I've heard bad reports about the Relco ones, that they're completely synthetic, i.e. not poly-cotton, but some viscose blend. But that's second hand, not personal experience. I've got a pair of the JTG ones, and they're pretty good fabric-wise - the proper poly-cotton mix I'd say. They're quite stiff, but not too heavy and thick. The only ting I dont like is that they're too narrow, tapered down to 15", which I think is too much.

sounds interesting. how would one go about purchasing those without going to japan?

Rohan, my ex-jungle expedition outfitters, may provide some kind of alternative in these:

http://www.rohan.co.uk/Product/Detail/MensEnvoyCollection_02080?ocode=02080512

Last edited by 4F Hepcat (2010-09-06 13:42:00)

Is this what you are after?

http://en.item.rakuten.com/rds/levis-stapre-01/

if any of you guys have access to Ross Dress for Less stores, I found several pairs of the 306 (sought after by james bond fans) and 305 sta-prest, they were at different stores, all in the clearance racks, all for $12.99 or less, this spring and summer. Strange because they are manufactured in europe and I never saw any pairs make their way to the actual levi's stores. The 306 are more like an early-mid 60's cut, higher rise and a little looser. 305 are slimmer, somewhat lower rise but not as low as a 511/514 (so still at waist level). There were other eu levis there, most of them were pretty grotesque (twisted seams, "engineered", etc). I don't know if these 306 are the same as in the link above. The 305 i saw were black and bright blue, the 306 were off white.

The Levi's 306 I tried on were "vanity sized", I had to go two inches below my actual size.

The ones that I tried on were from the same batch most likely.

ok, anyone on the west coast??