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Not Just Any Pants

Take a look at your legs down below. Chances are that you are wearing some kind of jeans, slacks, or worse, shorts. Sure, maybe these options are good enough for your office or living room lounging but you don’t spend hours daydreaming about work.

You spend hours dreaming about the slopes. You on skis and shredding fast.

Want to make that fantasy a reality? Then you are going to need the right ski gear, starting off with the best men’s ski pants that we could find. The variety on offer is tantalizing.

Unleash your skiing style with the articulated fit of the North Face Freedom pants. Beat back the elements and the heat with Helly Hansen-insulated ski pants. Your regular pants can’t get the job done, but the best snow pants listed below absolutely can.

Product

Details

Best Overall

Sabre AR

  • Material: GORE-TEX, Nylon
  • Insulation: No Insulation

Best Reliable Protection

Freedom Insulated Pants

  • Material: Nylon, Polyester
  • Insulation: Synthetic

Best Ski Bib

Baker Bibs

  • Material: Polyester
  • Insulation: No Insulation

Budget Friendly

Bugaboo II Pant

  • Material: nylon taffeta
  • Insulation: Microtemp

Water Protection

Patagonia Snowshot

  • Material: Polyester
  • Insulation: No Insulation

Best Shell Pant

Helly Hansen Legendary Pants

  • Material:polyester
  • Insulation:
    PrimaLoft

All-Around Option

Armada Trimline

  • Material: Nylon
  • Insulation: No Insulation

Best Men’s Ski Pants – Top 7 Picks

Whether you have belt loops or removable suspenders and wet snow shielding. It took more than just being a decent waterproof pant to make it onto the list. From resort skiing to backcountry ski pants, we’ve got a pair of men’s ski pants for every occasion.

How do you get the men’s ski pants for you? Consider the conditions and terrain you ride in, these are the two key areas that’ll determine what you need most.

1. Sabre AR

best ski pants for men

Most pants build their frame around one key material. Either the hyper-durable nylon or the quick-to-dry polyester. So what do you get when you cross both materials within one pair of snow pants?

The best men’s ski pants that are currently available on the market.

The Sabre Ar ski pant(s) has got three layers of durable fabrics that are propped up by a gore-tex membrane. Despite this heavy-duty protection, the Sabre ARs manage to remain lightweight.

Its gore-tex membrane has tiny pores, a living and breathing material, that lets water vapor exit but not enter. This one-way highway is part of the reason why these pants have such a high waterproof rating.

Well, that and the waterproof zippers fitted to each thigh pocket.

The seat of these pants has been articulated, making it far easier to crouch down and stay in position. Perfect for high-performance skiing and for getting the best out of you.

best ski pants for men

Features

  • Fit: Regular
  • Material: Gore-Tex and Nylon
  • Warranty: Limited lifetime
  • Insulation: No insulation
  • Waterproof Rating: 28,000

Pros

  • The best waterproof rating on the list.
  • The best softshell pants for backcountry skiing.
  • Very durable pair of pants thanks to nylon infusion.

Cons

  • Very few styling options

Sabre AR

The price of “Sabre AR” varies, so check the latest price at

2. Freedom Insulated Pants

best mens ski pants

True to their name, the Freedom pants have articulated knee sections that aid in increasing your range of movement. This is vital because pants that restrict you make for yet another obstacle that you’d have to overcome in order to get a simple ski day in.

The North Face wanted to create pants that could offer great waterproof protection, help you stay warm, and all without limiting you. Freedom is the pair of pants that was able to accomplish this holy trinity of to-dos.

For its outer shell, two layers of durable and extra-strength nylon have been plastered one over the other. Feeling that more could be done, the North Face applied a waterproof and breathable coating, HyVent, to each layer.

In an effort to tackle the cold weather. Heatseeker polyester fibers, sixty grams of them, were used for synthetic insulation.

These high-end pants are good enough to handle both the winter weather and wet weather.

best mens ski pants

Features

  • Fit: Freedom of movement
  • Material: Dual-layer coated nylon
  • Warranty: None
  • Insulation: Synthetic insulation
  • Waterproof: 2-layer waterproof coating

Pros

  • Knee sections are articulated for a better range of movement.
  • Two layers of nylon with waterproof coating.
  • Upper thigh vents dump out excess heat.

Cons

  • You’ll have to purchase compatible and warmest ski jackets to enjoy the pants-to-jacket connection.

Freedom Insulated Pants

The price of “Freedom Insulated Pants” varies, so check the latest price at

3. Baker Bibs

best mens ski pants

Sometimes pants aren’t enough, most backcountry skiers would agree with me. For the best weather protection, one needs a full-body solution. Enter the Flylow Baker bib. This best ski bib has three layers of waterproof fabric, complete with a DWR coating.

