10 Best Women’s Snow Pants In 2019

When you decide to hit the slopes, you ladies should always aspire to have a special set of clothing choices available to you. Whether it is for better or worse, women who like to go on snowy terrains should always look to have at least one pair of ski pants. However, if you’d like to enjoy the slopes to the fullest, it is crucial to choose at least one pair of the best women’s snow pants.

You often ask if the pants you wear will be fashionable. Of course, looking good is a top priority, but comfort is also a factor that should not be left aside. When it comes to doing some strenuous activity, comfort is quite more important.

However you would like to call them, ski pants, snow pants or ski trousers, they do an excellent job of keeping your legs warm and dry when you’re on the slopes. It is a great fact that they often come in a wide variety of colors, fabrics, and designs. If you would like to pick the best women’s ski pants for you, make sure to read our guide:

How To Choose A Women’s Snow Pants – Buying Guide

When looking for the best women’s pants to wear on the slope, there are a couple of factors that you should always keep in mind. Even if you may think that just plain waterproof pants are enough, it is important to find the most high-quality ones.

Before you want to go skiing, you need to calculate some factors, including breathability, layering options, insulation, and price. You need to make sure that your pants are durable because being cheap can easily become being expensive if you are replacing your gear each season. Make sure to pay attention to the following features:

Fit

When choosing the best women’s ski pants for you, you need to pay a lot of attention to the fit. Most manufacturers produce women’s pants in three broad categories of fit: Slim fit, regular fit, and relaxed fit.

Slim fit is a figure that is hugging you at the hips, waist, and thighs. They give good warmth since they are quite close to the body. They are very trendy and fashionable. However, they might restrict movement a little more than other pants.

The regular fit is a standard, classic fit for most pants. If there aren’t any details for the pants’ fit, then they’re probably regular fit.

The relaxed fit is large and wide. It gives more space to the waist and hips, allowing for comfort and more layering. When it comes to outdoor activity, this is the fit that will grant you the most flexibility and motion.

Generally, ski pants that are too tight restrict movement and insulation. With such a tight fabric, they tighter pants will keep you warmer than you’d like to be. Unless you are skiing in a mellow terrain with pleasant water, it is best recommended to go for some more comfortable pants.

Type

Depending on the activity you would like to do, women’s snow pants have been designed for almost every kind of weather that you could potentially encounter. See which one is best for you:

Three-in-one Ski Pants – This is an all in one pant in which you get the benefits of the base, mid and ski pants. They are most often waterproof and insulated, consisted of an outer side and a layer. One can choose to wear only the outer layer if it sees fit, but you can also wear all three layers together if you’d like to on a cold day. The best thing about them is that you can wear them even when you’re not skiing

Insulated Ski Pants – As you can probably guess, these ski pants are designed to keep you warm. Insulation ski pants are the most popular choice for those who’d like to ski and board. They provide warmth, dryness, and safety. The insulation is measured in grams – the more insulation weight the warmer the pants.

Shell Ski Pants – These pants have an inside insulation layer made to keep warm. They protect from wind and water and are extremely comfortable, but they do not provide sufficient warmth. Due to their light weight, movement is easy. If you’d like to wear them in cold weather, a thicker warm pant beneath it is always recommended.

Soft Shell Ski Pants – These are pants that are made out of soft fabric, perfect for dry weather conditions. Often, they lack the insulation that other pants have, but they are an excellent choice for skiers who feel too hot while skiing.

Stretch Ski Pants – They look like leggings and are stretchable. Often they lack insulation, but are quite warm and most likely are waterproof. They are comfortable and elastic, guaranteeing flexibility.

Insulated pants are often the most wanted and desired on the market. However, they are not always the best choice, since they are the least versatile type of pants. Unless you are in very cold weather, insulated pants can be an ordeal. This is because they are quite thicker and warm. If you are after high-intensity skiing, insulated pants will make you sweat profusely.

