Momotaro

[broiler]

Yeah, I ordered the broken twill. I love the battle stripes; to me that and the bright pink inseam thread define the brand. If I ever considered buying a pair without the stripes, I'd paint them on myself.

The pink inseam has grown on me and I do like it. It's just noticeable enough to be cool but not quite flashy.

 

[doctorman]

The pink inseam has grown on me and I do like it. It's just noticeable enough to be cool but not quite flashy.

it's "peach". not pink. Peach. please. Peach.

 

[stuccodreams]

I took them up on an exchange - despite the frustrations, OD was so helpful and polite over email that I wanted to give them my business. I would have preferred a similar design in a different brand (Full Count 1108XX looked perfect but they didn't have my size in stock). Out of morbid curiosity, I was also interested in the same Momotaro 701's to see if the third time could be a charm. But they were out of stock in size 32 with no re-stock anticipated. So I settled for Momo 701's in size 33.

They arrived today and look good with no irregular stitching although as expected, they're a little looser than I'd prefer. Size 32 was ball-crushingly tight and I couldn't even button top button at first, but they had stretched to be comfortable in the top block after 1 week. Size 33 hips and thighs are comfortably snug to start, but the waist is a little too big which is concerning to me. These are one wash so I'm not expecting any further shrinkage and am considering a hot soak or wash. All considered, size 32 was probably the better fit for what I wanted, but I'll live with the 33.



Did you pre-order one of the 15th anniversary jeans? I really liked the look of both the broken twill and left-hand twill and would have gone for either one had it not been for the battle stripes.

A belt should work with regards to the loose waist.

 

[broiler]

I took them up on an exchange - despite the frustrations, OD was so helpful and polite over email that I wanted to give them my business. I would have preferred a similar design in a different brand (Full Count 1108XX looked perfect but they didn't have my size in stock). Out of morbid curiosity, I was also interested in the same Momotaro 701's to see if the third time could be a charm. But they were out of stock in size 32 with no re-stock anticipated. So I settled for Momo 701's in size 33.

They arrived today and look good with no irregular stitching although as expected, they're a little looser than I'd prefer. Size 32 was ball-crushingly tight and I couldn't even button top button at first, but they had stretched to be comfortable in the top block after 1 week. Size 33 hips and thighs are comfortably snug to start, but the waist is a little too big which is concerning to me. These are one wash so I'm not expecting any further shrinkage and am considering a hot soak or wash. All considered, size 32 was probably the better fit for what I wanted, but I'll live with the 33.

UPDATE: have been wearing the 701's daily for a week (even slept in them twice). After the first day, I washed and dried them on hot to get a little extra shrink (waist shrank about 1"). After a week they've pretty much stretched back to where they were new and are a little softer.

Happy to report there are no quality issues with this pair and it has not started to fall apart. As frustrating as it was to deal with, I think the first pair they sent must have been a factory defect, compounded by them half-assing the repair which also failed. Based on this pair, I'd buy them again.

My one regret going forward is that this size 33 now fits like my regular worn-in levi's in size 31. i.e. comfortable from new and suitable for smart casual with belt and tucked in shirt. But that means it's about an inch bigger than ideal to wear sans belt with shirt untucked (how I wear jeans 99% of the time) and slides down. While the size 32 (what I wanted) was hip-bruisingly tight out of the bag, after 1 week it had almost stretched to a perfect beltless fit.

Since this is my first raw denim and a bit of an experiment, I'm considering submerging these in a lobster pot of boiling water for 10 min as part of the next wash. I've had success shrinking down cotton BJJ gi jackets in this manner.

 

[denimondenimondenim]

UPDATE: have been wearing the 701's daily for a week (even slept in them twice). After the first day, I washed and dried them on hot to get a little extra shrink (waist shrank about 1"). After a week they've pretty much stretched back to where they were new and are a little softer.

Happy to report there are no quality issues with this pair and it has not started to fall apart. As frustrating as it was to deal with, I think the first pair they sent must have been a factory defect, compounded by them half-assing the repair which also failed. Based on this pair, I'd buy them again.

My one regret going forward is that this size 33 now fits like my regular worn-in levi's in size 31. i.e. comfortable from new and suitable for smart casual with belt and tucked in shirt. But that means it's about an inch bigger than ideal to wear sans belt with shirt untucked (how I wear jeans 99% of the time) and slides down. While the size 32 (what I wanted) was hip-bruisingly tight out of the bag, after 1 week it had almost stretched to a perfect beltless fit.

Since this is my first raw denim and a bit of an experiment, I'm considering submerging these in a lobster pot of boiling water for 10 min as part of the next wash. I've had success shrinking down cotton BJJ gi jackets in this manner.

hey dude, im happy to hear the quality on your momo’s held up.

i’d recommend against boiling your denim as it may lead to permanent damage to the leather patch as well as the denim itself. i’ve seen some pics of people who did this and their patch turned into a shriveled ball sack. This can also damage the denim fibers.

based on your previous posts (“ball crushing”), this cut may not work for you. if you do bjj, perhaps youre athletic. i too work out regularly and have a pretty dramatic waist to thigh measurement ratio. ive actually avoided momo’s tapered cuts for this reason.

hopefully this helps and enjoy your momos in good health.