Even the best waterproof pants couldn’t give you this kind of service.

All the extra space provided to us by the bib brings with its pockets. Lots of pockets. Pockets on your thighs, pockets on your chest, pockets on your back, and pockets on your front. Nearly unlimited storage options for your lift pass, snacks, and anything else you’ve got.

Down below, powder gaiters keep that annoying pow from sneaking down your ski boots. Working alongside it are fully taped seams, all throughout the entire bib. This is more than a bib, it’s full-on skiing body armor.

mens waterproof ski pants

Features

  • Fit: Regular
  • Material: Polyester
  • Warranty: Limited lifetime
  • Insulation: No insulation
  • Waterproof Rating: 20,000

Pros

  • Bib offers great full-body protection for the wettest regions and conditions.
  • Multiple zippered pockets that are easy to access.
  • Powder cuffs that keep the snow out and the warmth in.

Cons

  • No insulation, you will need to wear a warmer layer underneath.

Baker Bibs

The price of “Baker Bibs” varies, so check the latest price at

4. Bugaboo II Pant

best ski pants

Everyone’s on a budget, some budgets are larger than others but for those that don’t have too much extra cash lying around to spend, the Bugaboo II pants are for you. Not much in the way of vents, what these bad boys excel at is heat. Insulation!

The entire interior of the pant has thermal reflective Omni-Heat technology. This tech traps your body heat. Putting your body heat to work in tandem with its sixty grams of synthetic insulation to deliver a heat smack down to your lower legs.

But all the warmth in the world wouldn’t matter if you couldn’t get a comfortable fit. That’s why the oddly named Bugaboo, has included an adjustable waist in this budget offering.

This waist gives you a secure fit without feeling too constricting. Rounding off these premium insulated pants are critically taped seams. Nothing is getting in, at least not in the areas that see the most action.

best ski pants

Features

  • Fit: Regular
  • Material: 100% nylon
  • Warranty: Limited lifetime
  • Insulation: 60g Microtemp XF
  • Waterproof: Yes, reliably waterproof

Pros

  • Multiple layers, with each one safeguarded by Omni-Tech.
  • The thermal reflective tech traps heat efficiently.
  • The adjustable waist lets you dial in your fit.

Cons

  • Only the critical seams are sealed, but this still offers great protection.

Bugaboo II Pant

The price of “Bugaboo II Pant” varies, so check the latest price at

5. Patagonia Snowshot

mens waterproof ski pants

Patagonia is known for its quality, and one look at these waterproof snowboard pants will show you that this tradition has carried on here. The Snowshot has zippered pockets placed in front of either thigh.

Adjustable elastic tabs help dial in your fit and outer thigh vents are constructed from a polyester mesh. An adjustable fit, solid protection, and great breathability. Everything that one could ever want from hardshell pants (or softshell pants) can be found here.

While this isn’t an insulated pant, its regular fit leaves enough room for one to slip in something warmer underneath.

Polyester boot gaiters and fully taped seams also work masterfully to lock out the elements. Not to mention the dual layering of H2No fabric, the Snowshot makes sure that rough conditions have no shot of taking you down.

mens waterproof ski pants

Features

  • Fit: Regular
  • Material: Polyester
  • Warranty: Limited lifetime
  • Insulation: No insulation
  • Waterproof: Dual layering underneath of H2No fabric.

Pros

  • The face fabric is made from two layers of waterproof material.
  • Durable water repellent is also added to the face fabric.
  • Adjustable tabs help with customizing waist fit.

Cons

  • The only sizes available at the time of writing were extra large sizes.

Patagonia Snowshot

The price of “Patagonia Snowshot” varies, so check the latest price at

6. Helly Hansen Legendary Insulated

mens waterproof ski pants

This Helly Hansen offering doesn’t have legendary in its name for anything. The Legendary is made from stretch fabric that comes in handy when pushing yourself on those grueling runs.

Despite this flexibility, sixty grams of synthetic insulation were still squeezed into this softshell pant. Thigh vents were also included for ventilation. This is a great design feature because, given the mobility and insulation of these pants, you’re gonna be sweating.

The best part is that you no longer have to worry about ski edges. Catching one could leave your pant legs looking like minced meat, but the Legendary has reinforced ankle guards that are made to withstand any damage brought about by your skis.

This is the pant for resort skiers, everything about its overall design helps it live up to its name.

mens waterproof ski pants

Features

  • Fit: Regular
  • Material: Helly Tech Performance
  • Warranty: Limited lifetime
  • Insulation: 60g synthetic insulation
  • Waterproof Rating: 10,000

Pros

  • It has thigh vents located on the inner thigh for heat ventilation.
  • High-grade insulation that doesn’t weigh you down.
  • Ankle guards have been reinforced to avoid being damaged by your skis.