Uninsulated pants are made primarily by an outer layer of thick nylon. This is a highly durable material, as well as abrasion resistant so that your pants don’t rip when they take a blow. Uninsulated ski pants can be divided into two subcategories: 2-layer pants and 3-layer pants

The 2 layer variety of pants have a water resistant and breathable liner, whereas the 3 layer pants have a water-resistant and breathable membrane between the shell and liner. Since they are better, 3 layer pants are more expensive, but a 2 layer pant is often good enough.

Bibs are snow pants taken to the next level. They have over the shoulder straps that hold these pants chest-high while skiing. Bibs are an excellent choice for the skier that skis with very high intensity, or often the guys who want to prevent snow getting in their pants. More often than not, bibs are quite expensive but they have two solid benefits: they stay in place, and they prevent snow from sneaking in. An important note to remember is that it is a little more difficult to find a well-fitting pair of bibs and they can often be quite uncomfortable if you get the wrong size.

Pockets

For those women who would like to bring their essentials with them, pockets are necessary. You can find pants that have as much as six pockets – two knee pockets, two back pockets, and two front pockets. This way you can stash your belongings in a safe place.

It is recommended however to stash your belongings in a safe place, often another backpack.

Gaiters

When buying ski pants today, built in gaiters are almost guaranteed. A gaiter is a part that comes down over your ski boot and keeps snow out of your leg and boots.

If you are looking at ladies ski pants that do not have gaiters, just leave them. Most often than not, they are not worth buying.

High-quality gaiters have a snap or Velcro to open up. Once opened, you can roll the gaiters up, put your ski boot and then roll the gaiter back down over the top and close it. Most gaiters come with a sticky material, most often silicone, to ensure that the gaiter doesn’t come up while you ski.

Waterproofing

Today waterproof ski pants are a must-have in a vast majority of cases. They come at nearly the same price as non-waterproof pants, so there should be no reason why not to choose waterproof pants.

If you are a professional and confident skier that doesn’t spend much time falling on the snow, there’s no reason to worry even if you have non-waterproof pants. However, beginners and even intermediate skiers might not feel as confident. That is exactly why they should opt for waterproof pants.

Waterproof breathable garments are often said to be the best options on the market. They are a little bit expensive, but they are high quality and allow water vapor to escape. If you don’t want to spend a lot of money, there are other affordable alternatives as well, such as non-breathable waterproof pants.

Venting and Zippers

Most people prefer ski pants that have inner leg vents. These zippers open up mesh-covered openings on the inner part of your pants. Once open, they do a great job of regulating temperature and reducing moisture in the pants.

Unlike popular belief, opening up the zippers does not make your legs noticeable, nor is this immodest in any way or form. Vents are an excellent way to save the grace of good ski pants. Most of the time it is worth it to pay a little more just for this feature since it will bring a lot of comfort and dryness.

Reinforcements

By getting ski pants with reinforced boot patches, you almost guarantee the pants’ durability. These reinforcements are patches of fabric that are located on the inside of each pant leg. They are durable, strong and sturdy. Reinforcements resist abrasion and cuts from ski edges.

As long as you buy ski pants with good cuff and boot reinforcements, durability should rarely be a problem.

Belts and Snaps

Most ski pants have adjustable elastic waistbands that allow for movement on the go. Tying and fastening your ski pants at the beginning of the day is easy. After a heavy lunch and some time on the slopes, the pants might feel a lot less tight.

When looking for ski pants, make sure to look out for double snaps and an integrated belt. Often you will not be able to find both of these features in one pair. Based on how many layers you are wearing the pants can either open up or close during the day. Either way, they will not be fit as you’d like them to, without a belt of course.

If you can’t find good pants with integrated belts, consider bibs or overall style ski pants. They are more secure and tighter in the waist and they will keep snow out!

Bibs vs. Pants

Even though a vast majority of inexperienced skiers believe that bibs are just a fashion statement, they are wrong. They have quite compelling performance benefits, such as keeping powder out of your pants and keeping the snow in check.

When in a hurry, snow can get into your waist and make you feel very uncomfortable. Bibs force the snow to work a lot harder to get inside and disturb you.

