Toad & Co – Style and Function for All
Active Gear Review is supported by its audience. If you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.
Toad and Co continues to impress with their new spring/summer lineup through incorporating a mixture of sustainable and technical fabrics into styles that look good in any scenario. I’ve had a chance to test out a couple pieces from Toad & Co over the past couple months, in specific the Ventilair Long Sleeve Shirt and the Kerouac Pant, both lightweight and breathable options for warmer weather.
The Ventilair long sleeve shirt is long sleeve plaid shirt that works well for travel, office work, date nights, or neighborhood bbq’s. The Ventilair shirt is made with a blend of organic cotton(53%) and light and heat reflecting polyester(47%). This shirt is rated 25+UPF for sun protection and is able to wick away moisture while lowering your body temperature by 1-2 degrees celsius. The temperature lowering properties is very hard to notice and I would not base a purchase on this feature alone.
The shirt feels like a blend between your standard outdoorsy plaid shirt and nicer dress shirt you’d wear to the office. The Ventilair shirt has a standard fit, not too baggy and not too tight. I weigh 175lbs and am 6’0 tall and found a size medium to fit well. I find the shirt looks good both tucked in for dressier occasions and untucked for most other times. The Ventilair has a hidden zippered chest pocket that makes it great for travel when you want to hide your wallet or passport while still having easy access to it.
Having worn this shirt for both casual and professional purposes, I can tell you that it’s a hit in all scenarios. I’ve received compliments in both environments. As written in Toad & Co’s guarantee, “If you don’t get a compliment within three wearings or if you find something wrong with your Toad&Co garment, we’ll take it back and make it right”. Looks like there will be no returns in my future because I received a compliment the first time I wore the shirt and there is nothing wrong with this shirt. Big two thumbs up! MSPR: $79
Toad & Co Kerouac Pant
The Toad & Co Kerouac Pant is one of those pants that you will add to your pant rotation and with time, you will wish could get away with wearing the same pants everyday. Unfortunately, if you don’t have the name of Mark Zuckerberg, it may be hard to wear the same pants 5-7 days in a row. If it’s not apparent yet, I am here to say the Toad & Co Kerouac Pants Rock! While it’s nice to have a piece of clothing that fits the bill for a specific function, such great for the beach or great for the office, I am a much bigger fan of clothing that can be worn and looks good in more than one situation.
The Kerouac Pant is made with a blend of organic cotton (34%) and polyester (66%). This blend of fabric makes these pants feel super soft next to skin, it almost feels like you’re wearing pajamas. The Kerouac Pants are similar to the Ventilair Shirt in that they both are great for casual and work environments. Since professional work clothes can be pricey, it’s nice to buy a casual pant and be able to wear the same pants in a professional office atmosphere.
Travel
One big bonus of the Toad & Co Kerouac Pant is that they don’t wrinkle easily. You can roll them up and shove them in a travel bag and when you are ready to wear them, just shake them out and they are ready to go. If you don’t fold them when packing, the pants will be wrinkled, but if you spend two seconds in folding, you’ll save yourself 5 minutes in ironing.
For performance purposes, the Kerouac Pants are incredibly breathable, similar to beach linen khaki pants. They have a 50+ UPF rating, so if you wear them to project your skin from the sun’s rays, you are all set.
For those who want to secure their wallet or passport while traveling, the Toad & Co Kerouac Pant has a hidden zippered pocket behind the left back pocket. Since most people carry their wallet in their back right pocket, a concealed zippered left pocket is usually the last place pickpocketers will look for your wallet.
Pant Fit
For fit, the Kerouac Pants have a standard fit, not too baggy and not too tight. This is the perfect fit in my opinion, but how tight or loose you want your pants is a personal preference. The waist and inseam of the Kerouac Pants fits true to size. I have worn a 32×32 for decades and the 32×32 in these pants provided the perfect fit for me.
Final Thoughts
I really enjoying seeing Toad & Co hit their stride in making a solid men’s clothing lineup. They have always done really well in women’s clothes, but haven’t always hit the target for men’s clothing. The Toad & Co brand is quickly becoming one of my favorite brands for men’s clothing and I highly recommend giving them a try if you haven’t given them a try yet. Take a look at their clothing line at ToadandCo.com.
