RAW DENIM UNDERDOG: The severely underrated Wrangler 13MWZ jean
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 3 มิ.ย. 2024
- 14:14 CORRECTION: In this video, I erroneously guessed Wrangler makes 350 million jeans per year - I meant to say 25 million, based on the fact that Levi makes about 100 million pairs per year with $6 billion in revenue and Wrangler typically does about $1.5 billion in revenue. Roughly speaking, 25 million pairs is to Wrangler's revenue numbers what 100 million pairs is to Levi's revenue numbers.
June, 2024 - At $40, the Wrangler 13MWZ is the most underrated raw denim jean out there. But it's no lightweight; it is, in fact, a masterpiece design, even better than the venerated Levi 501 in some ways...
Thumbnail Cred: Wrangler
Cameo by Barnabas the dog
Chapters:
Intro- it's not just for cowboys and grandpas - 0:03
Wrangler history - 1:42
Casey Jones acquired by Blue Bell - 2:53
The Wrangler 11MW jean is born - 3:21
The name is changed to 13MWZ - 5:35
Fit, sizing, cut information - 7:08
7 Belt loops - 7:53
Smooth rivets - 9:45
High rear pockets - 10:52
Wrangler butts - 11:19
Zipper - 11:55
Fit - 13:03
Broken twill - 13:32
Washing, care, color - 14:35
Conclusion - 16:25
Specs:
13MWZ Original Fit
32x30 (for my 33" waist, 5' 10" body)
14.75oz sanforized broken twill
Rigid/Raw
Natural indigo color
W arcuate
Plastic brand patch
No selvedge ID
Felled outseam
Serged inseam
7 belt loops
Smooth copper rivets
YKK Zipper fly
Made in Mexico
Poly thread
Straight stitched hem
$36.99 ($40 after taxes) at time of video
The prewashed ones are $10 more and made in Nicaragua
14:14 *CORRECTION: In this video, I erroneously guessed Wrangler makes 350 million jeans per year - I meant to say 25 million, based on the fact that Levi makes about 100 million pairs per year with $6 billion in revenue and Wrangler typically does about $1.5 billion in revenue. Roughly speaking, 25 million pairs is to Wrangler's revenue numbers what 100 million pairs is to Levi's revenue numbers.*
the fabric comes from mt vernon mills, i believe their trion georgia facility. i think they still use usa grown upland cotton as well, but i could be wrong that may have changed. they claim to produce up to 90 million yards per year. they supply a lot more brands than you'd expect! one of the unsung heroes of the denim world and highly underrated by denimheads.
@@sip_water oh wow! This info is fantastic, thank you!
the belt loops and high back pockets are what got me to love Wranglers.
It's probably the only pair of jeans I would gladly pay more for, just to ensure it's ethically made. Hell, I'd pay even MORE just for it to be made here in the USA. It's astounding that tons of Japanese selvedge brands obsess over Levi's designs when the cowboy cut exists.
I couldn't agree more! I'd be interested to know about the ethics. If they're making 25 million pairs a year, I'd say they have the buying power to make/sell them at $40/pair without major ethical compromises...but whether or not this is the case is an unknown.
Not just the jeans…..their jackets are amazing too
Fantastic video. The one thing that drives me crazy about every Wrangler review is that no one ever models them with sneakers on. I just wish someone would throw on a pair of chuck taylors, or adidas all stars or something!
Absolutely an underrated jean. They will fade beautifully if you wear them hard and let them fade in the sun outside.. They are incredibly sturdy and can take a beating . I bought mine raw in 2016 and still no major repairs needed (yet). I love my vintage Levis 501 but for the money and quality construction Wrangler 13mwz’s are absolutely awesome. I wear my Wrangler 13 mwz with an Levis 507 jacket.
