I tried on jeans at Old Navy, Banana Republic, and Gap. My favorite pair was incredibly comfortable.

• I tried on similar pairs of jeans at Old Navy, Banana Republic, and Gap.
• The jeans from Banana Republic fit great, but were a little pricey.
• It was hard to pick a favorite, but Gap's option was comfortable and reasonably priced.

In my opinion, a good pair of jeans is one of the most important fashion staples a man can have in his closet.

The right denim can be worn year after year and withstand all the elements, including rain, travel, and the washing machine. Plus, it's versatile enough to dress up or down for any occasion.

I was recently in the market for a new pair of jeans and turned to my local Gap Inc. stores — Old Navy, Banana Republic, and Gap — to find a new go-to option. Here's how it went.

I started my journey at Old Navy.

Every time I visit my local mall, I stop at Old Navy for its trendy styles at affordable prices.

As soon as I walked into the store, I found a variety of denim jeans in every size, fit, and color. My eyes quickly turned to a wall of jeans perfectly organized by fit — baggy, loose, straight, boot-cut, athletic taper, slim, or skinny.

However, I went straight to the slim lightweight traveler jean and looked for a dark denim wash. I tend to prefer darker washes, as I find they can be dressed up more easily.

The stickers on the pants made it super easy to find my size, and I made my way to the fitting room.

I was impressed by the pair from Old Navy.

I was hoping for an all-dark-blue pair of jeans, so I was a bit let down to find that these had a lighter fade around the knees.

However, I instantly appreciated the fit. The fabric blend — 57% cotton, 37% lyocell, 5% recycled cotton, and 1% spandex — was comfortable, and I knew I could get a lot of use out of these pants.

The $60 price point was decent, and the store was having a 30% off sale when I visited.

I would definitely be satisfied with this pair of pants, but I wanted to see other options at Banana Republic and Gap before making a decision.

Next, I went to Banana Republic.

Compared to Old Navy, Banana Republic has a more sophisticated and elevated style. However, the brand is a little out of my price range, so I don't usually shop there.

Although the store had far fewer denim options than Old Navy, I was very impressed with the way the pants were displayed. Alongside the various denim options were button-downs, shirts, and other items that could pair together nicely.

I was immediately drawn to the slim luxe traveler jean in a dark wash.

I loved how this pair of jeans fit me.

These pants were true to size and fit comfortably. The fabric — 64% cotton, 28% lyocell, 6% elasterrell, and 2% elastane — was stretchy and made movement easy. I even lifted my legs in the fitting room to test the fit.

Though these were a little pricey at $120, I could see myself splurging on them because of how nice they felt. Still, I wanted to check out one last option.

My last stop of the day was at Gap.

Although I don't shop at Gap often, I've been seeing the brand's "Better in Denim" campaign everywhere and was eager to see what options were available in-store.

Thankfully, I was very impressed with the assortment of styles. Similar to Old Navy, shoppers could easily choose between a variety of fits, including slim, straight, '90s loose, and relaxed.

All the pants were either folded neatly or hung on individual racks for easy access. There was also a sticker on each pair, which made it easier to locate my ideal size.

I chose the slim jeans in a resin rinse wash and headed to the fitting room.

This pair had a comfortable, lived-in feel.

When I walked into the fitting room, I was immediately impressed that it had a personalized lighting option, where I could determine the perfect amount of backlighting behind my mirror.

As soon as I put on these jeans, the comfortable fit made it feel like I had already worn them for weeks. I was pleased to find the fabric — made of 78% cotton, 10% recycled cotton, 10% organic cotton, and 2% elastane — wasn't stiff at all.

The zipper and front button were the easiest of the three pants to maneuver, and I thought the $70 price point was reasonable. At the time, the store also offered a buy-one, get-one 50% deal.

It was hard to pick a winner, but I'd have to give this one to Gap.

After three positive experiences at the different Gap Inc. stores, I knew I would be satisfied no matter which pair of jeans I bought.

However, if I had to pick just one, Gap won me over with its price point, fit, and color.

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