pros and cons of bib pants?

[cantunamunch]

Meh, I'm good for next week with just this.

 

[Tony Storaro]

Meh, I'm good for next week with just this.

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I like onesies very much but keep it secret as if I show in one on the mountain my so called friends will take off their ski boots and club me to death with them.

 

[ARL67]

My older Arcteryx Theta SV bibs have a fly with 2 zippers, so can be zipped up or down. Someone in the design department was thinking about realistic needs.

Norrona make great stuff and their bibs have a removable chest piece and suspenders that zip off from the pants, to become just pants. You can also zip the pants directly into a matching jacket to become a sorta of onesie. And then they do make a true 1-piece Gore-Tex Pro onsie that had many colour options over the years. I lack the coolness to rock such a thing but am in awe of those that do.

 

[cantunamunch]

I like onesies very much but keep it secret as if I show in one on the mountain my so called friends will take off their ski boots and club me to death with them.

That's OK, they'll be skiing in wet socks afterwards, hah!

 

[surfsnowgirl]

I love my bibs and don't have any cons with them. People say if you have to use the restroom it's a pain but I tuck my shirt, tshirt, etc in and pull the straps up so all I have to do is take my jacket off and it's easy peazy.

 

[Mel]

Burton does both pants and bibs with a short (30.5”) inseam. I have their women’s Kimmy Goretex bibs and they’re amazingly well thought out. Mid centre zip if I want to open them up at lunch without offending anyone, two side zippers for a drop seat to make life easier, and pockets galore. Two separate zippered chest pockets, each big enough to hold a phone plus plenty more for eye drops, chapstick, keys etc. they also have cords at the back of the legs to cinch them a bit shorter, which is nice if you’re in a muddy parking lot in regular shoes or boots to keep them from dragging in the mud.

 

[James]

Bringing this up to the top... I've got a pair of Medium (short 30" inseam) Flylow Baker Bibs - I normally wear a size 33W 30L or 34W 30L. I probably should have been in a Large b/c when I sit down (charilift/lunch/driving) the bib portion is pulling on my gut way more then I'd like and making any sweat in my baselayers just get clammy. Everyone says Bib's are more comfortable I THINK because they followed the size chart right and they float over the body. I'm tempted to go back to pants - since I LIKE the feeling of a belt around my hips.

But if i follow the size chart correctly maybe the Stio Environ bib with the half heigh and full front zip would work and float correctly? https://www.stio.com/products/mens-environ-bib

cheers

FlyLow bibs have weird fit. They basically seem made for sticks, but with baggy legs.

 

[DanoT]

they also have cords at the back of the legs to cinch them a bit shorter, which is nice if you’re in a muddy parking lot in regular shoes or boots to keep them from dragging in the mud.

Those rear pant leg cuff cinch cords that raise the back of the pant leg also prevent the cuff from getting caught up in the binding heel piece when stepping in.

 

[Jacques]

Ha ha!

 

[noncrazycanuck]

have an arc'teryx bib nice material and fits me fine but prefer my older MEC bib.
Higher chest coverage with better placed pockets.
Suspenders and zips are fairly equal. Both require extra steps at washroom breaks.
Most comfortable suit was my one piece, Helly Hanson but at least double those extra steps required on washroom breaks

 

[Tricia]

For anyone, especially any woman, who is concerned about going to the bathroom in bibs, make sure you have a pair with a long side zip.

Cop a squat and get on with your day.
(this is from a few years ago)

 

[Core2]

Been enjoying a TNF bib the last two seasons. Expands with beer and food consumption. Yesterday, I found a con. Ripped a big one while loosening boots and it got trapped in the bib with the only way of escape being to go up through my jacket and right into my face. Took a good 30 mins of wiggling to get all the smell out with random whiffs for hours after.

 

[DebbieSue]

For anyone, especially any woman, who is concerned about going to the bathroom in bibs, make sure you have a pair with a long side zip.

