Do I need snowboarding pants?

March 9, 2006 6:34 AM

I'm going snowboarding for the first (and maybe only) time and I was wondering whether I should go out and get some pants and what kind of pants? Do I need them or would I be fine in jeans or something?

So I'm going snowboarding this weekend and wasn't sure if I needed to get some sort of pant to a. keep me warm and b. keep me dry

I'm sure I'll be falling all over myself so I'll be all over the snow and I don't want to spend a fortune on new special pants.

Where should I go to get some cheap pants? I'm in Toronto and I need them tonight.

posted by phillygee to sports, hobbies, & recreation (27 comments total)

Definitely don't wear jeans. That's the #1 rule of snowboarding / skiing! The snow cakes up on them -- you'll be soaked and uncomfortable all day.

I don't know where to get snowpants in Toronto, but I'm sure that it can't be that difficult. Also, wear some long underwear.
posted by TurkishGolds at 6:41 AM on March 9, 2006

If you are going for the first time, and will be falling a lot, then getting rollerblading-style knee, elbow, and wrist pads is probably a Very Good Thing.
posted by meehawl at 6:47 AM on March 9, 2006

I went skiing and didn't want to drop $100 on snow pants. I went to Target and bought a $20 pair of nylon tear-away warm ups and wore those over my jeans. No snow stuck to my pants, though, I did have to snap them up a couple of times over the weekend. If you can just find some winter running pants, those would work better... (waterproof nylon with no snaps up the side)
posted by Roger Dodger at 6:48 AM on March 9, 2006

Don't wear jeans. In fact, don't wear any cotton at all. Cotton gets heavy and cold when it gets damp. Wear something that's designed to keep you warm in the snow.

Many times it is possible to rent snow pants from the same places where you can rent your snowboard. You should investigate this. Call local ski/board shops, if they don't rent them, they might know who does.

The key to staying comfortable on the slopes is to stay DRY. When falling down a lot, this means that you need to have an outer layer that's as waterproof as possible, and an inner layer that wicks moisture away from your skin. If it's going to be really cold, you might need a layer inbetween, but this time of year, probably not.

Wear tight polypropelyne or silk long underwear under pants designed for snow sports.

If your rental pants seem a little old and/or worn, you can seriously increase their waterproofness by spraying them down with ScotchGuard or a similar silicone-based waterproofer. Be sure to rent them early enough such that you can do this and still give them 24 hours to dry.
posted by toxic at 6:53 AM on March 9, 2006

Roger Dodger has the right idea, but I would put anything BUT jeans underneath. Jeans are absolutely the worst choice among pants when it's cold outside. Cords, wool pants, some sort of sweats, MEC fleece pants - anything would be better. Even long johns alone would be better. Keep your jeans in your bag and change into them after.
posted by mikel at 6:55 AM on March 9, 2006

It's late in the season so any sporting goods store should have snow pants on clearance. So that's your best bet. I went snowboarding for the first time last year and bought a pair for $30 or $40 and they worked great.

The important thing is that you're going to fall on your ass dozens of times. Don't skimp on the layers there.
posted by smackfu at 6:57 AM on March 9, 2006

Don't listen to these fools. Everyone knows spraying Teflon on jeans solves these problems.
posted by geoff. at 7:23 AM on March 9, 2006

Yeah, I'll third Roger Doger on this one. Nylon pants are multi-purpose, so if you never go snowboarding again, you can still find a use for them. That's what I used the first dozen or so times snowboarding. I was boarding in Vancouver, and there was lots of snow and lots of falling, but the nylon pants kept me dry.
underneath I would wear trackpants, or long underwear and pajamas. Whatever was comfortable and warm. One time I wore jeans under the nylon and my friends made fun of me. Snowboarders can be so cruel.
posted by Hanover Phist at 7:29 AM on March 9, 2006

A used sporting goods place would have deals on used or new pants or bibs.

If you do wear jeans, you will NEVER go boarding again because it will be so miserable that the memory of being cold and wet and uncomfortable will be burned into your brain.

I ski (if skiing was easy, it would be snowboarding, as the saying goes) and the first season I wore jeans and I regret not 'gearing up' sooner. .