I like Wrangler,s very durable and get more comfortable with every wash and wear, you are right about the pocket situation too, it doesn't bother me when I put my can of chew in my back pocket or my wallet thanks for the video!
you should do a video on wrangler's rustler line too. almost identical cuts to the cowboy cut line, with simplified details like bar tacks instead of rivets. in a 15oz right hand twill denim. comes in raw, 1 wash, and 1 wash sulfur dyed black. 14 dollars. raw is walmart online exclusive. i suspect the rustler fabric comes from the same mill as 13mwz (mt vernon mills, usa grown cotton) but i have no confirmation. the quality is quite similar and its one of the few mills that can make that price point though! fun fact today's 13mwz use what is effectively the same fabric lee used in the 1970's. you're getting what is almost a repro jean for 30 bucks because of how little it has changed over time. crazy. also fyi some rustlers have 7 belt loops and a coin pocket like 13mwz and some have neither. some walmarts carry a cheapened version but some carry the normal ones.
I’ve been a big 501 STF fan but ever since I saw the Magnificent Seven I’ve wanted that cowboy cut. I know that some of the actors are wearing Levi’s, but the rise you get in today’s STFs isn’t as high as those older models. I gotta give the Wranglers a try! Thanks for taking the time to film and edit this review! Definitely helpful. Subscribed!
Let me know if you can find a decent pair of chinos that have a higher rise than the norm, are 100% cotton, and not super baggy (I.e Steve McQueen chinos). I’ve been hitting a dead end. Everything has stretch and I hate it lol.
Magnificent Seven is GREAT!! A classic.
For chinos, what leg opening are you looking for? The Buzz Rickson Original Spec chinos might be right up your alley. I love mine. Here is my review of them and the 1945 version. I like the OS ones best.
th-cam.com/video/MVj2Tzdo1d8/w-d-xo.htmlsi=KCuJM-MMlqRgqVWE
hinoya.shop/en-us/collections/buzz-ricksons/products/br40025a?variant=37980905734297
Thanks David. I had considered these before but did not know much about them. Its great to know the history and have an affordable alternative that is well designed.
Glad the video helps! I looked on TH-cam and couldn't find a clear history video on Wrangler. Wrangler deserves it, so I wanted to be sure to include that history in the video. I hope to do the same thing for Lee at some point.
New subscriber here and I’d just like to say, great video and keep up the good work!!!!!!!
thanks!! Glad you enjoyed the video!
Great video, Cheers!
I just found your channel and that was an excellent video. I'll have to give Wrangler a closer look. Thanks!
Welcome! Glad the video helped!
Another great video david, i wish there were more options for jeans with alot of these characteristics, like a nice selvedge denim. High backpockets, smooth rivets on the back pocket with a classic straight fit, any suggestions?
This was great.
These are alot of fun to get into Raw denim. And it got me on a mission to find a pair of White Cone raw non selvedge. The last year they were produced in america. Theres alot of interesting and historical raw denim thats just not selvedge available....
Ah that's a really cool mission!
People love the Wranglers on reddit for sure. I'd be temped to roll with a TCB copy of these. Love the shop mocs too, Dave!
For all intents and purposes, Mister Freedom jeans qualify as the "repro" of Wrangler jeans. Some day I'm sure I'll try a pair out haha
@@thevintagefuture6567 Oh right. Need to figure out my sizing with them though! (and the TCB ones are no longer in production)
They are what it is, durable, great fades, great jeans, better than lvc and so good as any selvedge, and of course stronger than 501 12 oz.I had them all my life since 73 in bell bottoms.Its a pitty they dont have the 13 or the 936 mwz rigid in Europe. I have two pairs rigid, one new.4 years beating with the unfinished cone Brave star.Expensive pairs only if you are John Mayer
Great insightful video. I knew the 13MWZ were good but not this good
I pretty much wear only wranglers 13mwz’s if I step out in jeans. What I like to do is buy them four inches longer at the inseam and then wear them with big cuffs until they lose that stiffness and then I hem them down.
The only problem I’ve had was inconsistencies with sizing which is probably due to how mass-produced they are. I typically wear 34-35 but have to go up to 36 with wranglers so that they fit right after they shrink in the wash (and that’s even after a cold cycle and line drying them).
Informative video, though. You cemented my belief that I wear the right brand for myself lol
Great points and cool to hear about your experiences! I did notice that like 1/10 pairs I tried at the store had variance in size or color etc - as you said, probably a function of the fact that they're mass produced....But yeah, fantastic jean, severely underrated outside the western/cowboy community. I think these rigid Wranglers completely blow many other brands out of the water, under the $300 mark.
