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Several years ago, we tried Western Rise and didn’t care for it. However, we just completed a mega review of Western Rise Pants, Shirts, Shorts, and more. Did they change our mind? Read our honest Western Rise Review to find out more!
What is Western Rise?
Western Rise is a technical apparel company that produces clothing for both men and women. The company is based in Denver, Colorado and all of their products are made in the USA. Western Rise focuses on creating clothing that is both functional and stylish.
They utilize a wide range of proprietary fabrics their own “Limitless” Merino wool to their own AirLoft and DryWeight fabrics. Western Rise also offers a wide variety of styles from pants and shorts to shirts and jackets.
Why they started Western Rise
Western Rise was started for a simple reason, the founders were outdoor guides who wanted a duffle bag full of clothing that could take them from the mountains to the city. They wanted clothing that was both functional and stylish.
They wanted to spend less time dealing with clothes and more time doing what they love. That sounds like a great idea to us!
What We Love About Western Rise
Simply put: there’s a ton to love about Western Rise.
No Crazy Designs – Only Timeless Ones
You won’t find crazy designs at Western Rise – just classic styles. We love Western Rise’s design philosophy of timeless clothes that stand the test of time (even if they are technical fabrics not available even a couple of years ago).
Focused on Performance
Western Rise is a clothing company that specializes in performance apparel with unmatched versatility. Their products are made with high-quality materials and attention to detail, meaning that you’ll be able to wear their clothes for any activity, whether it’s hiking, running, or just going to the grocery store.
Super Sustainability
Western Rise also believes in sustainability and using recycled materials whenever possible. So not only will their clothes last you a long time, but you can feel good knowing that you’re supporting a company that is doing its part to reduce its environmental impact. Western Rise is a great choice for anyone who wants clothes that look good, feel great, and are built to last.
What We Don’t Like About Western Rise
While Western Rise has made some serious improvements since we last tried them out, there are still a few areas where they could improve, that we’ll highlight in the product below.
Most of all: they could have a little more stretch in many of their clothes and their clothes run a little small.
I know there are technical reasons that you don’t want your close to the be loose and that’s more of a personal preference.
What We Reviewed from Western Rise
We reviewed 7+ items from Western Rise, including:
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An awesome jogger
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Our new favorite hybrid short
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Great active or WFM short
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An incredibly well-designed vest
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Thick, but great wool shirt
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High-quality tee
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Not our favorite Western Rise Pant
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First Impressions
When we first tried Western Rise, we were not impressed. The clothing felt stiff and uncomfortable, and the sizing was off. However, we decided to give them another chance and we’re glad we did. Western Rise has made some serious improvements in the intervening years and their clothing is now much more comfortable and flattering.
Want to save even more? Then check out our Western Rise Promo Code.
The Pants We Tested: Western Rise Pants Review
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An awesome jogger
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A super high-quality pant
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Not our favorite Western Rise Pant
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5.0
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4.0
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3.5
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$108
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$138
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$128
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An incredibly versatile jogger built to be as at home on your early morning run as it is around town. |
Replace your stiff, limiting work pants with ultimate comfort and freedom. We liked these pants, just wish they were more stretchy. |
This pant wasn't as comfortable as we'd like, but still a great overall "adventure pant" that doesn't look like a pair of Dad Pants. |
An incredibly versatile jogger built to be as at home on your early morning run as it is around town.
Replace your stiff, limiting work pants with ultimate comfort and freedom. We liked these pants, just wish they were more stretchy.
This pant wasn't as comfortable as we'd like, but still a great overall "adventure pant" that doesn't look like a pair of Dad Pants.
First things, first, we tried the AT Pant about 5 years ago and really didn’t like it. When Western Rise started advertising their new Evolution 2.0 Pant (now on Kickstarter) we had to reach out and see if we could get an early version of the pant.
Sadly, they aren’t available yet – but we had the chance to review Evolution 1.0 Pant, the Diversion Pant and the Spectrum Jogger.
