I've been wearing my pair of IH-666S-142od for the better part of 6 months, 5/7 days a week while at work. They have not been washed or soaked, but regularly spend the night in a freezer for antiseptic. Compared to my IHxPxT1 jacket, made with the old, non-twisted-weft 14od fabric, the newer fabric is much slower to fade, but much more resilient. My jacket has faded more in probably 1-2 months worth of wear than my jeans have with at least 3 times as much wear. In saying that, my jacket has started to wear through near one of the wrist rivets, while my jeans aren't showing even the hint of any blowouts starting. Despite being so slow to fade, I'm confident they will fade beautifully with enough time, as they crease super crisp. The 666 cut is one of my favourites. In the time that I've owned them I've lost around 15kg, and I think the cut still looks good and formal enough to wear to work as a doctor in a looser fit.

@neph93:

Welcome @flooded and thanks for the great intro. How do you feel the IH jeans compare to the ONI/PBJ jeans? I'm always amazed at how a straightforward design (the five pocket jean) can be expressed in so many ways and how these brands manage to imprint their aesthetic on every product they make.

Thanks.

In terms of construction quality, I think Iron Heart are as good as jeans get. I also like the 666 cut more than pretty much any other pair of jeans I own.

I like interesting things done with denim, and only own 2 pairs of indigo warp/white weft jeans. I have a pair of grand indigo dyed Flat Head, made out of their 16 ounce denim which fades with FH's signature vertical lines. My other pair of blue/white jeans are a pair of PBJ KS-013, which until my recent weight loss were a little tight, so haven't seen a lot of wear. All my other pairs of jeans are (among others) double indigo, indigo/black, indigo/purple, kakishibu/indigo, and of course indigo overdyed black. While I still love and wear super slubby, unsanforized denim for the incredible fades it produces, I've found that it tends to wear through much quicker due to it's rough character, and is nowhere near as resilient as the IH's.

The first 3 pics below are of the Flat Head 'Last Corl' after around 8 months of wear with a couple of soaks and 2 machine washes. You can see the vertical fading I mentioned. The last 2 pics are a pair of Oni 516-IDID after around 6 months of wear with 2 soaks. As you can see the denim is incredibly rough, producing some interesting fades, but also, starting to wear through where the corner of the phone sticks out.

Lismore, in the Northern Rivers area of New South Wales, Australia. About 30 minutes drive from Byron Bay. While I'd much prefer to live closer to the coast, I work at the local base hospital as an Obstetrician / Gynaecologist, and need to be nearby when on-call.

I've lived on the east coast of Australia all my life, except the year I was 14, when I lived with my father in Milan, Italy. He's 100% Milanese. My mum, who's Aussie, and I lived in Sydney until I was 8 before moving to a farm in Bilpin, a place in the Blue Mountains famous for it's apples. I moved to Lismore a few years after graduating from medical school.

The Northern Rivers is a beautiful area. I live 30 minutes south-west of some of the world's most beautiful beaches, and 30 minutes east of Nimbin, which is situated in a valley surrounded by majestic mountains, with a lot of hidden waterfalls and swimming holes scattered around the place. It's around 80 minutes drive to the Gold Coast, and 2 hours to Brisbane. The area has a very eclectic population, with a thriving local arts culture and markets weekly.

I love raw denim because it's a slow work-in-progress. I have generally favoured unsanforized, super slubby denim, ala Oni and Pure Blue Japan. My pair of IH-666S-142od are the least slubby, but most resilient, jeans I own. My other interests include growing entheogenic cacti, plaiting whips and drinking whiskey, especially sweet, smoky peated Islay whiskey.

I've been wearing my pair of IH-666S-142od for the better part of 6 months, 5/7 days a week while at work. They have not been washed or soaked, but regularly spend the night in a freezer for antiseptic. Compared to my IHxPxT1 jacket, made with the old, non-twisted-weft 14od fabric, the newer fabric is much slower to fade, but much more resilient. My jacket has faded more in probably 1-2 months worth of wear than my jeans have with at least 3 times as much wear. In saying that, my jacket has started to wear through near one of the wrist rivets, while my jeans aren't showing even the hint of any blowouts starting. Despite being so slow to fade, I'm confident they will fade beautifully with enough time, as they crease super crisp. The 666 cut is one of my favourites. In the time that I've owned them I've lost around 15kg, and I think the cut still looks good and formal enough to wear to work as a doctor in a looser fit.

