Patagonia Men’s Stormstride Pants Review

The Stormstride Pants are a great daily driver for those who are skiing in bounds and beyond. I’ve used these backcountry skiing, splitboarding, and in-bounds skiing, and found them to be a fantastic all-around pair of ski pants. The minimalist design, stretch, and functionality make it a product I would definitely recommend to a friend.

Patagonia Pants Fit

The slim fit of these pants is great for skiing, but a little too slim for snowboarding if you prefer a baggier riding fit like me. The elastic waistband has fantastic holding power, which allows me to go without a belt- a rarity for me. The gaiters and cuffs are adjustable and make it easy to get your boot tops securely covered for those deeper days. They have great stretch for those skin tPatagoniarack acrobatics and bounding bump runs, and I find the fit in the crotch to be non-restricting. Fit 5/5 

Stromstride Pants Features

These pants have a minimalist design, yet still have some of the creature comforts I look for in a pair of well-rounded ski pants. The simplistic zippered two-pocket design allows for gear stash opportunities, but doesn’t tempt me to weigh myself down with 4 large pockets. I prefer to have my beacon in my pocket, and these pants have a lightweight attachment point in the pockets and a nifty sub-pocket on the right side that keeps your beacon or phone contained. This pocket also prevents them from rattling around the large pocket on the way down, or wearing holes into the outer shell. The cuff size and zipper is great for accessing boot buckles and link levers. Features 5/5 

Construction 

The Stormstride’s are made in a Fair Trade Certified™ factory with Patagonia’s H2No®  Performance Standard shell fabric. The recycled polyester knit interior helps manage moisture, and makes these feel like pants and not a stuffy, sweaty trash bag. They’re stretchy, breathable and most importantly- waterproof enough for those slushy spring groomers and warmer, wetter storms. On the other hand, the breathability does take away some of its ability to block out wind like a full-on hardshell pant.

While they are good for resort riding, they are still a shell. Therefore, I’d recommend bulking up your underlayers for those windy, cold days on the chair. They are packable and lightweight (just over a pound), yet I’ve had no issue with the Stormstriders ripping on my ski’s edges or when wrestling through low elevation brush. Build Quality 5/5 

Pros & Cons

Pros:

• Minimalist, yet durable design with some creature comforts
• Functional and comfortable adjustability in waistband & cuffs
• Stretchy design doesn’t hold back movement
• Bomber zippers
• Beacon compatible pouch in pocket

Cons:

• Not as windproof or warm as insulated ski pants for inbounds laps

Overall Impression

Overall 5/5 – The Stormstride Pants ($449) from Patagonia perfectly filled a gap for me between a heavy, durable resort ski pant and a stripped down, lightweight touring pant. If you want a pair of ski pants that can crush long days in the backcountry and hot laps at the resort- these are a great pair of pants for you. 

Patagonia also has the Stormstride Jacket available if you want the full kit. 

Related Ski & Snowboard Pants We Have Tested

1. Patagonia Snowshot Pants
2. 686 GORE-TEX Stretch Bibs
3. Black Diamond Stance Belay Insulated Pants