The Best Men’s Snow Pants for Skiing, Boarding, and Winter Adventures

Modern snow pants are so much more than “winter clothes.” Designed and refined for the rigors of winter, protecting you from the elements without overheating when you ski, snowboard, or work hard in the snow. Manufacturers make snow pants for both work and play, and it pays to pick a pair that’s optimized for whatever you’re doing, whether that’s splitting wood or snowshoeing. We’re here to help you figure out how to pick the right pair for you, and share the best snow pants we’ve found.

Best Men’s Snow Pants

The Expert: With more than 20 years of outdoor writing and adventure experience, including authoring Climbing Colorado’s Fourteeners and the Best Outdoor Adventures Colorado Front Range, I’m not afraid of a little bit (or a lot) of winter weather. You can find me backcountry skiing and boarding with friends, ice climbing, snowshoeing, hiking and climbing couloirs every season. I’ve also built houses and worked outdoors in sub-freezing conditions. I drew on all this experience, plus years of writing about and learning about gear for Backpacker, Treeline Review and other publications, while writing about the best snow pants.

What to Consider When Buying Snow Pants

There’s a big difference between the snow pants you put on to do outdoor chores after a big snowfall and the gear made for athletes and workers. You can find some decent general purpose waterproof snow pants for around $150. But if you’re a backcountry skier or boarder going out on long pre-dawn missions in sub-freezing conditions, you’re going to want more technical bibs or pants, with features like sealed seams and zippered vents.

These more specialized pants can get pricey–a high-end pair can cost well over $600–but they can make a huge difference when you’re out and active in the cold all day generating tons of sweat and heat.

Types of snow pants

The first thing to think about when picking snow pants is whether or not you need them to keep you warm. Insulated snow pants, which have a lining or inner layer made from materials like fleece, PrimaLoft, or down, are great for snowmobiling, doing light work outdoors, or skiing or snowboarding at a resort.

If you’re planning to go out for an activity where you may stand or walk in the cold for a long time, you’ll want an insulated pair of pants that will help keep you warm, in addition to staying dry.

Uninsulated snow pants, like a rain jacket, are primarily designed to keep you dry. They’re often waterproof, and are more breathable and flexible than their insulated counterparts. As you might expect, insulation often comes at the cost of breathability, so you only want insulated snow pants when you aren’t going to be doing too much or staying out too long.

If you’re hiking or skiing uphill, for example, you’re better off with breathable snow pants, and insulating your body with a wicking base layer to reduce sweating.

Pants or bibs

Snow or ski bibs, which rise above the waist like overalls and feature suspenders rather than belt loops or a drawstring at the hip, offer a few advantages over pants when you’re out in the snow. The higher fronts and backs mean it's much less likely that you can get any snow or ice down your pants or up your back. They can easily accommodate more or thicker layers underneath for the coldest days without needing to adjust a belt. The suspenders also eliminate the possibility of your pants falling or slipping.

On the other hand, bibs take longer to remove, making it a chore to use the bathroom. Some people find the pressure from a bib’s suspenders off-putting, especially over long periods of time. I personally find myself choosing bibs over pants so I don’t need to worry about tightening a belt to keep my pants up all day. Plus they have additional capabilities, like a bib pocket, to keep snacks warm, or holster an avalanche transceiver. That said, both styles can keep you warm and dry, and that’s what matters.

Materials

The overwhelming majority of modern snow pants are made using multiple layers of nylons and polyesters, which are treated or mixed with high-tech synthetic fabrics like Gore-Tex or other DWRs (durable water repellents) to make them wind and waterproof or water repellant. Based on the materials and the number of material layers in the fabric, snow pants broadly fall into three categories: Hardshell, softshell or “hybrid,” which uses both hardshell and softshell fabrics.

Hardshell pants are the heaviest option. They usually feature a 3-layer construction with two fabrics with a breathable, but water-resistant or waterproof material between them. They’re also the most likely to be insulated. These are the types of materials you’d want in a pair of work pants or pants for the most extreme conditions. They also tend to be stiffer and more breathable than their softshell cousins, with less stretch.

Softshell pants are often made with a lighter fabric, and sometimes have a softer inner-facing fabric. They’re also likely to include elastomer or Spandex in the fabric to make them stretch. They’re designed with flexibility in mind for activities where you’ll need a greater range of motion, like hiking and uphill skiing.

Hybrid snow pants feature a mix of materials commonly found hardshell and softshell snow pants. These pants may use a hardshell fabric to protect the front of the knees and gaiters on ski pants, for instance. But for the back of the knees and the crotch, they’ll use fabrics with more stretch.

Waterproofness and breathability

The best snow pants offer both waterproofness and breathability. The most modern materials, like 3-layer Gore-Tex membranes, create a solid barrier against snow and liquid water, but allow water vapor to escape, which keeps you from getting sweaty and promotes airflow. The more strenuous the activity, the more important it is that you get the most breathable pants possible. Some winter pants also feature zippered vents to help dump heat.

Durability

No matter what you’re doing, you want snow pants that are going to last, especially when paying $200 or more for a single pair. Some snow pants, like skiing or mountaineering pants, feature reinforced knees and ankles to prevent wear and damage where they’re most likely to make contact with metal edges, crampons or whatever you bump into.

Pockets

Look for pants with pockets that zip inwards or upwards. They’re less likely to open if they snag on something, like a branch, ski poles or gloves.

Gaiters

Some snow pants come with gaiters, or extra material at the bottom of the pant legs to ensure that snow can’t sneak up into your snow boots. Unlike external gaiters, which have stirrups to make sure they don’t ride up, most built-in gaiters secure around the boot ankle. It’s a nice feature to have on any pair of snow pants, especially if you expect to be walking in snow that’s more than three inches deep.

Connectivity

No, we’re not talking about apps for your pants, here. Some snow pants and bibs are designed to zip, button, or snap into a jacket to keep snow from sneaking under your clothes.

Fit

Consider how many layers you plan to wear under your snow pants. You may want to buy a pair that hangs loose or baggy to accommodate extra layers for insulation underneath.