ABC Pant Review – God’s gift to men? Or expensive marketing gimmick?

In Men, Pants, We Tried It Approved by Mr. We Tried It21 Comments

Mr. We Tried It

Lululemon ABC Pants Review: Are Lululemon’s ABC Pants God’s gift to mankind? Read our comprehensive, unbiased review on the pants that promise to be the most comfortable you own.

A Top Pants Pick
The 1, the only... lululemon ABC Pants
4.5
  • Super comfortable ABC Technology (Anti-Ball Crushing), yes, you read that correctly.
  • Comes in a variety of styles, colors and fabrics
  • A great all-around pair of pants
  • The only thing we don't like? The seam behind the knees and some inconsistent sizing (but lululemon has SUPER easy returns).
Buy Now
We might earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.
ABC Pant Review: I have 4 colors in my closet
The four pairs of lululemon ABC Pants I own. You could easily call these the “lululemon mens khaki pants” or the “lululemon mens dress pants”

We love ABC Pants so much, they’ve made it to our Men’s Best Clothing Guide. See more great clothes, like the ABC Pants in our Men’s Best Clothes guide.

The Amazing Four Way Stretch Of these pants puts them in our Very Best Men’s Cloth Guide

At We Tried It, we’re not your typical experts. We’re just an average family from Fort Collins, Colorado, who likes testing out new products.

We’ve tested over 8 different pairs of lululemon ABC pants and we love some and don’t love some others.

You can trust us to give you an honest, real-life perspective on products because we’re just like you, searching for the best value for our hard-earned dollar.

Also, check out our new ABC Shorts Review (aka the lululemon commission shorts review).

ABC Pant Review: What are lululemon ABC Pants?

It turns out there isn’t just 1 “lululemon ABC Pant.” It’s actually the name given to a technology used by many Lululemon ABC Pants. There are over 5 different styles of Lululemon ABC Pants (1 even being the ABC Jogger).

Different ABC Pant Styles: A chose your own adventure approach

Lululemon recently updated their ABC pants to be available in different styles, fits, lengths and fabrics.

It used to be that all ABC Pants were Warpstreme fabric, but they have expanded.

Current ABC Pant Styles:

ABC 5 Pocket Pants – Think “jean style” pants

ABC Trousers – Think “Chino Style Pants

ABC Joggers – The newest style

A couple of other assorted styles, like the pull-on, etc.

Current ABC Pant Fits

The new slim fit follows the natural lines of your body with added room through hips and thighs.

Relaxed Fit is exactly what is sounds like, a slightly baggier fit than classic.

The classic fit is right in between Slim Fit and Relaxed fit. This is the most common fit.

Skinny fit appears to be being discontinued, as it’s only available in 1 style right now.

Current ABC Pant Fabrics

Warpstreme – the fabric that started it all.

Utilitech – a more rugged version – but less stretchy.

Cotton – the lululemon “stretch” cotton is not our favorite, it’s super prone to wrinkles.

Current ABC Pant Lengths

As of right now, you can get the ABC pants in 30″, 32″ or 34″ inseams. You used to only be able to get them in 34″ inseams, so this is a welcome change!

Some people also like to call these lululemon abc pant mens or even, for short: lululemon abcs. But whatever you do, please don’t call them lulu lemon abc pants – respect the brand. 🙂

ABC lululemon meaning: what does ABC stand for with lululemon?

ABC lululemon meaning
What does ABC stand for with lululemon?

Lululemon ABC Stands for “Anti-Ball Crushing.” This is really just a marketing technique. To us, it simply means two things: They are really comfortable and they look good.

When people talk about the “ABC Pant” they are typically talking about the ABC Pant 5-Pocket Classic or the ABC Trouser (previously the Commission Pant Slim Warpstreme 34″).

Lululemon ABC Pants are made from warpstreme fabric. We explain, exactly what is warpstreme fabric and how it is different than any other fabric on the market.

ABC Pant Review: How are EXACTLY are ABC Pants Anti-Ball crushing?

This is something that we were curious about, too. It turns out that ABC Pants have a “gusset.” It’s the triangle piece of fabric in the animated GIF below:

The outlined part is a Gusset, the extra area around the crotch.