 

[CMT1]

Another potential option would be to have the jeans tailored. I also have legs that make off the rack fits almost impossible, and Railcar nailed the tailoring on both my BOM00X and 0205SP - I just sent them a pair of RL denim that fit me perfectly at the time and the Momos came back fitting exactly the same:





And while we're at it, some non-pants Momotaro content:

The t-shirt is fresh from its packaging so I'm dealing with the sweet creases.

 

[denimondenimondenim]

i too can vouch for railcar as they did an excellent job sizing down the waist on my 555-03

 

[broiler]

hey dude, im happy to hear the quality on your momo’s held up.

i’d recommend against boiling your denim as it may lead to permanent damage to the leather patch as well as the denim itself. i’ve seen some pics of people who did this and their patch turned into a shriveled ball sack. This can also damage the denim fibers.

based on your previous posts (“ball crushing”), this cut may not work for you. if you do bjj, perhaps youre athletic. i too work out regularly and have a pretty dramatic waist to thigh measurement ratio. ive actually avoided momo’s tapered cuts for this reason.

hopefully this helps and enjoy your momos in good health.

Thanks man. Yeah boiling them would be a last resort if they stretch any more over the next month or so.

Re. fit, the 701 cut isn't perfect but it's reasonably close to the "slim straight" cut of the Levi's 514 which is the best mass market fit I've found. When I used to squat heavy I could never find pants that fit properly but these days I'm still athletic but with relatively normal proportions. My waist is true 32" and thighs are 22.5"

I don't have any experience with Momo's tapered cuts but in other brands, those cuts don't work for me - they're designed for guys with chicken drumstick legs i.e. no calves. For a reasonably proportioned athletic build, slim straight seems to be where it's at. Any other cuts work better for you?

 

[CMT1]

They even used a pin - peach stitch on the inseam of the 0205s, which was unexpected and awesome to keep the OEM look.

I have two pairs of PBJs that I'm debating sending to them, an 013 and 019, but both fit decently enough so that I'm kind of hesitant to dick with them as they're comfortable on both thicc and slim-feelin' days.

 

[denimondenimondenim]

Any other cuts work better for you?

For straight tapered cuts, i like iron heart’s 888s and pbj’s 019. For more aggressive tapers, i like iron hearts 555s and oni’s 902zr. the waist to thigh ratio on those seem to work for me.

They even used a pin - peach stitch on the inseam of the 0205s, which was unexpected and awesome to keep the OEM look.

that attention to detail is insane!

I have two pairs of PBJs that I'm debating sending to them, an 013 and 019, but both fit decently enough so that I'm kind of hesitant to dick with them as they're comfortable on both thicc and slim-feelin' days.

I think ive seen you post these. they’re natural indigo pairs right? i have a pair of the double natural indigos in 019 and i felt the same way about even hemming them. lol cutting into these seems like sacrilege! we gotta get this pbj thread on sf poppin.

 

[CMT1]

i have a pair of the double natural indigos in 019

Those are super bad. I have the AIBK-013 and the color and texture is unlike anything I've ever seen - Let alone how they look in environments of varying light, which can get crazy.

Your AI-019-WID look insane in pics. Darker than the AIBKs but such a killer deeeep indigo hue that it's borderline ridiculous.

What's crazy is that I didn't even know there was a PBJ thread here!

My sad, small denim "collection" is all Momotaro and PBJ:

...to be honest, with last summer's addition of the 14 oz BG-019, until they disintegrate on me I don't see myself buying new denim any time soon. And I'll always be a sucker for battle stripes!

 

[broiler]

For straight tapered cuts, i like iron heart’s 888s and pbj’s 019. For more aggressive tapers, i like iron hearts 555s and oni’s 902zr. the waist to thigh ratio on those seem to work for me.

Hmm the 888 measurements look like they might be a better fit but no Ironheart 666? Based on the online measurements, looks like they fit similar to the Momo 701 but with slightly higher rise which would probably improve the fit for me.

 

[broiler]

For straight tapered cuts, i like iron heart’s 888s and pbj’s 019. For more aggressive tapers, i like iron hearts 555s and oni’s 902zr. the waist to thigh ratio on those seem to work for me.



that attention to detail is insane!



I think ive seen you post these. they’re natural indigo pairs right? i have a pair of the double natural indigos in 019 and i felt the same way about even hemming them. lol cutting into these seems like sacrilege! we gotta get this pbj thread on sf poppin.

Those are super bad. I have the AIBK-013 and the color and texture is unlike anything I've ever seen - Let alone how they look in environments of varying light, which can get crazy.

