r/jeans

I’m genuinely losing my mind over this shit.
I love American Eagle jeans because they fit me better than literally any other brand I’ve tried, but I swear I can’t go a month without getting another pair ripped at the inner thighs.
I’m a bigger guy with a decent amount of fat around my thighs, and the constant friction seems to destroy the denim. The annoying part is that I absolutely love how American Eagle jeans fit everywhere else, so I really don’t want to switch brands.
I’m trying to figure out what actually works long-term.
Do I need to switch to a different fit or a different type of denim?
Has anyone tried getting reinforcement patches sewn inside their jeans? Do they actually work?
Is there a specific American Eagle fit that holds up better for bigger thighs?
Or am I just doomed to keep buying new jeans until I lose some body fat?
I’m tired of spending money on jeans just for them to rip in the exact same fucking spot every time.
If you’ve dealt with this, please tell me what actually worked for you. I’m looking for real solutions, not just recommendations to buy another brand.

Looking for jeans for my husband. He is 5’2 and finding pants that fit is obviously hard. Hemming isn’t too big of a deal. I’m able to handle that and I sometimes even raise his back pockets if they need it. The problem we run into is the seat area. Even jeans labeled “straight leg” tend to balloon out at his hips. (Think barrel jeans if the barrel was right at his hips instead of his thighs) He has a bit of a rump on him but no hips. Looking at him straight on he is pretty boxy shaped. He wore skinny jeans in college and I wasn’t a huge fan. They only highlighted his height in a bad way, instead of complimenting it. He’d LOVE to wear baggy and loose clothes but I fear it may not be possible. So we are trying to find something in between. Are there particular cuts, brands, or fit measurements I should be looking for? I’d especially appreciate advice on what to look for in the actual construction of the jeans, rather than just recommendations based on the style name. (But I’ll take those too)

(He’s doesn’t like the Jean material from under 510. But we do get his khakis from there)