QUESTION:
What are some good pants to snowshoe in besides the traditional insulated ski pant which can get hot?

Laura

ANSWER:

Great question!

You are right – snowshoeing is an intense cardio activity, so your body will get hot fast. Insulated ski pants are not appropriate for snowshoeing.

If the weather conditions are calling for a warm day, you can consider wearing wicking hiking pants with a long underwear base layer underneath. Check out the Hiking Lady gear reviews of Smartwool Lightweight Bottoms, which can be worn underneath regular hiking pants. The key is to wear a pair of snow gaiters to keep the snow out of your boots!

If it is particularly wet and it is snowing, you will want to have a pair of rain pants to wear on top of your hiking pants. I prefer the type that have a full zipper on the pant leg, so that you can quickly zip them on and not have to stop to take off your snowshoes and boots. These will be more waterproof than regular hiking pants, and add a bit of extra warmth, especially in windy conditions.

Also check out Hiking 101: Snowshoes

Happy trails! Have fun snowshoeing 🙂
Hiking Lady

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