Bibs.....again

[californiagrown]

^^^ Trew is pretty wild with discounts. If you watch, you'll catch 40% off deals.

They also tend to go super deep discount at evo, for whatever reason.

Yep, thats when ive been able to snag gifts for folks. The issue is that A) 40% off of $500 is still really fucking expensive, and B) when they do go on sale there are no returns allowed so I have to gamble on sizing.

Cheap, Quality, good looking. I want all three!!!!

[rocca]

Skimmed through the recent posts in this thread and think some of you should consider the Flylow Baker Perm. I was able to test a pair last season and just got my hands on the real thing. Much slimmer fit than the Baker and more breathable but still tough. They're replacing Trew Trewth and Roam bibs for me, although I'll hang on to the Roams for warm spring days.

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[Sylvan]

Yep. Got 12 seasons out of my Arc Sabre Bibs, and after trying on a bunch of competitors (Norrona, Burton, BD, Trew, Flylow), decided to grab their Guide (6'2, 205#, XL). So far only drank coffee in em, but really looking forward to beating on em this Winter. They sure are sweet. Rush looks really nice as well. Skiers sure are spoiled for gear choice these days.

Edit to add: Almost forgot, they warrantied my Sabres (voucher).

Spent 80 some days in Guides (resort and tour); they look new. Bomber; be surprised if they don't outlast my 12 season old Sabres. They do have the Arc wedge, but its their wedge light, as opposed to the wedge heavy of some of their pants, so was easy enough to lengthen the shoulder straps, remove the wedge, and keep knees in the articulation (very similar to old Sabres in this regard). If I toured further than slack, I'd probably grab a dedicated pant to manage heat, cause these are burly, but I don't. Size wise, the XL is loose for my 6'2/195, but comfortable.

[Westcoaster]

Spent 80 some days in Guides (resort and tour); they look new. Bomber; be surprised if they don't outlast my 12 season old Sabres. They do have the Arc wedge, but its their wedge light, as opposed to the wedge heavy of some of their pants, so was easy enough to lengthen the shoulder straps, remove the wedge, and keep knees in the articulation (very similar to old Sabres in this regard). If I toured further than slack, I'd probably grab a dedicated pant to manage heat, cause these are burly, but I don't. Size wise, the XL is loose for my 6'2/195, but comfortable.

which guides?

[Sylvan]

which guides?

Good question, my bad. 22/23 Arcteryx Ski Guide Bib Pant Mens in XL.

http://arcteryx.com/us/en/shop/mens/ski-guide-bib-pant

I don't have any real time in competitors bibs other than trying on the greatest hits in Whistler (and mailed in) from Norrona, Burton, BD, Trew and Flylow, but went with these as for me, they provided the best combination of comfort and tech features. My only two real gripes with them is I wish the side zips were full vice half for dumping heat on the skinner, and wish the gaitors were a little longer as they need to be slid up to gain access to the top buckle to undo b4 (and slid down after) lift rides to loosen/tighten boots; if u leave the gaitor above the top buckle, you get a rad bell bottom effect.

I'll try and find a better place for the following info, but I also spent the season in a BD Recon Stretch Ski shell for all around skiing use, and will be going back to an Arc Beta SV next year. The BD is a good jacket, it breathes a little better than the Gore Pro Beta SV material, and is cheaper, but the Arc functionality is all around better for me, including zippers, pockets, hood, and general cut. I forget I'm wearing it.

[54-46]

Elevenate Bec de Rosses gore tex pro bibs on sale are great. Slim fit but better proportions than Patagucci Powslayer. Bomber. Zip off bin/suspenders.


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[Stenis]

Elevenate Bec de Rosses gore tex pro bibs on sale are great. Slim fit but better proportions than Patagucci Powslayer. Bomber. Zip off bin/suspenders.

+1. I replaced my 2016 Powslayers with Becs in the beginning of the season and I've been really happy with them.

[phatty]

+1. I replaced my 2016 Powslayers with Becs in the beginning of the season and I've been really happy with them.

They look nice, but no inside thigh vents and really more of a tall pant with suspenders. Also $560 on sale! Dang, that's nuts. Are people really paying $800 full price for pants?

[North]

Put ~60 days of touring on a pair of Flylow Smythes this season and they ticked all the boxes for me. Lots of those days included sled rides and they held up fine. Cut is just right for touring, breathe well enough, and they're much lighter than the Bakers. Way better option for touring. Flylow stuff always feels a bit chintzy compared to other brands but the Smythes performed well.

[DarthMarkus]

Quick update on the TNF futurelight bib I've used for 1 season now. I generally like them lot. It doesn't fit like a trash bag, and it's not a skimo fit either. It's actually pretty good as a Backcountry pant. There are lighter pants out there, but these do great for most of my purposes.

