Ski Pants for Tall Dudes - The Quest

**kingsalami** · 12-21-2015, 03:58 PM

A public service announcement for guys over 6’ 3” tall:
I posted this for lanky guys like me who may be struggling to find decent ski pants with an inseam over 34”.
I’m 6’ 5”, 220 lbs, and wear 36 x 36 jeans, and have been looking for good-quality (uninsulated, with 10K/10K or better waterproof/breathability) ski pants in longer lengths.

A couple seasons ago, I retired my trusty XL-Long Marmot Randonnee ski bibs. They had a 36” inseam and fit a bit loose on my frame. Excellent 2-layer Gore-tex XCR pants with full side zips, a cargo pocket and an abbreviated integrated bib.
Since then, in my quest to find a worthy replacement, I’ve discovered a few pants that come close to fitting the bill for me. These brands/models are offered in either Long inseams or at least 34” inseams in their larger sizes.

- Scott Enumclaw pants (XL = approx 34.5” inseam)
These are the only insulated pants I tried. The XL offered a generous, but not baggy fit, but they were a bit too short for me. I didn’t like the insulation due to its mediocre breathability and the fact that the pants were just too warm for milder conditions. Insulated pants just don’t work for me. If they fit & you like insualted pants, they're pretty nice.

- The North Face Freedom Pants (XL-Long = 34” inseam)
These are a decent pant for the price. The fit was fairly generous, but they were just a bit too short for me. Breathability was just O.K., but I was coming from a thinner Gore-tex XCR fabric that breathed really well.

Mountain Hardwear Returnia/Returnia Cargo Pants (Large-Long = 34” inseam)
I was really impressed with the nice fit and features of these pants for the price, but they were just a bit too short for me. I liked ‘em so much that I bought a pair for my 15-year old son. You should be able to find a pair of these on sale for less than $100. Killer pants for the price.

- Mammut Stoney Pants (38-Long = 35” inseam)
Very nice pants! Mammut makes excellent gear, and these pants are a great example. A somewhat generous fit with great knee articulation. The 36” waist I initially tried on was just too constrictive through the hips and thighs, so I stepped up to a 38” waist. I would have kept these, but the microfleece lining caught on my base layer thermals and restricted movement. Bummer! I really wanted these to work for me. If you use tights as a baselayer, these will probably work just fine.

- Patagonia Snowshot Pants (Large-Long = approx 34.5” inseam)
As with the other pants, these fit on the generous side, but were just a bit too short. I really liked the overall fit through the waist and hips, the articulated knees, and the pocket size and placement. Fairly burly fabric, but pretty breatheable. I liked ‘em so much that I had a tailor add about an inch of black nylon fabric to the hem to eliminate the high-water look when I bent my knees. These are my go-to pants until I find somehing I like better.

Marmot Mantra / Palisades / Mainline / Freerider / Storm King pants are all available in 34” inseams if you opt for the XL. I think the Mainline & Storm King are the only ones offered in a Regular fit vs. Relaxed or Loose. I tried the Palisades and Spire pants in XL, but both were too short (about 34"), and ridiculously wide. The XL equates to a 38" - 40" waist.

Flylow makes the Chemical pant in Tall sizes (34” inseam), and has offered the Magnum Pro in Tall in the past.

I know Arc‘teryx makes ski pants like the Sabre with 35” inseams, but I don’t ski enough to drop $350+ on a pair of ski pants. And the Sabre got a really mediocre review on Outdoor Gear Lab recently.

If anybody else has any information they’d like to add, feel free to keep it going. Who make a no BS 36 inseam in ski pants?

**::: :::** · 12-21-2015, 04:08 PM

thx for the list above! i'm in the 34" inseam world so my deepest sympathies at your inseam length!

i emailed flylow last month to ask if they were going to do the baker bib in long inseam again (they used to), but they replied no current plans exist to do so

tall people, go bug them to get them to change their minds!

**undertow2** · 12-21-2015, 04:21 PM

I am 6'4" and 205lbs and wear a 36 inseam/34 waist and my Patagonia Powder bowl and Untracked in large are perfect length... The waist is a bit on the large size for me and have to wear a belt... For me both pants and jackets from Patty are perfect for my tall ass...

**bfly** · 12-21-2015, 04:42 PM

FWIW, Klim makes pants in tall sizes.

**old goat** · 12-22-2015, 12:40 AM

I'm only 6' but mostly legs--I wear 35W36L 501's (not preshrunk). Just picked up the Large powdebowl pants and they are on the long side for me. Fairly loose fitting.

**robnow** · 12-22-2015, 01:22 AM

Black Diamond in both L and XL comes 35".

LC · 12-22-2015, 02:46 AM

I'm 6ft4, 80kg and 36" measured inseam. Arcteryx Sabre standard L are a good length on me (baggy with 30.5" inseam). "Tall" versions of that pant are meant to be 3" longer so pretty sure a M tall would be a good traditional fit on me. L tall would be way too big unless I wore the waistband at my bellybutton.