Let’s start with the pant we loved the most: the Spectrum Jogger and give you our honest Western Rise Pants Review.
Western Rise Spectrum Jogger Review
An incredibly versatile jogger built to be as at home on your early morning run as it is around town.
We try to not pick what clothes will be our favorite before we try them on, but we knew that we would love the Spectrum Jogger.
The Spectrum Jogger has the ability to be both comfortable and stylish, making them perfect for any occasion. The fabric is made of flexible warp-knit material that’s lightweight yet durable so you can wear these jogging pants on your next adventure or just around town!
We love the Spectrum Joggers because they’re incredibly comfortable and super stretchy.
These would be perfect pants for running errands or even traveling (am I the only one that doesn’t like to travel in shorts?).
They are slightly less dressy than other Chinos (see our best men’s pants guide for more, but they are a new staple in our rotation, for sure.
The pants have a great medium weight and a stretch waistband. It also has a zippered security pocket.
About the Spectrum Fabric
Spectrum fabric is a warp knit that exists somewhere between knitting and weaving, giving you the soft, stretch feel of a knit with the weight and durability of a woven fabric.
Built for active movement, the Spectrum Jogger offers extreme breathability, stretch, water and stain resistance and a touch of sophistication. Spectrum fabric is also perfect for travel as it is light, packable and quick drying. The Spectrum Jogger is available in men’s and women’s styles in a variety of colors.
Final Thoughts on the Spectrum Jogger
Furthermore, they were our favorite western rise pants we tested – a great piece of performance clothing!
Western Rise Diversion Pant Review
Replace your stiff, limiting work pants with ultimate comfort and freedom. We liked these pants, just wish they were more stretchy.
The Diversion pant is a completely different pant than we thought it would be, but not in a bad way.
It’s much thicker than the joggers and the Western Rise Evolution Pant, too. However, it’s stretchier than the Evolution Pant but not as stretchy as the jogger.
I know that’s a big of an odd combination, but it works.
It’s thicker, but also breathable and has a 4-way stretch. On top of that, the Diversion Pant is stain-resistant and water resistant. It also has a gusset, which is a lot of technology to put in a pair of pants – and not look like technical pants.
The Diversion Pant also has hidden pockets (and a zippered pocket, too).
These are the best looking pants in the bunch, but I do wish it had slightly more stretch. They call it the “ultimate everyday pant,” but it may be a little too slim pant design for me.
About the Diversion Fabric
Diversion Fabric is a new type of fabric that is being used in the Western Rise Diversion pant. This fabric is a combination of a durable nylon canvas work pant with the interior dobby weave of a pair of sweatpants.
The Diversion Fabric is interwoven with elastane, which gives it unmatched four-way stretch and drape. This makes the Diversion Fabric incredibly comfortable and built for movement.
The Diversion Fabric is also topped with a “self-cleaning” durable water repellant to shed dirt, dust and stains, making the pants comfortable in any weather. The Diversion Fabric is a great innovation that is sure to revolutionize the way people think about comfort and style.
Final Thoughts on the Diversion Pants
They sat that it is designed to be tougher than workwear, more comfortable than sweatpants and more stylish than jeans.
It is tough.
It’s not more comfortable than a sweatpant.
And it does look nicer than jeans.
So, two out of three isn’t bad.
Also, be sure to size up on both this pair and the Evolution pants. They do run a little small.
Western Rise Evolution Pant Review – 1.0
This pant wasn't as comfortable as we'd like, but still a great overall "adventure pant" that doesn't look like a pair of Dad Pants.
As I mentioned, I started looking back into Western Rise Pants after I saw their new Western Rise Evolution Pants 2.0 advertised.
The new Evolution Pant should be out shortly, but the Evolution pants 1.0 are billed as the only pair of travel pants you need. Why? They fold to a small size (smaller than a t-shirt, moves with your body) and is still rugged. Keep reading for our honest Western Rise Evolution Pant Review.
