Skip to main content
VS
brands

Carhartt vs Dickies: Which Work Pants Last Longer?

A Versus B

For pure durability, Carhartt's duck-canvas work pants (like the B01 Double-Front) usually outlast Dickies' classic 874. Carhartt uses heavy 12-oz 100% cotton duck; the 874 is lighter 8.5-oz poly/cotton twill. Dickies wins for a lighter, wrinkle- and stain-resistant pant with a short break-in, better for uniform or indoor work than abrasive job sites.

Carhartt

Carhartt

Workwear brand. The Iconic B01 Firm Duck Double-Front Dungaree (style 106679) is 12-ounce cotton ringspun duck canvas.

Most durable duck work pant

Score56%
Check Price
VS
Dickies

Dickies

Workwear brand. The Original 874 is 8.5-oz poly/cotton twill; the Loose Fit Double Knee is a straighter cut.

Lighter uniform or indoor pant

Score63%
Check Price
4 attributes4 differences17 pros/cons
Skip to verdictSee differences
4Sources
4Data Points
Sources:Carhartt — Iconic B01 Firm Duck Double-Front Dungaree (106679) (opens in new tab)·Dickies — Original 874 Work Pants (opens in new tab)·Gear Patrol — Carhartt vs Dickies (Aug 2, 2021) (opens in new tab)·Reddit — r/BuyItForLife thread (opens in new tab)
TL;DRVoice-ready

For pure durability, Carhartt's duck-canvas work pants (like the B01 Double-Front) usually outlast Dickies' classic 874. Carhartt uses heavy 12-oz 100% cotton duck; the 874 is lighter 8.5-oz poly/cotton twill. Dickies wins for a lighter, wrinkle- and stain-resistant pant with a short break-in, better for uniform or indoor work than abrasive job sites.

Deciding factor: Carhartt duck for durability; Dickies 874 for a lighter uniform pant. No value pick.

Key fact: The 874 is 8.5-oz 65/35 twill (Dickies). The B01 is 12-ounce, firm-hand, 100% cotton ringspun duck canvas (Carhartt style 106679).

Jump to full verdictSee all attributes

Our Verdict

AI-assisted

Most durable: Carhartt duck, such as the B01 Double-Front. Carhartt lists that pant as 12-ounce, firm-hand, 100% cotton ringspun duck canvas. Gear Patrol says that cotton duck is more durable than Dickies’ poly/cotton twill. Best lightweight or uniform pant: Dickies 874. Dickies lists it as 8.5 oz, 65% polyester / 35% cotton, non-stretch twill. Gear Patrol found Dickies twill lighter, stain- and wrinkle-resistant, and quicker to break in — a better match for uniform or indoor work than for abrasive job sites. No value pick. No price is stated. Gear Patrol’s 2021 prices are out of date.

Community feedback

Was this verdict helpful?

Carhartt

Choose Carhartt if

Most durable duck work pant

Dickies

Choose Dickies if

Lighter uniform or indoor pant

Share this verdict

Post on XShare on LinkedIn

Track this comparison

Get notified when prices change, new specs ship, or our verdict updates.

Triggers: price change new spec verdict update

No spam. Stop anytime.

Key Differences at a Glance

  • Fabric:✓ Carhartt wins(12-ounce, firm-hand, 100% cotton ringspun duck canvas (B01, Carhartt) vs 8.5-oz 65/35 poly/cotton twill (874, Dickies))
  • Best job:Abrasive job sites, if the duck holds up vs Uniform or indoor work
  • Break-in:✓ Dickies wins(Shorter break-in (Gear Patrol) vs Firm-hand; tougher at first (Gear Patrol))
See all 4 differences

Key Differences

4 attributes compared head-to-head

Carhartt
2Carhartt
Carhartt leads1 tie
Dickies
1Dickies
  • Fabric

    Carhartt

    12-ounce, firm-hand, 100% cotton ringspun duck canvas (B01, Carhartt)(winner)

    Dickies

    8.5-oz 65/35 poly/cotton twill (874, Dickies)

