Who makes the perfect softshell ski pants??

[stec06]

I just listed these in B/S/T if anyone's interested. Nice long inseam.

[Lindahl]

I'm a huge fan of the OR Cirque pants. Solid durable material, fits well over touring boots, decent pockets. Breathes the right amount and provides the right amount of warmth for midwinter touring (-20 to 40) with appropriate baselayers. When late spring comes around and it gets really warm, I switch to OR Ferrosi pants which I also use for hiking and backpacking in cooler temperatures in fall.

Prices for both are super reasonable too compated to some other brands.

[RShea]

Not sure if I have read this full thread with the suggestions and brands out there. But last year I was at a second hand store- believe it was one of the Salvation Army stores that in the past I got a used Marmot Precip Eco shell for $5... They had 2 pair of ski pants hanging on the rack. A ski buddy had mentioned his brother was looking to get out of skiing in jeans and wanted a pair of XL ski pants, which they had. They also had a pair of Large White Sierra brand ski pants (94% poly, 6% spandex) soft shell pants that are lined for cheap. "Think Outside" is also on the label tag. They are pretty much like regular pants with 2 front pockets (no zippers or anything and a back right rear pocket with a strip of velcro) to keep it closed if carrying something in the rear pocket like wallet, phone, etc.

No bottom cuff zippers or anything either.

But looks like they are maybe gone from the market though other than used at geartrade, etc. : https://www.facebook.com/WhiteSierra/

[Meadow Skipper]

Stio makes some softshell touring pants now. Anyone tried them yet?
https://www.stio.com/products/mens-upslope-touring-pant

[kootenayskier]

I don’t have any issues with my Dynafit Mercury Pro pants, they’re just wearing out, and have been discontinued. Bought some Dynafit Free Infinium Hybrid pants, hoping for something similar, but they’re significantly less warm, almost certainly less durable, more restrictive, and too short in the same size. Sold them unused. Tried the Patagonia Upstride pants on, which seemed like they’d work well but for the weird testicle crunching fit. I’m still trying to find a pair of Mercury Pros, or hoping that Arc’teryx come out with something in this space, but will settle on some OR Cirques if necessary, which though very basic, do fit well, and are very reasonably priced.

[John_B]

I had some Mercury 2 pants and despite going up a size I dealt with some serious chaffing issues on my one and only day of using them. The search continues.

[GoSlowGoFar]

Stio makes some softshell touring pants now. Anyone tried them yet?
https://www.stio.com/products/mens-upslope-touring-pant

I really dig them and they’re probably my favorite pant since the Procline FLs. No backing fabric so nice and breathable, thigh beacon pocket is positioned well to wear you don’t feel the beacon in the pocket.

[mcski]

Im still trying to find an equivalent replacement for my patagucci pants that had a fleece like lining. I don’t even know what model they were but I loved those pants. I don’t think Patagonia makes them anymore. If they do, Ive yet to find them

[sweatypowderpig]

+1 for the flylow tannens.
great breathability, awesome leg zips for airing it out, super comfy.

i grab them every time for a tour unless its pissing rain/snow (then its flylow bakers)

[kevino]

I ended up with norrona lyngen soft shell pants and they have been great.

[GoSlowGoFar]

+1 for the flylow tannens.
great breathability, awesome leg zips for airing it out, super comfy.

i grab them every time for a tour unless its pissing rain/snow (then its flylow bakers)

Tannens aren’t a softshell, they’re a 3L ski pant with stretch. I have a pair but wouldn’t tour in them unless it’s nuking wet snow/rain or extremely cold/windy (like single digits), so I won’t sweat like crazy.

[sweatypowderpig]

Tannens aren’t a softshell, they’re a 3L ski pant with stretch. I have a pair but wouldn’t tour in them unless it’s nuking wet snow/rain or extremely cold/windy (like single digits), so I won’t sweat like crazy.

didn’t realize this was a “who’s the sweatiest”competition

They’re literally described as a 3L soft shell on the flylow website, but whatever makes you feel good

[GoSlowGoFar]

didn’t realize this was a “who’s the sweatiest”competition

They’re literally described as a 3L soft shell on the flylow website, but whatever makes you feel good

Sorry to offend you, didn’t realize you were so attached to these pants. Point is, a 3L fabric is not a softshell fabric. Softshell uses the weave of the fabric (typically double weave) and gets its water resistance from the weave of the fabric combined with a DWR treatment.