Your AI-019-WID look insane in pics. Darker than the AIBKs but such a killer deeeep indigo hue that it's borderline ridiculous.

What's crazy is that I didn't even know there was a PBJ thread here!

My sad, small denim "collection" is all Momotaro and PBJ:

...to be honest, with last summer's addition of the 14 oz BG-019, until they disintegrate on me I don't see myself buying new denim any time soon. And I'll always be a sucker for battle stripes!

Damn, the AIBK-013 and the AI-019-WID both look sick as hell. You guys must be hardcore denimheads to drop that kind of coin. I've spent that much on shell cordovan shoes that I convinced myself I needed for officewear but I'd have to come up with a much better excuse for the wife to be onboard with that.

 

[denimondenimondenim]

Those are super bad. I have the AIBK-013 and the color and texture is unlike anything I've ever seen - Let alone how they look in environments of varying light, which can get crazy.

Your AI-019-WID look insane in pics. Darker than the AIBKs but such a killer deeeep indigo hue that it's borderline ridiculous.

What's crazy is that I didn't even know there was a PBJ thread here!

My sad, small denim "collection" is all Momotaro and PBJ:

...to be honest, with last summer's addition of the 14 oz BG-019, until they disintegrate on me I don't see myself buying new denim any time soon. And I'll always be a sucker for battle stripes!

my dude, that collection isn’t sad that **** goes hard, really great coverage as far as shades of denim go. i love that you have preset belts for each one. coordination is on point.

i actually only have 6 denim bottoms/pants, one of which is a pair denim shorts. So, I’m with you on limiting the collection.

on pbj, it’s cool how the natural double indigo ai maintains it’s purple hue due to the hank dyed process. i actually have the AIBK in the type 2. here’s a pic of them next to eachother for contrast but your description is spot on.

it’s funny how the “black” sumi dye’d reads as lighter, and it really has some beautiful vertical lines from the indigo/sumi slub and contrast.

i actually only have one momo piece, the jumpsuit. i do have a japan blue sapphire slub hat which i guess should technically count.

if you’re willing to explore once your 019s disintegrate, i’ll always recommend iron heart.

Hmm the 888 measurements look like they might be a better fit but no Ironheart 666? Based on the online measurements, looks like they fit similar to the Momo 701 but with slightly higher rise which would probably improve the fit for me.

i prefer an even higher rise, so the 666s don’t do it for me. i dont wear a belt so i prefer the waist to rest right at the hips so it has something to hang on to. some people like to taper the leg opening on the 888s for a more modern silhouette. i don’t personally do this but is see the appeal and a taper seems to be an easier job compared to other alterations.

Damn, the AIBK-013 and the AI-019-WID both look sick as hell. You guys must be hardcore denimheads to drop that kind of coin. I've spent that much on shell cordovan shoes that I convinced myself I needed for officewear but I'd have to come up with a much better excuse for the wife to be onboard with that.

lol as my handle suggests, i do like denim.

 

[CMT1]

I've spent that much on shell cordovan shoes that I convinced myself I needed for officewear

Heh. That's what it comes down to - Putting in the time in to convince yourself (and your wife) that luxury item X is being chosen over luxury item Y. When I bought the AIBKs, I was itching for some more shell somethings but new shoes made zero sense in a pandemic lockdown where the stuff I owned hadn't been touched in months.

As opposed to the PBJs that have seen countless days of wear since October, and that will continue to be worn until the swelt moves in and makes jeans impossible. It made sense - for me.

I also bought into the history and heritage of Japanese Aizome hook line and sinker, which is what PBJ's multiple AI lines are all about.

my dude, that collection isn’t sad that **** goes hard, really great coverage as far as shades of denim go. i love that you have preset belts for each one. coordination is on point.

Thanks! I think a part of it is laziness - I like to be able to grab a pair and go, but will definitely play the belt swap game if the shoe color demands it.

i actually only have 6 denim bottoms/pants, one of which is a pair denim shorts. So, I’m with you on limiting the collection.

on pbj, it’s cool how the natural double indigo ai maintains it’s purple hue due to the hank dyed process. i actually have the AIBK in the type 2. here’s a pic of them next to eachother for contrast but your description is spot on.

View attachment 1598114

it’s funny how the “black” sumi dye’d reads as lighter, and it really has some beautiful vertical lines from the indigo/sumi slub and contrast.

i actually only have one momo piece, the jumpsuit. i do have a japan blue sapphire slub hat which i guess should technically count.

if you’re willing to explore once your 019s disintegrate, i’ll always recommend iron heart.

Too awesome that you have the jacket. The fabric is so insane that I thought about rolling the dice on the jacket too but I have shoulders that usually make such things impossible, so I opted out. It's also great to see the two AIs on top of each other, as the cascading waterfall pattern looks a more pronounced on the AIBK which was something that I wondered about.

Iron Heart is definitely on the radar, as is the Oni Secret Denim. I've just read too much constant great press on both companies to not want something from them at some point!