  • Best job

    Carhartt

    Abrasive job sites, if the duck holds up

    Dickies

    Uniform or indoor work

  • Break-in

    Carhartt

    Firm-hand; tougher at first (Gear Patrol)

    Dickies

    Shorter break-in (Gear Patrol)(winner)

  • Knee pads

    Carhartt

    Double-layer knees with openings; compatible with the Carhartt Knee Pad(winner)

    Dickies

    Double Knee has no knee-pad slots (Gear Patrol)

Full Comparison

Carhartt
Dickies
Fabric
12-ounce, firm-hand, 100% cotton ringspun duck canvas (B01)
8.5 oz, 65% polyester / 35% cotton, non-stretch twill (874)
Break-in
Firm-hand; tougher at first (Gear Patrol)
Shorter break-in (Gear Patrol)
Fit
Loose fit: roomy hips and thigh, straight leg, cuffs over boots (Carhartt). Inseam ran long in one review (Gear Patrol).
874: relaxed seat and thigh, slight taper (Dickies)
Double front / double knee
Double-layer knees with openings for knee pads; compatible with the Carhartt Knee Pad
Double Knee: two twill layers, no knee-pad slots (Gear Patrol)

Pros & Cons

10 pros·7 cons across both

Carhartt
Dickies
Carhartt

Carhartt

+5-4

Pros

B01 is 12-ounce, firm-hand, 100% cotton ringspun duck canvas (Carhartt, style 106679)
Heavier fabric than the Dickies 874’s 8.5-oz twill
Double-layer knees with openings for knee pads; compatible with the Carhartt Knee Pad
Tool and utility pockets, a left-leg hammer loop, and reinforced back pockets
Gear Patrol called the duck more durable than Dickies’ poly/cotton twill

Cons

Carhartt calls the B01 its most generous, loose cut
That reviewer found the inseam long and suggested ordering shorter
Firm-hand duck is tougher to the touch at first (Gear Patrol)
Some owners report knees wearing through or rear pockets tearing
Dickies

Dickies

+5-3

Pros

874 is 8.5 oz, 65% polyester / 35% cotton, non-stretch twill (Dickies)
Lighter than 12-ounce duck, which suits uniform or indoor work
Gear Patrol: stain- and wrinkle-resistant twill with a shorter break-in
874 is relaxed through the seat and thigh, with a slight taper (Dickies)
Loose Fit Double Knee was the straighter silhouette in that review

Cons

8.5-oz twill is the less abrasion-resistant fabric in Gear Patrol’s comparison
Double Knee has no knee-pad slots (Gear Patrol)
Non-stretch twill

Frequently Asked Questions

6 questions

  1. Carhartt lists the Iconic B01 Firm Duck Double-Front Dungaree (style 106679, model B01-M) as 12-ounce, firm-hand, 100% cotton ringspun duck canvas. The Dickies 874 is 8.5 oz, 65% polyester / 35% cotton, non-stretch twill. Gear Patrol’s August 2021 hands-on says that blended twill is not nearly as durable as the cotton duck, and that it trades durability for a lighter pant that resists stains and wrinkles. Owners in the linked Reddit thread are split: some prefer Carhartt duck, and some report Carhartt knees wearing through or rear pockets tearing.

  2. The B01 is Carhartt’s Iconic Firm Duck Double-Front Dungaree in 12-ounce, firm-hand, 100% cotton ringspun duck canvas. Carhartt calls the cut its most generous: a loose fit with a roomy seat and thigh, a high rise that sits slightly above the waist, a straight leg, and cuffs that fit over work boots. It has multiple tool and utility pockets, a left-leg hammer loop, and reinforced back pockets. The 874 is Dickies’ lighter 8.5-oz 65/35 non-stretch twill, with a relaxed fit through the seat and thigh and a straight leg that tapers slightly. These are two different cuts, not the same pant in two brands.

  3. Carhartt describes the B01 as its most generous cut: a loose fit with free movement, roomy through the hips and thigh, a high rise that sits slightly above the waist, a generous seat, a straight leg opening, and cuffs that fit easily over work boots. In Gear Patrol’s August 2021 hands-on, that reviewer found the B01 very wide and long in the inseam, and suggested ordering a shorter inseam than usual. The width is the product’s own loose-fit description. The long inseam is that reviewer’s finding.

