Leading a workwear revolution, Dovetail produces high end women’s workwear with tons of pockets, room to move, and now, more inclusive sizing. This is our review of the Britt X Ultralight:
The Britt X Ultralight from Dovetail is a whole lot of pants in a relatively light weight package. They’re built from a light weight 7 oz cotton blend (90% cotton, 8% nylon and 2% spandex) treated with DWR for some water protection. They’re constructed with a ton of features, including (big inhale sound) a stretchy comfort waistband, a hip slot, two zippered pockets, reinforced front pockets, two tool loops, a gusseted crotch, reinforced knees with knee pad slots, and reinforced ankle cuffs. They now offer sizes 000 through 24 with varying inseam options, multiple colors, and a retail price of $99.
Durability wise, the pants have held up great. Digging, crawling, flexing and stretching the fabric, and just lounging around, all activities found the pants performing remarkably well. The fabrics are light yet sturdy, thanks in large part to their exceptional cotton weave and ripstop integration. Despite their weight they have relatively thick fabric walls that hold up well with repeat use. Rubbing against concrete, pushing through briars, and even navigating animal claws have yet to have any real consequence with these pants, showing no unusual signs of wear, stretching, or fraying. The stitching in particular is consistent and rugged, holding up just fine wash after wash.
Even with a snug form and tight fit, the Britt X are also quite comfortable. The waist has a soft, padded, stretch liner that holds the pants in place, extra belt loops for a more reliable hold, and the knees and hips have plenty of room to move, with a little extra room inside provided to avoid restricting movement, making them excellent options for those who need to get things done, but also want to be comfortable. The material is soft enough to avoid being abrasive, but certainly have a rugged work feel to them, but even so testers never noticed any issues when wearing them.
Dirty and muddy conditions aren’t an issue here . The Britt X are treated with an unnamed DWR, making them weather and dirt resistant. Mud and dirt generally just brushes right off, but when it doesn’t a cold wash and low heat tumble dry takes care of that (avoid hot water and high heat though). With proper care, they hold their shape, color and weather resistance without issue, and can be re-treated if need be.
As far as usability goes, this is where the pants really shine. Having pockets shouldn’t be so uncommon in women’s pants but here we are. Luckily, the Britt X takes that problem to the logical opposite extreme with pockets, loops, and zippered enclosures placed all around. These pants can and will hold just about anything one would realistically want with them while working or hiking. Zippered pockets hold keys and small tools for safe keeping, while larger pockets can house even larger sized phones even with a robust case. The loops can hold hammers, shears, or various other tools, and they do this all without looking like gaudy cargo pants from the late 90s.
This brings me to my final point, despite all the utility, these pants look great. Careful consideration has been placed on the positioning, angles and sizes of each pocket, loop and panel. Everything is close, tight, and balanced in appearance, using steep angles to provide a flattering yet ruggedly professional aesthetic, while still avoiding that overly accessorized look. They’re sleek without being useless. They’re a surprisingly modern take on workwear despite all they’re built to do, and this is a real accomplishment. These can look right at home at a business casual meeting, on the trail, or in the community garden, all while looking great.
Overall
The Birtt X Lightweight pants from Dovetail are rather exceptional, almost by default. They’re rugged, comfortable, provide exceptional utility and wearability, all while looking great. The materials, stitching, and attention to detail are all top of the class, and it comes through when wearing them. Dovetail has always made some great workwear, and now that they’re improving their sizing to accommodate a wider range of body sizes, they deserve some added recognition. Admittedly, their sizing is still somewhat limited in the grand scheme of things, yet still greatly expanded beyond what most rugged wear companies offer. I hope this trend continues and improves in the future with more sizings, colors, and options for people of all shapes and sizes. If you do fit within their sizing window, these are exceptional pants that are worth their somewhat steep asking price that I easily recommend.
Highly recommended
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