There are many different ways to dress for skiing. As long as you stay warm and dry, you can get away with just about any sort of garment or accessory. There are many items out there, and each skier has their own favorites to choose from. You obviously need skis and boots to get started. After that, there are almost endless possibilities in how to approach the rest of your outfit.
Skiers need snow pants. The clothing items are water-proof, wind-proof, and keep your legs dry as you zip down the mountain. There are many varieties out there, but there are some key variations to be aware of when picking out a new pair. One such example is suspenders.
Some skiers like the extra support suspenders offer, while other skiers choose to go without them. In this article, we will break down why you should (or should not) wear them during your time on the mountain. That will then help you make your decision and give you the best possible snow pant experience.
Snow Pants With Suspenders
Before covering why you wouldn’t want suspenders, we’ll first delve into the reasons so many skiers choose to wear them. Skiing is an action-packed sport that requires you to constantly move your body and legs. That constant motion pulls at your pants, or any other clothing items you might be wearing. As such, it’s easy for your coat to get bunched up or for your pants to sag as you ride around the mountain.
Suspenders are a great way to prevent such issues because they secure your pants and keep them in place. By keeping your pants clipped to your shoulders, you make sure they won’t move no matter how fast you ski. In fact, once you attach your suspenders your pants shouldn’t sag at all.
Some skiers also find suspenders more comfortable than a belt. Having a tight belt around your waist, though effective at keeping your pants up, can be uncomfortable. Suspenders provide an alternate solution by giving you a lot more freedom to move and twist. That especially comes in handy when you’re on a chairlift or trying to walk around in heavy snow pants.
In addition to comfort, some skiers choose suspenders because they believe the items do a far better job at actually keeping pants up than a belt does. With all of the constant movement that occurs during skiing, a belt can easily start to loosen. This is especially true with models that don’t have a secure form of attachment. They can stretch or loosen, which suspenders simply don’t do.
Also Read: Best Suspenders for Ski Pants
Snow Pants Without Suspenders
Even though suspenders might seem to have some obvious advantages over simply wearing a belt, you might not want or need them while skiing. I personally do not enjoy the feel of suspenders while skiing because I don’t like having the pull at my shoulders. In addition, I feel like suspenders actually restrict my movement a bit more than simply wearing snow pants with a belt. That is just my personal opinion, but you might feel the same way.
Suspenders also take a bit more effort to use than a belt. You have to attach the suspenders to your waist and then put them over your shoulders after you have your pants pulled up. This obviously isn’t too difficult of a task. However, it gets much more difficult when you’re in a hurry or battling the freezing cold. There’s something to be said about cutting out an extra step. Suspenders can take longer to adjust than a belt as well.
Another reason that you may not want to wear suspenders while skiing is that they can make it harder to take a bathroom break. Instead of simply pulling down your pants to use the bathroom, you’ll have to take off all of your upper layers and then take off your suspenders. Again, this isn’t that big of a deal, but it can make your life a little bit easier during a long day of skiing.
Bibs: A Happy Medium
If you want all of the benefits that come with suspenders but don’t want to wear them, you have the option to use a bib style snow pant. Bibs are overall-style snow pants that have shoulder straps built directly into their design. This is a great option because you don’t have to adjust the shoulder straps as much as you do with suspenders and you also don’t need to wear a belt. If you want a happy medium, this is it.
Final Thoughts
Wearing suspenders with snow pants is a personal choice. There are benefits to wearing suspenders and there are benefits to simply wearing a belt. If you don’t know what you prefer, I would suggest trying out both styles and finding which works best for you. Comfort can go a long way while you’re skiing. By exploring what you like to wear, you can ski longer and better enjoy your time on the mountain.
Do you prefer to ski with suspenders or without them? Why? Let us know in the comments below!
Caleb Summeril writes creative copy, stories, and songs from the mountains of Colorado. He specializes in writing about all things outdoors, fitness, nutrition, and travel, among many other topics. When not working on words he can be found on global gallivants which fuel future endeavors.