The Evolution Pant is a slim pant and has a tighter fit (as do other slim pants, obviously).
We liked how lightweight the Evolution Pant is, but we wish the Evolution Pants had the stretch of the Diversion Pants. The Evolution Pants only features two-way stretch.
Like so many of Western Rise’s Pants, these pants are Water and Stain Resistant. It’s also abrasion resistant. We didn’t have a chance to test these highly technical fabrics – like abrasion resistance, but hope to test this (and the water-resistant fabrics) in a more thorough test, soon.
In short, these pants might be great for your next adventure, but we just wish they were a little more stretchy and comfortable.
Western Rise Shorts Review
Now, time for a huge surprise. We got to test both the Movement Short and the Boundless short. We had no expectations for these new comers and we were INCREDIBLY SURPRISED, in the best way possible.
Boundless Short Review
Designed to be worn all day, every day, the Boundless Short excels in any situation.
My new favorite pair of shorts, the Boundless Short.
Western Rise says, “Designed to be worn all day, every day, the Boundless Short excels in any situation.”
They designed this for an active lifestyle: going to happy hour to the pool and a concert.
About the Boundless Fabric
Boundless Fabric is a new type of fabric that is soft, flexible, and has a light texture. It is made with a unique, tightly woven, structure that offers a high degree of water and stain resistance.
The mechanical four-way stretch allows for full freedom of movement in any activity, and the fabric is finished with a fluorocarbon fee durable water repellent to shed stains, and dry quickly if they do become wet. Boundless Fabric is the perfect choice for any activity where you need a fabric that is light, flexible, and resistant to water and stains.
I haven’t had a chance to test this in the pool yet, but these shorts have great water resistance (and stain resistance) on top being able to quickly dry.
Our Thoughts on The Boundless Short
We really liked this short. It has just the right amount of everything you’d want in a swim/chino/active short. This was probably one of the best items we had the chance to review.
On top of that, it’s also incredibly soft.
Movement Short Review
Lightweight, water-resistant, stretchy fabric paired with zippered pockets make for the perfect active short.
These are like the slightly more-fit version of the Boundless Short Review.
They are water ready, lightweight, but only have two-way stretch.
They are a great pair of gym or running shorts, but don’t look as dressy as the Boundless Short.
These would also be a great pair of work-from-home shorts, too – it checks all the boxes there.
About the Movement Fabric
Western Rise was in need of a fabric that would both keep the wearer comfortable while also being able to handle a lot of movement and activity. They found what they were looking for in Movement Fabric from Toray in Japan.
This fabric is made from 100% polyester and is designed to be extremely breathable and light-weight. It also offers a high degree of stretch, water resistance, and stain resistance. In addition, the fabric has a smooth face that helps it maintain its shape and resist snagging. As a result, the Movement Shorts are perfect for anyone who wants shorts that they can wear during any activity without having to worry about them holding up.
The Vest We Tested – Airloft Vest Review
A high-performance vest that is temperature regulating, water-resistant, versatile, and stretches in every direction.
Mizzen and Main really turned me into a vest guy. Western Rise Clothing is doing the exact same thing with their Airloft vest.
This bad boy is a high-performance vest that regulates temperature, is water-resistant, adaptable, and stretches in all directions.
To be honest with you, this vest is not as thick as I thought it was going to be, but it’s another item that checks all the boxes.
AirLoft’s new 40g 3DeFX+ (yes, that’s a REAL thing – just look at the Western Rise’s Website) hollow-core, 4-way stretch insulation is the loftiest and warmest synthetic insulation option on the market.
This breakthrough technology is paired with a new self-cleaning, 4-way stretch, Primeflex exterior fabric with a C6 DWR for dirt, stain, and weather resistance. The AirLoft Vest is the perfect piece of gear for any cool-weather activity. It’s light, breathable, and flexible, making it the perfect choice for any situation where you need the ultimate in performance.
Seriously, what else would you want from a vest?!