The old guys know what’s up. Except for New Balance.
LOL true hahaha...although maybe they're arguing for comfort, idk
@@thevintagefuture6567they are, I’m sure I will get there hahaha
I see way more hypebeast/streetwear/althleisure/plastic-covered teenagers wearing NB than boomers these days
That’s not entirely true though. Some old timers know their NB shoes, especially the heritage lineup. They’re OG sneakerheads.
psshh tell me you are turning down a Zoomer girl in New Balance about to cut grass lol.... #ItsGrillinTime
Round House is another good one if you’re not trying to be fancy. I have the rigid 5 pocket #147. The fit and style is quite unique the way it fits over boots without being western style. Also, relaxed fit without being too relaxed.
This is cool - I hadn't heard of them
@@thevintagefuture6567Brian the boot maker wears Round House so it must be good 👍
5 belt loops the classic that levis 501 used and most of these brands are reproduction or at least trying to keep as much of the 501 look as possible. i think the wranglers rodeo marketing meant that they had to add extra belt loops as it used for doing more movement so pants don't come down in a ny area.
I think they look best worn longer, so they break at the shoe, uncuffed. The cut, snug around the rear, the straight leg and the boot cut just hang so well, especially the way they kind of break at at the knee, when left long enough.
I have similarly cut Lee 101s and LVC Levi's and both look great cuffed, or uncuffed, but the MWZ13 just looks so much better than both when left a bit long, if you have an athletic lower body.
I wear mine a bit more snug than you do, extremely flattering and just as much range of motion due to the way the upper leg is cut.
The denim is really hard wearing, I think possibly the reason other companies didn't copy them is because they are a bit less flexible and easy wearing due to the rigidity of the fabric.
This is all really great info....I actually do have 2 other pairs of Wranglers I wear without a cuff, and you're right, it's a great look. I just like to switch it up with a cuff sometimes haha...I could wear the next size down and have a snugger fit (which is the true classic way to wear them), but I've been leaning toward roomier fits/aesthetics recently. I'm sure I'll make it back to the classic fit some day.
@@thevintagefuture6567 It's all going baggy as at the moment, that's for sure. They look great on you as is, but you wouldn'tnecessarily clock they were Wranglers if you didn't see the tag.
I grew up in Montreal in the 60s/70s,, no one wore Wranglers, it was all Lees then Levi's as well. It's nice to have the variety.
Great video think I’ll pick some up what was your washing process from the pre and after taking the patch off? Looks like the colour stayed nice and dark
Glad you enjoyed the video! I simply cut off the patch and arcuates before wearing or washing, then I did a delicate cold wash inside out and air dried in my house out of the sun.
AWESOMMMMMMME
Thanks bro 😆
i cut the patches, id leave them on when they are the old leather ones but cowboy or not the plastic rectangle is ugly. (i cut any ugly tag on clothes tbh) never cut the W off of them but may try that for the heck of it. wonderfull jeans wonderfull value and glad they are getting some recognition in the neo-hipst- I mean vintage style scene.
neo-hipst hahaha nice I like it....And yeah, they need more love, so I'm trying to spotlight them a bit....I searched YT, and there's pathetically little about the Wrangler 13MWZ
Yo what is the burgandy shirt that your wearing at about 1:34!! that shirt is awesome id love to know the make
That's actually just a cheapo Target shirt I ended up with LOL....But Warehouse makes a great tee in that color which I want to get.
@@thevintagefuture6567 haha!! What a steal the colour is rad!
Def find some American White Cone and do a video on it. When I read the story of how they killed that factory I cried. The stories of the people and how they were abused, when theres tons of capital vultures who could have saved it. Heartbreaking...
I love this idea! I got into the raw denim hobby shortly before Cone died, and I do happen to have a pair of Ooe jeans made from deadstock unsanforized White Cone. I will definitely do a review of those and talk about Cone a bit. Thanks for the input!
Capital as no country and no soul
Before I got into denim I hated button fly. Now I prefer it to zippers.
Cool! Same here haha
A very well & logically advocated video.I am at the age of 76 tempted to a pair of these.Or should I go for the 47 MWZ ?