For anyone who's interested in a comparison between the old 14od and the new 142od, I have both in the forms of the IHxPxT1 jacket and 666-142od, the latter of which I've been wearing the hell out of since getting them for Christmas. Comparing the two denims it seems the new version is more resistant to fading, less slubby (although I wouldn't call either slubby) and feels more dense. They stretched quite a bit in the waist relatively quickly. The new denim also seems more resilient, which I believe is one of the benefits of twisted weft. I'll post some photos to illustrate the difference when I get a chance. I'm loving the 666 cut, and think I would also like the 555 cut, although a mix between the two would be awesome (the top block of the 555 with knee and hem measurements of the 666).

@Chris @neph93 That's exactly the info I was after, thankyou. I'm well aware of how cut and weave can affect how warm a pair of jeans feel. I'd much prefer to wear my relaxed fit, loose weave 18oz PBO-001 in hot weather than my tight fit, dense weave 14oz TFH. Having never seen IH 21oz denim I didn't know it's character, so I appreciate your advice.

@Max Power You're indeed correct. Seeing those photos of your 634S-B on Heddels is what got me interested in IH overdyed denim to begin with.

Thanks for the info @manufc10

21oz fabric is heavier than anything else I currently own. As mentioned I've worn 18oz denim a fair bit in summer here. My day job is a doctor, so I'm in air con in rooms or the hospital most days. The benefit of overdyed denim is that it can pass off as semi formal wear, at least initially. I'm also really interested in the softness of this denim. I've bought almost exclusively shrink to fit unsanforized denim the past few years and I'm craving something I don't have to break in.

I'm always up for seeing some fades if you have the time to post them. The evolution of denim is why I love it.

@Giles:

Double twisted yarn in the weft makes the denim stronger but also more supple.  We'll tell you in a year or so what difference it makes in the fade characteristics.

I don't believe you will achieve my contrast fades with any of our overdyed denim, the od dyes the core of the warp and obviously the weft.

Thanks @Giles.

You've got some examples of IH-634S-B in your gallery that I'd describe as having high contrast fades. That's the type of fades I was referring to anyway. Obviously a lighter denim is generally going to crease and fade less distinctly than heavier denim like that 21oz example. I'll have to get a pair of updated IH-777S14-OD when they are released to see what can be done.

@Alex:

The denim is now made with twisted double yarn weft like that used in our 21oz

@Alex What does having a twisted double yarn weft mean? Can you give an idea how this will make the new denim different to the current 14oz OD denim?

I'm struggling to decide between the IH-777S-14OD and the IH-888S-OD. I like both fits, and feel that each cut is perfect for the different weights of each pair.

My hesitation in the 777 comes from the fact that I worry I wont be able to get distinct creases / high contrast fades with the 14oz OD denim in a pair of jeans. I own a IHxPxT1 type I jacket and have been able to get crisp stacks due to the tight fit of the arms when worn over a hoodie. However, I like my jeans relatively loose, and all the photos I've seen of this model in jeans haven't had much in the way of crisp creases or distinct fades.

Has anyone been able to get crisp creases / high contrast fades in a pair of 14oz OD denim jeans? Photos would be awesome if available.

My hesitation in the 888 is that I worry it will be too thick to wear in the Australian summer. I have unsanforized PBJ 18oz jeans I wear in summer due to their loose weave. Can someone advise me on what IH 21oz OD denim is like in hot weather?

The answer is to just get both, and I may end up doing just that. However, my marriage might not survive if I do, so I'd love some advice. 

Thanks @neph93

@RoxRocks86  I wasn't actually expecting such distinct creases with denim this thin and soft.

The fit shot was taken indoors at night. The blue is really only visible in sunlight.