You’re finally taking the plunge and hitting the slopes this winter! But before you can enjoy the snow, you need to make sure you have the proper gear. And that starts with your ski pants.
Ski pants are designed to keep you warm and dry while you’re skiing. But they also need to give you enough mobility. So, how should ski pants fit? how long can the pants be?
Ski pants should be snug, but not too tight. They should also be comfortable enough to allow you to move freely. And finally, they need to be of the right length. In this article, we will go through each of these in detail!
How Should Ski Pants Fit?
Your ski pants won’t be as perfect as your favorite pair of jeans. The dynamic movements you make whilst skiing play a huge factor when choosing ski pants. Regardless of how you look in them, it’s a must for the pants to be flexible and durable for increased mobility.
Excessively tight ski trousers may seem wonderful, but will likely make you uncomfortable and may even make it difficult for you to make turns when skiing downhill. On snowy days, they should have enough room to put on some thermal garments along with your base layer, which is the best garment to wear under ski pants.
The middle ground is the greatest option for skiers and snowboarders since, despite all of the above, if you embrace the urban appearance too much and your ski trousers are too wide, the excess fabric may also get in the way and snag on objects. To meet various body proportions, ski pants are also available in men’s and women’s specialized fits. Men’s fit will be straighter from top to bottom, whilst women’s ski pants will often have a smaller waist and wider hips.
Measure From The Waist
You should usually size up one size from your typical waist size for pants, starting with the waist. The best course of action is to put on a pair of ski pants while still wearing your thermal trousers underneath, making sure that you can sit comfortably and move about without them catching around your waist or hips.
When you’re skiing, if your jeans are too loose around your waist, they might slip down and cause snow to drip down your pants if you fall.
There is some discretion since most ski pants include belt loops or adjustable waists, but if there isn’t a pair that fits you completely, you should go slightly higher rather than down.
The decision between a low or high rise waist is a little more personal but generally speaking, the high rise will provide greater protection from the weather while the low rise provides you with a little more mobility.
Side note: If you are overweight and wondering if it’s a good idea to ski, check out our guide on can fat people ski.
Should I Get Slim Fit, Baggy, Or Regular-Styled Pants?
These days, ski pants come in slim, standard, and baggy fits, and the one you pick depends on more than just your sense of style. If you want to fly down groomers, slim-fit ski pants provide greater heat retention and are more aerodynamic. They won’t provide as much range of motion, and to fit over your ski boots, they’ll probably need to have zippers or poppers on the ankles.
Conversely, baggy ski pants allow for considerably greater freedom of movement, which is something you’ll undoubtedly want if you’re going snowboarding. Although comfier, these won’t be as warm as others. If they’re too loose, they could irritate you by snagging on your skis or flapping in the wind when you’re moving quickly.
Regular-fit ski pants are the perfect compromise between the two styles; they offer just enough room to move around and accommodate apparel below without being too baggy. These are fantastic for snowboarding, uphill skiing, and snowshoeing in addition to alpine skiing. Check the size chart here.
Choose Longer Legs
Next, your ski pants should have a leg that is much longer than the normal pair of jeans, or often 4-5 inches longer. This enables you to cover your ski boots with an additional cloth. To assist them to fit over your boots, the bottom of the pant legs frequently include zips or poppers, but again, the ideal method is to try them on while wearing your ski boots.
You should try on trousers while wearing your boots and walk about in them to ensure they don’t catch on anything because if you pick pants that are too long, the bottoms may catch on your skis, bindings, and boots and be prone to greater wear and tear.
Conclusion
Ski pants should fit snugly but comfortably, without being too tight or too loose. They should allow you to move freely and not restrict your movement in any way. If you can find a pair of ski pants that fit these criteria, you will be sure to enjoy your day.
Now that you know how ski pants should fit, it’s time to hit the slopes!
