8 best men’s ski and snowboard pants that will keep you warm on the slopes

Good snow pants are seldom cheap. If you don’t spend a good chunk of cash, you’re probably going to wind up with something that might look half decent but will leave you high and dry (or high and wet) on the mountains.

These reasonably priced pants from The North Face have been a firm favourite on slopes the world over for many years now, and they come about as close as possible to that sweet spot between affordability and quality. They’re a versatile pair of trousers that can handle anything your average resort can throw their way, including mixed weather, scuffs, scrapes and the occasional spill.

The pants are made from The North Face’s proprietary DryVent two-layer waterproof fabric, which does an excellent job of keeping water out while remaining breathable when the going gets sweaty. The fit is loose and comfortable, without approaching teenage snowpark-shredder levels of baggy, and there are ample pockets, zips and vents to help you handle resort days with ease.

Mountain Warehouse is always a safe bet when it comes to acquiring outdoor gear at budget-friendly prices. In addition to affordable hiking boots, waterproofs and fleeces, the British high street brand also makes its own in-house range of ski apparel, including these over-the-shoulder insulated pants with a rather appealing price tag.

Don’t go in expecting a pair of high-performance pants, and you won’t be disappointed. As far as build quality goes, the dusk II pants are not going to be sufficient for heavy riding all season long. If, however, you’re looking for a warm, water-resistant pair of pants that will cover you for the odd week of resort riding once a year, they’re ideal. In fact, the insulation coupled with the low price makes these pants perfect for beginners who are going to be spending lots of time standing around in the cold listening to an instructor, and who don’t want to break the bank for something they might only wear once.

Chances are, H&M isn’t the first store on your ski trip shopping list. However, with the newly launched H&M Move activewear range, you may want to reconsider your itinerary. The Swedish retailer has enlisted the help of Grand Studio – an outdoors design agency that has worked with the likes of Salomon, The North Face and On Running – to help create a range of surprisingly high-quality and accessibly priced skiwear, including budget-friendly bibs.

Cut from a three-layer waterproof fabric, these feature a loose fit for ease of movement, zippered vents to the inner thighs and rubber panels to the inside ankles, to guard against wear. There are two zippered hand warmer pockets, one zip leg pocket and a chest pocket.

Our only complaint concerns the stretch fabric used on the torso and inside the pockets. It feels a little flimsy, and we’re not sure how well it will stand up to multiple seasons of wear. That being said, £169.99 is relatively cheap, where bibs are concerned, and, overall, they are remarkable for the price point. If you’re looking for a full-body option without going secondhand or scouring sale racks, this is as good as it gets.

If money is no object, Arc’teryx’s sabre bib pants have a long-standing reputation as some of the best backcountry bottoms on the market. But don’t let that put you off if you’re more of a resort rider, because, while these pants are geared towards the more extreme side of the snowsports spectrum, they’re more than versatile enough to wear anywhere on the mountain… and in any condition.

This is no cheap pair of pants, but that’s because they feature a full Gore-Tex construction, complete with taped seams, articulated fit and the meticulous attention to detail for which Arc’teryx is famous. To say they’re built to take a beating would be an understatement. In fact, Arc’teryx is so confident in the build quality of its apparel, that it offers a full warranty for the “practical lifespan” of the product.

Features-wise, there are two-way zippered vents to the sides, two zippered leg pockets and a zippered chest pocket. The inner ankles have extremely tough fabric panels for wear, and there’s a zip fly to make toilet trips less of a hassle. As great as all of this is, the lack of handwarmer pockets may put off some people.

These bib pants are part of Oakley pro snowboarder Stale Sandbech’s signature collection. In terms of fit, looks and functional details, they’re hands down the best snowboard specific pants we tested. The only thing that stopped us from listing them as our best buy overall is the £343 price tag.

The pants are loose and comfortable without being clownishly baggy. They have a sturdy contrast zipper to the front, which makes putting them on and taking them off a breeze, and it’s a two-way zip for ease of peeing. Speaking of zippers, all of the zips are reassuringly robust and easy to grab (even with gloves on), and the logo-branded shoulder straps are similarly thick, burly and easy to adjust.

One of our favourite features of these pants is the adjustable leg openings. This is a feature seldom found on snow pants, but one that we always appreciate. It allows the fit to really be dialled in; it stops fabric from interfering with bindings; and, in our humble opinion, it improves the silhouette from a purely aesthetic standpoint. A standout pair of pants from Oakley, if you can afford them.

Burton is one of the best-known names in snowboarding and is synonymous with quality boards, bindings, boots and all the associated clobber you need to hurtle down snow-covered hills on a plank of wood.

The covert pants are a relatively slim-fitting, low-profile option that’ll suit those looking for a good all-rounder with a little bit of extra warmth for those chilly mid-season chairlift rides. They have a thin layer of synthetic insulation that’s lightweight yet warm, without adding too much in the way of bulk, but they’re still breathable enough to handle sweaty runs – particularly when you unzip the mesh-lined vents to the inner thighs.

Our size medium fits around a 34in waist, which is good for layering, and there are Velcro straps just inside the waistband to tighten, if required. The downside of placing these straps inside is it causes the waistband to bunch up weirdly at the sides, but this can be mitigated by simply wearing a belt

Based in the French Alps, this responsible ski and snowboard brand is committed to making snowsports apparel as environmentally friendly as possible. It does this by using recycled and natural fibres, limiting its use of harmful chemicals, and offering an extensive lifetime repair warranty on its products.

These three-layer waterproof pants are designed for big-mountain riding, away from the beaten track. They have a minimalist design, with just one zip pocket to the leg, zippered vents to the outside thighs, and poppers to the ankles, to make getting boots on and off nice and easy. They have a relatively slim fit with an adjustable waist that works really well, and they’re made entirely from recycled and circular polyester.

The North Face’s summit series range is designed to equip serious alpine athletes – people who need the absolute best of the best for big mountain riding. We’re talking jumping out of helicopters in search of death defying lines, as opposed to timidly sliding down green runs for an hour before hitting the après. So, if you’re more likely to spend your days freeriding than dancing on tables at the Folie Douce, these verbier Gore-Tex pants will be right up your couloir.

These top-flight freeride bibs are designed with extreme big mountain riding in mind. The Gore-Tex construction is exceptional, with fully taped seams, horizontal pockets (no more losing keys and phones on the chairlift), zip ventilation, and super-tough fabric at high-wear points on the inner ankles. We love the mad all-over print, too, but, if it’s not to your liking, there is a stealthier black version available.

Our only gripe (and it is a small one) is with the slightly bizarre single-sided adjustment to the shoulder straps. Rather than the conventional buckle adjuster to each side, The North Face has gone with a single strap that runs from the right side, over the shoulder, down the back, over the left shoulder and into an adjustable clasp mechanism on the left breast. We found it a little fiddly to adjust, but it only needs to be once and then you can just forget about it.