Who makes the perfect softshell ski pants??

[sruffian]

Patagonia swapped out a pair of my old pants for brand new Snow Guide softshells before this season.

I really like them. They're well thought out and fit great - beacon pocket on the outside of the thigh, thigh zip vents, come with suspenders and belt loops. Nice piece, worth it if you can find em on sale or at an outlet

[Peruvian]

Been using the Eddie Bauer softshell this year and like the shit out of it.....and it don't cost 4 bills. Might not be quite up to standard with the best Arc stuff but I'm even using them for inbounds now. Well designe and just all around useful. For the $ their tough to beat. Also have the now discontinued nail driver pants that I've been wearing everyday, November - March, for the past 3 years and they've held up incredibly well, including lots of touring.

I bought those this year too. Sub $100 and i was amazed how waterproof they were during the first storm while riding the lifts. For touring, I haven’t unzipped the sides once but am always comfortable. I just vary the weight of my base layer depending on the weather.
I do hate that the top pockets zip one direction and the lower pockets zip the other way. Just annoying.

[My Pet Powder Goat]

Anyone find those Eddie Bauer pro guide ski pants in grey large? I'm Looking around and they look sold out of size and color.

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[singlecross]

+1 for the Eddie Bauer Pro Guide Ski budget option. For under $100, perfect.

[grrrmountainman]

I have the Arc Teryx Rush FL which I quite like for touring. I don't use it for resort skiing cause it's cold AF on the lift up (no long johns).

I halso have the Arc Teryx Procline. Same comments as above. Some good tweaks to the Rush FL and some things I miss from the Procline.

Either way, they work for my needs.

[jacob_dbu]

I bought those this year too. Sub $100 and i was amazed how waterproof they were during the first storm while riding the lifts. For touring, I haven’t unzipped the sides once but am always comfortable. I just vary the weight of my base layer depending on the weather.
I do hate that the top pockets zip one direction and the lower pockets zip the other way. Just annoying.

How do these fit over ski boots? They seem more like hiking pants than anything, but I've felt them before and the material seems great for spring/summer skimo.

[Lord Thomas]

Jong,

They are slightly snug but definitely fit over ski boots, just not bell bottoms like most ski pants. Have an inner gaiter as well. With the side vents they are great for skimo, etc. I've been wearing them this year for some nordic skiing as well as tours and they are great for high exertion activities, especially for the price.

[cbgarrett]

Very happy with these 2:
Mammut base jump touring: schoeller material, jean sizing, fairly baggy for touring pants
BD dawn patrol: a bit tighter fit, nice deep pockets, nice stretchy material

[3PinGrin]

Very happy with these 2:
Mammut base jump touring: schoeller material, jean sizing, fairly baggy for touring pants
BD dawn patrol: a bit tighter fit, nice deep pockets, nice stretchy material

I don't know if I will ever wear out my beloved Mammut Champs, but those base jump pants look like a promising replacement. I like Schoeller a lot and don't like having any type of membrane in my touring pants. It might be different if I lived in a wetter climate though.

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[Woo-Dus]

+1 on the BD dawn patrol, great for touring. Picked them up for $125. Breathable and haven’t had an issue with storm snow coming through.

Yeah they’re on the slim side but I don’t want to look like a park rat. Just wish there was a beacon pocket strap.

[Falcon3]

I’m looking for the holy grail of ski soft shells:

Large thigh cut
Fits 33” waist
Short (30”) inseam
Thigh vents
Some sort of reinforcement at instep for skis and crampons

Im 5-10 with a short inseam and beefy legs at 190lbs and everything seems like it’s made for the tall skinny Euro Skimo folks.
I’m in between sizes on Arc and Patagonia, BD Dawn Patrol were super long, MTN Hardwear has tiny thighs.

[Boissal]

For the first time in years I gave up on softshell after consistently overheating in my Dynafit Mercury Pro. A bit too tight in the thigh and around the boot cuffs, not as breathable as I wanted. If those Dynafit fuckers hadn't discontinued the Chugach life would be better...
I switched to a pair Patagucci Descensionist I scored for dirt cheap on eBay. I guess they're a hybrid hardshell of sorts and I was worried about losing even more breathability but what do you know, they're perfect! And also discontinued...

[Altricial]

BD dawn patrol is the best for me. I have been using them for years now.

[North]

Strafe Cham is a similar cut/feel/fabric to Descensionist. The Recon was a better cut for mountaineering, but is discontinued (apparently returning next season).

[Boissal]

Strafe Cham is a similar cut/feel/fabric to Descensionist. The Recon was a better cut for mountaineering, but is discontinued (apparently returning next season).

