Dickies vs Old Navy: which chino wins?
Both land in the budget tier — the Dickies Original 874 Work Pant (men's) at $30, the Old Navy Slim Built-In Flex Chino at $35, just $5 apart. Here's how they stack up, head to head.
| Dickies | Old Navy | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $30 | $35 |
| Material | A 65/35 polyester-cotton twill that resists wrinkles and holds a sewn-in permanent crease; it starts stiff and owners report it softens noticeably with wear. | Stretch cotton-blend twill, ~7oz, with elastane. |
| Fit | The original fit sits at the waist with a relaxed seat and thigh and a straight leg that tapers slightly. Owners widely report the waist runs snug with no stretch, and the common advice is to size up if between sizes. | Slim, straight or athletic cuts with stretch, true to size. |
| Quality | Reviewers describe the twill and stitching as very hard to wear out for the money. Recurring complaints are the shallow front pockets and occasional pilling of the fabric surface after long use. | Budget — comfortable stretch but the fabric thins and the colour fades within a year. |
| Best for | Shoppers who want the cheapest genuinely durable everyday twill pant and don't mind a work-uniform look and a snug, non-stretch waist. | Casual everyday wear, comfortable stretch, and cheap stocking-up. |
| Care | Machine wash and tumble dry low; the poly-cotton blend sheds wrinkles and the permanent crease keeps it looking pressed without ironing. | Cold wash and low heat to slow the fade. |
The Dickies 874 and Old Navy Slim Flex Chino are both budget twill pants separated by $5, but they diverge sharply on durability versus comfort: the Dickies is built to last in a stiff, work-uniform cut, while the Old Navy offers modern slim fit and stretch at the cost of a fabric that reviewers say fades and thins within a year. The 1.2× price gap is small in absolute terms but the value math runs in opposite directions depending on what the buyer actually needs.
- The case for Dickies
- The Dickies 874 wins decisively on longevity — reviewers consistently describe the 65/35 poly-cotton twill and stitching as hard to wear out, and at $30 it delivers durable structure that the Old Navy's thinner, elastane-blended fabric cannot match over time.
- The case for Old Navy
- The Old Navy wins on wearability out of the box — the stretch elastane blend, slim or athletic cut, and true-to-size fit make it noticeably more comfortable and contemporary-looking for casual daily wear than the Dickies' snug, non-stretch, relaxed-seat silhouette.
The bottom lineWhich should you buy?
Buy the Dickies 874 if the priority is a pant that holds up to repeated hard use and still looks pressed without ironing — the permanent crease and durable twill make it a better long-term value at $30 than the Old Navy at $35, where reviewers report fabric that fades and thins within a year of regular wear. Buy the Old Navy if the priority is stretch comfort and a modern slim cut for light casual rotation, with the understanding that it is a replacement item rather than a keeper. The $5 premium for the Old Navy is not justified by durability or construction; it buys a better fit silhouette and stretch comfort only, and only for shoppers who genuinely need those qualities over longevity.
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