Are ski pant legs stupid, or is it just me?

[pinto]

photos? I know, that sounds weird.

What do you wear as a base layer? When I wear 3/4-length tights, I do get that feeling, a little bit. Not terribly, but I can tell I'm missing a layer. Of course, on me, 3/4-length tights leave a gap of 3 or 4 in. between the top of my boot and my tights. My socks are there, but it's not the same as tights.

 

[litterbug]

I think there's a design or manufacturing flaw - my gaiter and pant leg are pretty close in length to each other. Litterbug is describing her gaiter fitting at the 2nd buckle and the pant leg hitting the instep.

Immediately above my gaiter's elastic is 3 to 4 inches of windproof fabric, followed by 2.5 inches of mesh. So, yeah, if her elastic is at the 2nd buckle, 3 to 4 inches above where the mesh starts would be the top of the boot.

Now that makes some sense! My gaiter is an inch or so shorter than the pants leg. I can pull the elastic below the 2nd buckle when I'm standing up, but it moves up to between the 1st and 2nd buckle when I sit down, as one generally does on the lift, so pretty much all the mesh is above the boot cuff. And the pant leg hits the top of my instep when my leg is straight but hangs in the air when I'm sitting down, letting all the air in. I guess it never occurred to me because it doesn't happen with my shells, which have a very different fit and slightly stretchy fabric, so once my pants are over my boot cuff, they just stay there.

Thanks, Pequenita--you not only solved the mystery but helped me figure out what might fix it! These are clearly meant for someone shorter than my 5'3", or at least with shorter legs. The legs in a large in the regular length bunch up around my leg and hit the floor with my boots on, but they wouldn't be hard to take up because they don't have any zips. It just so happens that I've learned of someone in town who alters technical clothes, so my next step is a trip to the store to make sure the body on the large size fits.

One pair of like new ski pants coming soon to a Gear Swap forum near you!

 

[litterbug]

What do you wear as a base layer? When I wear 3/4-length tights, I do get that feeling, a little bit. Not terribly, but I can tell I'm missing a layer. Of course, on me, 3/4-length tights leave a gap of 3 or 4 in. between the top of my boot and my tights. My socks are there, but it's not the same as tights.

I'm short enough that the hems of my 3/4 length tights are covered by my ski socks and almost come to the top of my boots. I've got the non-insulated CW-X, but I'd probably have felt this even with my 3/4 length Capilene 3 tights on top because they're not very dense. I'm pretty sure the CW-X plus Cap 3 would be plenty of base layer if I didn't have all that breeziness down there!

 

[ZealouslyB]

Yup, sounds like a fit/manufacturing issue. I'm very picky about ski pants, always ski in insulated pants and like other divas, have never had that problem. Sometimes it takes some trial & error to find the right company with a fit/style you like too. I don't care for North Face myself, prefer my Mountain Hardware pants, also have a great pair of FlyLow and Karbon pants.

 

[litterbug]

Yup, sounds like a fit/manufacturing issue. I'm very picky about ski pants, always ski in insulated pants and like other divas, have never had that problem. Sometimes it takes some trial & error to find the right company with a fit/style you like too. I don't care for North Face myself, prefer my Mountain Hardware pants, also have a great pair of FlyLow and Karbon pants.

I'm not exactly fond of North Face gear, but that was the only brand in short sizes at REI. As much as I hate clothes shopping, REI is one of the least annoying places to shop, but it sounds like I need to branch out; there are certainly plenty of good stores here.

I've been looking for pants that don't drag on the ground in street shoes, but it sounds like I need to rethink leg length and live with pants that drape over my ski boots and drag on the ground in street shoes; I could always sew some snaps on the hem and back of the leg to hold them up when I'm not skiing (I've seen this on at least one pair of snowboarding pants). When you're short with big boxy hips, a pant with baggy legs and even wider bunched up bottoms is about as unflattering as a garment can be. If I could find something that's not tight but a little slimmer in the upper leg, I might not look quite so potato-ish.

True to your Diva nature, you have all been very helpful and tolerant of my clothing neurosis. You'll just have to trust me when I say I came by it honestly.

 

[bounceswoosh]

I've never noticed any fresh air coming up my snowpants. I always wear larger clothes that I suspect are designed for women taller than myself, so the bottom of the ski leg comes pretty much down to the sole of the boot. I usually have to lift the back of my pant when clicking into a binding. I do have some ski pants that have mesh in the gaiter.

 

[bounceswoosh]

I've been looking for pants that don't drag on the ground in street shoes, but it sounds like I need to rethink leg length and live with pants that drape over my ski boots and drag on the ground in street shoes

This is the only functional part of the gaiter as far as I'm concerned: roll it up outside the pant leg to keep them from scraping the ground and getting dirty/ragged. But you can guess from what that looks like that I am not highly concerned about what my snowpants look like when I'm not skiing!

I do have an older pair of snowpants that are shorter; they are also black, so I don't worry about getting the bottoms dirty. I will actually swap out of my brightly colored ski attire into the black pants with shorter legs to walk the dogs. Perhaps non-ski-specific snow pants are shorter in general? These I must have bought at Gart's back when they weren't yet Sports Authority, years ago.