That area is called a “gusset.” What’s a gusset crotch?

gus·set
‘gəsət/
noun
a piece of material sewn into a garment to strengthen or enlarge a part of it, such as the collar of a shirt or the crotch of an undergarment.

In short – it’s what makes the ABC Pants Anti-Ball Ball Crushing.

ABC Pant Review: What is the difference between different ABC Pant Styles?

As of the publication of this, there are over 60, yes 60, ABC Styles listed on the lululemon website! As part of our ABC Pant Review to help you decide what style is right for you.

There are really only two ABC Pants your should even consider: the ABC Pant Classic or the Commission Pant Slim Warpstreme 34″. Here’s how they are different.

Here’s a quick guide to the difference in ABC Pants Styles:

ABC Pant Classic – 5-Pocket Design

This is the easiest to define – these are jean-like in almost every sense of the word. They have jean-like pockets in the front and back.

The ABC Pant Slim

Almost exactly the same as the ABC Pant Classic, but a slightly slimmer fit overall.

Compare the ABC Pant Classic (left) vs. The ABC Pant Classic Slim (right)

The ABC Pants Jogger

Looks more like a sweatpant than a dress of jean pants. These are still made of the Warpstreme Fabric.

ABC Trousers – Previously Called The “ABC Commission Pants”

We love the Commission pants (sorry, they are now called the ABC Trousers) the most. They have a slightly dressier look to them than the ABC Pant Classic or ABC Pant Slim.

Commission just means that they are more “chino” style.

Chino style pockets is the biggest difference between the ABC Trouser Pants and the ABC Classic and ABC Slim Pants.

lululemon Tech Canvas

These are the closest things to lululemon jeans that they will ever make. Read our full lululemon jeans review. They now come in a couple of colors, which is kinda interesting.

Note: This product is currently out of stock.

As we mentioned, the only two REAL styles you should consider are the ABC Pant Classic and ABC Trouser Pant Slim.

The ABC Pant Classic

The ABC Pants that started it all.

ABC Trouser Pant Slim

The ABC Style Pants that I wear all the time.

These are our personal favorite Lululemon ABC Pants. They are made of the same material as the ABC Pant Classic, however, they are much slimmer and have Chino style pockets.

ABC Pants Utilitech vs. Warpstreme

Warpstreme vs. Utilitech? It all depends on what you need them for. This is almost a canvas-like material.

The main difference between Utilitech and Warpstreme fabric is the thickness. What’s better? Think of Utilitech as the thicker brother of Warpstreme. It’s thicker, less stretchy but also warmer and abrasion-resistant. Utilitech would be great if you are biking outside, for example.

I always tend to run hot, so warmer pants are not really my thing. However, if you need to stay warm and you run a little on the colder side, these pants could be awesome for you. Read our full Utilitech Review, too.

lululemon ABC vs. Commission – what’s the difference?

The main difference between ABC and Commission is simply the fit. lululemon has moved to the moniker of ABC Classic to mean “jean style pants” (not to be confused with the lululemon jean) vs. Commission, which is more of a Chino style pant.

All have ABC Technology in it.

To make things even more confusing, all commission pants have “ABC™ technology,” but they aren’t called ABC Pants.

Confused yet?

In short, buy the lululemon pants that best fit your style – either lululemon ABC classic, lululemon utilitech, or lululemon commission pants, and they will have an ABC fit.

ABC Pants Sizing

Just stop by a location lulu store and get your pants hemmed.

ABC Pants run true to size, in general. lululemon previously only offered 34 inch long pants, which is really long for a dude like me (I typically wear 32 waist and 30 length). Now, lululemon offers multiple lengths on their sizes.

But here’s something that most people don’t know about lululemon:

FREE Hemming! Not a lot of people know this but Lululemon offers free hemming on their pants. The pants come REALLY long, 34 inches. But Lululemon offers free hemming at any store – as long as they haven’t been hemmed before. You also can’t return the products after they have been hemmed.

What does the number mean in the size on ABC Pants?

You may have seen the numbers in the sizing on the lululemon website:

For example, the ABC Pant Slim 32″ simply refers to the inseam – or the length of the pants.

