 Poster: A snowHead
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Hey All,
I posted a while back about getting some trousers that zip all the way up the side and thanks to all the great advice I've got my heart set on a pair of these http://www.norrona.com/Products/5003-11/5601/lofoten-gore-tex-pro-pant-m
Not everyone's cup of tea granted but I really like them. One thing that confused me a bit though, being fairly new to this, is that they are described as Freeride pants. I've had a look around here and googled but all the freeride discussions seem to be about ski's and boots. What (if any) is the difference between these and regular trousers? Would they be baggier? Are they a good choice for regular piste wear?
Cheers
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Marketing.
Overkill for the piste IMHO.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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indieinferno, they have a brown insert in the seat area. Helps with exposure 
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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indieinferno, I've got a pair of those Norrona trousers in yellow. I don't know what is "Freeride" specific about them, but they are great piece of kit and get worn all over the mountain.
The main differences are that they are just a shell (no insulation layer), are a baggier/looser fit than normal ski trousers, and have 3 /4 length side zips for better ventilation. They also come in very bright colours. Most Argies have an all black ski outfit, so I'm very easy to spot in a bright red jacket and yellow trousers.
I prefer them over "normal" ski trousers for the about reasons, and also because I used to wear salopettes when ice climbing, and I wear bib coveralls at work.
But as Mike Pow says, they are a little OTT if you only ski on piste. And they're not cheap. I got mine from here - http://www.tamarackoutdoors.co.uk/
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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What Mike said. They're baggier and people will buy them because they think they need them to be a "freerider".
I own the same trousers though because they are really well made and have the features I need!
The bits I really like are:- The placement of the pockets. My previous pair of trousers have one pocket in that position and I love it.
- 3/4 zipper, don't need a full length zip and it's ideal for letting out the sweat.
- Very sturdy cuffs which I'll hopefully avoid putting crampons through.
Plus they are eye meltingly red.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Freeride means "a bit baggy" and "a bit expensive". It also often means "not boring monochrome black like everything else", which is nice 
Four hundred quid is a bit of serious price label for something you were intending to use primarily on piste, but if your wallet stretches that far they'll be a perfectly good set of hardshell salopettes. Most mountaineering-type salopettes of the same type will have the same features for a fair bit less cash, unless they're made by arcteryx.
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Thanks for all the help guys. perhaps they are a bit more than I need being a relative novice and my wife would certainly be happy if I spent less. But those colours..... 
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indieinferno, if you want some colourful baggier style pants, go look at Westbeach. they've got plenty of vents, some eyewatering colours and are about a third of the price.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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I had a Norrona Falketind shell for the last two years, I'm a really big fan of their kit as the best you can get - though the price does reflect that, and you leave value for money a way behind. The Freeride designation for their lines is actually vaguely useful given they do full on climbing pants, insulated resorty type pants, etc. Freeride in this context means a baggier comfier cut than stuff made to work with harnesses, and more comfort in general than purely functional touring stuff which their other lines do better - eg the Falketind jacket I had was literally a 3l goretex shell with no frills or extras, it's their mega lightweight line.
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cran
cran
Guest
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what's wrong with baggy shorts and a T-shirt?
My bright yellow Trespass ski trousers were £30 in a sale... I can't bring myself to spend more than that on a pair of trousers, not even ski trousers...
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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| cran wrote: |
| My bright yellow Trespass ski trousers were £30 in a sale... I can't bring myself to spend more than that on a pair of trousers, not even ski trousers... |
That's cos you've never found your trews to be inadequate in term of resilience, weight, waterproofing, windproofing, insulation or breathability, right? There's good reasons to buy fancy fabrics from expensive brands, but piste skiing might not be one of them 
I've just spent £120 on some waterproof trews. They'll be lighter and more breathable and more water resistant than the £30 pair they're replacing, they'll pack down smaller and be a wee bit more resistent to things like crampons or bike sprockets by way of a bonus. Money well spent in my opinion.
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cran, seems reasonable, but when you get 500+ days out of them, and have to be outside regardless of weather, it seems more attractive.
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cran
cran
Guest
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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| indieinferno wrote: |
| Thanks for all the help guys. perhaps they are a bit more than I need being a relative novice and my wife would certainly be happy if I spent less. But those colours..... |
could also look at http://www.flylowgear.com/ for some freeride gear
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Poster: A snowHead
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FAQ
