Mens Salopettes & Ski Pants

Looking for mens salopettes and ski pants? Excellent, we have what you are looking for. Trekwear offer a range of mens ski trousers and salopettes from trusted skiwear brands Dare 2B, Head, Oakley and Trespass.

Salopettes & Ski Trousers Buyers’ Guide

If you are not sure what salopettes or ski pants you might need or are just curious to learn more, we hope this brief buyers’ guide will outline some of the main consideration for you.

Anatomy & Characteristics of Salopettes & Ski Pants

Here are some things to look out for in a pair of salopettes:-

• Windproof – they must be constructed from windproof fabric, to keep you warm and to stop wind chill, especially when skiing at high speeds. Padding / Fleece lining – this provides thermal protection and warmth – which is especially important if expecting very cold conditions or skiing at high altitudes. Lining material should also aid your freedom of movement by creating a smooth interface with the outer shell.
• Ankle gaiters – elasticated waterproof cuff material in the ankle of salopettes and ski trousers designed to prevent snow spray and powder getting into the leg and thus into your ski boot.
• Detachable braces – salopettes have high waists and backs to protect you from the snow, and these are usually held up via shoulder strap/braces. For convenience and so you do not get in a tangle every time you put on or take off you salopettes it makes sense to have detachable braces. Likewise many modern ski pants with lower waists also have braces too, so being able to detach them lets you choose how you want to fasten your ski pants – by belt or braces?
• Ventilation zips – a quick and easy way to cool down – simply open them up to let in some cooling air.
• Zip pockets – vital if you do not want to lose valuables across the slopes – usually waist zip pockets.
• Inner knee articulation – if your stance is good and you are pointing your knees to control your carving then articulated inner knees will allow you to achieve the correct body position more easily without ‘pulling’ on the garment.
• Stretch fabrics – like articulated knees stretch fabrics aid your ergonomic performance and improve your freedom of movement. This also allows you to wear tighter ski bottoms which are more aerodynamic, but still give your body the freedom of movement you are after.
• Adjustable waist – you may want to adjust your waist depending on how many base layers / mid payers you are wear or how good a lunch you have had! So adjustable waist bands or straps give you that control and allow you to set the right fit.
• Reinforced ankles – the edges of your skis should be reasonably sharp if you are going to carve with any success. By necessity this means the inner ankle of your salopettes or ski trousers will occasionally brush the sharp edge of a ski – so reinforcing will protect you salopettes and mean they last much longer and prevent fraying.
• Recco – an avalanche safety device this is a radio reflector designed to reflect back a specific frequency signal to a transceiver used by mountain rescue and ski patrol teams. It is a passive device, requiring no batteries. We would recommend anyone serious about backcountry and off-piste skiing to consider Recco as a sine qua non on their salopettes checklist.

Budget

Cheap ski wear can be great when you start out skiing, but if you plan on progressing or are already an intermediate to advanced skier you probably want to think about an increase in performance and capability. Higher specification ski gear will increase characteristics such as freedom of movement, waterproofing and breathability. This comfort though (staying warm and dry, but not being too hot or sweaty) will be pricier than entry-level ski wear.

So knowing what type of skier you are (and how keen on skiing you are) will help influence what type of budget you want to commit. Gauge price against performance and consider how much technical capability are you getting for your money.

Salopettes for Beginners

If you are a beginner you will most likely be skiing on nursery slopes and well groomed/bashed blue ski runs and the occasional red – so it is likely the worst your ski wear will have to cope with is the odd tumble or some snowfall on a white day. Consequently, you can look at lower specification salopettes or ski pants as they need to provide wind-proofing and reasonable waterproof and breathable characteristics, but that should be ample.

• Windproof
• Waterproof (2,000 mm to 5, 000 mm)
• Breathable (up to 5,000 g/m²/24h)

Salopettes for Intermediate Skiers

As you advance in skiing you will tend to tackle more challenging ski runs – reds and blacks – and also more challenging snow – moguls, steep ice, piste-edge powder and some backcountry routes too. These challenges generally mean you will be working your body harder to tackle the terrain and conditions and that means you will probably be sweating more. So your salopettes will need a decent level of breathability so perspiration and sweat vapour can escape. Also consider venting options too as these are an easy way to regulate heat and humidity. You will also want to consider higher waterproofing ratings too as you are more likely to be in contact with powder and snow spray more often.

• Windproof
• Waterproof (5,000 mm to 10, 000 mm)
• Breathable (3,000 g/m²/24h - 10, 000 g/m²/24h)

Salopettes for Advanced Skiers

As you move from intermediate to advanced skiing you will almost certainly want to ski off-piste more often. Backcountry skiing by necessity is on un-groomed mountain and therefore powder is omnipresent; and its depth can vary dramatically depending on the topography and drifting. One moment you can be in ankle-deep snow and the next it can be waist deep. So your salopettes will need higher levels of waterproof performance to ensure you stay dry. Whether skiing in powder or moguls, advanced skiers tend work hard too, so breathability is also an important factor to consider. Stretch fabrics will also allow tighter fits and unrestricted movement which should help with aerodynamics for speed and stance/form whether in a high-speed tuck or working through virgin snow off piste. Safety is more of a consideration for advanced skiers – so lookout for products featuring high visibility fabrics and devices like Recco avalanche beacons.

• Windproof
• Waterproof (10,000 mm to 30, 000 mm)
• Breathable (7,000 g/m²/24h - 30, 000 g/m²/24h)