  4. Gear Patrol described the Dickies Loose Fit Double Knee as the straighter silhouette, closer to a skater cut than a construction cut, and noted Dickies on skateboarders and in uniforms. The same review found the B01 very wide. Carhartt’s own copy describes that width as a loose work fit with cuffs that fit over work boots. Dickies’ twill also had the shorter break-in in that review. That is the reviewer’s finding, not a skate test.

  5. Yes on the Carhartt B01. Carhartt says the Iconic B01 Firm Duck Double-Front Dungaree has double-layer knees with openings for adding knee pads and cleaning out debris, and that it is compatible with the Carhartt Knee Pad. Gear Patrol says the Dickies Double Knee is two layers of twill seamed together, with no slots for knee pads.

  1. Commenters on the linked Reddit thread also mention Duluth Trading and Helly Hansen. Those are mentions only. Their fabric weight and warranty are not compared.

Analysis: Carhartt vs Dickies

The Carhartt versus Dickies work-pants comparison covers the Carhartt Iconic B01 Firm Duck Double-Front Dungaree (style 106679, model B01-M), the Dickies Original 874, and the Dickies Loose Fit Double Knee that Gear Patrol reviewed. There is no single winner, and there is no value crown.

Fabric

Carhartt lists the B01 as 12-ounce, firm-hand, 100% cotton ringspun duck canvas. Dickies lists the Original 874 as 8.5 oz, 65% polyester / 35% cotton, non-stretch twill. Gear Patrol’s August 2021 hands-on says Dickies’ blended twill is not nearly as durable as that cotton duck, and that the twill resists stains and wrinkles except in extreme cases. Firm-hand, in that review, means tougher to the touch. The fabric weight itself is from Carhartt and Dickies, not from the 2021 review.

Read 10 more paragraphs

Fit and sizing

Carhartt calls the B01 its most generous cut. The loose fit is meant to give free movement, with a roomy fit through the hips and thigh and cuffs that fit easily over work boots. Carhartt says the high rise sits slightly above the waist, with a generous fit in the seat and thigh, and a straight leg opening. Gear Patrol’s hands-on is a separate finding: that reviewer found the B01 very wide and long in the inseam, and suggested ordering one inseam shorter than usual. Dickies describes the 874 as a high rise, relaxed through the seat and thigh, with a straight leg that tapers slightly. Gear Patrol found the Dickies Loose Fit Double Knee looser than a slim pant but straighter than the B01.

Construction

Carhartt says the B01 has double-layer knees with openings for adding knee pads and cleaning out debris, and that the pant is compatible with the Carhartt Knee Pad. Carhartt lists multiple tool and utility pockets with a left-leg hammer loop, and heavy-hauling reinforced back pockets for hand tools and more. Origin there is “Imported or Made in USA of Imported Parts.” The Dickies Double Knee, in Gear Patrol’s review, is two layers of twill seamed together and has no slots for knee pads. Dickies lists reinforced seams and welt back pockets on the 874. It does not describe a double knee.

What owners report

The r/BuyItForLife thread asking which pants last longer is a split, not a counted vote. Some people prefer Carhartt duck over regular Dickies. Some report Carhartt knees wearing through or rear pockets tearing. Read the thread for the range of jobs those owners do. Usernames are not quoted.

Break-in

Gear Patrol calls the B01 duck firm-hand and tougher to the touch, and says the Dickies twill break-in is much shorter. Dickies’ own 874 copy says the pants soften with wear. Neither source times that break-in in days. Carhartt’s “firm-hand” wording is the fabric name on the B01 page. The shorter Dickies break-in is the reviewer’s finding.

Alternatives commenters mention

People in that Reddit thread also name Duluth Trading and Helly Hansen. Those are mentions only. They are not ranked, and a warranty claim is not repeated.

Drafted with AI from web research. How we research

Explore More

Related comparisons and categories

Explore Entities

More Brands

People Also Compare

Last updated
Our methodology