I haven't tried the 47MWZ. I hear great things about it. What's good is, it should be relatively easy and inexpensive to try both the 13 and 47 and return whichever one you don't prefer the fit of....As for me, I like my 13s and can't think of much I would improve about them.
Also, check out the 47mwz rigid. Very similar fit, but the rivets and indigo are a little elevated over 13mwz imo.
Oh cool! I'll check that out!
wranglers are the hands-down best fit for skinny dudes and anyone who wants their butt to look amazing
I couldn't have said it better hahaha
Real talk.
They definitely have less room in the butt/ crotch than 501s though
501 is the ultimate fit especially the lvc 501 (47,55,66) but the regular off the shelf 501 are hit and miss these days inconsistant
Absolutely true, great info....I think certain people can upsize if they need that extra room (while for others of course, it may just be a poor fit that's too tight regardless).
I have three pairs of selvedge jeans (two Levi's and a pair of Frame) and 11 pairs of various wrangler Cowboy Cut jeans. The 13s are great for work. There's a lot of room up top. When I dress casually just to do whatever I usually grab the 36 or 47. They're tighter in the seat but have a better look, in my opinion.
I dig vintage stuff but I also dig comfort.
But what do I know? I just recently got into heritage style boots. My opinion might not qualify as legit.
This is good experiential info - thank you!
@@thevintagefuture6567 I have four pairs of the raw denim versions, all at different stages of fading. I love how they fade but don't wear them stiff (not my thing).
I will add this: if you prefer a pointier toe box I would not recommend these. These look great with Iron Rangers but I'd recommend a more tapered leg if someone's boot of choice is a typical Thursday Boot.
Speaking of Thursdays (sorry to make this long), I appreciate the video you made where you spoke highly of Thursdays (I'm not going to try and find that video. I binge watch content and it would take forever to find it). I personally don't own any but do appreciate the upgrade they are from where we all come from.
There are other TH-cam channels I've watched where the brands and tanneries get bashed because they're not on the level of a Viberg or Grant Stone. Not everyone can justify the cost of a Viberg, especially when they're just now figuring out what cost per wear actually is. A lot of people forget where we came from. Before we were at where we are in our boot nerd journey, we were not and a lot of people forget that.
I've learned a lot in a short amount of time (I wish I could make a living in this field. The amount I've learned in such a short amount of time compared to other things is crazy). Not everyone's grail boots are $900+. Some folks want three pairs of boots for that price. Growing up, I always knew of Red Wings but never could pull the trigger because of the cost. I've wanted them for 30 years. Now I own 3. Now imagine how I felt watching brethren in botas bash SB Foot immediately after I was feeling great for buying them or a guy with a similar channel name as yours, who starts his videos off like he's waking up from a day dream where he was high fiving the seven drawfs, bash my favorite style of boots. I'm obviously trying to be funny here, as I do respect those guys and appreciate their collections, but some people love what they got and shouldn't feel bad about it because it's already so much of an upgrade from where we came from.
Sorry for the rant. I know this was long and has nothing to do with the subject of this video. I just wanted to share my appreciation with you on this subject and how you handled it.
Again, I don't own any Thursday Boots. I prefer a leather footbed for health benefits (I have a theory on this but don't feel like writing the equivalent of an unabridged dictionary in a comment that has nothing to do with the video already) but am considering some Dukes just for dressing up, which I rarely do.
Anyhow, thanks and sorry again for this having nothing at all to do with this video
can you make and honest comparison between japan overpriced denim and regular denim.
In some cases, I believe you can make this comparison. This is one of those cases IMHO, due to the fact that Wrangler is one of the three big heritage USA brands (Lee, Wrangler, Levi) but gets relatively little love as compared to King Levi. Also, these Wranglers are not regular denim; they are right up there in quality with many heritage raw denim brands, just less expensive.....But you're right, in most cases it's ridiculous to compare Japanese raw denim to regular denim.
Wow, who knew these were so great? Did I spot a Wild Frontier Goods wallet?
Yeah, Wild Frontier Goods! I'm loving this wallet. Do you have anything from WFG?