Plenty of pockets (6) for storing beacon, sandwiches, and about two beers in the thigh pockets. Not much abrasion between the cuffs while touring, good articulation at the waist and knees. Suspenders can need some attention and adjustments throughout the day depending on how much weight there is in your pockets. Ventilation has a lot of options: I adjusted mostly between the inside thigh vents and my jacket vents for 75% of my time. The other 25% I needed to use the outside zips for particularly warm days.

Current version from north face is called the Summit Verbier Futurelight bib, and it looks like there's some up on evo for fairly cheap.

For reference, I'm about 6'1, 190ish. I'm in the large and I have pretty long legs. I could maybe go into the XL if I weren't gonna do any Backcountry skiing in it, but I'd also be a bit more thugged out. I generally have good luck with TNF and Marmot being fairly gangly. Otherwise, I've never been a fan of the fit of many of the other big bib makers like Trew, Patagonia, or Flylow.

If I had gripes it would be the camo obsession that TNF seems to have with this pant. They've made the newer iterations a little more bearable, and there are still some solid color ways out there, just usually not on sale. Also maybe a slight preference towards a little more margin of room in the top portion of the pant, in the thigh and the hips. Though I think the way the pant fits takes a good amount of the weight distribution off of the suspenders, so I don't have strong feelings on that.

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[detrusor]

Super intrigued by the arcteryx pro guide stuff….seems it’s the old made in Canada burly stuff that the Asian made goods are not. I’m not a “professional” though…wonder if they’d make an exception for a ski racer dad who die FS tons of time at the hill…

[SnowMachine]

I shred Flylow pants like it's my job. My Baker bibs were new at the end of last season. Probably 50 days in them this year as the rest of my days were in uniform or my old Volcom pants. The cuffs probably have 10 full edge slices through them. Maybe my fault. Maybe my ski style. They are also questionably waterproof. I've had several storm days where they turned soggy. I'm going to try washing them this off season and waterproofing them. They do fit me great; jackets, pants and bibs. I'm 6' 160 and wear medium in everything. I've patched them with iron on patches successfully, for now.

For reference, my last pair of Volcom pants lasted for years. Hundreds of days. I finally tossed them because they had faded from green to brown and the gaiters had holes that would catch my buckles. My kids do shred the Volcom bibs, so they obviously aren't all created equal.

I'm tempted to try Stio pants. I have their down, goretex jacket. It's been in every storm condition and stayed dry/warm. I also smoked a tree pretty good last year. I fully expected to see a rip, but nothing. Not even a puncture. Tough stuff.

[detrusor]

My Stio pants have been ok, shredded the cuffs but stayed dry

[californiagrown]

Took some Trew Capow bibs out for their maiden voyage on an illadvised bushwack/scramble of a "tour" this past weekend. I really, really like them. Good pocket layout, fabric has some stretch and is lighter weight, but held up really well to the granite and slide alder shwacking. Venting was great and they were overall pretty darn sweet. Im 6'4" and 190lbs and the large Tall size fits perfect with the bottom edge of the pant just barely hitting the bottom of my boot heel, and they arent baggy but have plenty of room for mobility and a light layer if needed. I picked them up on the 40% sale a few weeks ago so the price was swallowable. Despite them being black and it being 55 and sunny i never felt my legs were hot and sweaty with the vents open.

[tang]

^^^ Super helpful. I have some old Trewth bibs that I've kept stitched together after 10+ years. But now looking for a do-everything 50/50 bib - lighter than the trewths, but sturdier than my Strafe Cham bc pants that seem to get a new hole or tear each trip out.
I've narrowed to Trew Capow and Strafe Nomad... strafes = cheaper, but I like the layout of the capows.
The capow size guide would put me (6'1, 180, 33 waist) into a small which just can't be right. I assume I'd be medium. Sounds like Trew exchanges are easy. Strafe I think is sales-final on their sale stuff.
Or do I save the $ and put more stitches into the exiting bibs and pants?! Hmmm

[Skeeze]

^^^ Super helpful. I have some old Trewth bibs that I've kept stitched together after 10+ years. But now looking for a do-everything 50/50 bib - lighter than the trewths, but sturdier than my Strafe Cham bc pants that seem to get a new hole or tear each trip out.
I've narrowed to Trew Capow and Strafe Nomad... strafes = cheaper, but I like the layout of the capows.
The capow size guide would put me (6'1, 180, 33 waist) into a small which just can't be right. I assume I'd be medium. Sounds like Trew exchanges are easy. Strafe I think is sales-final on their sale stuff.
Or do I save the $ and put more stitches into the exiting bibs and pants?! Hmmm

I've been on Strafe Nomads for a while now after having been in Arc'Teryx Stingers and Trewth bibs in the past. The Arcs were the most waterproof, but the cuffs got shredded so easily. The Trewths felt very heavy, but it was an old material they no longer use.

