Has anybody DIY sewn in or tacked on a cargo pocket on an existing ski pant?

[Rich_Ease_3051]

Thinking of going this route as I cannot find ski pants with decent sized cargo pockets that are high up and in front of thighs. This is mainly so I can stash a large curved Anon M4 goggles case.

Most pockets are low on the thighs and to the side, so the goggles are hitting the boney parts of the knees and can get in the way when one falls sideways.

My concern is if I tack on an excess Goretex fabric laying around on existing pants, that the sewing machine stitch may be prone to water seepage. Or is that really not a concern?

 

[Jilly]

My concern is if I tack on an excess Goretex fabric laying around on existing pants, that the sewing machine stitch may be prone to water seepage. Or is that really not a concern?

Exactly. Unless you can seam seal it.

 

[Rod MacDonald]

You mean the large plastic case you keep the goggles in ? Why on earth would you want to carry that around with you ?

 

[Rich_Ease_3051]

You mean the large plastic case you keep the goggles in ? Why on earth would you want to carry that around with you ?

To protect the spare bright or lowlight lens? Just to be clear this is what I'm taking about

Just realised I said "goggles case" instead of spare lens case in my initial post. My bad.

 

[Rich_Ease_3051]

Exactly. Unless you can seam seal it.

Good suggestion. I guess it's not that big of a task to seam seal the outline of the pocket that is the size and shape of a spare lens or slightly bigger/longer. I mean it's just glueing on or sticking the seal on top of the inside pant seam.

Seam sealing seems simpler than cutting and sewing in the fabric and also adding and sewing a water proof zipper.

 

[cantunamunch]

Good suggestion. I guess it's not that big of a task to seam seal the outline of the pocket that is the size and shape of a spare lens or slightly bigger/longer. I mean it's just glueing on or sticking the seal on top of the inside pant seam.

Seam sealing seems simpler than cutting and sewing in the fabric and also adding and sewing a water proof zipper.

Post results.

I would probably rather go super-old-school and make a bag pocket instead of a patch, with a snap-button flap closure over top. I'm good at rivets so I'd do those from the inner surface of the bag.

 

[VickieH]

If I wanted to do this, I wouldn't want to mess with seam sealing or risk messing up the pants if I did a bad job. I would look inside the pants. How high up does the gaiter attach and can I sew a pocket onto it that will be out of the way? Is there any fabric from pockets that hangs down lower and I can attach a goggle pocket to? I'd also look inside my jacket(s) for a space where the lens case matches the contour of my body and I could install a pocket to hold it.

 

[Rich_Ease_3051]

Post results.

I would probably rather go super-old-school and make a bag pocket instead of a patch, with a snap-button flap closure over top. I'm good at rivets so I'd do those from the inner surface of the bag.

I like the snap-on button idea. Seems simpler to do than sewing in a water-proof zipper. And given the pocket will just contain a spare lens, it's not really necessary to keep the inside of the pocket from getting wet as goggle lenses will get wet anyway. Not that the snap-on flap will not prevent it from getting wet.

 

[Rich_Ease_3051]

If I wanted to do this, I wouldn't want to mess with seam sealing or risk messing up the pants if I did a bad job. I would look inside the pants. How high up does the gaiter attach and can I sew a pocket onto it that will be out of the way? Is there any fabric from pockets that hangs down lower and I can attach a goggle pocket to? I'd also look inside my jacket(s) for a space where the lens case matches the contour of my body and I could install a pocket to hold it.

Up high the gaiter is a good idea. I put the lens case against the upper boot, front and back, and it's about the same shape. My only concern is the lower part of the pants, in the calf area, might become too tight with the thickness of the boot plus the lens case. And the rattling sound of the lens case bumping against the boot could be an issue. But the boot does provide extra protection versus just resting the lens against bare flesh during a fall that I might consider this option, if my lower ski pant area have enough volume to accommodate the boot plus lens case.

I've tried resting the lens case against the torso area to trial putting the lens in a jacket pocket and the shape just doesn't fit. It can potentially pierce or bruise the ribs in case of a fall.