A 3L fabric uses a water proof membrane in the fabric, so by definition it’s not a softshell. It’s also not nearly as breathable as a softshell fabric.

There’s a difference so don’t get butthurt when someone corrects you for recommending a 3L pant on a thread asking about the best softshell pant.

[Lindahl]

Duplicate

[Lindahl]

Sorry to offend you, didn’t realize you were so attached to these pants. Point is, a 3L fabric is not a softshell fabric. Softshell uses the weave of the fabric (typically double weave) that gets its water resistance from the weave of the fabric combined with a DWR treatment.

A 3L fabric uses a water proof membrane in the fabric, so by definition it’s not a softshell. It’s also not nearly as breathable as a softshell fabric.

There’s a difference so don’t get butthurt when someone corrects you for recommending a 3L pant on a thread asking about the best softshell pant.

This. 3L doesn't breathe.

[sweatypowderpig]

Sorry to offend you, didn’t realize you were so attached to these pants. Point is, a 3L fabric is not a softshell fabric. Softshell uses the weave of the fabric (typically double weave) and gets its water resistance from the weave of the fabric combined with a DWR treatment.

A 3L fabric uses a water proof membrane in the fabric, so by definition it’s not a softshell. It’s also not nearly as breathable as a softshell fabric.

There’s a difference so don’t get butthurt when someone corrects you for recommending a 3L pant on a thread asking about the best softshell pant.

Sorry to offend you, didn’t realize you were so attached to these pants. Point is, a 3L fabric is not a softshell fabric. Softshell uses the weave of the fabric (typically double weave) that gets its water resistance from the weave of the fabric combined with a DWR treatment.

A 3L fabric uses a water proof membrane in the fabric, so by definition it’s not a softshell. It’s also not nearly as breathable as a softshell fabric.

There’s a difference so don’t get butthurt when someone corrects you for recommending a 3L pant on a thread asking about the best softshell pant.

fair enough.
Guess my own ignorance of technical fabric definitions and thread rigidity is showing.

I’ll come back when/if my tannens with nice long zips ever get supplanted by a true double weave soft shell.
I do enjoy the spring time sunscreen smearing of the thighs

apologies, proceed with your soft shelling

[grinch]

Its good to have both. In the cold dry rockies i wore softshell 100% of the time. Humid warmer snow in revy i wore the hybrids(2l/3l stretch) most days. Brought the softshells out for the occasional cold snap or warm spring. Its on the list to get a light colored pair for spring.

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[GoSlowGoFar]

fair enough.
Guess my own ignorance of technical fabric definitions and thread rigidity is showing.

I’ll come back when/if my tannens with nice long zips ever get supplanted by a true double weave soft shell.
I do enjoy the spring time sunscreen smearing of the thighs

apologies, proceed with your soft shelling

All good, it’s a common misconception and sorry to get snarky. I have some brand new Cirque II’s that I’ll sell you for cheap so you can try out a “real” softshell, lol.

[Jongle]

Softshell or not, I've really enjoyed touring in Tannens and haven't found breathability to be a limitation in most conditions. Subjectively, they feel much more breathable than goretex or futurelight bibs I've owned over the past few years. But in the spring I'm wearing BD Dawn Patrol pants.

[riff]

I’m pretty happy with Dawn Patrols too. Nothing remarkable but totally functional.


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[kootenayskier]

Arc’teryx just released their new Rush Softshell pants. Other than the integrated belt (pet peeve) and absurd colour option (who the fuck buys white ski touring pants?) they seem to tick all the boxes. I’ll probably give them a try.

[Dee Hubbs]

I have a pair of Dynafit Mercury XL Black (or dark Grey) that have never been worn, or maybe worn once.
Pm me for a sale.

[Meadow Skipper]

I really dig them and they’re probably my favorite pant since the Procline FLs. No backing fabric so nice and breathable, thigh beacon pocket is positioned well to wear you don’t feel the beacon in the pocket.

Cool, thanks.

[plugboots]

Just got these, skied in them, and they’re my new pants for anything over 10°. Medium long fits me perfectly.
https://www.malojaclothing.com/khesa...-0560/product/

[climberevan]

Those look pretty nice. How does the leg opening work over boots (looks really slim).

Two things keep me from giving up my OR Trailbreaker pants: thigh zip vents and cuffs big enough to easily go over boots. I suppose I could try some of those cuffs that have an opening for the lever of my RS. Hmmm.