 The last known ads for Action Jeans from 1989. | Back in the summer of 1977, Century Martial Arts released their Kickin' Jeans jeans on an unsuspecting world, and later endorsed by none other than Chuck Norris. The secret to these jeans was the special gusset. As an advertising blurb said at the time they were, "Developed for stunt fighting in the movies. These look and wear like regular western jeans but have a hidden-gusset and stretch in the fabric so they won't bind your legs or rip out." The jeans were regularly advertised in specialist martial arts magazines like Black Belt, from when they appeared in 1977 through to around 1991. Various names in martial arts endorsed the jeans in the first few years, but it was in 1982 when they hit the high-spot by getting the one and only Chuck Norris to put his name to them. They even changed the name to Action Jeans. Another famous martial arts practitioner that also endorsed the jeans along with Chuck was Ernie Reyes Jr. in the mid-80s. |
| The son of stunt man and actor Ernie Reyes Sr., Ernie Jr., was a minor star in the mid-80s, starring alongside Arnold Schwarzenegger and Brigitte Nielsen in the 1985 sword and sorcery action movie Red Sonja. He also appeared in a episode of MacGyver, and was Donatello's stunt double in the first Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990) movie. So well placed to be a poster boy for the newly branded Action Jeans. Back in 1981, Ernie Jr., has actually endorsed the then still called Kickin' Jeans alongside his father. But it's the co-endorsement with the legendary Chuck Norris all moustached and smiling behind little Ernie that makes for a classic advert. Kickin' or Action Jeans are no longer available sadly, although Century Martial Arts is still on the go. Although there was an attempt to reignite a love for jeans with that special gusset, when in 2002 Diamond Gusset Clothing relaunched a version of the jeans. |  Chuck and Ernie selling Action Jeans in 1983. |
