Ski Pants life expectancy

[James]

Depends on the pant.

I had very expensive Spyders once with seemingly nice fabric that after one season developed thousands of little threads on the surface. This would cause powder especially to cling. I attempted to cut them with scissors bit it was like trimming a chia pet. Essentially they were done in one year. They're still in the closet for other uses. Just not sure what they are...

I've had a black pair of Patagonias for probably a dozen years. The powder cuff is ripped on one and there are cuts from the outside near the bottom. They certainly aren't waterproof in VT despite spraying with various elixirs. Still quite serviceable.

 

[Alexzn]

The 400-500 day numbers are somewhat BS in my book. They sure still look like ski pants but they don't work like they did when they were new. What gives if first DWR at CA 70-100 days (mostly from sun damage and abrasion) and then the waterproof membrane gets clogged and stops breathing around 150-200 days. After that you are skiing in a pair of thin rubber shells with all the negative consequences associated with it.
Outerwear has a limited life span and most companies design for an avid casual skier with maybe 15-20 days per year for whom lifetime warranty makes sense. If you have 50-100 days per year expect to replace your parts every two-the years (high end Arcteryx Patagonia type stuff), less for cheaper stuff.

Im thinking of a trying a solution where I keep the good newer pants for wet snowy days and use an older beat-up pant on sunny good weather days with a lot of UV damage potential. This is what I already do with gloves.

 

[cantunamunch]

Tossup between my old Moonstone climbing bib and my Obermeyer Reverts. Well over 200 days on both.

OTOH my Markers started decaying after 30 days - lining rips were commonplace, pocket and panel stitching was ripout-a-week. My GF got tired of patching them. I am nowhere as good at stitching as she is but I managed to keep them alive for another ~15 days, after which they were just trash. Funny thing is I have a pair of Smart Mogul (SMS) pants with very similar structure that lasted easily three times as long. (Some here might remember them from the years when I wore Grinch colours).

My current Arcteryx have problems in that they pick up filth and dirt on the seams.

 

[albertanskigirl]

I also haven't worn out any of my pants yet - but I have three pairs that I rotate through. I've been wearing my bibs all season though, with no visible wear yet. I get the little cuts on inner cuff - but my new bibs have a reinforced area around the inside cuff and no damage so far.

Once though I did have a pair of Columbia Bugaboos that had a catastrophic rip on a fall. So the pants fit pretty well, not too big, not too small. And I had a fall and basically the inside seam on my right leg, from my crotch to my knee just ripped open, all along the seam line. Columbia replaced them - they said it was probably a defect in the sewing.

 

[Read Blinn]

Hm. Good question. I've had my EMS bibs for 12 seasons now — several hundred days. They're excellent, though the reinforced inside cuffs are getting cut up. The trouble is, I need new liners (or new boots) for absolute sure, a new helmet (#2), and a new jacket (not really). I'm good with skis, fortunately.

 

[Frankly]

Most ski pants run too long and the cuffs get stepped and ground on. Yet the cuff designs are too complex to justify tailoring. I circled my tail with several pairs until I finally found Arcteryx in short (i.e. Normal Human) inseams.

And yes, a branch or sharp metal dagger will destroy them before they wear out.

 

[Tony S]

Usually wear due to lots of cuts on the inside of the cuff from edges.

This. Need Kevlar or something. (Now bring on the technique dings. I know they're coming.)

 

[Sibhusky]

Mine have Cordura or something similar, both on the inside ankle area and a band of it around the whole bottom edge of the cuff. Can't imagine needing more, this is luggage material.

 

[Yo Momma]

For tears try Sail Repair Tape (it comes in many colors). An easy fix esp for boot cuff tears and looks good to maintain fashion if that's your thing. On a small jckt tear GF's Dad recommended Shoe Goo .......... OMG to my surprise it worked great, is waterproof, and is barely noticeable.

https://www.amazon.com/Ripstop-Sail...d=1491039624&sr=8-1&keywords=sail+repair+tape

https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?url=search-alias=aps&field-keywords=Shoe+goo

 

[Monique]

I've used (am currently using) Tenacious Tape Repair Tape.

 

[colospgmike]

second on the T-tape

 

[Yo Momma]

Thanks! Just ordered some TTape to give it a try!

