Bill's 20th Anniversary Cramerton To Benefit The USO

I've sung the praises of Bills Khakis before. The Bullard came in first place at the Blind Khaki Tasting and it's an amazing pant. 10.2 ounces (per yard) of incredible wood plank khaki cloth that makes for a perfect Fall or Winter trouser. Might be a little warm in Spring and Summer though.

Back in late October Bills introduced a special Limited edition Cramerton 9.2 ounce khaki to celebrate their 20th Anniversary. They call it a WWII pant but I recently discovered that WWII khaki was 8.2 ounces. You're getting the same WWII Cramerton cloth but a little heavier.

This Cramerton is softer to the hand than the Bullard. Still, it's a gutsy pant with a beautiful finish. Something anyone who spent time breaking khaki starch in the army would appreciate. That's Cpt. Patterson up there. An old friend who served with the 7th Infantry Division (Light).

Cpt. Patterson's wearing a Model 2 which is trimmer in the rise than the Model 1 but he likes the fit. Model 1 is the baggier of the three plain front models while Model 3 is the more trim. The pleated versions or 'Warsaw Pact Models' will not be discussed here. Maybe some blogger in Estonia would like to run with it.

Some interesting details only the wearer will be in on. The watch pocket is a huge 3" x 4" and each front pocket is 14" deep. I don't think I ever put anything in my army khaki pockets...it messed up the starch. There's an interesting tab on the rear pocket and I'm gonna have to talk to Bill about it. There's also a beautiful raised seam on the outside trouser leg. Nice details invisible to all but the wearer and the khaki-cognoscenti.

Now for the bad news. They're $195 a pair. That's steep for a pair of khakis but look at it this way -- the US Army never issued a khaki this good. Weighing in at 9.2ounces, Uncle Sam never went over 8.2 ounces. And while the army khaki was issued, you sure as heck couldn't call it free. $195 is a small price to pay for the best khaki in the world and you don't have to enlist.

I will tell you that if you do enlist there's an organization you're gonna know Ricky -tick. The USO has been around for 70 years and I remember it well. When you're an E-1 going trough basic training at Ft Jackson you don't do a lot of socializing at the O-Club.

A lot of us made good use of the USO at Jackson and I have fond memories of the volunteers who worked there. Bill Thomas is donating a portion of the proceeds from the sale of this pant to the USO. That's a stand up thing to do for a pair of trousers that could probably stand up by themselves. Details for purchasing a pair and getting a free bucket bag are at Trad Approved.

The bucket bag will hold a six pack of beer and ice... just in case you're wondering what it's for.

Chino Tasting- Best Overall

Trad Dad 1st Row Far Left

Dad's Khakis

Bills Khakis

The Bullard

We all bring baggage to everything we do and I certainly have a Mayflower truck following me. The desire to find anything today made with the quality of yesterday is what I strive for with The Trad. My taste and passions may not be yours and that doesn't make me right and you wrong. Until it comes to khakis.

I was surprised when my taste level in a simple cotton pant lined up with the judge's assesment of the Bullard by Bills Khakis. Easily taking the high score of 97.5, there has been a complaint from a contestant that they too could build a decent khaki for $165. Maybe.

When I pitched the chino tasting to a contestant I mentioned throwing some ringers in the mix. A 1970's US Army khaki and a 1950's French Army khaki. The maker emailed me asking for clarification. Did I want cotton or wool? Their khaki expert Googled my ringers and the description was for wool not cotton. I assured the maker I was looking for cotton.

I'm not a khaki expert. But Bill Thomas is. He didn't so much create the Bullard as much as he took an American traditon and improved it. Thomas didn't choke it to death with bogus details but by keeping it simple and pure he created a khaki better than any I've ever seen or worn. Better than what was issued to me at Ft Jackson, SC in 1976.

A Master Sergeant told me, "It's not what you do in life that makes you a man. It's what you don't let people take away from you." At the risk of sounding like a J. Peterman ad - I think that defines the Bullard.

Blind Chino Tasting: Most Traditional

A Blind Khaki Tasting

The contestants

Bryan notes Most Traditional

Boyer inspects Most Traditional

Seven companies provided 13 pair of trousers to The Trad for a "Blind" tasting judged by men's style writers, G. Bruce Boyer and Robert E. Bryan. LL Bean, Bills Khakis, Brooks Brothers, the French Foreign Legion, J Press, Lincs and Martin Greenfield all put up entries with the requirement they be all cotton and plain front.

Due to the size of the venue, Le Veau d'Or, the inspection was limited to a tasting. That is, a close inspection of the pant with a focus on the fabric, manufacture, hand, details, and authenticity. A 1-100 point scale was used for five categories: Most Traditional, Most Original, Best Dress Chino, Best Khaki and Best Overall.

Winner for Most Traditional is the Bullard Field Pant by Bills Khakis. A whopping 10.2 ounce twill, authentic yet simple design and details that remind me of khakis issued at Ft Jackson; seam on seam pockets - high rise - wide belt loops. I can't wait to see what these look like with heavy starch.

Robert Bryan gave the Bullard a 97 commenting, " washed fabric, heavy trad, high rise, authentic khaki." G. Bruce Boyer gave the Bullard a 98 and noted, " best fabric + color, standard styling; well made; most authentic." No tags were left on the pant to give away it's maker or origins and so the Bullard won on its own merits (and weight) with the consensus afterwards that while some entrants tried, "too hard for authenticity" the Bullard kept it simple and pure.

I'd say the Pennsylvania terroir contributes to a beautiful hand feel while the twill shows nice legs. This is a huge khaki that reminds me of Silver Oak's Napa Valley release. It comes on big and the finish lasts forever. No need to decant. Pairs well with a rib eye at Peter Luger. At $165, this is a special occasion khaki but unlike $100 Silver Oak, you can open the Bullard more than once.

And even though Nordstroms (and probably the French) will tell you not to cuff plain front khakis - - I say cuff these babies big time. An inch and a half is perfect.