 

[litterbug]

This is the only functional part of the gaiter as far as I'm concerned: roll it up outside the pant leg to keep them from scraping the ground and getting dirty/ragged. But you can guess from what that looks like that I am not highly concerned about what my snowpants look like when I'm not skiing!

Doh, wish I'd thought of that! I still think longer pants would look like a potato sack on my stumpy frame whether I'm skiing or not, but at least your technique is functional.

Perhaps non-ski-specific snow pants are shorter in general? These I must have bought at Gart's back when they weren't yet Sports Authority, years ago.

That's why I think my 'ski' pants may not be ski pants at all. They don't have the little hook at the pants cuff to clip onto cross country boots, but they do have zips and a gusset at the hem to go over something big like winter hiking or maybe even alpine climbing boots.

BTW I just realized why the bottoms of my pants legs don't ride up when I sit down the way they do on the ski pants--the knees and crotch on my shells are very articulated, so the legs stay in place when I bend them. If only REI still made them...

 

[ZealouslyB]

I've been looking for pants that don't drag on the ground in street shoes, but it sounds like I need to rethink leg length and live with pants that drape over my ski boots and drag on the ground in street shoes; I could always sew some snaps on the hem and back of the leg to hold them up when I'm not skiing (I've seen this on at least one pair of snowboarding pants). When you're short with big boxy hips, a pant with baggy legs and even wider bunched up bottoms is about as unflattering as a garment can be. If I could find something that's not tight but a little slimmer in the upper leg, I might not look quite so potato-ish.

Like bounceswoosh, I too roll the gaiter up when walking around.

I'd suggest trying out Fly Low, I'm 5'6, I have some hips and thighs on me . Fly Lows are very slim in terms of bulk at the waist, and I like the straight, semiloose fit that's slimmer in the thigh, straight through the leg. I get compliments on them all the time. Sadly they are not insulated, I need to find an insulated pair 'cuz my legs get FReeeezing most of the winter.

 

[litterbug]

Thanks, @ZealouslyB!

ETA: From the FlyLow size chart at Sierra Trading Post, it looks like they run small (e.g. a large is an 8-10)--is that your experience?

 

[Jilly]

I usually have to shorten my ski pants as I'm not short enough for the petite size. I get the tailor to shorten the outer pant, shorten zippers and reattach any tabs/snaps. One time they even moved the cuff protector that used to be on some pants to protect pants from ski edges.

 

[ski diva]

I just had some ski pants shortened, myself. Columbia sent me some very nice insulated pants that fit me everywhere except in the length. The trouble was they had a zippered cuff , so getting them altered looked like it'd be somewhat complicated. Plus the zipper would only be a few inches long. I asked the seamstress to just replace the zipper with velcro. Worked out great and ended up costing me less, too.

 

[Jilly]

That's works too Ski Diva. And really how often do you use the zipper.

 

[Gloria]

Seems like the fabric may be stiff and the addition of insulation is keeping them very structurally widened allowing wind in. How many times have you washed them? Might just need break them in a bit more so they collapse a little more around the boot instead of flaring out.

 

[Xinga]

My DH has a pair of TNF pants that have a neat feature: a cord in the pocket on each leg that shortens the pants for walking around without your ski boots on! Iv'e never seen that same feature on a women's pant, but that would be awesome!

 

[Jilly]

My DH has a pair of TNF pants that have a neat feature: a cord in the pocket on each leg that shortens the pants for walking around without your ski boots on! Iv'e never seen that same feature on a women's pant, but that would be awesome!

Maybe they think we're still wearing high heel boots???

 

[litterbug]

I usually have to shorten my ski pants as I'm not short enough for the petite size. I get the tailor to shorten the outer pant, shorten zippers and reattach any tabs/snaps. One time they even moved the cuff protector that used to be on some pants to protect pants from ski edges.

I just had some ski pants shortened, myself. Columbia sent me some very nice insulated pants that fit me everywhere except in the length. The trouble was they had a zippered cuff , so getting them altered looked like it'd be somewhat complicated. Plus the zipper would only be a few inches long. I asked the seamstress to just replace the zipper with velcro. Worked out great and ended up costing me less, too.

That's a brilliant idea. I've never even used the zipper on the narrow cuffs of my shells, so I can't imagine why I'd need one on regular ski pant legs. I'd rather keep the cuff protector, but even that is probably overkill for my purposes.

My DH has a pair of TNF pants that have a neat feature: a cord in the pocket on each leg that shortens the pants for walking around without your ski boots on! Iv'e never seen that same feature on a women's pant, but that would be awesome!

+1000!

 

[bounceswoosh]

My DH has a pair of TNF pants that have a neat feature: a cord in the pocket on each leg that shortens the pants for walking around without your ski boots on! Iv'e never seen that same feature on a women's pant, but that would be awesome!

Crazy talk. Right up there with any given manufacturer putting as many pockets in the women's model as in the equivalent men's model.

 

[Xinga]

Anyone have a recent pair of TNF Steep Series Women's pants? Check those cargo pockets for the draw cord... I want to know if the women's ones have it too. It's a really subtle, small draw cord in the corner inside the pockets.

 

[BethL]

I think my new North Face pants might have a draw cord. I was wondering what the cord was in the pockets! Nice feature, although I've never owned a pair of pants that's too long. One think I like about ski pants is that they can be slightly too short but still work.