Our Favorite Pants for Skiing and Snowboarding
Keep your legs warm and shred longer.
Whether you're sitting on long lift rides and making groomer laps at your favorite resort or skinning up for a dawn patrol in your local backcountry, your pants are of utmost importance in your ski and snowboarding gear lineup. We have a handful of fanatic skiers and snowboarders on our team that have put these pants through the wringer and stand by them. We're sure they'll keep your legs warm and ready for every turn all winter long.
1. Women's Arc'teryx Sentinal Pant
Kristi Teplitz says, "Durable, breathable, and warm for a shell pant, I love these ski pants. I stay warm when I wear my super light base layers, and the side vents are great when I'm touring. The cargo pockets and adjustable belt are awesome. There aren't a lot of extras with these pants which is why I like them. They have the right amount of pockets and features to make them super usable, while the focus is on the material. I have had my first pair for over 6 years and they look and feel brand new."
2. Men's Burton AK Hover Gore-Tex 3L
Chris Engelsman says, "Here's what I love about these pants. First, they have inner and outer thigh zips so that when you are on the skin track climbing Kessler Peak, you can let as much heat escape as possible. Second, the zippered front pockets are baffled and hold my avalanche transceiver in one pocket and my keys and cash on the other. Third, the articulation of the pant is perfect, so it moves with my body. And last, it uses Gore-Tex Pro fabric which is durable, waterproof, and highly breathable."
3. Women's Mammut Alvier HS Soft Bib Pant
Kristi Teplitz says, "These pants are lightweight, breathable and waterproof with the right pockets needed to make them functional, but what sets these apart is the removable bib. They're made of a thinner, super breathable material with air vents in the back. So while you get the coverage protection of a bib pant, you don't feel like you're wearing a bib. And if conditions don't call for the bib, you can zip it off!"
4. Men's Salomon QST Snow Pant
Bart Davis says, "I'm all about maximum versatility with my gear, especially clothing. We all want that 'go-to' pair of pants that we can grab whether heading to the lifts or out to the backcountry, not knowing what weather you are facing for the day. Waterproof, breathable, flexible, well-designed pockets, and great ventilation makes the Salomon QST Snow Pant my favorite choice always."
5. Men's Patagonia Untracked Snow Pant
Liam McNally says, "I wore an old pair of ski pants to death over the course of nearly ten years and picked up the Untracked from Patagonia a few years ago when I started skiing in the backcountry and needed something more lightweight and breathable that didn't sacrifice warmth and comfort. These delivered and then some. Because the construction feels so light, I've been surprised how warm they keep me even on long lift rides in the coldest temperatures. They fit me better than any ski pants I've tried in the past; loose enough to layer underneath and allow plenty of movement, but not too baggy."
Cover photo: Noah Couser
We want to acknowledge and thank the past, present, and future generations of all Native Nations and Indigenous Peoples whose ancestral lands we travel, explore, and play on. Always practice Leave No Trace ethics on your adventures and follow local regulations. Please explore responsibly!
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