INTEREST CHECK: Next Competition? - POLLS ARE FOR REAL CLOSED NOW!

[JohnM]

'Can't please all of the people all of the time' comes to mind.  Broark is in the unenviable position of having to sort this all out.  But he is not tender, nor does he have small hands, so he's up to the task.

Silver lining -- all of this discussion about how the contest should work might be generating as much discussion as the contest itself.  Spock has a message for sufu:  

 

[Jared_Lee]

1 hour ago, MJF9 said:

The vote could have gone any way of 4, but Rebuilt won and that defo needs respecting. The challenge comes if >15 people want to actually join it (rather than just voting)… I’d assume >15 do want to but that will need testing at some point. The Q then is are some folk who voted ‘in’ happy to stand down. 

As @Broark said, there are easy ways to pool all interested competitors and make a random drawing for those that will be granted entry. Simple. Feelings will mend for those left out. Also, can't we just say that the first in line are the folks that voted rebuilt as their no. 1? That's fewer than 15 people and they'd deserve the nod, I think. From there, a lottery for the remaining spaces. I won't step on Broark's toes any further as it's his to decide how to proceed, but it's fairly easy to make the 15 slots work in a sensible fashion. This coming from someone who's already volunteered to not enter the drawing for the limited spaces.

As for a cross-competition. Eh, Tender makes absolutely no sense being paired with rebuilt. Completely different products and stock, hodgepodge of off-the-rack jeans entering against a contest-exclusive run. Little Hand makes sense if it's a contest run, but if they're on two completely different timelines for completion, again, it doesn't make sense. Run rebuilt as it is.

Thrasher's KOTR style as @Double 0 Soul suggested? I'd pass on that too. Hard enough getting people to simply follow a contest through, let alone specific challenges. I understand it was made at least to some degree in jest, but thought I'd address while I'm getting far too long winded on the subject.

When I said HP separately, I meant separately as an unrelated, concurrent contest on its own 24 month timeline or whatever. No crossover with rebuilt. But again, not my decision to make. Just sharing my thoughts.

[heyson]

so what are yall gonna be wearing?

[MJF9]

@JohnM haha good points... #LLS

When I mentioned the Rebuilt 15 challenge, I just mean it needs solving... and agreed @Jared_Lee should be easy enough... I know @Broark's been giving that some thought so it's in good hands... though it's unconfirmed, at this stage, if that involves Tony the octopus

[yung_flynn]

On 9/5/2026 at 1:07 PM, ATWM said:

My spot - I’m currently just rotating worn pairs, appreciating what I’ve already started, but I’m about 80% set on Tenders again for my next pair from new. I can wait if there’s a comp for it, but if it doesn’t go that way that’s fine too. I can’t rule a last minute switch if somehow knowing more about whatever the comp is running appeals to me, but at this point I’m more set on Tender than the comp, for what it’s worth. 

I’m in a similar spot. Tender was my first vote and I was thinking of buying a pair at some point before the competition poll was floated after trying on a pair for once. 
 

I have been curious about a Rebuilt pair for a while and think that it should proceed in some form. Since things are so limited, I’m willing to give up a slot if needed though to someone else who would maximize wear during the competition. 
 

I might consider a parallel Little Hand competition but it doesn’t quite fully grab me

[bartlebyyphonics]

Agreeing with @Jared_Lee - let the rebuilt voting ppl get the jeans and run a parallel...

 

And sorry for earlier derailment re: who is affiliated with a brand: I am no saint: I wear Russell Moccasin whilst they like to foreground presidential warmongers as their previous clients: much worse than fish related fantasy heroics! I think the LH jacket @MJF9 shows off in the LH thread is marvellous...

 

Rebuilt vs LH makes most sense... Whilst the Hendrix Park wildcard looks intriguing [and as previously mentioned I am 'white-threading' for the conceivable future so in no rush...]

[Josh'N'Roll]

Thank you, @Jared_Lee, for circling back to the original purpose of the poll. Agreed that the Rebuilt contest should move forward since it received the highest score when the final votes were tallied.

Little Hand makes sense if he can get on the same timeline with Ono-san and have a batch of jeans ready for March '27. If that's not feasible, then a second, concurrent contest with either HP or Tender would work. 

Again, thank you @Broark for coordinating the options and finalizing the contest details. 

[ATWM]

Yes agreed to all - if LH can’t make the March timeline best to nix now and move on. A contest w 15 (likely enthusiastic?) participants is still a contest…dare say those in it may have a particular mandate!

[Broark]

Thanks again to everyone for sharing your thoughts on this, a few clarifying points on my end.
We will proceed with the Rebuilt contest, no doubts about that.
Spots will be distributed at a later date (I'll collect an official pool of entrants soon). We'll randomize it to an extent, but will be using factors that do help distribute them to active community members.

Like ATWM mentioned above, I don't think we can commit to a similar timeline with LH to make things line up. Everything seems a bit too uncertain and up in the air.
So we need to decide if we want to hold a second concurrent leg of the contest and if it should be Tender or HP.

This poll will be open until 9/13.

I promise after this no more polls. Until we need to decide on dedicated Rebuilt details. 

[JohnM]

Broark, just so I have it right, the N-3 from Hendrix Park would be indigo denim, not olive drab herringbone twill fabric?

[Broark]

4 minutes ago, JohnM said:

Broark, just so I have it right, the N-3 from Hendrix Park would be indigo denim, not olive drab herringbone twill fabric?