 

[albertanskigirl]

For tears try Sail Repair Tape (it comes in many colors). An easy fix esp for boot cuff tears and looks good to maintain fashion if that's your thing. On a small jckt tear GF's Dad recommended Shoe Goo .......... OMG to my surprise it worked great, is waterproof, and is barely noticeable.

https://www.amazon.com/Ripstop-Sail...d=1491039624&sr=8-1&keywords=sail+repair+tape

https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?url=search-alias=aps&field-keywords=Shoe+goo

I use the stuff on my backpacks too - and it always gives me another season or two out of the pack.

 

[Michael R.]

I've only had these pants 2 seasons, then out of the blue the other day I felt a draft....

 

[ScotsSkier]

I've been using a pair of navy Descente full zip pants for 5+ seasons now and they are still in very good shape (and my seasons are usually 100+days) Before that i had a light gray pair of Karbon full zip pants which were awesome, super warm and still in good shape ...but my wife insisted they were starting to look beat up/marked (WTF...I am a racer/coach! so shamed me into buying the Desecnte ones. This season I had to buy a pair of Black Spyder heavy duty full zip pants as I needed to wear black pants for coaches uniform (A PITA as i have about 4 different pairs of blue ones!) great quality, super warm and they seem to be holding up really well in coaching mode - carrying/setting gates, pulling rope lines, adjusting bindings at start line etc which is probably about as tough duty as they can get. I have resisted coaches bibs so far since I still race as well though I can now see the value of them. In my experience it is pretty hard to wear out any good quality pants. Personally I like insulated full zip pants, i have a shell pair but they dont get used that often. If it is warm I am more likely to be wearing shorts over a race suit

 

[Guy in Shorts]

Most ski pants run too long and the cuffs get stepped and ground on. Yet the cuff designs are too complex to justify tailoring. I circled my tail with several pairs until I finally found Arcteryx in short (i.e. Normal Human) inseams.

At 6' tall I never buy short anything yet the wife grabbed me a pair of Burton pants in short and a pair of Karbon bibs in short and they are perfect. Stopped having to hike up pant legs to keep them out of the binding before stepping in. Pants stay out of the mud in the parking lot.

 

[Frankly]

My ultimate ski pant would be a trim regular fit in a heavier Gore Pro fabric, no insulation and full side 2-way self repairable zips. Stretch and adjustable waist tabs, belt loops, suspender tabs, gusset crotch, articulated knees. Burly inside cuffs, elastic inner gaiter that can be left undone and not hang. Easy to hem for length, not some bell bottom throw back. Room for varied layers of long underwear and knee braces underneath, easy to ventilate. Two zip pockets on thigh, hankie pocket, stash pockets. Nice subtle grey-earth tone coloring, subdued logo.

I'd pay top dollar and I bet many others would too.

Spyder almost does this but leaves a few things off or mangles the size/color.

 

[neonorchid]

Most ski pants run too long and the cuffs get stepped and ground on. Yet the cuff designs are too complex to justify tailoring. I circled my tail with several pairs until I finally found Arcteryx in short (i.e. Normal Human) inseams.
-

I'll add to that, looks like elephant trunks (or testicles), hanging from my knees, and opposing legs cuff hook onto crappy Marker demo binding brakes catapulting me across the fall-line!

And yes that last one did it, I too pretended to not see the price tag as I swiped the card for a pair of Arcteryx "Short" inseam ski pants

 

[pais alto]

This might be a good place for my ski pants story. The pants I got from the patrol I work on are old Patagonia Primo model. They're a lot like @Frankly 's ideal pants. Not made any more, but they're burly and my current pair have at least 350-400 long work days on them. I've had to sew up some blown seams, repair zippers, and the cuffs are pretty heavily Aqua-Sealed on all the edge cuts, but they're holding up and have some great features. What I really like, besides the burly fabric, are the full-length leg zippers for access, venting, and the drop-seat which really saves time in the crapper.

But the kicker is this: the suspenders have gotten pretty stretched and blown out so a couple weeks ago I emailed Patagucci CS asking if maybe they had a set of suspenders laying around that would work on those pants. Like I said above, they haven't made them for a few years and they didn't have any on hand. So - and this part is what rocks - their trim department looked up the specs in their records and custom-made me a new set. I'll get another 100-150 days out of those old things.

BTW, one good way to extend the life of the waterproofing is to wash them regularly per the instructions and spray with your favorite DWR refresher.

 

[UGASkiDawg]

I've got a pair of Arctyrex that are 14 years old and have probably 700 days on them....look basically brand new. The water proofing in the ass leaves a little to desired these days and my fat pass barely fits in them anymore but still going.