You may be wondering why a whole post on pants.  Well I’ve seen it a thousand times on the slopes and it just hit me that I should probably write about it.

Seen what a thousand times?

Soaking wet snowboard pants.

Now who wants to board with wet pants?  I sure don’t and I’m certain you don’t either.  You can get away with wearing any type of pants while snowboarding…I mean I’ve seen people boarding with jeans and sweat pants…BIG mistake!  Probably the fastest way to turning your back side into a frozen popsicle.

Purchasing snowboarding pants is definitely a good investment if you enjoy being warm and dry. The pants you shop for should include the following four criteria…

First and foremost – Waterproofing

Most definitely a MUST. Otherwise the feeling you’ll experience would mimic jumping into freezing cold water waste deep without a wet suit. Not a pretty picture…agree? When shopping, make sure to check the labels.  What you’re looking for is a waterproof rating of 30,000mm or more.  You’ll notice a range of anywhere between 5,000mm to 100,000mm.  Of course, the higher the ranking the higher the price. But I would not recommend anything less than 10,000mm.

Secondly – Breathable Material

You may be thinking…the thicker the material, the warmer you’ll be.  True, but not the case here. Believe it or not, your core temperature will be much higher than the ambient temperature while snowboarding.  Snowboarding is an exercise…a lower body exercise, where you’re constantly flexing your leg muscles.  This will cause your legs to sweat.  Therefore, the fabric of the snowboarding pants you’re looking for should also consist of breathable material.  Remember the key is to stay dry.  So when your legs start to sweat you’ll want a material that will whisk it away.  The labels on the snowboarding pants will also reflect a breathability index ranging from low to high.  Again, choose the highest number.

Thirdly – How should they fit?

Baggy, loose, or tight fitting? This is usually a matter of preference, but I’ll recommend loose. The key here is to have them fit well…not too baggy or too tight, so you can move freely.  Snowboarding requires a lot of bending, so you’ll want to avoid pants that could constrict your manueverablity.

Lastly – Pockets?

Yes, definitely!…and I’ll go as far out on a limb to even say they are mandatory. Where else are you gonna carry your belongings (i.e. keys, cash, credit card, lip balm, etc.)? You cannot wear a backpack cause it’ll throw off your balance.

Last Word

I know this is a lot to consider but following the above criteria will assure you of an enjoyable snowboarding experience.  No doubt…you’ll stay warm, dry, and comfortable.

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