidentally end up around your ankles.

These shorts are a little softer than the Ecotrek Pants, making them perfect for warmer weather. They might be slightly less durable, but they’re no less sustainable, constructed with 72% Recycled Polyester and 28% Polyester Doubleweave. As a medium weight short, the LIVSN Reflex Shorts were more than up to the task of hiking or cycling. Regardless of what I had planned for the day, throwing these on made me feel like I was going to have an adventure-filled day.

Image courtesy: LIVSN

Both rear pockets are finished off with durable, easy to use YKK zippers with a button fly up front for easy access. These shorts are built to enable whatever adventures you want to throw at it. At $79, they aren’t cheap, but with LIVSN’s lifetime Fair Deal Guarantee backing them, you can purchase knowing they’ll be in your life for a long time.

LIVSN Women’s Trail Tights

Tights are all the rage in the workout scene for both men and women, but with their proliferation across different applications, many tights are designed to be essentially disposable. LIVSN doesn’t play that game, starting off with a pair of medium weight Women’s Trail Tights that are equally comfortable on the trail and in the studio. On top of that, these are built using a mind boggling 89% recycled nylon with the balance being spandex.

Image courtesy: LIVSN

LIVSN shipped these tights for my wife in zero plastic, with a piece of twine tying them off to the paper display hanger. It seems small, but stacking small change on top of small change over time ends up making a huge impact. We can do this if we all take lots of little steps in the right direction.

Tights are increasingly evolving into the cargo pants of the slim fit world and LIVSN has built a ridiculous number of pockets into these slim fit tights, including the popular slide in media pocket on the right thigh that’ll fit just about any smartphone, a YKK-zippered pocket on the right thigh, a wider pocket on the left thigh and a hidden waistband pocket.

Image courtesy: LIVSN

The medium weight of these tights gives them more durability and a bit of extra warmth without being overbearing. It’s just enough to keep your legs warm on the way to the gym in the morning without making you feel claustrophobic when it’s time to hit the trails after work. These tights are well-rounded, with an abrasion resistant fabric that is clutch for climbers and active types. Most tights are just looking for an excuse to split open, so this is an especially welcome addition to this segment.

We absolutely love that these tights come in at the affordable price point of $99, a bargain compared to many premium tights on the market. That price also gets you a full lifetime warranty which makes these tights that much more attractive.

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