Loose/*old school* fitting gear?

I don't have a suggestion but I can say the Answer stuff (got a couple of different sets) seems to have the exact problem you describe, so another one to cross off the list.

With Thor, probably not a solution but the lower level stuff to mid range stuff seems to be more roomy than the high end stuff that has the super athletic fit.

I do have Just1 J12 Carbon and Leatt 9.5. I was deciding between Shoei and Leatt for the second helmet and went Leatt, as I like the safety features more. The 9.5 feels very light, great vents. Only disadvantage is fixed peak, but if you crash, it wont break your neck as it on pins and you can just clic it back after.

6D and the top range helmets are out of my budget

i have had the same problem with waists seeming smaller from one year to the next, only to have to face the reality that the pants aren't the problem

Seven MX compression 

I hate current "Athletic fit" trend. Getting my knee pads fit in to FOX 180 pants is real pain in the ass. I tried one size larger pants but they are too big from the waist area for me. Riding pants used to last several seasons back in the day too. Today's thin materials wear holes trough  just  in a half of a riding season        

The newest Kinetic Mesh released last May (supposed to be every March but welcome to modern mfg) has a new "stretch" material that may help. I'm not sure if this is the edition you tried but it should provide a bit of relief. 

Have you looked at Klim pants? Definitely not the tight style as most of the MX brands. 

Why not order a size 40 Kinetic Mesh if you love it and the 38 is a bit tight?

I have Kinetic and Kinetic Mesh in both 30 and 32 waist sizes, one is tight and slim fitting, and the other is baggier. I can confirm that they are certainly slimmer than my set from 2008 that I still occasionally wear.

AM (American Made) gear is very loose fitting. I have a set. I'm a bigger rider with big legs, so it was a good choice for me. 

Don't even bother with alpinestars. I have no reason to suggest this but a hunch, try moose. 

Troy Lee fits bigger.

Try Fasthouse grind house pants.  They are roomy and the waistbands are fully adjustable. If you find you need a bigger waist size to fit your leg you’d have the ability to cinch the waist with both the buckle and the Velcro straps.   FYI FH pants are true to waist size when measured with a tailors tape. 

Klim may work. I think looking for off-road style pants in general is a good start. The pants with lap pockets tend to have some extra room. 

Are they still around? They havent posted anything on their socials in a long time per my last check. I do like their stuff though

Should find what you need here....

https://motorcyclecloseouts.com

Their website is still up and going. 

Klim Mohave and Dakar lines are very loose in the thigh...just much more baggy all around (the Klim XC line is more "modern" fit).  Great gear too!  And they are the same price as the top of the line gear from most other major gear companies.

My fasthouse grindhouse pants are the worst fitting pants I have ever worn. Literally had to have my wife pull them off, fuck those things. I have been a 32 waist my entire adult life as well. Went back to fly and remembered why I had chose to wear it for the last 7 years. 

Quite the opposite for me, had to get 36” in other brands when I am a 34” all day long. To each his own I guess

I saw a couple posts that I  found the same things to be true, and figured I would add my input.  I have found  that  with the feedback I've gotten from customers.  The Thor Sector is more roomy in the thigh area than the Pulse and Prime. And Moose gear seems to be a more baggy fit than the more moto brands.  So depending on which line of Thor you tried , maybe try the Sector. The Moose gear is probably going to be more durable. Off-road gear from Thor tends to be built differently from their main MX line too. The Off road line they have uses  thicker materials , and a looser fit. I have a more limited amount of data from customers trying the Moose , but so far it has been fitting on the looser side . Where the same size in the Thor was too snug, the Moose has offered the extra space needed for the crotchal regions and thighs.  Most of the opinions have been from customers in the 34,36 and 38 range. As you get smaller in the waist size it seems to be less of an issue.  The 22 and 23 Thor should all still fit the same as each other. I've noticed a change to the buckle on the 22.5 and 23 Pulse pants. But other than that. The fitment and materials are supposed to be the same across all of the lines.   

     You might want to try the Pulse too. The prime is the tightest fitting of all of the 3 . Pulse is a little looser than Prime ( but the thigh area is still snug on some riders ,) and then Sector. The Sector line is a very good bang for the buck gear.  The Pulse has leather in the knees and the velcro belt along with the ratchet style buckle on the 22.5 and 23 pants. The 22 Pulse pants had a hook and snap  along with the belt style velcro waist.   

 The sector pants are more minimal in features , no leather in the knees , and only the ratchet style buckle  for the waist.  Even with the reduced features and entry level pricing , they have been a popular gear with riders who like the more classic fit. Often the next size up is needed when going from Sector to Pulse or Prime.

And the Moose so far has been a little more relaxed in sizing compared to even the Sector. We have not sold much of the Moose stuff yet , We sold a decent amount of Thor for a smaller shop so my Thor fitment info is based on a larger number of people.The Entry level Moose gear has the Velcro belt waist and buckle like the Thor Pulse , but there is no leather in the knees. It is the Qualifier line. Its $10 or 15 more than the Thor Sector so if you like the Sector , but want or need the belt style waist the Moose Qualifier line might be worth trying on too.

Any shop with Thor can get Moose too. The Hallman line is the Thor stuff with a different design  on them, again I'm not as experienced with which is which, but it may give you some more options if you find the Pulse fits you well. I think the "Differ" pant is the same pant as the Pulse. I'm not sure about the Legend pants. They do not look like the current Pulse pant. So those might be worth a try too. I would guess they are either based on an older Thor or Moose  pant. 

 It seems like all gear fits differently from brand to brand these days. So trying it on is important. Jersey size and fit seems more consistent from brand to brand . But Pants, boots and Helmets are a MUST try on before buying these days. Also if you wear knee braces clean them up and bring them along and try the pants on with the braces or Knee pads if the shop is OK with you doing that.  Or ask if they have the same pads or brace that you can try on with the pants.  That way it takes the guesswork out of trying them on.   

If you’re going for looser fitting, stay away from Alpinestars because I can’t even get my foot through the hole in the pant leg. 

I hv quite a few 32 pants from 97-07. They still fit . How difficult would it be to disassemble a 97 fox pair of pants and copy the fit ? 97 MC yellow black pants seem to fit Great. I sewed the knees together that I ripped open from a don joy knee brace. Maybe it’s time to make my own. It would b a challenge. I just need a machine and a name for the product. I want to do something else anyway. 

Which Astars? The pants (all of them) fit me better (looser) than the Troy Lee GP line or Thor Pulse. As posted above a large jersey fits me in pretty much any gear. The pants are where the problems lie. Troy Lee and Thor and to a lesser extent Fox are too tight in the crotch/top of the legs. Fly pants probably have the most room in that area with the Astars coming in 2nd.

I have not tried Moose, Klim, or FXR to compare as the shops around here don't carry them.

I hear LBZ has some loose fitting gear...

Oneal.