**Skidog** · 12-22-2015, 06:58 AM

Good list. Tall guy here too 34" inseam fo sho. Rocking 4 season old flylow bibs. They fit great will be sad when they are toast, but holding up well still.

**angrysasquatch** · 12-22-2015, 07:24 AM

Flylow Magnum (pre-BC) medium-tall are quite long. Also super steezy fit that quickly got perforated by crampons because of too much material flapping around, they quickly turned to shreds from icing after that. Also needed to beef up the internal belt system by doubling up the elastic fabric to hold them up.

Arc' Procline FL med-tall are way more tight fitting, and avoid the crampons. Love the fit. Unsure about the long-term durability of the softshell fabric but so far, so good. They come midway down the ski boot, perfect length for me.

6'4" 165-170#, 32x36 jeans are starting to feel tight

**aragon** · 12-22-2015, 08:46 AM

6'4" and ~175 here.

I found the Eddie Bauer (First Ascent) Neoshell bibs fit very well in the medium/long. Relatively slim fitting, but enough room for movement and layers. Also can be found for a good deal as EB stuff goes on sale quite regularly (up to 60% off, which is what I paid for mine).

http://www.eddiebauer.com/product/me...cent&color=707

**scottyd** · 12-22-2015, 10:17 AM

i give this thread a 2/10 rating. no sympathy for you and your cold ankles. you're wearing ski boots right?

**::: :::** · 12-22-2015, 10:41 AM

scottyd, you are quickly making a name for yourself as someone to ignore, congrats! welcome to tgr!

**scottyd** · 12-22-2015, 12:55 PM

and you made a name for yourself as someone who is quickly trolled! you've got 34" inseams! life must be so hard for you.

**capulin overdrive** · 12-22-2015, 07:23 PM

Columbia

**Todds** · 12-23-2015, 12:42 PM

Arcteryx makes a few models in tall, regular and short.

**kingsalami** · 01-09-2016, 06:04 PM

Originally Posted by Todds

Arcteryx makes a few models in tall, regular and short.

As a mater of fact, Todds is on to something here...
I just picked up a pair of XL -Tall Arcteryx Stingray pants from Utahskier82 in the gear swap here.
Very impressed with these pants! They're just a bit wide for me through the legs & waist, but the inseam is a full 36"! The slick waist adjustments cinch down very effectively, negating the need for a belt.
Finally found friggin' ski pants that don't give me the highwater look (and trigger horrific flashbacks from being forced by my mom to wear too-short brown corduroy bell bottoms to school in 5th grade).

**XXX-er** · 01-09-2016, 08:28 PM

yeah so tall people got no reason to live

**oftpiste** · 01-09-2016, 08:37 PM

Originally Posted by XXX-er

yeah so tall people got no reason to live

pretty sure randy newman wrote that. 6'3", 180 lbs. Cheapskate. Burton AK XL's and Sessions XL's both are long enough, though a belt is required but that ain't no thang.

**XXX-er** · 01-10-2016, 11:13 AM

Yeah randy Newman except I changed his wording from short to tall

as a short (what else?) AZN I can offer almost nothing to this thread except to suggest that when I ordered a set of arcterxy AR procline soft shells from the arcterxy site buddy on the phone was pretty accurate in his fitting

**Magic Carpet** · 01-10-2016, 11:59 AM

Arc'teryx will also make (at least used to) a custom length for some $. But you are buying the pants at retail.

Euro brands like Mammut and Millet are long and skinny.

And in JH there is http://www.burgesscustom.com/custom-orders

**skiing-in-jackson** · 08-19-2016, 07:41 PM

We're on the shop for ski clothes for Blaze-@ 6'7". I'd love to know what's out there for this year. He's pretty tall and lanky.

I was given some Salomon Gore XCR shell and pants- it was too big for me, but fit my son great. He wore it nearly every day of the season last year and while it served valiantly under the daily skiing dished out by a Jackson teenager- it finally died.

**::: :::** · 08-19-2016, 08:33 PM

I just got a pair of marmot bibs that are listed as 34" inseam. The fit is closer to what I need than I've encountered in the past but I'm not yet convinced I finally found a ski pant that fits...the search is ongoing

**leftfield** · 08-19-2016, 11:08 PM

Got a pair of Outdoor Research Igneo size large off of STP in 2015 for $75. Wasn't expecting much, just needed something to get me through the end of ski season. Hands down best fitting ski pants i've ever owned. 6'6" 220lbs

**whyturn** · 08-19-2016, 11:44 PM

Norrona

**esseff** · 08-20-2016, 11:30 AM

I am looking for same as I am 33"/35". Check out Spyder Dare. They come in long versions and athletic (loose) or trim. Decent feature set like removable suspenders. I'd buy them but I don't like insulated pants. Been trying to track down Pata P-Bowls but those outlet stores never answer the phones. Damn hippys.