Home Sports Stay Warm When Playing Hard in the Snow: Snow Pants Buying Guide

Stay Warm When Playing Hard in the Snow: Snow Pants Buying Guide

Women snow pants

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The right winter attire is your first line of defense when it comes to harsh weather conditions. If you’ve already decided on a jacket, the only thing left to complement it is a high-quality pair of snow pants. You should invest in superb-quality apparel to ensure a great experience. It’s easy to get caught up in the excitement of new snowboards and ski boots, but a great way to improve your snowboarding experience is to fine-tune your attire.

While men’s winter clothing often seems to be unisex, women’s winter outerwear has a somewhat broader fit around the hips. Furthermore, quality garments, both women’s and men’s, are made from breathable materials that enable the sweat to escape the body, while keeping you dry and warm throughout the day.

Every winter catalogue has clothing made from a variety of materials designed to protect you from the cold, wind, and water. When choosing women’s snow pants or a model designed for men, make sure to pick a design that enables you to easily move. In order to buy the proper snowboarding clothing for your needs, it’s important to first understand the different textiles and garment accessories.

Winter apparel is important for surviving the wet and cold slopes, and it’s available in a variety of waterproofing levels, making it ideal for a number of conditions. The waterproof rating measures the point at which water starts to seep through the fabric. The higher the grade, the more waterproof the snow pants are.

The breathable membranes in snow pants allow water vapour from sweat to pass through while keeping the snow and water droplets out. The higher the rating number, the better breathability the pants will provide. The fact that these materials have holes that are bigger than a molecule of sweat but smaller than a molecule of water is what makes them so efficient. This allows the material to be both waterproof and breathable.

Functional Materials

Woman putting on bibs

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Polyester is the most common fabric used in winter clothing. It’s tough, resistant to shrinking and stretching, quick-drying, and mildew-resistant, making it an ideal winter outerwear fabric. Polyester is water-resistant and durable when tightly woven. Nonetheless, practically all boarding jackets and pants must be coated with a durable water repellent. This coating acts as a water repellent by making it difficult for snow and dirt to penetrate the outer fabric.

Nylon is high-strength, low-absorbency polymer with elastomeric properties. Despite its numerous advantages, an additional coating is frequently applied to nylon textiles to boost their protective properties. Of course, the manufacturer’s waterproof/breathability rating is the most straightforward method to decide whether a jacket or pants will perform in your intended conditions.

Nylon and/or polyester microfibers are used in some shell gear. These materials are woven into high-performance, ultra-durable, lightweight, breathable, highly water-repellent, and wind-resistant outerwear using incredibly tiny fibres. Microfiber is normally reserved for the most costly, highest-tech jackets and pants on the market because of its excellent qualities.

From apparel to medical equipment, Gore-Tex has a wide range of applications in the everyday life. The Gore-Tex technology was invented over six decades ago with the intent to be a lightweight, waterproof fabric for all-weather usage. The material has minuscule perforations 20,000 times smaller than a drop of water and is very porous.

Since sweat is small enough to pass through the body’s pores, this technology is the foundation for high-end snow pants that are waterproof while also breathable. The membrane has a very delicate structure with very small pores. Water droplets cannot travel through the pores, but water vapour molecules may. This prevents precipitation and snow from entering the jacket from the outside while allowing sweat to escape. To produce a protective shield against rain and snow, wind, and cold in outerwear, Gore-Tex membranes are bonded to nylon or polyester base materials.

Bibs vs. Pants: What’s the Best Option?

Women's snowboard pants

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Ski and snowboard pants follow the same rules as shells, but there’s an extra option: bibs vs. pants. The choice between these two styles of snow pants is mostly a matter of personal preference, although there are a few key differences. Without a belt, bibs stay up better and protect your behind from wet and freezing snow. Since they lack a waistline and have more cloth over your core, bibs can be more comfortable and warmer.

If your ski jacket does not go all the way down to your waist, bibs are a wonderful alternative for providing essential coverage.

By reaching past your waist, bibs give additional protection from snow and ice, especially if you ride the snow in different styles and terrains like the deep powder in the backcountry.

One disadvantage of wearing bibs though is that they might be more difficult to respond to nature’s call, well particularly for women. Thankfully, snowboarding brands have invented ingenious solutions like butt-flap zippers and halter-style bibs to make the process easier.

How to Choose the Right Fit?

Ladies snow pants

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Getting the right fit of snow pants is just as important as finding the right materials. In terms of waist size, it’s recommended to go one size bigger when compared to your regular pants. This is to ensure they’re not too tight so they restrict your mobility or comfort, especially because you’ll be wearing an extra layer of clothes underneath. Snow pants are available in three different styles and fits – slim-fit, standard, and loose fit.

The slim fit is more popular for women’s snow pants as they look more fashion-forward. While a slim pant does not provide as much range of movement as a regular or loose fit, it is enough for general movements and has the extra benefit of a streamlined and feminine design. Look for features like stretch panels and articulated knees if you want an even tighter fit. However, depending on the style of snowboarding you pursue, a loose or regular fit of snow pants may allow more flexibility to do the various cool tricks.