A mason has the shortest pants-life of any trade I know. Wet mortar destroys cotton, lime burns through synthetic, and you're kneeling on aggregate that's chewing the knees out faster than a roofer destroys a sole. We see masons buy four pairs of pants a year. Carpenters buy one.
The pant that lasts longest in our experience is the Carhartt Washed Duck Double-Front Dungaree B11 with the knees taped or the Carhartt Rugged Flex Rigby Double-Front. Duck canvas is your friend here because lime can't soak in as fast as it can soak into a stretch fabric. Some guys swear by the Dickies Loose Fit Double-Knee — about half the price of a Carhartt and you're going to throw them out in three months anyway.
Knees: get the kneepad inserts the Carhartts are made for, the Carhartt A234 knee pad inserts. Or a strap-on Klein 60185 kneepad. You're kneeling on chips of brick and aggregate every laying course. Without pads you're done by 50.
Boots: a mid-cut waterproof leather, because mortar splash WILL get on the boot and you want to be able to wipe it off without it soaking in. The Timberland Pro Boondock 6-inch composite-toe waterproof is the one we sell most to masons. The Wolverine Floorhand 6-inch is a budget choice that holds up. Avoid suede, avoid nubuck — mortar will not come out.
Wipe the boots at lunch. Mortar that hardens on the leather is going to crack the leather. Don't ask me how I know.
Gloves: this is where masons surprise people. The leather palms most guys wear get destroyed by lime. The right glove for laying brick or block is a nitrile-coated work glove like the Showa 370 — cheap, replaceable, you go through 4 pairs a week. For pointing and tuck-pointing, a snug nitrile-dipped glove with a tight fit, like the Atlas Fit 300, gives you the dexterity for striking joints. For mixing mortar in a tub, a chemical-resistant glove like the Showa NSK24 because lime is alkaline and it WILL burn your skin if you're a hod carrier. Don't trust the leather.
Long sleeves are mandatory in lime. Short sleeves on a mason are how you end up with chemical burns up your forearms. A Carhartt K128 long-sleeve henley or the Carhartt Force long-sleeve T are the two we sell. White or light grey, because dark colors make every mortar drip a permanent stain.
Eye protection: ANSI Z87 sealed goggles when you're cutting block with a saw, regular safety glasses for laying. Cutting CMU on a wet saw kicks up a slurry and a regular safety glass won't keep it out of your eyes. The 3M GoggleGear 500 is what we keep in stock.
Respirator: a 3M 8511 N95 disposable for general work, a 3M 7500 half-face with P100 filters when you're cutting block dry. Silica is silica. OSHA's table 1 isn't a suggestion.
Apron or tool belt: most masons we see carry a Bon Tool 4-pocket mason's apron — pointed trowel, brick trowel, jointer, and a pencil. The good masons keep one trowel only for laying and one only for tuck-pointing. Don't mix them. A Marshalltown 11-inch wide London with a wood handle is what most union guys are throwing brick with.
Mason gear gets eaten. Buy the durable layer (Carhartts), spend the money on the boots and gloves, and accept that pants are a consumable.