The short version: the best tailgate pants are the ones you can wear from the 8 a.m. parking-lot setup through the fourth quarter without thinking about them — comfortable, warm enough, loud enough. Here's how to pick.
What actually makes a good tailgate pant
Tailgating is a long day on your feet — bending over coolers, sitting on truck beds, standing in a lot for hours before you ever see a seat. Jeans lose that fight by noon. Whatever you wear needs four things:
- Comfort for a full day. Elastic waist, real pockets, room to move.
- Weather flexibility. Cool enough alone in September, layerable over a base layer in December.
- Durability. Grill splatter, spilled drinks, tailgate games — machine-washable and tough.
- Team pride you can see from across the lot. If nobody knows who you're rooting for, what are you even doing?
The classic pick: Zubaz Z88 pants
There's a reason Zubaz have been the tailgate uniform since 1988. The Z88 line is a 60% cotton / 40% polyester blend — soft like a sweatpant, with enough polyester to hold up wash after wash — with an elastic drawstring waist and two front pockets. The relaxed, baggy cut is the whole point: it moves with you all day and layers over thermals when the temperature drops.
Every NFL team's colors come in the signature zebra stripe, and most teams also come in Camo, Confetti, Ombre, Post, Gator and more — so a Bills fan and a Chiefs fan can both be unmistakable, in totally different prints. Browse all of them on our NFL page and pick your team.
Hot-weather kickoffs: go lightweight
An early-September noon game in Miami or Dallas is a different animal. Skip the fleece and reach for the Lightweight line — breathable polyester blends built for heat — or straight to team shorts in the same prints. Same team pride, a lot less sweat.
Cold-weather games: layer or go full bib
For a December kickoff in Buffalo, Green Bay or Chicago, the classic pants over a base layer get most people through. When it's genuinely brutal, our team bib overalls and snow gear are made for it — full coverage, team print, built to be worn all day outside. Add a hoodie in the matching print and you're set from tailgate to final whistle.
Leggings for the fans who want a slimmer fit
Not everyone wants baggy. Team leggings deliver the same prints in a fitted cut — great under a long jersey, and easy to layer under snow gear on the coldest days.
Finish the outfit
Pair the pants with a matching tee or hoodie, add a hat and socks, and you're done. Use the Pick Your Team button at the top of the site and everything filters to your team — bottoms, tops, and accessories in one place.
Care and washing
Machine wash cold with like colors, tumble dry low, no bleach. The zebra and camo prints are part of the fabric, not a surface print — they won't peel or crack, and they hold their color season after season. Most fans have a pair that's outlasted several jerseys.
Sizing
Zubaz run relaxed by design — most people are comfortable in their normal size, and if you're between sizes or like them extra roomy, size up. Every product page has a size chart, and our Size Guide covers every style.
Ready for game day? Shop your NFL team — free shipping on every order to the lower 48.