So, pants, and a decent pair of goggles, and you will enjoy it from the start.
posted by Danf at 7:39 AM on March 9, 2006

Joining the no-jeans crowd, because they are cotton. There's an expression among people who are exposed to weather they can't get out of it: "cotton kills". Wearing wet cotton has been shown to chill you faster than wearing nothing. While it's unlikely that you'll be so far from buildings that you'll suffer hypothermia, keeping warm does suck up energy.
posted by Kirth Gerson at 7:56 AM on March 9, 2006

Scotchguarding a pair of jeans actually does work fine, but I would only recommend that for an advanced skiier or snowboarder who doesn't spend much time in the snow, and only if it's warm spring skiing.

I would buy the snowboard pants, but failing that a waterproof nylon shell over sweats/fleece/cords will be fine, as Rodger Dodger suggested. As for the kneepads etc. that seems a bit much unless the snow is really hard and icy, though it won't hurt to wear them.

Oh and just FYI, if it's your first time snowboarding you will fall a lot. Hang in there. Sooner or later it will just click and it's a blast. The learning curve is much steeper on a snowboard. You won't be doing stem christies for months to perfect your form unlike skiing, even if intially it is more difficult.
posted by Heminator at 7:59 AM on March 9, 2006

You're going to fall a lot. If this is a onetime deal, then some nylon tearaway pants (or simple nylon over pants like they sell to joggers and cyclists) over a good pair of long underwear should do the deal, although if it's cold out the nylon gets stiff and can be a bit uncomfortable. You are much better off if you invest in a pair of snowboarding pants if you can afford it though, I use mine when I ski, snowboard, snowshoe and for tobogganing, and they've lasted three years and hopefully will last another two or more. They've paid for themselves easily in the past few years. Snowboard pants are good because they have intelligent pocket systems in them and most have decent vent zippers for those really hot days, a godsend when you're snowshoeing across a lake in 2c weather. If you do get snowboard pants though, I suggest you walk and run around the store with them to see if they droop or sag at all, it doesn't matter much if you're skiing or snowboarding, but if you take them snowshoeing and you have to pull up your pants every 500m it becomes a pain in the ass.

My other suggestion is to rent a helmet and or wrist protection. You will fall a lot and compared to skiing the falls are a lot more painful and humiliating. I'll probably never ski with a helmet, but I'll never snowboard again without a helmet.

Best of luck!
posted by furtive at 8:29 AM on March 9, 2006

Best place for cheap snowboarding pants in T.O. is Ends on Queen St just East of Woodbine, at Elmer. I got a great pair of waterproof nylon snow pants there ('Misty Mountain') for $30. I learned to board wearing them, as did my friend Rick. As an added bonus they were slightly padded.

If you are learning to board (I am a qualified instructor so LISTEN to me):

1. Pay for an hour-long lesson. This will save you a massive amount of pain.
2. Don't expect to be comfortable the first 2 days
3. Do expect to be in a lot of pain after the first 2 days
4. Remember it will never be as bad as the first 2 days. The initial learning curve is steep but on the 3rd day it will suddenly all start to click. After that it just gets easier and easier.

I learned to board about six years ago, having poor balance and no athletic ability whatsoever. I took the instructor's Level 1 course in my third season. I know people who passed their Level 1 at the end of their *first* season.

Another interesting thing about learning to board is that you don't forget anything. You do two days of pain, and even if you dont board again until a year later, you pick up where you left off.

And like everyone else says, jeans are pretty much the worse thing you could possibly wear.

Final tip: when falling, clench your fists. This will hopefully prevent you breaking a wrist.
posted by unSane at 8:35 AM on March 9, 2006

Oh yeah, and HELMET HELMET HELMET. I haven't had a serious fall boarding for a couple of seasons now, maybe more, despite venturing into some pretty serious terrain, but I never board without one. When you are starting out you WILL catch your heel edge at some point, go over backwards, and smack the back of your head. (Imagine standing on concrete, with your feet roped together, and someone shoving you in the chest.)

If it is icy, this could kill you. Wear a helmet!
posted by unSane at 8:57 AM on March 9, 2006

HELMET HELMET HELMET

Ohmigawd, I wish someone had told me. I got my bell rung so many times on the first day.

When you ski, if you fall, it's on your ass or on your side. No big deal. For a snowboarding beginner, it's common to fall backward, head first, down the slope. DUDE.
posted by frogan at 9:18 AM on March 9, 2006

If it is your first time snowboarding, you will be on your ass most of the day. Invest in a pair of snow pants and don't wear jeans. You will have a lot more fun sliding around if you're dry than if your jeans are soaked through. (And even if you get frustrated on your first day, go back soon for your second and third days! You will be up on the board and making turns and will have more fun.)

