Overalls Are My New Favorite Outerwear, Thanks to LIVSN

Superman had a cape, Ironman had a suit, and now I have overalls. And I would argue that LIVSN’s Flex Canvas Overalls have far more utility than that silly cape, and I assume provide way more comfort than a full-body coat of armor.

What’s more, while I can’t make any claim to true invincibility, wearing these stretchy-but-tough overalls certainly lends a bit of “eff it” mentality. By their very nature, overalls are a utility-forward option. But combined with the stretch, breathability, and useful features that made LIVSN pants a GearJunkie favorite, the Flex Canvas Overalls very quickly became an everyday-and-every-task outfit.

In short: I’d never owned overalls before LIVSN surprised me with two pairs, and I’ve quickly become a shameless evangelist. The Flex Canvas Overalls ($200) are now my most-used outfit for anything that requires doing: Bike commuting to work, gym-climbing, wrenching on my truck, weekend honey-do chores, and, of course, outdoor adventures. They are nearly perfect, except for one small feature I’d like to add.

LIVSN Flex Canvas Overalls Review

Anyone who’s donned a pair of LIVSN pants will quickly feel the similarities in these overalls. The Flex Canvas Overalls use the same organic cotton, recycled polyester, and spandex blend and much of the same layout — pockets, gussets, reinforcements — at least, from the waist down.

But where the pants call it quits at the equator, the overalls charge north with more of the LIVSN magic. A large zippered pocket (about the size of a back pocket) takes up the right-hand two-thirds of the chest area, next to a smaller, open “phone/beer sleeve” pocket. Above this pocket are two pen slits to carry a pen and/or pencil.

But the standout feature is the large, chest-wide kangaroo-style pocket that sits behind these other pockets.

Rounding out the build, two high-stretch straps, similar in feel to an Arcade belt, affix over each shoulder with a side buckle. Beyond the stretch, these are also adjustable to accommodate a range of body shapes and sizes.

Why Overalls?

Before LIVSN sent me a couple of pairs to test, I can honestly say I’d never worn a pair of overalls in my life — nor had I much wanted to. To me, they seemed like an item whose time had come and gone, like the monocle or the once-ubiquitous fedora. Moreover, the only time I did see overalls was usually on women.

But having enjoyed what LIVSN did for pants, with bomber construction, thoughtful features, and impressive breathability and stretch, I was willing to at least give the overalls a go.

Over the course of a month, I wore these on bike commutes around town, at the bouldering gym, and for all manner of weekend warrior DIY projects — oil changes under my truck, swapping components on my bike, and shoveling out after an early spring blizzard. The Flex Canvas Overalls proved ideal for tasks where an errant splash or spray of grime only added character to the garment.

Chore Master

So far, I’ve added some road grit, bike lube, climbing chalk, rust chips, and spilled beer to the construction. I’m also reasonably certain some guacamole, coleslaw, and a few pieces of Girl Scout Thin Mints have rained down on these overalls to varying extents. Surprisingly, none of it has left a mark. I would have assumed the bike lube would impart a lasting impression, but these overalls look as good as day one.

Like LIVSN’s pants, the overalls are also stout enough to provide a measure of warmth and defense against abrasion, but still just breathable enough to accommodate some moderately high activity. Across a range of temps, from around freezing outside to mid-70s indoors, the overalls have been plenty comfortable.

I donned the overalls for a few bike rides around Minneapolis in March, for rides of 3 to 6 miles. They’ve been warm enough in chilly morning temps around 35 degrees, and stay cool enough through a good 15-18mph pace over the course of 30-40 minutes.

Still, they’re overalls. Don’t expect Nike to release any Air Zoom Superfly version for runners. I think biking is about as cardio as I’d go, and that is because these are reinforced in the knees and bum, a plus for any bike pants.

The double-layering on the rear and knees, along with the articulated knees and gusseted crotch, also made crouching under my truck and kneeling on my driveway hassle-free. The overalls show no signs of abrasion as a result — I’m guessing my actual knees would show more wear under MRI.

Stretch and Storage

Meanwhile, the stretchy shoulder straps and 2% spandex allowed me to tackle some cave boulder problems at the gym with satisfactory freedom of movement.

This is where the overalls have been sneaky good. I’ve torn up some shins banging on volumes, so I appreciate long pants that are up to the task. These overalls are simultaneously tough and stretchy, so they’ve been perfect. And I can leave my belt at home!

The array of pockets is nice, even if I only use a few of them regularly. By far the biggest advantages of the overalls versus the pants are the front zippered pocket and kangaroo pass-through pocket. The former is ideal for secure wallet storage that leaves your pants pockets free and unencumbered. The latter is simply an ideal spot to put your hands — you’ll know when you try it.

What I’d Like More

Because I am familiar with LIVSN’s Flex Canvas and Eco Trek pants, I was quick to notice that the Overalls had no button to roll the pant leg. As a lifetime bike commuter, this bummed me out. I’d love to see LIVSN bring back the button and reflective strip. Although I may be in the minority.

Beyond that, I never found an ideal pocket for my phone. The most obvious spot is the device pocket on the chest, but my phone tumbles out of this pocket whenever I bend forward. I’d love to see a Velcro or button flap to add some simple security for my phone — something slightly easier to access than a zipped pocket.

That said, if you fancy secure storage for your phone (or other valuable), both rear pockets are zippered, one hand pocket has a hidden zipper pocket, and there’s a zippered chest pocket as well.

LIVSN Overalls: Should You Buy?

On paper, if you like LIVSN pants — or if you simply value durable, comfortable, thoughtfully made outerwear — you will absolutely enjoy the Flex Canvas Overalls. They are extremely utilitarian, above and beyond mere pants, and I would argue even more versatile.

They’re as appropriate for an oil change as they are for a reasonably nice happy hour. And they’re even great for throwing on when you roll out of bed.

But like it or not, overalls aren’t judged by their merits on paper. Overalls are something of a statement. When I first wore these overalls out, I received comments from friends and family about half the time. The comments weren’t mean, but light-hearted and curious. Not a lot of guys walk around in overalls, I guess.

But I aim to change that. LIVSN now makes my favorite do-it-all-wear, and it is overalls. It’s not perfect every day, but across a range of activities and environments, especially those that will test the mettle of the material, the Flex Canvas Overalls are a stellar fit.