The author, not testing any of these pants, but simply enjoying himself on the way down to 14k.
For the past few seasons, I have been on a quest for the perfect ski touring pants. Unlike jackets, we wear ski pants all day; every day, we ski. For the most part, we are not layering and delayering on our legs in the same way as our torsos. We ask a lot of our ski pants; they need to keep us warm and dry, breath well on the uphills, fit over a range of boot cuffs, allow for easy access to boots during transitions, and bonus points if they can do all that while being lightweight and durable enough to last for a few seasons.
To set the stage, here are a few details about me and how I like to ski. My home range is the Tetons in Wyoming (read: mostly cold and dry, snows a lot). I prefer to carry my transceiver in a pants pocket, ideally, that pocket features a solid clip-in point, and sleeve to stow the beacon. My reference points for boots are the Scarpa Alien RS and Technica Zero G Tour Pro – a good range of cuff sizes to fit pants over. I almost always wear long underwear while skiing, my go-to is the Patagonia Capilene Midweight – I plan to try all the pants without long underwear as well. I am 6’ 1”, 175 lbs, generally wear jeans in 32”x32” and have narrow hips and skinny legs/thighs. I have all of the pants mentioned in a men’s medium.
TNF Futurelight L5 LT – a great pair of ski pants, wanting on the side of durability.
Another key reference point are my favorite touring pants to date, The North Face L5 LT–they are incredibly light, stretchy, and breathe super well while having just enough water resistance to keep me dry during long, damp days of storm skiing. However, the durability of the L5 LT has been abysmal – after a half-season of use, they are covered in Tenacious Tape, and seem to have new tears and holes every day. The lack of a powder gaiter is also a strike against the L5 LT; I frequently ended up with snow packed into my cuffs while boot packing or trail breaking in deep snow. My ideal pants would have the following attributes: similar breathability and the lightweight feel of the L5 LT, a simple pocket layout with a good transceiver sleeve (secure, easy access), a powder gaiter and cuff that accommodates the Zero G Tour Pro and Alien RS boots, and durability to last a few seasons of heavy use. With these goals in mind, here are the options I’ve procured to test throughout this season.
The new ski pants I’m reviewing:
OR Skyward 2
Front view of the OR Skyward 2 ski pants.
Side view of the OR Skyward 2 ski pants.
Rear view of the OR Skyward 2 ski pants.
Snow gaiter on the OR Skyward 2 ski pants.
OR Skyward 2 ($299)
Fabric: OR Ascentshell.
Pockets: Hip and thigh – electronics sleeve in right hip pocket w/ carabiner clip for transceiver, 14” thigh vents w/ dual zip sliders.
Cuffs: Cordura around hem and instep, powder gaiter, no zips.
Fit: Roomy thighs, generally the baggiest/wide, fits over Zero G w/ buckles open.
First Impression: These feel heavy, have bomber fabric, and lots of pockets. The Ascentshell seems to breathe well and blocks wind better than most.
Black Diamond Dawn Patrol Hybrid
Front view of the BD Dawn Patrol Hybrid ski pant.
Side view of the BD Dawn Patrol Hybrid ski pant.
Back view of the BD Dawn Patrol Hybrid ski pant.
The BD Dawn Patrol Hybrid ski pant’s snow gaiter.
Black Diamond Dawn Patrol Hybrid ($300)
Fabric: Butt and below knees – BD.dry stretch 3L, thighs and behind knees – 4-way stretch double weave softshell.
Pockets: Right hip pocket. Thigh pockets on both sides. The right thigh pocket has an internal padded “Pieps Pocket” and clip loop. 14” thigh vents w/ one-way zip (closes down).
Cuffs: ~12” zip w/ powder gaiter. reinforced instep.
Fit: Roomy thighs, medium cuff width, tight fit for Zero G w/ buckles latched, but open.
First Impression: Good fit and feels versatile. The hybrid construction seems behind the technology of the more breathable hardshell options – they breathe as well as many of the others, at the expense of being much less weatherproof than options with an air-permeable membrane throughout.
Strafe Cham
Front view of the Strafe Cham ski pant.
Side view of the Strafe Cham ski pant.
Back view of the Strafe Cham ski pant.
The snow gaiter on the Strafe Cham ski pant.
Strafe Cham ($469)
Fabric: Schoeller Aerobrane 3L.
Pockets: Hip pockets on both sides. The right hip pocket has an electronics sleeve w/ clip loop. 13” vent on the back of the thigh (closes down).
Cuffs: No zips, snaps to tighten ankle area for crampons. Drawstring around hem w/ powder gaiter, reinforced instep and hem.
Fit: Wide cuff fits unbuckled boots well. Middle of the road through thigh and hip. Good balance of slim fit but not restrictive.
First Impression: Schoeller Aerobrane feels incredible; it is soft, lightweight, and very breathable. I have a bit of rubbing on my upper calf caused by the bottom terminus of the vent, which is further toward the back of the leg than any of the others.
Arc’teryx Procline
Front view of the Arc’Teryx Procline ski pant.
Side view view of the Arc’Teryx Procline ski pant.
Back view of the Arc’Teryx Procline ski pant.
Snow gaiter on the Arc’Teryx Procline ski pant.
Arc’teryx Procline ($399)
Fabric: Gore-Tex Infinium (Same as Gore Windstopper).
Pockets: Both hips and thighs, electronics sleeve, and a clip-in loop in the right thigh pocket. 15” thigh vent w/ two zip sliders.
Cuffs: No zips. powder gaiter w/ snaps/slits for buckles. Reinforced instep.
Fit: Feels snug in hips and upper thigh, slim through thigh and knee. Relatively wide cuff fits Zero G w/ buckles latched, but open.
First Impression: Infinium feels very sturdy, has really smart features and layout of pockets and cuff design. It is the least breathable feeling of the bunch.
Old Baseline: TNF Futurelight L5 LT (No longer available)
Fabric: Futurelight
Pockets: One on right thigh w/ electronics pocket and clip-in loop.
Cuffs: ~12” zip, no powder cuff, small instep, and hem reinforcement.
Fit: Slim throughout, doesn’t fit over Zero G in walk mode w/ buckles latched but open.
I will continue to rotate through these options throughout the winter with the goal of having a robust comparison of all of these pants. Am I missing a major contender for best touring pants ever? Any details you want me covering in the full comparison? Let me know in the comments.
Gavin is a mountain guide and gear fanatic based in Jackson, WY. His endless pursuit of gear perfection led to starting a pack company, Apocalypse Equipment in 2019. He has a degree in Nordic skiing and mechanical engineering from the University of New Hampshire and worked as a ski shop tech prior to getting his dream job as a WildSnow contributor.
Gavin is a mountain guide and gear fanatic based in Jackson, WY. His endless pursuit of gear perfection led to starting a pack company, Apocalypse Equipment in 2019. He has a degree in Nordic skiing and mechanical engineering from the University of New Hampshire and worked as a ski shop tech prior to getting his dream job as a WildSnow contributor.