A quick warning: The sizing for ABC Pants has been REALLY consistent, with the exception of one color, the Light Cast. It’s a newer color, but it was about 1-2 inches smaller than the other Lululemon ABC pants that I’ve tried. Otherwise, they run pretty true to size.

ABC Pants: What else should I know?

A couple of other things you should know about ABC Pants:

  • The two we reviewed (ABC Pant Classic and Commission Pant) are made from a fabric called Warpstreme. It’s got four-way stretch and is moisture wicking. Read more about Warpstreme.
  • We’ve also reviewed Utilitech (see our ABC Utilitech Pants Review). Think of this as a thicker, less-stretchy version of the classics.
  • ABC Pants made with Warpstreme don’t wrinkle like traditional dress pants or Khakis, but they are not 100% wrinkle-proof. If you simply splash a bit of water on them and wear them for a couple of minutes, your body heat is enough to de-wrinkle them. It’s not as good as Mizzen + Main shirts, but it’s a huge improvement over traditional pants.
  • Both the ABC Pants Classic and Commission Pant have a zipper pocket on the side, to make sure your items don’t fall out. It’s big enough for your passport.
  • The Commission Pants have Hidden Snaps in the back pockets, meaning they won’t gape at all.
  • Both pants we tested have a neat reflective strip that shows when you roll up the pant leg – great if you are using your ABC Pants to bike somewhere.
  • Jim Harbaugh, head football coach at the University of Michigan was famous for wearing cheap, $10 Khakis from Walmart. He recently tried Lululemon ABC Pants and won’t wear anything else.

ABC Pants: What don’t we love?

Nothing is perfect. But ABC Pants are close. Here are a couple of small things we don’t love about ABC Pants:

  1. The price. At about $125/pair, they are pretty expensive! We occasionally find ABC Pants on sale in the “We Made Too Much” Section of the Lululemon Website.
  2. Not water repellent. Some other pants you might place in the same category (like Outlier) have water repellent treatment. Lululemon ABC Pants do not.
  3. The seam on the inside of the knee. As you can see in our video review of ABC Pants, there is a very slight seam on leg behind where your knee would be. It’s almost impossible to see if you are moving, but it’s the one sure-fire way that you can tell if someone is wearing a pair of ABC pants.
Lululemon ABC Pant Tech Canvas Review: The infamous seam behind the knees can be found on these pants, too.

lululemon ABC Pants: How to style

Pairs well with Mizzen + Main dress shirts for ultimate comfort.

The great thing about the lululemon commission pants, is you can almost style them like dress pants. I typically wear them with Mizzen + Main Dress shirts. I wouldn’t try to make them look like suit pants, but they go well with a Mizzen + Main Shirt or Polo Shirt.

What Shoes to Wear with Lululemon ABC Pants?

Ah, the age-old question: “What shoes should I wear with my Lululemon ABC Pants?” It’s like asking what wine pairs best with cheese – it’s not as straightforward as you might think!

How I typically style them

I typically wear them with white Rothy’s RS01 Shoes (Rothy’s Mens Shoe Review) or a pair of Amberjack Shoes (Amberjack Review) or even Wolf and Shepard Shoes (Wolf and Shepard Review),

I also usually wear them, typically with Cole Haan Zerogrand shoes (see our Zerogrand Review) or something like the Hari Mari Boots (see our Hari Mari Review).

Recently, I’ve upgraded my Cole Haan Zero Grands to Amberjack Shoes. What’s Amberjack? Check out our Amberjack Review.

Personally, I have no problem wearing these pants to work or the office. They are casual, but not too casual. They are just awesome.

Avoiding the Overdressed Trap

Now, I know you might be tempted to pull out those shiny tuxedo shoes, but hold your horses! Wearing tux shoes with ABC Pants is like putting ketchup on a fine steak. It just doesn’t work. Remember, these pants come from a yoga company, so let’s not get too carried away.

Loafers and White Shoes: A Safe Bet

If you’re still scratching your head, don’t worry. A nice loafer or a clean white shoe can be your go-to option. It’s like the vanilla ice cream of footwear – simple, classic, and goes with almost anything.

Let’s Talk About Pockets

In almost every pair of lululemon pants (except the lululemon pants that are yoga pants, obviously). Lululemon’s ABC Pants are no exception.

