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When it comes to snowboarding, every little detail of your essential snow gear matters. However, if you’re a first-time snowboarder, how do you pick the right pieces that will be funtional and comfortable? Don’t worry, we got you covered!
Types of Men’s Snowboarding Pants
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Before you decide to hit your favourite snowboarding store and explore the wide range of mens snow pants, it’s important to become familiar with their different categories.
Regular Pants
Regular mens snow pants with an elastic waist or a zip fly are the universal type a lot of snowboarders prefer, but this doesn’t mean that they’re also the right type for you. They are not the warmest type, so make sure you skip them if you get cold easily. However, if you prefer flexible and comfortable snowboarding pants, this is the perfect type for you. Aside from being more lightweight, they’re also a cheaper option.
Pants with Bibs
If keeping your body warm and protected from heavy snow and wind is your top priority while snowboarding, a pair of men’s snowboarding pants with bibs can be just right. These pants come up to the chest and have built-in suspenders to provide extra protection and warmth to your entire core. They also eliminate the annoying gap between your pants and jacket, which means you won’t have to worry about snow getting in touch with your skin when you fall.
Aside from being the warmest and the most secure option, have in mind that pants with bibs are not that flexible and can feel a little bit bulky, so only choose them if you prefer warmth over anything else.
Find the Perfect Fit
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The perfect fit for your snowboarding pants will depend on your preferences. And while some people like the feeling of being more comfortable to move and maneuver easier, others may prefer tight pants even for hitting the bumpy slopes.
Skinny Fit
As much as snowboarding pants with skinny fit are mostly intended for women, know that you can also find many men’s models on the market. These pants are tailored to sit snugly along your entire lower body- waist, hips and thighs. But as much as they aren’t considered the most comfortable solution, they make for a great base for layering, as they’ll keep all the layers close to your body, and therefore keep you warm.
Regular Fit
Regular fit pants are a much-preferred option among snowboarders since they won’t sit that snug on your lower body which means you’ll have greater freedom to move and maneuver while on the board. They also provide some extra space for layering, so you won’t have to worry about getting cold once you hit the slope.
Loose Fit
If you prefer being casual and feel relaxed over stylish, then don’t hesitate to choose loose fit men’s snow pants. Not only they’ll provide the ultimate comfort, but they also feature a more spacious waist and hips area that you can always use for layering, without having the feeling of all those bulky layers being in your way of easily moving around.
Decide on the Level of Warmth You Want
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Different snowboarders prefer different levels of warmth while being on the slopes. While some people want as much warmth as possible, others tend to get hot easily, even in the snow. So, according to your warmth preferences, you can choose between shell pants or ones featuring insulation.
So, if hitting your snowboard often means getting sweaty, then a pair of shell snow pants might be the best option for you. The fact that they aren’t insulated makes them extremely breathable, windproof, waterproof and lightweight, which also means more mobility. But this doesn’t mean that you should get a pair of these shell pants at all costs since they’re mostly intended for warmer winter conditions, even though they’re also perfect for layering without compensating for flexibility and the freedom of movement.
On the other hand, there’re many insulated pants intended to keep you warm and protect you from external influences such as water and snow. These insulated parts are often made of fleece, or synthetic materials such as Primaloft, and can be found all over the pants or cover only some specific areas to keep your most vulnerable parts warm.
Choose A Waterproof Pair
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Waterproofing is one of the most important features when it comes to snowboarding pants. Choose materials such as GoreTex, Hyvent and DryRide. These fabrics have pores that are smaller than a molecule of water, and at the same time bigger than a molecule of sweat. They will prevent the water from penetrating inside the fabric and getting in touch with your skin. And since these are breathable fabrics, they will let the sweat escape and keep you dry while snowboarding.
Other Useful Features
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The process of choosing men snowboard pants doesn’t stop by picking a warm and waterproof pair of pants – there are a couple of other features you need to consider.
Venting
Even if you choose the most breathable pair out there, snowboarding pants are mainly intended to keep you warm. This means you’ll need a pair that features a good venting system. Such vents can be located either on the inner thighs inseam featuring mesh lining or along the outer seam featuring convenient zip vents. And as much as both of these options offer excellent venting, seam zippers are more preferred since they’re bigger.
Seams
The purpose of the snow pants is to keep your body warm and dry and any seams or zippers are potential holes for snow to get in touch with your skin. To prevent this, many snowboarders choose fully tapered pants that have every stitch seam tapered. These fully tapered pants can also be reinforced with additional tape in the areas that are most prone to getting wet.
But this doesn’t mean that all the snowboarding pants are fully tapered since some of them can only be taped on the most critical areas that are mostly exposed to snow. They’re good enough to keep you dry, and at the same time, they’re a way more budget-friendly option than the fully tapered models.
Gaiters
The area where your pants are cuffed can’t protect you from any moisture penetrating your boots and lower extremities. This is why you should always choose a pair that features built-in gaiters. Gaiters serve as an “additional” cuff to ensure that the pants will also sit snugly over your boot and will keep snow away from your legs. And even though gaiters are mostly intended for skiing pants, some additional protection is always welcome when hitting the slopes.