The front upper thigh area seems to be the most natural place for the lens case to rest against. It's the same shape as a lens case and it's fleshy so in case of a fall, there are no bones or tendons or ligaments that can crush. It's just muscle that will bruise but that injury is potentially less severe than other parts of the leg. Also, most falling actions during skiing are sideways, so the lens case won't get crushed between the snow/ice on the ground and the front part of the thigh. And finally, it's easier to access vs fiddling with a pocket that's in the inside of the lower pant in the gaiter.

 

[VickieH]

the front part of the thigh. And finally, it's easier to access vs fiddling with a pocket that's in the inside of the lower pant in the gaiter.

Well, if you attach a goggle lens pocket to the bottom of the existing pocket inside the pants, you get to unzip your pants and reach down your thigh to get to the new pocket. Please, no fiddling while you're there ... not a good look.

 

[Rod MacDonald]

As ridiculous as it sounds, there's already a pocket inside most ski jackets to accommodate goggles or suchlike, and it usually allows the carriage of a lens or similar around the contour of the lower midriff. I don't think for one moment a lens will cause any physical damage in the event of a fall, far less dangerous than a cellphone, for example.

 

[Rich_Ease_3051]

Well, if you attach a goggle lens pocket to the bottom of the existing pocket inside the pants, you get to unzip your pants and reach down your thigh to get to the new pocket. Please, no fiddling while you're there ... not a good look.

This just gave me an idea: why not create a vertical pocket in front of the crotch? It will give the pants a bulge plus the lens case can act as a groin guard lol!

 

[Rich_Ease_3051]

As ridiculous as it sounds, there's already a pocket inside most ski jackets to accommodate goggles or suchlike, and it usually allows the carriage of a lens or similar around the contour of the lower midriff. I don't think for one moment a lens will cause any physical damage in the event of a fall, far less dangerous than a cellphone, for example.

For some reason mine doesn't countour around my midriff.

I think the cellphone won't cause injury as it's laying flat against the chest in the upper pocket. The lens case does poke out at the ends though. Try laying on the ground face front and have the lens case in between your midriff and the ground. It does poke and is not flush at all.

Getting poked at the midriff in a hard fall could be a potentially serious internal injury.

 

[VickieH]

For some reason mine doesn't countour around my midriff.

Drink more beer

 

[Rod MacDonald]

Or less

 

[Mike Thomas]

This seams like a solution in search of a problem. How often during the day are you swapping out lenses? How often do you go from whiteout/ flat light to full high alpine sunlight mid-day? There are plenty of lenses that cover everything in between. I have spare lenses and spare goggles, they live in the center console of my truck.

If you need to keep them on your thigh take a look at the Black Diamond Mission pants.

 

[Rod9301]

Even if you start with the wrong lens, it's ok to finish your day sunny with it. Deal.

 

[Rich_Ease_3051]

This seams like a solution in search of a problem. How often during the day are you swapping out lenses? How often do you go from whiteout/ flat light to full high alpine sunlight mid-day? There are plenty of lenses that cover everything in between. I have spare lenses and spare goggles, they live in the center console of my truck.

If you need to keep them on your thigh take a look at the Black Diamond Mission pants.

Even if you start with the wrong lens, it's ok to finish your day sunny with it. Deal.

I mean this kind of thinking is a slippery slope to complacency that inevitably ends with "why ski at all"?

Why carry spare lenses when a 22% VLT works for most cases?

Why wear 22% VLT goggles when skiers in the 70's and 80's skied just fine with sunnies?

Why wear sunnies at all when proto-skiers just wore drift-wood made goggles with just a horizontal slit to filter out dangerous UV?

Wait why ski at all? Stop skiing and you won't have issues blinding yourself with UV.

 

[Tom K.]

Why carry spare lenses when a 22% VLT works for most cases?

Wow, your typical weather pattern certainly differs from mine!

 

[Ogg]

IMO carrying anything in cargo pants pockets while skiing would be annoying, particularly something as large as a goggle lens case.