Thanks, will keep in mind when I need a replacement. The Descensionists are surprisingly long and baggy on me but I'm between sizes and went with M, Ms Boissal would stab me if I started wearing pants in her size...

[NWFlow]

The dawn patrol would be perfect with a beacon pocket.

[Nobody Famous]

It'd be great if the guys at FreeRideSystems come up with some softshell pants, modeled after their hybrid softshell jackets.

[3PinGrin]

It'd be great if the guys at FreeRideSystems come up with some softshell pants, modeled after their hybrid softshell jackets.

Given MiCol's comments on not wanting to go there in the past I wouldn't hold your breath.

[mcf258]

I’m looking for the holy grail of ski soft shells:

Large thigh cut
Fits 33” waist
Short (30”) inseam
Thigh vents
Some sort of reinforcement at instep for skis and crampons

Im 5-10 with a short inseam and beefy legs at 190lbs and everything seems like it’s made for the tall skinny Euro Skimo folks.
I’m in between sizes on Arc and Patagonia, BD Dawn Patrol were super long, MTN Hardwear has tiny thighs.

Obermeyer makes short, regular, and tall inseams. It's good quality at a mid range price point. I fight the same issues as you except in XL or XXL where the sizes (some brands) jump 3-4 inches in the waist not 2" per size. Availability is hit and miss after November.

[sb]

Used my MtnHardware bibs this weekend, it was cold enough that they worked well for me, highs around 15F.

Starting to like them much better, will still use the pants as long as I can get them snapped around my girthy waist.

[lowsparkco]

Marmot softshell pants are cheap on Backcountry.com

They come in different waist and inseam but are reviewed as running big. I was on the fence, but narrow thighs in the reviews scared me away.

[full_zirkel]

Splitboarder here. Looking for baggier mid-weight softshell/stretch touring pant. Call it "freeride fit," if you will. Ski touring pants generally don't fit too well over snowboard boots. The Patagonia Descensionist pant would have worked well, but no longer available. I use Baker bibs in area, but they're too darned heavy to tour in. And I like softshell over hardshell for breathability while touring. Suggestions?

[mall walker]

So I have 2 seasons and 200+ days on my OR Trailbreakers... now it's the "Trailbreaker II", is this the same pant? I'm extremely happy with my 1st gens and they'll probably last another 50 days, but they do have a fair number of cuts and tears around the cuffs at this point...

Alternately, is there anything else like this? Side vents, beacon pocket, non-bib (this is negotiable I guess but I kinda prefer non-bib), if it does have the gaiter cuff thing it is removable, wide enough to actually go over your boots, softshell with some reinforcement...? I'm not hoping to spend $500 or anything but with how well these have lasted I don't mind shelling out a bit for a genuinely superior product.

Beacon pocket is an ABSOLUTE MUST though... so the BD Dawn Patrol sadly is out.

[davjr96]

So I have 2 seasons and 200+ days on my OR Trailbreakers... now it's the "Trailbreaker II", is this the same pant? I'm extremely happy with my 1st gens and they'll probably last another 50 days, but they do have a fair number of cuts and tears around the cuffs at this point...

Alternately, is there anything else like this? Side vents, beacon pocket, non-bib (this is negotiable I guess but I kinda prefer non-bib), if it does have the gaiter cuff thing it is removable, wide enough to actually go over your boots, softshell with some reinforcement...? I'm not hoping to spend $500 or anything but with how well these have lasted I don't mind shelling out a bit for a genuinely superior product.

Beacon pocket is an ABSOLUTE MUST though... so the BD Dawn Patrol sadly is out.

Arc'teryx Rush FL can be found pretty cheap right now. I got a pair in early March intending to use them for spring skiing but obviously haven't gotten a chance to use them.... Material and fit are great and fit over my boot well. They have side vents and thigh pockets, the left one has a sown in loop to attach something to (keys/Beacon). Integrated belt and detachable suspenders. At least worth a look as them seem to tick most of your boxes. I got them for 50% off at REI but looks like their a little more expensive now. Not sure if worth full price...

Other pants I have tried: OR Cirque (didn't fit right) and Patagonia snow guide (were a free hand me down - not a fan of the color nor how they fit over my boots)

[mtbcat]

Outdoor Research
OR Men's Cirque II Pants.
supper comfortable fit over my atomic ultras
im 6 ' 170 skinny medium fits perfect.
$112.00 now
wind resistance is great. howling eastern sierra winds. have hard shells and have not gone back.
no vents but has not been a issue yet.
will report back when i get a warm spring day in.
dont see over heating as a problem will go sans long underwear .