IH-666-XHS - 25oz Selvedge Denim Slim Straight Cut Jeans - Indigo
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ksozay and I have been commiserating about the break-in process on the 666XHS. I sized down (regretfully) to a 30 and never dedicated enough time to stretch them out. I wore them on nights and weekends for the first few months I had them, but that did little to break these bastards.
I currently can't wear them to work. I tried recently. I'm usually up and down a ladder 100 times and only being able to move from the knees down makes that a little difficult.
So far, I've only done one pre-wear soak. Will another soak help soften these up enough to jump-start the break -in?
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25oz is 25oz, ain't gonna get any lighter no matter how many soaks. The soft, pajama-likeness is a ways away, but you'll get there.
However, you can take advantage of the stretching properties of slightly-damp denim:
-Soak jeans. Doesn't have to be long-time, just thoroughly soaked. OR, you could just soak the top-block area and leave everything else dry, since you only need waist-stretch.
-When you hang jeans to dry, give some tugs around the waistband to stretch out the denim in that area. You do not need to pull on the jeans recklessly. I divide the waistband into parts and incrementally go about "tugging" on each part and work my way around.
-Dry until slightly damp. Damp enough that they are cold to the touch, but not so wet that water gets squeezed out when you button them. Go easy on the buttonhole stitching while damp.
-Do calisthenics, or take or walk, or squat for a little bit, or sit down for a little bit, whatever feels like its working ;D. When wet, the denim can stretch a bit easier and quicker. See how it goes.
-OR, you can go about it like some other folk, who rig up a stretching apparatus, 2x4 or some more advanced contraption that works like a tire-jack from the inside of the waistband. Can't comment on these (barbaric) methods, as I've never used them.
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Thanks for the advice. I'm pretty familiar with the 25oz denim. I've had other pairs, but those I sized up on after my experience with the 30s. I didn't need to do anything drastic besides wear those pairs.
Thanks for the tip about stretch while damp. This is essentially what I was curious about. Part of my new jean ritual is to soak and then wear them while they're still wet. Works for me 9 out of 10 times. These sized down 666XHS are the 1 out of 10 pairs that laughed in my face when I tried to train them.
I'll give em another soak and try to obtain some more stretch.
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I was late for work because I couldn't button my jeans. This is sad.
In my defense. They were still damp. I forgot (blocked out) the buttonhole battle after you soak this denim.
I should clarify that my issue with sizing down hasn't been the waist. It's the rest of the top block. The upper thighs, specifically.The more I wear these, the more my future children fade from a Polaroid picture a la Back to the Future. My McFlys are suffocating.
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These won't get softer with soaking them, they will only stretch by wearing them a lot.
And they will get a lot softer with wear…
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@adam313:
25oz is 25oz, ain't gonna get any lighter no matter how many soaks. The soft, pajama-likeness is a ways away, but you'll get there.
However, you can take advantage of the stretching properties of slightly-damp denim:
-Soak jeans. Doesn't have to be long-time, just thoroughly soaked. OR, you could just soak the top-block area and leave everything else dry, since you only need waist-stretch.
-When you hang jeans to dry, give some tugs around the waistband to stretch out the denim in that area. You do not need to pull on the jeans recklessly. I divide the waistband into parts and incrementally go about "tugging" on each part and work my way around.
-Dry until slightly damp. Damp enough that they are cold to the touch, but not so wet that water gets squeezed out when you button them. Go easy on the buttonhole stitching while damp.
-Do calisthenics, or take or walk, or squat for a little bit, or sit down for a little bit, whatever feels like its working ;D. When wet, the denim can stretch a bit easier and quicker. See how it goes.
-OR, you can go about it like some other folk, who rig up a stretching apparatus, 2x4 or some more advanced contraption that works like a tire-jack from the inside of the waistband. Can't comment on these (barbaric) methods, as I've never used them.
Great advice. The two things above that Adam mentioned that helped me the most:
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Walking/Sitting/Stairs - Sitting in an upright position (e.g. standard chair) and taking stairs when available, really helped stretch the denim through the hips and thighs. The first few times going up stairs wasn't what I'd call "comfortable" but now I no longer feel any resistance. So either the denim stretched, I've lost weight, or 25oz denim has the ability to turn bone into more flexible matter. I'm not ready to give up on the possibility of the latter.
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Tugging. Before I put the denim on for the first time, I buttoned them and started to work my way around the top block firmly but not recklessly, tugging the denim to help loosen. Not sure if it helped but just in case…
Take care,
KS -
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Although I admire all of your dedication in getting in your jeans if I cannot run, jump, blah, blah then the cut or the denim isn't for me. I like pain as much as the next guy, but I just get tattoos for that fix hahaha
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Although I admire all of your dedication in getting in your jeans if I cannot run, jump, blah, blah then the cut or the denim isn't for me. I like pain as much as the next guy, but I just get tattoos for that fix hahaha
Sure, different pain for different gains. I get it. For me, IH simply doesn't offer "the perfect" fit for my body. Part of the satisfaction is molding a pair into the perfect fit but that doesn't mean everyone should have the same experience. There are some folks that just have a perfect IH body type which requires little break-in to find their grail fit.
Take care,
KS
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I've not the perfect body type for anything & have a stack of denim & a bunch of posts b1tchin' & whining to prove it.
U hit it on the head though, different strokes for different folks.
Just seems mean to do that to yourself plus for me form follows function so not being able to do basic things like sit & climb is kind of insane. We not talking a ball room gown or tuxedo it's denim.
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I'm definitely tolerating more with these size 30s than I normally would, but that's because they're the first pair of IH jeans I bought, I paid full price, and I removed the arcs so resale would probably suffer. I'm not about to take a $250 or so hit, so for better or worse, these babies are mine.
I researched these before buying them and I knew the denim was brutal when new, but I really didn't mind that at all. The top block not giving at all has been frustrating because the rest of the fit is aces.
That being said, I worked in a basement and an attic today, so I made some progress via crawling, climbing, kneeling, etc.
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I've not the perfect body type for anything & have a stack of denim & a bunch of posts b1tchin' & whining to prove it.
U hit it on the head though, different strokes for different folks.
Just seems mean to do that to yourself plus for me form follows function so not being able to do basic things like sit & climb is kind of insane. We not talking a ball room gown or tuxedo it's denim.
I fully admit you're correct here. It's some type of twisted satisfaction I get from enduring self-inflicted pain just for well fitted denim, especially given the sheer mass of choice out there right now. Trust me, if I ever start down the tattoo path, I'm certain I'd be a walking canvas filled with ink and art.
KS
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All is good, just give me some images so folks in the same boat as you can feel that there is hope & can look at some one about their size able to stretch their denim & endure a bit of pain, hahahahaha
have a safe & happy new year
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I agree that jeans are meant to be worn hard. If you can't do things you want to do while wearing them, there is probably something wrong.
But I do believe in sacrificing some comfort and agility during the break-in process to yield the fit you want. How much BS you're willing to deal with is up to the individual.
Honestly, I would have thought about bailing on my sized-down ones if I couldn't work comfortably in them. I gave it two days at work and they finally stretched enough that I noticed that I stopped noticing them, if that makes any sense.
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@PSB:
I gave it two days at work and they finally stretched enough that I noticed that I stopped noticing them, if that makes any sense.
Makes complete sense! It took me 4 days with the 36 IH666SII world tour jeans. I'm a 38 but I couldn't pass up a month in those even if I had to pay the price for a few days…
IG - @leatherdenimboots
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It was brutal but worth it. You can see the initial fit pics on the II world tour thread
IG - @leatherdenimboots
