Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #122 in Apparel & Accessories
• Brand: Levi's
• Model: 512
• Fabric type: 100% cotton

Features

• Slim fit in the seat and thigh
• Classic zip fly with button closure

From the Manufacturer
Classic Levi's style mixed with modern detailing.

Customer Reviews

501 fit without the hassle of buttons

Although the Levi's 505 jean is usually referred to as the zipper version of the classic button fly 501, the Levi's 512 model seems closer to me. If you are looking for the 501 fit without the hassle of buttons, this may be the way to go. The 505 is rather full in the seat and crotch (technically "the rise") and can look pretty baggy. Though described as a "slim fit", the 512 is more of a moderate fit, snug but not formfitting, much like the handsome 501. Rather than slim fit, it really should be described as the 512 "tapered leg", because it has a pretty strong taper to the ankle, which means it will not fit over boots, unlike the 505 and the 501. The only real downside of this jean is that comes in only one finish, a rather milquetoast medium stonewash. Over time, however, it breaks in pretty nicely and looks good.

Great jeans for skinny guys
In my late twenties, when I finally grew out of thinking baggy pants were cool, I set out to buy jeans to fit my 6'6" 160 lb body. I quickly came to dread shopping for jeans. The vast majority of stores don't carry anything above a 34" inseam, and the few that do have nothing below a 34" waist. Apparently there just aren't enough of us tall skinny guys out there to have a market for jeans to fit.

After checking dozens of stores I did find one place that sold such a size: Lucky Brand Jeans. Their extra long sizes worked out to approximately a 37 inseam. For a number of years I would hit up a Lucky maybe once a year or so and ask what they had in extra long. It usually amounted to a selection of one or two options. I even tried a pair of women's pants once. Things were good in extra-long Lucky land, and I resigned myself to the extra-large price tag: $100+ a pop.

On a tip I got some Levis 501 shrink-to-fits. The trick with these is you buy larger than your size and wash them until they come down to the fit you want. I went through a few pairs of 501s, but I didn't like having to go at least a few weeks between washings. The dark color quickly faded to what my wife called "highlighter blue". That wasn't a compliment.

Then I tried these 31x36 clean rinse 512s from Amazon, and my first reaction was, "Where have you been all my life 512s?" They are dark enough to dress up or down. They've kept their color much more than the 501 STFs ever did. And I don't have to do any complicated wash/dry processes to get to the right size. They fit right away. Machine washing on cold and hanging to dry has kept them from shrinking up and left the inky clean rinse color. On top of that, for less than $40 a pair I could buy 2-3 for the cost of one pair of Lucky jeans.

Some people have commented on the lower quality of denim in these pants. From what I understand Levis made a switch in recent years from US manufacturing to foreign locations such as Mexico and China. Supposedly ever since then the denim has run lighter and less durable. I haven't been wearing Levis for long enough to be able to compare, but it's honestly not an issue for me. I don't work outside but maybe once or twice a year. For those times I'll wear some beat up pants. The rest of the year, I'll be sporting my 512s. These are some great jeans.

nice cut, inferior denim
These jeans have a very nice cut for tall lanky types, though the denim is NOT the same weight as regular Levis. The denim is so thin I wouldn't dare work outside in them, fearing a tear/rip. These are more like dress pants, something to wear with a suit.