There are a lot of denim weights being thrown around. Here is a quick chart to help you understand the basics.
| Weight in oz. (technically ounces per square yard) | Basic Description |
| 8 oz. | Really light weight. Will not be durable. Won't require much, if any, breaking in. Not a good option for a denim jean. |
| 10 oz. | Light weight. A decent summer weight. Will be easy to break in and comfortable to wear. Not a good all purpose or work jean option. |
| 11 oz. | Semi-light weight. Decent for a lighter weight jean. Will not be very durable in the long run. |
| 13 oz. | Medium weight. Good all purpose weight for standard jeans. The most common historical weight of denim. Newer denims tend to be a little lighter (less cotton = lower cost). |
| 14 oz. | Medium + weight. A good durable weight for denim. Will last for a long while. Will require significant break in, but will be exceptional when broken in. |
| 16 oz. | Heavy weight. Pushing the boundaries of conventional denim weight. Sometimes considered a lightweight armor. Will be a bit of a bitch to break in. |
20 oz. | Super heavy weight. Uncomfortable. Extremely durable. Very stiff and will take 1+ year to break in. Can be done, but only for the brave of heart. |
23+ oz. | Novelty. Not recommended. You will not be happy with a pair this heavy. Can actually cause wear marks and bleeding on the hips while being broken in. |