Also, bibs provide extra wind and water protection for your chest, making it less important to nail waist measurements. Most of the pants you buy will take a lot of your time just for adjustment. However, bibs do not have this problem, but you need to keep in mind to choose the proper waist size, as well as torso length.

Bibs might feel a little bit too long for short-legged skiers. They are also more costly. On the flip side, pants are less expensive, easy to remove at rest stops, and they come together seamlessly with a jacket.

Material

When choosing snow pants, make sure to find a nice ratio between material quality and price. To be more precise, make sure to look out for pants designed out of stretchy material.

In addition to being stretchy and elastic, you should look to get water-resistant and windproof material. The most common materials that pants are made out of are Gore-Tex, Event, and HyVent. Look out for these three if you’d like to have a guarantee in quality

Insulation

Insulation is the act of layering the inner side of the pants to keep you warm. A vast majority of pants you’ll find in the stores today are insulated.

In addition to providing warmth, insulated pants also keep you protected from outer elements and keep you dry and safe. The insulation weight is measured in grams.

Putting it simply, the more insulation weight the pants have, the better insulated (warmer) they will be.

FAQs

Q: What’s The Difference between Loose Fit and Slim Fit Ski Pants?

A: When it comes to buying quality ski pants, it is vital to make sure that they fit properly Poor fitting ski and snowboard clothing is very uncomfortable and it will not provide you with the protection you need. That is exactly why you need to choose the properly fitting pants for you

Slim fit ski pants are fitted at the waist, hips, and thigh. These pants come with a higher waist, which prevents snow and other debris from getting in. The tighter the pants, the faster you will ski. This is because of aerodynamics since the slim fit pants are more flattering. Also, slim fit ski pants are more fashionable and modern than its loose slim counterparts

Loose fit ski pants are straight cut and mid-rise. They are the best choice for anyone who’s seeking the ultimate comfort. More often than not, these pants usually combine nice urban styles.

The key difference is that slim fit pants will give you warmth, speed, and convenience. Loose fit pants will give you a lot more comfort and flexibility than slim ones.

Q: What Should I Be Wearing Underneath My Ski Pants?

A: Most experts would suggest that you should wear leggings under your ski pants. Either lightweight or midweight – the choice is yours. If you are planning to go on a hard ski, make sure to go lightweight. You will thank yourself later. If you are not working as hard, going with a midweight legging is good too.

Just keep in mind that skin contact with most skin pants is just uncomfortable due to the material they are made out of. Leggings provide moisture management, i.e. absorb sweat, as well as warmth and comfort. Through the use of leg vents on your ski pants, you can easily adjust and control your temperature.

However, if you are skiing in relatively warm temperatures, leggings are not at all recommended. You will sweat profusely and feel incredibly uncomfortable. Just choose something as light as possible that will ensure your mobility and comfort

Q: Do I Need Pockets On My Ski Pants?

A: All in all, women’s clothing tends to lack good pockets in general. However, when ski pants lack pockets, it is usually for the best of the skier.

When you get out skiing, you should always aspire to have your pockets empty. Even if you do have good pockets, it best to store your stuff in your coat and not in your pants. You should avoid storing gear in your ski pants.

When you are skiing hard and giving your all, your legs can feel maxed out at moments. One of the things you will want the least is keys or phones binding in your pockets as you drop the hip and crank the ski edges.

If you are a beginner skier you should not worry about these details, and you can get away with storing things in your pockets. However, once you become advanced you need to make sure your pockets are empty.

So, to answer bluntly, you probably do not need any pockets on your ski pants.

Globo surf Overview

Making sure that you’ve found the best snow pants is very important if you plan on skiing and having fun on the slopes. Being readily prepared with all necessary equipment will make your time on the slopes much enjoyable and fun.

High-quality snow pants will not only provide warmth, but also comfort, flexibility, motion, and style. Whether you like to ski, mountaineer, board, or just have a nice day in the snow, quality pants will help you. Knowing what qualities to look for when searching the best pants will save you a lot of effort, time and money when determining the best pants for you.

Source

1. Buying Guide for Snowboard Pants, Snowboards.com