The Shirts We Tested
We had the chance to test several Western Rise Shirts: the X-Cotton Tee and the Limitless Merino Button Up Shirt.
Merino Button Up Shirt Review
Looks like an Oxford, is more comfortable than a t-shirt, and outperforms your activewear.
While we were shocked at how thin the AirLoft Vest was, we were really surprised at how thick the Limitless Merino Button Up was.
However, it wasn’t super thick in a bad way, at all.
In fact, it was a pleasent change from shirts like Mizzen + Main (read our Mizzen + Main Review and our Best Performance Dress Shirts for more). The shirt was thick, but it was still super breathable.
Being huge fans of other Merino clothes (hello, Allbirds and Duckworth – read our Duckworth Review), we know that even if it is thicker, Merino does at a great job at regulating temperature, is moisture-wicking and has great wrinkle resistance.
The Limitless Fabric
Limitless Fabric is the softest Australian Merino wool and polyester yarn knit into a dynamic fabric for ultimate performance.
Merino wool is naturally odor resistant, moisture wicking, temperature regulating, wrinkle resistant, and stretches in every direction to move with your body. The addition of polyester increases the durability and ease of care on the go.
Limitless Fabric is perfect for travel, work, or play. With its superior comfort and functionality, Limitless Fabric will keep you looking and feeling great no matter where you go.
Final Thoughts on The Limitless Button Up
What’s not to love about a shirt with all of the great features mentioned earlier. If you’re spending time outdoors (or indoors), you need wool in your life.
The weight of this shirt will be up to your personal preference is you like something this thick. This would be a really good transitional piece into a cooler evening somewhere like the beach. I wouldn’t recommend it for something SUPER hot (see our best cooling clothes for more), but an evening on the beach or a boat would be perfect for this shirt during the summer.
During the winter, I can see wearing this shirt about as often I do my Mizzen + Main Flannels (read our Mizzen + Main Flannel Review).
X-Cotton Tee Review
Performance cotton tee that is ultra-soft, stretches in every direction, wicks moisture, and resists odors. This tee is incredibly high quality, but $48 is about the limit we'd spend on a tee.
The X-Cotton tee is a Performance cotton tee that is ultra-soft, stretches in every direction, wicks moisture, and resists odors. This shirt is best for everyday or just lounging.
It’s a slightly heavier weight shirt but features a 4-way stretch that is moisture-wicking and odor resistant. It’s made from 60% cotton, 35% Polyester and 5% Elastane.
We really liked this shirt but thought the price of $48 was a bit steep. The X-Cotton tee comes in sizes S-XXL and six colors.
We found the X-Cotton tee to be very comfortable, with a great fit. The fabric was soft and stretchy without being clingy, and the shirt washed well without shrinking or losing shape.
If you’re looking for a comfortable, versatile tee that will hold up to repeated washings, the X-Cotton tee is a great option. However, at $48 it’s one of the more expensive performance tees.
You can find other poly-cotton blend t-shirts like Fresh Clean Tees (read our Fresh Clean Tees Review) or True Classic Tees (check out the True Classic Tees Review and the True Classic vs. Fresh Clean Tees comparison) for much less.
Once again, not a bad item. It was incredibly well-made and we love the odor-fighting protection here.
Western Rise Review: Final Thoughts
We didn't like Western Rise on the first go around. But, it looks like we just tried the wrong things! Sure, we don't love everything they've put out, but keep an eye on this up-and-coming brand.
We’re super glad that we gave Western Rise another chance. We really like their brand new Boundless shorts, the Spectrum Jogger is amazing and the AirLoft Vest was a super pleasant surprise.
We will continue to update this review when the new Evolution Pants 2.0 come out to give you our honest opinion.
Our only tips are to size up in the Evolution Pants and the Diversion Pants and set your expectations appropriately. While they aren’t going to be as stretchy as something like the Myles Tour Pants, they are going to be more durable.
Do you have any questions about our review? Let us know in the comments below!