@@thevintagefuture6567 yea, I've got a card wallet and a slightly larger one. A Wabash shirt, and a shell cordovan laptop bag. They're local to me so I'm lucky enough to be able to meet up with Mike and Noriko in person.
@@thevintagefuture6567 for some reason my comment didn't show so apologies if it double posts. I've got a WFG Card wallet, a slightly larger wallet, belt, shell cordovan laptop bag, and a couple of garments. They're local to me so I'm lucky enough to meet up with them in person.
nice! Really cool pieces! I haven't regretted any of the purchases I made at WFG. Great that you live close to them
Today, I think it's more the zippers used on pants are so cheap and bad that we're instinctively seeing button up fly as a mark of having better quality.
This is a really good point, well said....I just think, most people outside this heritage hobby immediately lose interest if there are buttons. Most people these days would prefer a cheap zipper to buttons. Almost every friend I have tried to get interested in raw denim loses interest at the sight of a button fly.
@@thevintagefuture6567 honestly, I don't blame them. You will never demand quality from the products you use until you find out (mostly the hard way) the level of quality you should demand from what you use. I had similar experiences with people who are happy their shoes and clothes are wearing out fast because it means they get to go shopping guilt free.
why did you remove the wrangler patch?
It was an experiment to show that people who don't like Wrangler can wear Wrangler without it looking like they're wearing Wrangler. Also, the plastic patch is kind of annoying and cheap feeling. That said, I don't always remove the patch etc for my Wrangler jeans, I just did it for this video.
where do u get these in the uk
Wrangler has an online EU/UK store....I think there's a brick n mortar Wrangler store in Wembley too...cheers
@@thevintagefuture6567 thanks
The 47 MWZ is more comparable to the 501. The 13mwz tapers from the yoke up to the end of the waist.
Good to know, thank you!
Why would anybody not want a cowboy jean?
hahaha good question! It's not everyone's style. I've worn western wear for 20+ years, but I understand that it's not everyone's preference. So I figured maybe I could win some of them over with my "cut off the patch" spiel.
@@thevintagefuture6567 Haha good move
You get it man
In UK these are too pricey. Uniqlo selvedge seems a more reasonable option
Good info!
Gotta come to the Colonies and get some PNW boots brohancho...
I dont buy mall jeans anymore but I gotta talk about my favorite superficial feature of wranglers compared to levis, the back pockets are more flattering on your ass. Levis back pockets make your butt look saggy and sad, wranglers are positioned higher up near the yoke giving a fuller impression. Maybe there are harder to use for some people, but style aint always easy.
So well said - it's true, Wrangler has a better look. Also contributing to this is the fact that the back pockets are ever so slightly smaller than on Levi jeans, which offers better aesthetic proportions cuz they don't dominate the entire back panel - room to breathe.
It’s only a good fit for smaller waisted people. I’m nowhere near the size of a big dude, but my waist and thighs are definitely bigger than average. My knees down to my ankles are pretty small though. So if I need a size 36 waist Wrangler, the waist will fit, but the legs will be as wide as a barn.
This is super helpful info - thanks for sharing! Sounds like they don't have good proportion gradation with the leg dimensions.
Im guessing this is intentional for them to safely fit cowboy boots
Yes but some brands don't increasingly taper as the sizes get larger as they should (which, I get why they don't, cuz for mass produced clothing, it is impractical to make extra patterns for other size brackets - much more efficient to make one pattern, then grade it up and down for larger and smaller sizes).
Try the 936 if the legs on 13mwz are too big for you. I personally have the opposite problem- the waist on 13s is too big but the leg is too tight- so I opt for the 31mwz which is their relaxed cowboy cut
Why do you cuff up the bottom of the pants looks kinda weird.
I like the cuff look, but you're right, it's kinda odd. To each his own I guess. I don't like the jeans breaking at the bottom at all. If they had a 28" inseam, I would probably just buy that with these, but I enjoy the cuff well enough.
If this isnt serious. Top notch joke dude...
What flannel are you wearing around the 1:35 mark? That's sharp. @thevintagefuture6567
Thanks! It's a Freenote Cloth Jepson flannel. They don't sell this one anymore, but they have other cool ones.