Correct!

[tigerstrom]

Sounds good @Broark I love polls so this is exciting haha. 

[Jared_Lee]

@Broark, do you know if any of the HP fabric samples are 2x1? I know I'd prefer that for a USN suit.

[Broark]

On 9/8/2026 at 5:52 PM, Jared_Lee said:

@Broark, do you know if any of the HP fabric samples are 2x1? I know I'd prefer that for a USN suit.

This is my preference as well for this option, not sure we've found anything yet but will keep you posted.

[Jared_Lee]

Thanks, @Broark!

[Broark]

Final reminder for the poll which will close midnight CDT, we're only separated by two votes at the moment. 

[Broark]

Apologies for the delay, polls are closed! 
A total tally of 29 votes, 14 of them go to Tender, 11 for HP and 4 only interested in Rebuilt.
So, we will have a Tender contest alongside Rebuilt! I'm thinking maybe a November or December 1st start date.
I'll work with @rodeo bill on the details, but I'm excited to wear the grey logwood 136 jeans. 

[space_cowboy]

Bummed with the result, but I get it. With HP, it seemed like Rix would of worked closely with us to make something special and unique for us. No disrespect to Tender, but limiting participation to only jeans that are currently available on the website seems like a big miss to me - I just don't see how it differs from just regular posting in the Tender thread. Alas, I know it's hard to make everyone happy. Thanks again for coordinating Broark, I'll still be following both competitions from the sidelines! 

[Broark]

Totally understand where you're coming from @space_cowboy, different levels of flexibility / customization depending on brand choice but like you said it's very difficult to make everyone happy.
Thanks for the kind words! And thanks to everyone for their input, I hope we have a good run at these. 

[yung_flynn]

1 hour ago, space_cowboy said:

I just don't see how it differs from just regular posting in the Tender thread

To that point, I wonder if there is a simple way to narrow the focus slightly for a more cohesive experience without limiting choice flexibility too much.

Some ideas: cross-cut denim (with or without overdye); overdyed models only (any cut or model?); specific cut with and without overdye; no overdye cross-cut vs. standard denim; unborn/rinsed denim only in any cut

[Broark]

This is something I’ve been thinking about as well. Initially I thought let’s leave it open to everything made in the UK, but that’s pretty open-ended since none of the jeans are made elsewhere yet. Maybe as long as they’re over dyed?

[ATWM]

A simple heuristic for enjoying a contest I think is that in general it’s better for the participant to be more interested in the contest than the particular pair of jeans, if that’s makes sense. It’s the main reason I’ve only done one - I figured I wanted to just do it and sort of let go of getting the thing that interested me the most. It was fun, in part because I could appreciate a pair I wouldn’t normally have gone for, and that happened more with time. If that’s not the mentality though, just easy to grab the jeans you want and go on. 

That said, this one looks to be about as flexible as anything I’ve seen. Totally get if that’s not someone’s cup of tea. Most contests I’ve seen are definitely not mine. 

[ATWM]

I’m not against the idea of limiting the Tender thing - but it might be a challenge with the sort of random availability of sizes and cuts and dyes. Almost inevitably that would eliminate someone who might be interested otherwise. That could change if Bill says he has a healthy stock of 132s or Logwoods in all cuts or cross weaves or whatever it is. It would be really subjective no matter what but I think just the best busted up pair of whatever will be fun to see. 

[MJF9]

I think the original billing was a good one - Tender farewell to the UK.  Agree with @ATWM availability may be an issue... (from looking at availability, my sense is contestants will need to move fast now anyway to secure a pair)... plus peeps may have pairs already squirreled away they want to use.  It'll be interesting to see a variety of cuts and dyes on the journey... speaking of which, given it's Tender, which can be tough cookies, it'd be worth making this a longer contest of 24 months. The end would then roughly fall when the Rebuilt one ends, though they don't need to be linked.  It should bring Sufu traffic.       

[Broark]

12 hours ago, ATWM said:

but I think just the best busted up pair of whatever will be fun to see. 

This was kind of my thought process when discussing the idea initially, regardless of what they are they'll break in nicely and we'll have a good variety of final pairs. Especially with a 24 month contest.

I have some updates from Rebuilt that I will separate out into it's own thread (and once I have some more feedback from Bill I'll spin up the Tender thread as well).
Key considerations: we can increase qty to ~20 pairs (slightly more is okay too), we can go with either the LB40s model or an upcoming 1922 model that will differ a bit from the prior one released in ~2019.
Details on the 1922 pair are still being finalized towards the end of this year, but the LB40s model will be in line with the retail version previously offered.

[MJF9]

It’ll be interesting to firm up who wants in with Rebuilt (noting the increased quota) and who with Tender… it’d be good to know we have enough peeps to make a fist of both

[shredwin_206]

@Broark can we get some type of size chart for the 20s rebuild to compare to the 40s? 
 

[Broark]

26 minutes ago, shredwin_206 said:

@Broark can we get some type of size chart for the 20s rebuild to compare to the 40s? 
 

Size chart will be available at a later date, he hasn't sampled the updated '22 model quite yet.
To whet your appetite, peep the 40s size chart linked here. 

[shredwin_206]

So the 32” inseam is actually a 30” after wash? That’s a bit short for most 

[Broark]

Don't worry about inseam, these will be made semi-custom so we can adjust that.