No longer the Cottonwood. They re-designed the pant but didn't re-name them. Lame! I have FIVE pairs of the design from a few years ago and they are the only pants I wear all winter. I want and need more colors, as I only have two (berry, latte). Just got the new Cottonwood in these gorgeous chocolate and green/avocado colors and have to return them, as the "Cottonwood" has been substantially, and poorly, re-designed. Not little tweaks and not improvements. NO ONE else makes cute, thick, comfortable (stretch) cords for winter. These were THE winter pant. The luxuriously thick and warm corduroy is now just plain average weight (I told them whoever cut that corner should be fired). The perfect low waist is now higher. Why fix what isn't broken!?! The old ones fit and flattered my body almost MAGICALLY. It's not easy to find practical pants that are also low-rise. I might as well have bought the new ones at Eddie Bauer or LL Bean! Not that different. May as well be "mom pants." Not that warm and definitely not 'hot' anymore! Mountain Khakis also used a cotton canvas strip for the new inner waistband. If any of you didn't like the stretch of the old ones, these might be for you, but who doesn't appreciate a stretchy waistband!?! Most of us were fine with the original, thanks. All you have to do with the old ones is wash/dry them and they go back to normal ... or just wear a belt. No issue. Now, they're higher and made too tight at the waist, so I can't even button, or stretch, the size that's already even bigger than mine. I am a size six, and the new eight doesn't even fit! I can't go any bigger, as the rest of the pants would be humongous on me. Argh! Don't fix what isn't broken! Thank god I bought five pairs before, as this company ruined the best pants I've ever owned (other than my Seven jeans). No one seems to get how impossible it is to look cute, be warm, and be comfortable in the winter. Until the original Cottonwood, winter and pants were just a debacle. FOR GODSAKE, BRING BACK THE OLD COTTONWOOD! At the very least, re-name this other pant something else. Let someone else buy them. I have to send back the four pairs I just tried. FYI: I own sizes four, six and eight of the old ones. They ALL fit. Why? Because my waist and habits and undergarments fluctuate, and the waistline has give to it. The new pant? NONE of them fit because there's so little give, the waistline might as well be made of steel. I see what MK was trying to do with the unstretchable strip, but it's what we call a FAIL. PLEASE BRING THE OLD DESIGN BACK! Continuing to make something that works is the mark of an EXCELLENT company that will stand the test of time and keep customers coming back. (And if you change something, just tweak it a little bit, just enough, without ruining the reason people love it in the first place. Please.) I now have to return my new colors, and it's painful. Dammit, MK. If others agree, please let the company know (customerservice@mountainkhakis.com). PFFFFT. P.S. I really like Backcountry's customer service. Thanks guys!
