I have been wearing various Vertx pants for over a decade now, starting with their original, and moving to their Hyde lines a few years ago. I was very annoyed when they discontinued the line, since they were, and are, the best pant design I have ever owned, and amazingly priced. Needless to say I was relieved to find the Cutback are basically the same pocket layout with "upgraded" fabric (personally I appreciated the relatively thin, pliable Hyde fabric). If Hydes were still offered at close to their original price I probably wouldn't bother with the Cutbacks, and I can't help but wonder if the model turnover was about justifying a price hike, but it doesn't matter because this pocket configuration is basically perfect. The beauty of Vertx over most tactical pant brands is they produce pants with tactical fabrics, features and pocket configurations that don't have obvious EDC aesthetics. It does tends to lead to expensive pants and functional compromises, but it produces tailored pants I'm comfortable wearing in a business casual atmosphere. I might not work with my hands for a living, but I still can't get through the day without at least 5 pockets, and the Hyde/Cutback provides that critical cargo pocket as a "skinny" pocket on the side of the leg, perfectly sized for a key fob, and keeping it out of the forward presentation or from interefering with driving. The leg cuff reinforcement is another nice feature, I tend to wear minimalist shoes often, which creates problems with stepping on the rear part of the cuff. The high wear reinforcement keeps fraying and discoloration minimal and looks handsome to boot. It also makes hamming difficult, so I've learned to put in the effort to find the proper inseam length. Last but not least the fit is great for someone whose managed to stay in shape and wants to make that fact obvious in his clothing choices. Not to throw shade, but my Dad is a bigger guy and his 5.11s work with that, I intend to wear Vertxs as long as I can get away with it. In conclusion, if there's one thing the Hyde-Cutback transition taught me, its that supply chain issues, model turnover and price hikes are just facts of life in the premium clothing market. When you find a model you really, really like, if you can afford it don't buy one pair with the expectation of adding others later if you can afford it, 6-12 months later there might not be a later.