At many ski areas now, you can rent a helmet for the day if you don't want to invest in one.
posted by andrewraff at 9:29 AM on March 9, 2006

HELMET! Yes. Very much so.

I picked up a very cheap pair of insulated ski pants at Wal*Mart. (<$20) in Toronto. I've worn them for 2 ski / snowboarding seasons now, wearing either trackpants or long underwear (or both when cold) underneath, and they work just fine.
posted by defcom1 at 9:29 AM on March 9, 2006

Chiming in with the anti-jeans, pro-helmet contingent, and also to back up another recommendation... After my first weekend learning and falling, and several subsequent days moaning with my bruised knees and aching wrists, I wore rollerblading kneepads and wristguards under my winter gear for the rest of the season. I needed them less and less, but I was never hurt by a fall again. Totally worth the modest investment. Your local Target store should have something useful.

I actually still use the kneepads, just because the hills here tend to be so icy and I prefer to drop to my padded, insulated knees for a rest rather than sit my butt on the ice.
posted by Tubes at 9:43 AM on March 9, 2006

More unsolicited advice: try not to fall on your elbows. Ever. It puts the force right into your shoulder joint and you really don't want to screw that up. I fractured my shoulder not following this advice, and that was actually a good outcome compared to the ligament tears that can happen.
posted by smackfu at 10:01 AM on March 9, 2006

I've found the best way to fall is --

-- make fists
-- tuck your elbows in

so you kind of take the initial impact on your forearms and then roll. I've yet to be hurt from a fall this way.

Of course the bad falls are when you don't see it coming.
posted by unSane at 10:19 AM on March 9, 2006

I agree with the anti jeans sentiment. And now for even more unsolicited advice:

I am with unSane all the way on this one. If you're planning on learning to snowboard, you need to go twice in one weekend or at least once a weekend for 2 consecutive weekends. And be sure to get professional instruction! I want to warn you that the first two times will be pure hell but by the 3rd time, something will just click and things will start work out for you. Having an instructor there will make things a lot easier.

I have been snowboarding for 8 years and everytime I see person snowboarding for the first time, I think "God... I'm glad I will never have to learn how to do this again!"
posted by Paul KC at 10:21 AM on March 9, 2006

I'm surprised nobody has mentioned this yet, since I'd think it'd be the first thing anyone who's ever been snowboarding would point out, but you really shouldn't wear jeans.
posted by Mars Saxman at 10:32 AM on March 9, 2006

NO JEANS.

Ask the group you're going with, maybe someone has an extra pair of boarding pants. I know among the group I go with everyone has an extra pair. After boots, I really think a good pair of pants is vital for your comfort.

Also, invest like $15 on some good wool socks. Don't double up on cotton socks, you'll just have cold and blistered feet.
posted by like_neon at 10:42 AM on March 9, 2006

One of the amazing things about snowboarding is how fast you improve after the intial downpayment of pain. You can easily go from being unable to stand up on the board to confidently linking intermediate turns and beginning to carve in a single season of about 20 days on the snow. But those initial two days... yikes.
posted by unSane at 10:49 AM on March 9, 2006

Target, like most other retailers I imagine, is busy setting up for spring. The one I work at hasn't had snow pants for over a month. I suggest you call first if you're going to a non-sporting-goods-store.
posted by Juliet Banana at 1:36 PM on March 9, 2006

I've skied and snowboarded for years just wearing normal ol' Dickies with polypropylene underneath, with absolutely no problems. I've never noticed snow sticking to my pants, and I stay nice and warm all day.

I used to wear more conventional nylon ski pants, they tended to get pretty wet inside from sweat. Dickies are way more comfortable.

It's not your legs you really need to worry about anyway, I've seen people skiing in shorts before, and not crying or anything. Just make sure you have something warm on your head, and a good jacket and some gloves. Your feet will be in boots, so you don't have to worry about them at all either.

I don't know why you'd want to have knee or elbow pads, I never noticed any problems with bangs like that - but you should think seriously about wrist braces. At the nearest big ski field to where I live they provide wrist braces for free with board rental.

To be honest, I prefer skiing to boarding, if you find you don't enjoy sitting on your ass all the time, maybe try another day (I don't know why that is unrealistic unless skiing is expensive where you live) and ski instead.
posted by The Monkey at 5:15 PM on March 9, 2006

Gloves. For when you fall and try to get up, gloves are your friends.
posted by state fxn at 5:37 PM on March 9, 2006