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pros and cons of bib pants?

Core2

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My current pants start out tight and are loose by end of day so require some adjusting as I sweat and ski and stretch them out. This can be annoying, especially if I have to stop mid run. Will bib pants help with this? Is it annoying to have shoulder straps under your jacket all day? Can you still easily pee? What does the board think? I had bibs for snowplay when I was a kid but have never skied in them.
 

cantunamunch

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coskigirl

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I love the extra coverage bibs give if you go down in a bunch of powder. Mine aren't particularly easy for bathroom stuff but I can't comment on that for you.
 

bbbradley

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I have 2 pairs of ski pants, one are bibs, the other are pants with suspenders. I like the lower back coverage of the bibs for really cold days, but for me, ski pants without some sort of external support mechanism don't work well. I have to criss-cross the straps to get them to not fall off my shoulders too.

I'm shopping for a new pair of full-side zip pants, they are hard to find!
 

Seldomski

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Belt and/or suspenders is what you want. If you are sweating in your current gear, the bib will make that worse. They are noticeably warmer.

Belt is a good solution but will make you a tiny bit warmer since the waist won't vent as much. Good for winter.

Cheap suspenders that I have used tend to adjust themselves and I have to periodically tighten them. But, they can keep pants up even with a loose waist, so there is better ventilation. Good for spring.
 

robertc3

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Bibs are great for keeping the snow out on pow days as @coskigirl says. To hold up your pants a belt would be choice one and suspenders choice two. Assuming you just unzip the fly to pee you will be fine with any option.
 

SpikeDog

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I own both ski pant styles, although I prefer bibs for the warmth and snow entry up your back phenomena. I experience the OP's late day pant droopage too, although it is a mild annoyance compared to the slush bucket ski boot extra roomage in the late afternoon. Both occur on warm spring days mostly. I like the extra storage options in bibs too.
 

MattSmith

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Big bib fan here! I picked up my second Trew bibs (Capow) at a discount in the off season. They are lighter than the bibs I wear for resort skiing (discontinued Trewth), hence are targeted at more backcountry use than resort skiing. I started wearing Trewth for the 2015/16 season and they've held up great except for a broken side zip from last season. I glued it shut and it held just fine. They've developed a nice patina of grime that I appreciate.
WIN_20210126_14_12_36_Pro.jpg

Taking a leak isn't an issue for most males. I have dual zips going for easy access. Taking a dump in ski clothes is a PIA and should be avoided at all costs. For females, I've seen the emergence of "drop seats". My GF has a pair and loves the ease of access.

I don't notice the shoulder straps at all. I typically wear a base layer and fleece under the bibs with a puffy and/or a shell over the bibs. Warm and pretty much bullet-proof. I also wear a belt to tighten the fit at the waist.

I have 1 complaint and haven't found a good solution. The base layer and fleece tend to pull up and bunch up above the belt line. A few times a day I open the leg vents reach inside and pull my shit back down. For typical resort laps I don't really notice. When it gets warm or do some inbounds hiking, I definitely notice. Let's just say I get pretty moist around the belly area and it's annoying. The new Capow bibs have a front zip extending from the top to the chest to the crotch. I wore them a few times in April to skin and had the front zip wide open.

That's my only complaint. I have a bunch of snowboarding friends and can't understand why they WOULDN'T be in a pair of bibs with all the rolling around in the snow that they do.

Happy shopping!
 

Lauren

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Huge bib advocate here.

- Chest pockets are great. Completely out of the way and doesn't impede mobility.
- Built in suspenders…pants will never fall down. It's amazing.
- Non-restrictive waist allows freedom of movement...possibly my favorite "perk" of bibs.
- No cold wind up the back
- No snow up your back
- If you overheat…go with bib shells and layer according to the weather (there are also plenty of bib options with super breathable uppers)
- It's oddly comfortable to hang out with your hands in your bibs (like a hoody kangaroo pocket) :roflmao:
- I can't speak for the males but as a female I think bibs are actually easier than normal pants when using the restroom, as long as they have a zip from the waist down to about the knee.
 

SBrown

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I love my bibs. I think it's extra important to read real-life reviews when purchasing -- they all have slightly different features. It's helpful to find out which have the easiest drop seat, most comfortable straps, etc. My bibs are shaped strangely, I think, but they work great and they are long enough (too long, even). That was always my issue, and probably for anyone who is taller or shorter than average: you get the top to fit and the bottom is too small, or vice versa, or whatever.
 

dbostedo

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I used to wear suspenders, but now I just wear a belt
Someone mentioned Arcade above... I wear one of their stretchy belts, that doesn't seem to loosen during the day...like this:


(The URL says "womens", the product says "mens", and the Amazon page title is "unisex"... go figure!)
 

skiki

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I have both pants and bibs, and really loved the comfort of my bibs last season. I bought them on the larger side so I can layer easily underneath. Taking my coat off to lower the straps, fine. Having to take my coat off, my thermoball off, and possibly even a vest if really cold, not so much. Baker bibs come in short and long, as do my NF freedom bibs.
 

crgildart

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I have and will always prefer some kind of suspenders over a belt for snow sports clothing. Fart bag FTW but at the end of the day they push whatever costs the least to produce on us when it comes to these things.. and convince us it's somehow superior to the higher labor cost version.
 

tch

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No one wants to mention it, but bibs are the ticket if you have any kind of belly and no butt or hips. My pants are always falling off my butt, and I end up cinching the belt REALLY tight. Bibs solve that problem and then have a little room to let your stomach breathe.

Maybe it's just an old man problem....
 

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