The Nomads are a baggy fit in medium for me at 5'11", 155lbs, 31in waist, but not so baggy that they get in the way. I think the medium would fit fine for you, or get a Large for that similarly baggy fit. I really like their pocket layout and the stretchy, breathable bib material -- I like having lots of pockets and get annoyed at things like jackets that only have one chest pocket (FlyLow is a big offender for that). I think the eVent material is a good balance of waterproofing and breathability. I get a bit wet on Tahoe days when it's basically a snow/rain mix, but they breathe well enough all winter. I then switch to Strafe Chams in late spring but the cuffs get so wet so quickly and they don't cut the wind at all, so couldn't see using them mid-winter.

[phatty]

Awesome to get that feedback on the Capow. There's so few bibs with inner and outer leg venting now. My concern has always been the light material and if it would hold up. These are now on the shortlist.

[californiagrown]

^^^ Super helpful. I have some old Trewth bibs that I've kept stitched together after 10+ years. But now looking for a do-everything 50/50 bib - lighter than the trewths, but sturdier than my Strafe Cham bc pants that seem to get a new hole or tear each trip out.
I've narrowed to Trew Capow and Strafe Nomad... strafes = cheaper, but I like the layout of the capows.
The capow size guide would put me (6'1, 180, 33 waist) into a small which just can't be right. I assume I'd be medium. Sounds like Trew exchanges are easy. Strafe I think is sales-final on their sale stuff.
Or do I save the $ and put more stitches into the exiting bibs and pants?! Hmmm

Id for sure upsize to a medium at least. IDK why anyone would want a bib to fit tight/properly around the waist like a pair of street pants. I much prefer it a little loose so i can stuff layers in there, and/or have hot air vent out the top. YMMV. I will say that even with Large Tall bibs i have to nearly max out the suspenders to keep the crotch from riding up my asscrack when touching my toes so Im for sure happy i upsized even though i also technically should be a small (32inch waist).

Awesome to get that feedback on the Capow. There's so few bibs with inner and outer leg venting now. My concern has always been the light material and if it would hold up. These are now on the shortlist.

Ive never had venting without mesh webbing and it really does make a difference with my pasty white thighs getting a bunch of fresh air from the inside and outside with each stride. Take my "review" of their durability with a grain of salt...it was only a single day and i was cringing hard slogging through the handful of waist high thickets and ghetto scrambling along a rocky ridge line. I have some old SAGA bibs that i just switched from whose fabric is much thicker (almost canvas) and i would have had zero second thoughts about high kneeing aggressively on a bushwack with those. The Capow bibs have a small scuff on the cuff guard material and a number of surface marks from the vegetation but are otherwise unscathed. My boots for sure saw the worst of it... might have to look into replacement soles for next year actually.

[SirVicSmasher]

Flylow turns to a sponge after 1 season really noticeable in the nw . Switched to Klim and have 0 regrets

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[SnowMachine]

My Stio pants have been ok, shredded the cuffs but stayed dry

Thanks for the input!!

[SnowMachine]

Awesome to get that feedback on the Capow. There's so few bibs with inner and outer leg venting now. My concern has always been the light material and if it would hold up. These are now on the shortlist.

Both the Flylow Baker bibs and Chemical pant have inner and outer vents. Despite what others think, I find their material fairly light weight. I tour in both. I'm headed out for a tour today in the Chemical pant. Both are a baggy fit, but that's been my holdout style despite being a Dad (clinging to my youth )

I do really like Flylow gear. I wish it were a bit more waterproof and their cuffs tougher. It fits like it were made for me. I do know guys that it doesn't fit as well.

FWIW they have a ton of gear still in stock and on deep sale right now.

[phatty]

Both the Flylow Baker bibs and Chemical pant have inner and outer vents. Despite what others think, I find their material fairly light weight. I tour in both. I'm headed out for a tour today in the Chemical pant. Both are a baggy fit, but that's been my holdout style despite being a Dad (clinging to my youth )

I do really like Flylow gear. I wish it were a bit more waterproof and their cuffs tougher. It fits like it were made for me. I do know guys that it doesn't fit as well.

FWIW they have a ton of gear still in stock and on deep sale right now.

Yeah, I like the features of Flylow, but the waterproofness is a no go in the PNW. I had Baker bibs a few years ago and they just didn't work for me. Plus I really dislike the Cordura knees. It accumulates snow and wets out fast.

[mcski]

Kind of surprising, considering they started out up there and certainly have dealt w that weather

[Hughwindlip]

How about the strafe cham bib?

I have the pants from 5 yrs back and love them.

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[phatty]

How about the strafe cham bib?

I have the pants from 5 yrs back and love them.

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What steers me away is that they are half bibs (tall pants) and no interior thigh vents. I think they used to have them but they no longer do in the current iteration.