Growing up as a Colorado kid, I used to see tons of folks wearing jeans on the slopes. My mom even wore nylons beneath her jeans for added insulation. (It was the ’80s. Just go with it). But thankfully, those days are in the rearview mirror. Today, technology and style have advanced and skiers have hundreds of options to choose from when selecting the best ski pants.
But it’s not an easy decision. Resort skiers often select ski pants with insulation to help keep them warm while backcountry skiers often opt for shell pants that are lighter and more breathable. These aren’t hard-and-fast rules, though. You can ski in whatever tickles your fancy. I ski at least 50 days per year in a ski resort and rarely wear insulated pants.
“My snow pants are made of stretchy, thin, lightweight and durable softshell material that is almost always water-resistant enough for a day of skiing,” says pro skier Brody Leven, who eschews both insulated and hardshell pants.
Above all else, your ski pants are there to help you stay dry and warm on the slopes. Beyond that, it’s up to you to determine which style suits your personality. For this year’s Shred Fest, we’ve rounded up our favorite ski pants based on recommendations from skiers around the country. Once you’re ready to rip, these snow pants will have your back(side).
Insulated ski pants
If you’re anything like me, you didn’t know Rossignol — the iconic ski maker — had jumped into the apparel game. That’s a shame because I’ve been testing the Relaxed Ski Bibs (it’s also available in a men’s version) and they’re one of my favorite insulated options of the season. Zippered inseam vents make it easy to dump heat in a hurry, and the high waist on the bibs is nice if you find yourself wallowing in a meadow of snow. But really, I love the style. The bibs have a loose, free rider-esque aesthetic that looks good while cruising the corduroy.
If you’re looking for a pair of all-around solid ski pants (not bibs) that won’t break your budget, consider CNN contributor Emily Pennington’s favorites. “With a flattering fit — which says a lot for an insulated pant — and zippered stash pockets, vented thigh zips and velcro-adjustable waistband, these are a solid pair for beginners and double-black shredders alike,” says Pennington. She notes that she has owned them for over three years and they’re still going strong.
If you’re a skier who runs cold on the slopes, you’ll love the body-mapped insulation of the Powder Maven Bibs. Mountain Hardwear uses 60 grams of insulation in the thighs and 40 grams in the lower legs to keep skiers warm in key areas. When combined with a two-layer Dry.Q fabric (the brand’s waterproof material), the Powder Maven Bib snow pants should keep you toasty from first chair to last call.
Die-hard female Flylow fans already know the Foxy, one of the brand’s classic ski bib options. But this year, Flylow now offers it with insulation, keeping the coldest shredders just a bit warmer. The bibs still come with the same stretchy, waterproof and breathable material as the original, but now they are packed with 40 grams of insulation. This makes them less favorable for backcountry skiing but far cozier when you’re running lift-served laps. Fit note: The Foxy bibs have always run trim, so consider sizing up.
Pennington swears by her Doublecharge ski pants thanks, to their cozy warmth and solid breathability, but the real highlight is the eco-friendly materials that Stio uses. The Doublecharge pants are constructed with a two-layer Gore-Tex material derived from recycled content, and the DWR waterproofing doesn’t use any PFAS, the forever chemicals we all worry about. Plus, as of this winter, Stio is a climate-neutral company.
Picture Organic is one of the most sustainable outdoor brands in the industry, so it’s easy to love the Object ski pants (for women, it’s the Exa). For the shell, Picture uses a blend of Circular polyester — derived from scrap fabric — and recycled polyester derived from landfill plastic bottles. The insulation is also recycled polyester (straight from recycled plastic bottles), and the DWR waterproofing is PFC-free. Beyond that, they just look good, and we dig the “I-Fit” drawcord that allows you to raise the hems from inside your pockets.
Uninsulated ski pants
Level up your commitment to the planet with Patagonia’s Untracked Bibs. They use Gore-Tex’s relatively new expanded Polyethylene (ePE) membrane, the latest iteration of the fabric giant’s waterproof-breathable membrane. Thanks to a smaller profile with much less mass, ePE materials boast a significantly smaller carbon footprint, along with less resource consumption, less energy and less carbon output. And the bibs rock. A flannel backer made with recycled dyes offers a soft touch against your skin, and the bibs themselves are more impermeable than a fortress.
If softshell ski pants are more your jam, consider giving Leven’s favorite pair a try. This Norwegian brand knows its winter conditions, and that is evident in the all-around durability and breathability of the Lyngen Flex1 pants. “After winning the 2022 Last Skier Standing competition in New Hampshire, I was awarded a pair of [the Lyngen Flex1] and have used them every day since,” says Leven. The four-way stretch makes these pants ultra mobile yet the 200-denier recycled Gore-Tex in the hem prevents any water from absorbing.
These ski pants are tougher than a tank. Designed based on input from ski patrollers, the Odin Backcountry Infinity pants are a three-layer pant using Helly Hansen’s proprietary waterproof-breathable fabric called Lifa Infinity. Not only does the thigh pocket have a D-ring to secure your avalanche beacon in the backcountry?but the pants have a RECCO reflector, a tiny antenna that helps rescuers pinpoint your location in an emergency.
Voile ambassador and local Aspen legend Ann Driggers has never been a fan of ski bibs — until she met the award-winning Figments. The free ride fit and the recycled fabrics won her over, thanks to the full range of motion, but the adjustable waist belt added a bit more structure when needed. “[I love] the long zippers on the front and side for easy in and out, and also drawer-dropping ease,” says Driggers. She also notes that you get full front coverage with these bibs; they aren’t just a pair of pants with suspenders.
We’ve long been a fan of the Sentinel Pant and it’s no different this season. Put simply, nothing is getting past these ski pants. Breathable three-layer Gore-Tex is incredibly waterproof yet supremely durable. But now, they’re even better since Arc’Teryx updated its fit models to reflect a modern female silhouette with a more relaxed fit. We still wouldn’t call these baggy, but they’re quite comfortable — and incredibly burly.
Nordica ski ambassador Brooke Murray raves about the Flylow Sirens, her ski bibs of choice for the last few years. Key highlight: the fit. “I love how they move on my body,” Murray says. “I have athletic thighs and three-kid hips, and they fit so perfectly.” She notes that they stayed completely dry during some wet resort days yet comfortably breathable while slogging uphill in the backcountry.
Features are key with the Haldigrat. Not only are there two large thigh pockets that are big enough to stash an avalanche beacon for backcountry skiing but these bibs have Dyneema scuff guards — a fiber marketed as the strongest in the world — to protect your pants from sharp ski edges. When combined with the removable torso section that converts these bibs into ski pants, the Haldigrat bibs are a great choice for someone who wants it all.
More versatile than a chameleon. That’s the idea behind the Kinetics, a shell pant used for skiing but well-rounded enough that you can use it year-round. They’re simple in design — too many ski-specific features would render them useless come summer — with a couple of thigh pockets, internal gaiters and four-way stretch nylon on the butt and the knees. Artilect also incorporated Trizar Space Certified re-heating technology, a type of fabric that captures, spreads and re-radiates the heat so the wearer stays comfortably warm.
If you dream of running backcountry laps like pro skier Caroline Gleich, grab the pants that she favors. The Upstrides aren’t completely waterproof, but the tradeoff is an ultra-breathable and stretchy ski pant on days when you’re crushing the ups. “They’re so fast and light,” notes Gleich, commenting that she’ll occasionally wear them for Nordic skiing too. Thanks to a soft backer on the interior, the pants feel downright luxurious next to skin.
