These pants from Public Rec look like typical dress pants, but they're actually the closest you'll get to wearing sweatpants to work

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If you asked me 10 years ago when I first entered the workforce if I thought performance workwear was essential, I'd say the attributes were a nice touch, but not fully necessary. Today, design features like comfort, stretch, and versatility are paramount for me (and most other men), and Public Rec is one of the few menswear brands that executes them to the tee.

The term "performance" is often associated with anything with a hint of stretch, but Public Rec is truly a pioneer in the category. The brand launched in 2015 after a widely successful Kickstarter campaign, which exceeded its goal by more than $160,000, thus birthing its bestselling style, the All Day Every Pant.

I tested the wildly popular pants back in 2018, but Public Rec has since renamed them the Gamechanger Pant, so I decided to re-test them to see if they still live up to the original hype. Spoiler alert: they did.

The materials

Using a blend of nylon and spandex, the Gamechanger Pant is very soft, super stretchy, breathable, and wrinkle-resistant. You'd be hard pressed to find traditional dress pants with nearly as much stretch.

What they're like to wear

Simply put, the Public Rec Gamechanger Pants are like sweatpants you don't have to feel bad about wearing to the office. They look like chinos or dress pants but have all the key elements that make a great pair of sweatpants — stretchy material, a drawstring waist, zippered pockets, and no wrinkles.

What makes the Gamechanger Pant, well, a gamechanger is that they come in different waist and inseam sizes rather than alpha sizes like small, medium, and large. These pants fit exactly as you'd expect a pair of dress pants to fit with all of the comfort of sweats. You can wear them for a business casual look or more formal with a button-up shirt and dress shoes.

While most sweatpants have shallow front pockets and maybe one rear pocket, the Gamechanger Pant has two front pockets and two rear pockets — all of which are stretchy, allowing for ample space for your wallet, phone, keys, and other belongings.

The bottom line

Traditionally, I'd never wear sweatpants to work or with any outfit that involves dress shoes, but with the Public Rec Gamechanger Pant, it's completely possible. If you're looking for top-notch comfort without sacrificing your style, these aptly named pants are a game changer. They're versatile enough to wear to work during the week, to formal events, and to the gym — and that's not something that can be said about most pants.