Cons

  • Could have benefited from a higher waterproof rating.

Helly Hansen Legendary Pants

The price of “Helly Hansen Legendary Pants” varies, so check the latest price at

7. Armada Trimline

mens waterproof ski pants

Breathability is the name of the game here. The Armada Trimline is lightweight and has enough air circulation to keep you cool and dry even on the hottest of ski days. These are my personal favorites because I am one of those people that heats up in any condition.

As a result, pants like the Trimlines, with their AR fit that’s not too tight and not too baggy, make for a perfect outer layer to wear. There isn’t any insulation to be found here but that’s because this is meant to be a thin, top-most layer that improves the airflow to your legs.

Despite a lack of waterproofing technologies and insulation, these are still a surprisingly durable pair of pants. Full credit for this has to be given to the 100% nylon makeup of its structure.

If you struggle with the heat, whether the sun’s or your own body’s, then these are a must-buy.

mens waterproof ski pants

Features

  • Fit: Regular
  • Material: Pure nylon
  • Warranty: Three years
  • Insulation: No insulation
  • Waterproof: No

Pros

  • The AR standard fit lets you slip in additional layers without being too baggy.
  • Boot gussets are zippered.
  • Lightweight and breathable fabric, the best men’s ski pants for hot and sunny days.

Cons

  • Very little, if any protection against water.

Armada Trimline

The price of “Armada Trimline” varies, so check the latest price at

Where The Best Ski Pants For Men Excel

A quick way to know what is quality and what isn’t is to break down what makes a pair of men’s ski pants the best of the best. Below we’ve removed all the fancy jargon and confusing corporate names to give it to you straight.

Here’s what you should be looking for in any ski pants for men.

The Fit Of Your Men’s Ski Pants

The fit of your pants determines whether you’ll have room to wear extra layers underneath or not. Baggy pants have the advantage of letting you pack on the layers for warmth, but they can also feel cumbersome to ride in.

A standard or regular fit is optimal for tight, technical runs, but you won’t be able to fit too much underneath them. I’d say that this is a matter of heat and riding ability.

Which one is more important to you? Do you want to ride as you see fit or just be comfortable as you engage in any kind of skiing? If you care most about your riding style, then get the baggy pants otherwise, stick to a regular fit.

The Breathability of Your Pants

Breathability is important for getting rid of excess body heat. We all heat up in different ways and venting out this heat before it makes us sweat is what you should be aiming for. Again, just like the section above, you’ll have to ask yourself a few questions.

How much does it take to make you sweat? Does your body heat up quickly, or are you skiing in a warmer and dryer region?

If heat is a real issue then getting a pair of pants, like the Armada Trimline, is a must.

High-Grade Protection That Is Built to Last

You’ll want pants that can go the mile, else, what was the point of spending so much in the first place? The Helly Hansen Legendary insulated pants are great because of their ankle guards.

This is an area that is damaged regularly, but you won’t have to worry about that with the Legendary. For across-the-board durability, you can’t go wrong with a nylon face fabric and several layers of it.

When it comes to clothing, not much gets more durable than multiple layers of nylon.

Storage Options and Their Convenience.

Bib, get the Flylow Baker bib if storage is a make-or-break feature for you. Trust me, the number of pockets on that thing is exorbitant. But it’s not just about the pockets that are built-in but also what a bib allows you to do.

Bibs are loose-fitting. You can wear another jacket and pants underneath them. This jacket and pants mean even more pockets to choose from.

If storage is incredibly important to you, then your only choice is to get the Flylow Baker Bib.

My Final Thoughts on Choosing the Right Men’s Ski Pant

We’ve managed to sort through an immense amount of men’s ski pants in order to find the elite options, but no pair of pants is a one size fits all solution. Do you struggle with the cold weather? Then maybe insulated pant(s) is what you need.

But what about those of us who sweat when just looking at someone exercise? A pant with breathable fabrics, such as the Armada Trimline, is going to be our best friend.

The best men’s ski pants are the ones that solve the problems that personally affect you. No two pants are the same, but everyone has at least one option that’ll leave us satisfied. Chances are that your perfect pair is listed above.

Categories: Skiing

Adrian Salazar

My name is Adrian Salazar and I have been wrapped up in the world of water and other extreme sports since the first time I went kayaking. When I’m not working hard trying to deliver the best writing that I can, I am usually out on a lake or hiking up a mountain. My world is completely dominated by writing and the mix of adrenaline and peace of mind that can be achieved while engaging in new sports. I will use my knowledge, experience, and mistakes, to inform you about the best ways that you can become a part of the world of extreme sports. You can count on me to give you my informed and unbiased opinion about any sporting equipment you may need. I know from personal experience that extreme sports are something that you need to head into completely and accurately informed. Let my experience guide you.

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