Best Long Baseball Pants Review: Rawlings, Nike, Mizuno

Let's face it, baseball pants have become a fashion statement. It's happened in basically all sports... in football receivers opt out of using thigh or knee pads, players roll up their jersey sleeves to look sleeker. In basketball the shorts are huge and jerseys always on the verge on coming untucked (bad fashion maybe, but fashion nonetheless). In baseball the pants are worn down over the shoe to produce a clean smooth look. If you've tried to utilize this look, you understand that not all pants are created equal. Some curl up or fold over at your ankle after every swing or every bend, they always seem to bunch up after you sit down and can become a nuisance. But... instead of going back to my younger days when I would simply roll the pant leg just below the knee like Alfonso Soriano, I did a little research.

After trying out numerous pants here are my results.

Nike Phenom Baseball Pants

The Nike Phenom Baseball Pants ($54.99 at Eastbay) are decently comfortable, but not extremely durable or functional. Unlike their cleats and many other products, I found the Nike Phenom Pants to be rather poor quality for the expensive price. To me, they are made for appearance and not performance. As you can see, in motion the pants pulled up over my laces, but fell nicely over my Nike Shox Cleats the majority of the time. They looked nice, but there are better, cheaper options. They're selling the brand name along with decent pants.

Rawlings Flare Relaxed Fit Pro Weight Baseball Pants

The Rawlings Flare Relaxed Fit Pro Weight Pants ($39.99 at RawlingsGear) are the pants Manny Ramirez wears, and I should have realized what I was getting myself into. They were comfortable pants, but obviously way too baggy. My legs are spread a little here and you can still tell there is tons of extra space and material. They layed nicely over my cleats because of the extra material. Would I recommend these? Well... it's basically like playing in sweat pants... so if you're okay with that, then go ahead.

Mizuno Mens Premier Relaxed Full-Length Piped Pants

The Mizuno Premier Relaxed Pants are durable, very comfortable, and look nice. I only had a few complaints including the bagginess and the way they lay on the cleats. They are baggy around the thigh and knee. It's a personal preference, but I like comfort and flexibility without looking shorter and a little less classy (like Manny). Also, they come extremely long. I'm 5'10" with a 34 inch waist, I ordered a Medium and they fit great other than the length which you'll need hemmed. While wearing my Mizuno Classic G4 Low cleats, the pants kept ruffling just above the shoe. Overall, for $10 cheaper than most pants of this quality, they are a great buy if you have the right cleats to go with them. Not my favorite due to the extra space around my knees, but very solid pants.

Rawlings Pro Flare Baseball Pants

Cream of the crop. The Rawlings Pro Flare Baseball Pants (Piped are $49.99 at Baseball Express, Solid Grey or White are $39.99 at Baseball Express) are comfortable, durable, flexible and loose, but not baggy. You'll find that they're well worth a little extra cash. I ordered a Medium of this and they fit, but the sizing is a little tight. When I sit or bend to field a ground ball they come up over my shoes just a bit, with a Large (36-38 inch waist) this wouldn't be a problem.

They are extremely similar to the Mizuno Premier Relaxed Full-Length Piped Pants, but aren't baggy or extremely long when purchased. They feel and look the exact same other than the difference in fit. The logo is even in the same place. The only differences are the button placement on the front, and that the Rawlings Pro Flare's don't have buttons on the pockets.