Ski Pants alternative

[kpbrown31]

Curious if anyone has found a hunting pant that will suffice for ski pants. When I'm buying clothing, I try to buy it in a hunting related line, because I know it will get far more use. Maybe ski pants don't really have a substitute. I'm just thinking something semi-water proof and not super absorbent. I can always wear a little base layer underneath.

 

[Walkstoomuch]

I got a pair of Kuiu Chugach tr pants this year for rain pants. I’ve been beating the heck out of them in snow/cold hunting and they’ve been great. I’m definitely going to use them as a backcountry ski pant

 

[Zdub02]

I've worn a pair of browning gore-tex rain pants skiing with good luck. I like some level of waterproof pants when I'm skiing so I think you make most any water proof hunting pant work. Just layer underneath accordingly.

 

[b2one]

I have an older pair of kuiu chugach rain pants that I use for my backcountry ski pant. The side zippers are great for dumping heat and also for locking / unlocking my boots for ski versus skinning mode. The bottom opening fits over the ski boots perfectly, and the added crampon protection on the inside leg is also good protection against ski edges. They have worked better than any ski-specific pants that Ihave owned.

 

[Poser]

I tried to mess with this for awhile, but nothing worked well. Granted, ski boots are easier to work with for pants fit then snowboard boots, but the main issue is lack of an internal gaiter. Without that, you’re getting snow up your pants and in through the top of your boots.

I don’t like Goretex or similar unless it is a blowing and deep powder day. Otherwise, generally too hot. So, I do have a pair of Goretex bibs for those occasions. Otherwise, I have some OR ski pants that I love. It’s a single ply stretchy fabric on the quads with 4 zippered vents for scrubbing heat. Below the knee is 2 ply with a Cordura layer. These aren’t waterproof, but I just wash them in Nikwax regularly. The internal leg gaiters can be zipped off and removed so you could wear them for brush busting hunting if you wanted to. Great pants. They have a 3 point suspended attachment that works well with the FL suspenders and a pocket on your right hamstring that will comfortably hold a flask when you are skiing or sitting on the chairlift. Front pocket has a mesh inner pocket for keeping your wallet from getting lost. Also has belt loops which is rare. With a belt and suspenders, you can keep them in place really well with minimal snow going down your pants even on powder days.

or ski pants - Google Search

 

[jd1006]

The Sitka Equinox Guard Pants (built in internal Gaiter), under an the Sitka Coldfront Pants is perfect for Winter sports. I also really like the Kryptek Bora Pants, but I agree that the lack of a snow-gaiter makes it hard to keep snow out. I wish more companies added the hook that Fjallraven puts on the cuff of their pants to hook to your boot laces. I often wax up my Fjallraven Vidda Pro-Vented for the winter and they work really well; that’s my go-to setup for snowshoeing

 

[wesfromky]

Sitka X BD collab:

https://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en_US/stories/eric-jackson-sitka-collection/

 

[540-Virginian]

Lifelong hunter and skiier snowboarder. I even competed in the latter. For skiiing, tou just need a very very waterproof outerlayer. That will fit over ski boots. You could use any solid rain pant (like Kuiu’s tougher line) and jusy layer under it. However, you lack a gator if you need one (deep snow). If you ski more icy groomed trails you may not need them, just ankle cuff straps. I snowboard so prefer a specific pant from a snowboard company, but it is just a thinner waterproof shell. I actually use the first lite zip off kiln bottoms or boot cut furnace zip offs to board in. I have Kuiu northridge and would not use it skiing (just too thin).

 

[Poser]

Lifelong hunter and skiier snowboarder. I even competed in the latter. For skiiing, tou just need a very very waterproof outerlayer. That will fit over ski boots. You could use any solid rain pant (like Kuiu’s tougher line) and jusy layer under it. However, you lack a gator if you need one (deep snow). If you ski more icy groomed trails you may not need them, just ankle cuff straps. I snowboard so prefer a specific pant from a snowboard company, but it is just a thinner waterproof shell. I actually use the first lite zip off kiln bottoms or boot cut furnace zip offs to board in. I have Kuiu northridge and would not use it skiing (just too thin).

For backcountry skiing and even spring skiing where it’s cold in the morning and baking in the afternoon, the zip off baselayers are absolutely clutch. I can’t believe the ski brands haven’t caught on to this. Skiers ask me about the zipoffs all of the time and I get a blank, dismissive stare when I tell them only hunting brands make them.

 

[540-Virginian]

For backcountry skiing and even spring skiing where it’s cold in the morning and baking in the afternoon, the zip off baselayers are absolutely clutch. I can’t believe the ski brands haven’t caught on to this. Skiers ask me about the zipoffs all of the time and I get a blank, dismissive stare when I tell them only hunting brands make them.

Zip off puffers are all the rage this year in the ski industry - saying it’s new tech. I just roll my eyes…

 

[Poser]

Zip off puffers are all the rage this year in the ski industry - saying it’s new tech. I just roll my eyes…

I mean, I carry my zip off puffy pants (+ a puffy and bivy sack) on deeper backcountry ski objectives as a survival tool (figure I can survive the night if I can’t make it out), but I’ve never, ever once considered wearing them while skiing. Also, I have a pair of those classic TNF fleece over pants with the Cordura butt and knees from the mid 90s that zipoff. Any climber worth their salt owned a pair of those in the 90s.

What gives here?

 

[Poser]

 

[GR1NCH11]

Have you considered doing it the other way around? Use ski pants for hunting. They do good at blocking wind and water, typically they have leg zips to vent heat. It mainly depends on what you want out of them as a hunting pant. I.e. less noise, better packability, weight.
I'm hunting primarily north eastern whitetail (PA) and I snowboard. To save some $$$ not buying new hunting gear I ran my snowboard pants as my bottom outer layer on cold tree stand days.

 

[kpbrown31]

Sitka X BD collab:

https://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en_US/stories/eric-jackson-sitka-collection/

Pretty sweet!...but more than I probably need to spend haha

 

[kpbrown31]

For backcountry skiing and even spring skiing where it’s cold in the morning and baking in the afternoon, the zip off baselayers are absolutely clutch. I can’t believe the ski brands haven’t caught on to this. Skiers ask me about the zipoffs all of the time and I get a blank, dismissive stare when I tell them only hunting brands make them.

Oh great idea...will definitely be bringing my Kuiu zip offs.