Almost every single lululemon ABC pant, even the slim fit ones, have zippers. All have right back pocket zippers. Another sign these are awesome.

Cheaper… or better ABC Pant Alternative?

We’ve tested a lot of pants, in hopes of finding a cheaper alternative.

An amazing ABC Pants Dupe
Quince Ultra-Stretch 24/7 Chinos
4.5
$49.90

We've found a great, cheaper alternative to Lululemon ABC Pants. We've searched before and came up short... until now. They are comfortable, lightweight and about half the price as ABC pants.

The only downside? The colors are a little unique.

Buy Now
We might earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.

The best we’ve found is Quince. Read all about our cheaper lululemon ABC pant alternative and the overall best ABC Pant Alternatives.

Get the Quince Chinos here for only $49. Fabletics (check out our Fabletics Review, too) also has an ABC Pant Competitor, that I’ll post shortly.

Other options

Super stretchy and lightweight
Helmsman Chino Pant - Mizzen+Main
$138

We really love Mizzen + Main, and these pants are no exception. About the same price as ABC Pants, but these are lighter and stretchier.

Buy Now Mizzen + Main Review
We might earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.

We really like the Helmsman Chino Pant from Mizzen + Main, too (read all about them in our Mizzen + Main Review). What we love:

  • They are something different
  • They are more lightweight
  • They feel really good on.

The only downside? They don’t look super, duper dressy – but most people won’t know the difference.

lululemon ABC Pant Review: The final verdict

A Top Pants Pick
The 1, the only... lululemon ABC Pants
4.5
  • Super comfortable ABC Technology (Anti-Ball Crushing), yes, you read that correctly.
  • Comes in a variety of styles, colors and fabrics
  • A great all-around pair of pants
  • The only thing we don't like? The seam behind the knees and some inconsistent sizing (but lululemon has SUPER easy returns).
Buy Now
We might earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.

Mr We Tried It simply loves his Lululemon ABC Pants – excuse us – the Commission Slim Warpstreme 34″. They are his go-to pants, even above jeans (he recently tried Duer Jeans and loves them, while we’re working on the review, get a Duer Promo Code).

We love ABC Pants and can’t recommend them enough. Shop the ABC Pant Store on Lululemon. Sometimes we’ve found a discount on the ABC Pants in the We Made Too Much Shop of the Lululemon website.

See what others are saying about ABC Pants.

Looking for more pant styles?

We reviewed the Lululemon ABC Pants here, but you might also want to check out our Mega Pants Review.

Looking for something fancier? Check out our Everlane Performance Chinos Review or the Ministry of Supply Suit Review. We also really love the Myles Tour Pants and Myles Tour Chino (read our full Myles Tour Review). Want a cheaper version of lululemon ABC Pants? Check out the Quince Chinos.

Looking for something more casual? Check out the Lululemon Jeans Review. Also, check out the lululemon tech canvas’s thicker brother – lululemon utilitech in our full lululemon utilitech review.

Are you the athletic type? Find out what to wear under boardshorts, while you’re at it!

ABC Pant – FAQs

What does ABC stand for in ABC Pants?

It stands for “Anti-ball crushing.” ABC means that you aren’t going to have a really tight area in the crotch?

Do ABC Pants last a long time?

Yes! They last a long time and are well made, at least in our experience. If you have any issues, lululemon has great customer support!

What is the difference between ABC Pant Styles?

ABC Pants Classic are basically like jeans. ABC Commission Pants are basically like khakis/chinos. ABC Tech Canvas Pants are basically like jeans. ABC utilitech is fairly close to canvas/thicker pants.

Does lululemon make jeans?

Not exactly. They make the lululemon tech canvas pants, which are close to jeans.

How do you wash ABC Pants?

We recommend using Woolite detergent on delicate cycle then hanging dry. If you get a stain, use some Oxiclean on it to soak before washing.

Are ABC Pants breathable?

Yes – the ABC Pants Classic, ABC Commission Pants, and ABC Tech Canvas Pants are very breathable. The ABC utilitech pants are less breathable.

Are ABC Pants stretchy?

Yes – the ABC Pants Classic, ABC Commission Pants, and ABC Tech Canvas Pants are very stretch. The utilitech pants are thicker and less stretchy.

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