Women's Ski Pants: Rental at Your Resort

Women's ski pants: if you only wear them a few days a year, you can rent them at the resort together with the jacket instead of buying them. This collection brings together the shops in Chile, Argentina, Spain and Andorra that rent snow clothing; each product page shows the sizes available. You may also see them called women's snow pants: it is the same garment, the waterproof outer layer that goes over your thermal leggings. This guide helps you choose the type of pants, get the size and length right with your boots on, and know what to wear underneath.

Women's ski pants: regular waist or bib?

There are two basic styles:

• Regular-waist pants, with velcro or elastic adjustment and sometimes removable braces. They are the most comfortable for going to the toilet and for taking off layers, and the style you will see most often in rental.
• Bib pants (bib): they come up to the chest and are held up with braces. They stop snow getting in at your back when you fall or sit down, keep your lower back warm and are very practical in powder or if you snowboard. On the other hand, they are warmer and less convenient for going to the toilet, except for models with a side or rear zip designed for just that.

For a few days of on-piste skiing, regular-waist pants are enough. If you are going to spend a lot of time on the ground (your first days of snowboarding, lessons with children), bib pants are a welcome choice.

Fits: regular, slim and softshell

• Regular fit: a straight leg with room for the layers underneath and to bend your knee without pulling. It is the most versatile.
• Slim fit: more streamlined, with stretch fabrics so you do not lose mobility. It leaves less room for a second layer on very cold days.
• Softshell: a stretchy, very breathable and windproof fabric, but generally less waterproof than pants with a membrane. It works well in spring and for ski touring; on snowy days or in wet snow, waterproof pants are better.

Waterproofing, breathability and insulation

Your pants spend more time in contact with the snow than your jacket: sitting on the chairlift, kneeling to adjust your boot, every time you fall. That is why waterproofing matters even more here.

• Waterproofing (mm): the column of water the fabric can withstand in a laboratory test. Around 10,000 mm is enough for most days on the slopes; 20,000 mm or more for wet snow, rain or long hours outdoors.
• Breathability (g/m²/24h): the water vapour the fabric lets out per square metre in a day. The higher it is, the less moisture builds up inside when you are working hard.
• Insulated or shell: insulated pants have lightweight padding built in and are comfortable if you feel the cold easily or ski in the depths of winter in the Andes. Shell pants, with no padding, are just the waterproof layer and you add the warmth with your leggings: more versatile for spring or if you sweat a lot.

Details that make a difference

• Inner gaiters (snow cuffs): an elastic sleeve inside the hem that closes over the boot so that snow cannot get in.
• Ventilation zips on the thigh, to let out heat on warm days without taking anything off.
• Reinforced inner hem: this is where ski edges and boot buckles rub; a reinforced fabric prevents tears.
• Waist adjustment with velcro or inner buttons, so the pants do not slip down.
• Zipped pockets, one of them within easy reach for your lift pass or phone.

Size and length of the pants with your boots on

The most common mistake is choosing ski pants as if they were everyday trousers. Try them on with your leggings and, if you can, with your ski boots:

• Length: standing with your boots on, the hem must cover the boot shaft completely and fall at the back to near the heel, without treading on it. If they are too short, they ride up when you bend your knees and leave the boot exposed.
• Flex: squat down and push your knee forward as when skiing. They should not pull at the waist or the knee.
• Waist: comfortable with a thermal layer underneath and, if you feel the cold easily, with a second one.
• Between two sizes: go for the larger one and adjust the waist.

When you rent it is easy: when you pick up your equipment you can try the pants on with your ski boots and ask for another size if you are not happy, subject to the shop's availability.

What to wear under your ski pants

• Close-fitting thermal leggings, merino wool or synthetic. Never jeans or cotton leggings.
• Nothing inside the boot except your sock: if your leggings reach your ankle, pull them up above the boot or wear three-quarter-length ones. Wrinkles inside a ski boot hurt.
• One ski sock, a tall one, and only one.
• Very cold days: thicker leggings or a second thin fleece layer, as long as the pants have enough room.

Women's ski pants rental by resort

The products in this collection are snow clothing sets for rent; each one shows what is included, the quality tiers and the sizes. Some destinations:

• Chile: snow clothing rental in Santiago, so you can head up to Valle Nevado, La Parva or El Colorado already kitted out.
• Argentina: snow clothing in Bariloche and in Cerro Catedral.
• Spain: Sierra Nevada, Baqueira and La Molina.
• Andorra: El Tarter and Arinsal.

To see all the clothing, including men's and children's, go to snow clothing.

Frequently asked questions

What pants should you wear for skiing?

Waterproof, breathable ski pants with inner gaiters that close over the boot. For most days on the slopes, around 10,000 mm of waterproofing is enough. If you feel the cold, choose a pair with light insulation; if you sweat a lot, a shell pair with thermal leggings underneath. Hiking trousers will not do: they are not designed to spend hours in contact with the snow.

Where can I find women's ski pants?

If you need them for a few days, the most practical option is to rent them at the resort together with the jacket: this collection includes the shops in Chile, Argentina, Spain and Andorra where you can book them online. If you would rather buy them, look for a specialist ski shop where you can try them on with your boots.

What are the best women's mountain pants?

It depends on the activity. For on-piste skiing, ski pants with a waterproof membrane. For ski touring or snowshoeing, a stretchy, breathable softshell, with a waterproof layer in your backpack in case it snows. For hiking without snow, lightweight quick-drying trousers. In every case, they should let you bend your knee without pulling and have an adjustable waist.

What should you wear under ski pants?

Close-fitting thermal leggings in merino or synthetic fabric, with no cotton, that do not go inside the boot. On very cold days you can add a second thin fleece layer. Avoid jeans and cotton leggings: they absorb sweat and get cold.

Are ski pants the same as snow pants?

Yes. In Spanish, "pantalón de esquí" is the term most used in Spain and "pantalón de nieve" in Chile and Argentina. Both refer to the waterproof outer pants worn in the snow.