Cop a squat and get on with your day.
(this is from a few years ago)

Bibs with long side zip are far superior to onesies in this regard.
When you drop a onesie to use the facilities you must grab hold of both sleeves and at least do a single throw of a square knot over your thighs and grab the throw with one hand to free up the other hand for other duties. This is to prevent sleeves falling into the toilet.
Also, must take care that whatever is in inside chest pocket(s) does not slide into sleeves or worse, into the toilet.
Bibs with side zip do not require all these precautions.
Back in the 90s, I had a passport slide from chest pocket to sleeve of a Onesie, I assume while using the potty. I thought I lost it for 2 days, and even started lost passport process in Chamonix . . . an international crisis. But there it was, in the sleeve; a Dolman sleeve (look it up) with a snug cuff, so the there was room for it to hide there unnoticed.
I have no experience with onesies, or bibs for that matter, with squat toilets. It can't be pretty. Maybe you need two throws of a square knot to keep the sleeves under control!

 

[Tricia]

Been enjoying a TNF bib the last two seasons. Expands with beer and food consumption. Yesterday, I found a con. Ripped a big one while loosening boots and it got trapped in the bib with the only way of escape being to go up through my jacket and right into my face. Took a good 30 mins of wiggling to get all the smell out with random whiffs for hours after.

Sorry dude, that's on you.

 

[SS350]

FlyLow bibs have weird fit. They basically seem made for sticks, but with baggy legs.

OK good to know so maybe all bibs are not sized like this- they are driving me crazy.

There is 100% no way to run a synthetic midlayer under the bib at this size (i'm 5'10" 176 lbs) and I wonder if i would even be comfortable with them in a Large with a midlayer under.

I like the idea of the short bibs, or the Norrona convertible bibs... assuming there is room to feel comfortable sitting down.
Probably best to size up and then deal with baggy legs, or find a pair that have trimmer legs and larger torso area.

 

[ARL67]

FYI the Norrona Lofoten bibs run quite slim in the chest. I have had a couple of their Medium sized bibs, and I'm a 32 waist ( 5'8" 160 lbs ). You wouldn't want to be much larger as it can be difficult to zip up the chest part, or you might burst that chest zipper if you bend over. Mine are now 3 years old, so maybe they have increased the fit a bit by now ?

 

[SS350]

FYI the Norrona Lofoten bibs run quite slim in the chest. I have had a couple of their Medium sized bibs, and I'm a 32 waist ( 5'8" 160 lbs ). You wouldn't want to be much larger as it can be difficult to zip up the chest part, or you might burst that chest zipper if you bend over. Mine are now 3 years old, so maybe they have increased the fit a bit by now ?

ok thanks for the heads up. I ordered both M short and L short stio environ bibs, we'll see when they come in.
Read thru a ton of reviews on their site and i think i'll be a M - trying to get from 176 to 168 lbs's anyways. Normally wear a 33 - 30 jean.

I doubt even at 168 the flylow bakers would be comfortable around my "true waist" seated with midlayers on. People must just be sizing up.

 

[James]

I tried Flylow Baker bibs in L -xxl in the store, none of them “fit”. All brand fits are not the same. I suspect Norrona are for euro stick bodies.

 

[Lauren]

I doubt even at 168 the flylow bakers would be comfortable around my "true waist" seated with midlayers on. People must just be sizing up.

Flylow's men's sizing got a bit smaller a couple years ago. I wore a men's small Baker bib for 3 or 4 years. Tried to order a new pair last year, and the small was too small. Provided I have gained a couple pounds since I first got my original pair...the new ones were distinctively smaller. I ended up getting a medium...which is certainly big on me, but the more I wear them, the more I enjoy the extra space.

 

[Tony Storaro]

I tried Flylow Baker bibs in L -xxl in the store, none of them “fit”. All brand fits are not the same. I suspect Norrona are for euro stick bodies.

@anders_nor and I object in the strongest possible terms to the “stick” part.