Inclusive Buying Guide: Best Plus Size Ski & Snowboard Pants for Women

The rise and fall of returns when shopping for plus size snow pants

Does this sound familiar? You need (or just want) a new pair of ski pants. You’re excited, as you begin to imagine the crisp mountain air on your face, the thrill of swooshing downhill, the tug at your heart as you watch your kids experience the unadulterated joy of falling snow. And then you try on the pants. The ones that fit you in the waist hang off your legs like a tent, so long that you trip on the cuffs. The ones that fit you across the hips gape at the back. The ones with the right leg length make your thighs feel like they’re wrapped in cling wrap. You can’t find anything in your size that has the level of waterproofing or the technical features you’re looking for, and everything just feels frumpy - forget about cute colours or options.

Buying new ski gear should be the first exciting step in getting ready for an amazing winter experience, filled with joyful options to consider. But for curvy women looking for plus-size ski pants, it’s so often deflating, frustrating, and hurtful. It’s like the industry thinks you’re invisible. Well, those days are done. It’s time to bring the beauty and excitement back to ski gear for plus-size women, so we’ve created the ultimate shopping guide to buying women’s plus-size ski pants for YOUR shape.

Most mainstream brands stop at a size XL, while many extended sizing ranges in ski gear are simply sized up all over from a straight sizing cut. That’s not how it should work - curvy people aren’t built that way! We have looked high and low for suppliers that make plus-size ski gear that is actually cut with curvy bodies in mind and then measured every single item by hand to make sure that you can be super confident about what you’re buying upfront. With any luck, the returns slip can just go straight into the recycling, while you parade your awesome new ski pants and start dreaming about winter.

"Do you have Plus Size Snow Pants that will Fit Me?"

We are so proud of the fact that our team is able to find plus-size snow pants for our customers 95% of the time. And believe us when we say we’re not stopping until we get to 100%!

There are a couple of ways to buy plus-size ski gear online and feel confident that you’re getting the right fit-:

1. Personalised fitting service: Send us your measurements, and we’ll send you the pants! We will deliver our recommendations for plus-size ski pants straight to your inbox, based on your unique body shape. Click here to find out more about how to get fitted, measuring yourself, and how this service works.
2. DIY: If you’re the independent type and you’d rather shop for your plus-size ski gear without help, we’re here for it! This curvy snow pants buying guide will give you LOADS of options for finding plus-size ski pants to suit your unique shape BUT you will still need to measure yourself. Guesswork with sizing is a big no-no on our site. You may also want to do some further research by reading part 2 of this snow pant guide Perfect Peaches: How to Find the Best Plus Size Ski Pants for YOUR Booty

So... What snow pants should I buy?

Hooray! You found us, now all of a sudden you’re overwhelmed with choice. Maybe you feel like there’s too much information, and let’s face it, your past experience has told you to not get too excited about finding something which you love and fits!

We’ve got you covered. You know your own body shape best, and so we’ve done the hard work for you. With careful measuring, we’ve categorized our entire collection of plus-size ski pants so you can find the styles that work for you.

Buying Guide to Shop Your Shape: Plus Size Ski Pants for Your Body

Here it is. The juicy bit you’ve been looking for - our guide to the plus-size ski pant styles that will work best for you. Yes, you - Jenny, Mai, Imani, Hannah.

First up, a general rule of thumb: The bigger the hips and thigh measurements of the pants, the wider and baggier the leg silhouette will be. You’ll still need to leave room for comfort and movement (not forgetting your base layers) but by comparing these measurements, you’ll be able to find the best fit for you.

Narrow Waist, Bigger Booty, Hips, and Thighs

Hate booty gape and it’s always a problem in your ski pants? Look no further than these two styles

• Arctic – These come with a handy adjuster tab as well as lots of waist elastic so you can pull in or expand the waist as required. They also have plenty of room in the hips
• Adjuster Tab - These are virtually the same size spec as the Arctic pants, but in a more durable material

Bigger Tummy, Hips, and Thighs

Need more room all over? Big girls don’t cry, they go to Canada like a queen!

• Canada - Available in long and short lengths
• Castro Queen – These pants come in Short and Extra Short lengths for those of us who lack glamazon leg length!
• Kicker
• Bolivia Shell (be aware that these pants aren’t insulated, so make sure that’s right for you)

Bigger Tummy and Hips, Mid-size Thighs

• Switzerland
• Smooch
• Argentina
• Glide

Curvy Body with Less Booty / Thigh / Leg

Your legs might be your favourite feature and you don’t like to wear baggy pants

• Whistler and Whistler Long (thigh 60-66cm)
• Savona - with or without braces (thigh 62-66cm)
• Adventure Awaits (thigh 66-70)
• Smooch (thigh 64-78)

Plus Size Ski Pants for Short People

Pants alllllllways too long? You can hem, or you can start with styles with a shorter leg length

• Castro Queen Extra short (inseam 66cm)
• Castro Queen Short (inseam 71cm)
• Lapland softshell (inseam 72-76cm)
• Savona (75.6cm)
• Whistler SL (inseam 74cm)

Plus Size Ski Pants for Tall People

Curvy bodies can be tall too. Hemming is never a problem, but length usually is!

• Whistler Long (inseam 84-86)
• Canada Long (inseam 85.7cm)
• Kicker (inseam 81-89)
• Bolivia shell (inseam 83-97)
• Manhattan softshell (inseam 82-87)
• Adventure Awaits (inseam 83.5)

Best Plus Size All-Rounder Ski Pants

Just find me something quick! These pants are ideal for bodies who don’t have too much trouble in any particular area, but just need an overall size that fits.

• Canada and Canada Long
• Whistler SL and Whistler Long (Although these are slimmer in the leg than some other models)
• VaVa Boom softshell pants
• Smooch, Switzerland - Great for those on a budget
• Argentina, Glide - Great for those on a budget

Sought After Technical and Fun Features in Ski Pants FAQs

Everyone has style preferences when it comes to ski pants. Here at PlusSnow, we think everyone deserves to have options.

Plus Size Softshell Pants for Skiing and Travel

Not everyone needs super technical ski pants. Softshell pants are a GREAT alternative for those traveling somewhere chilly, snow-shoeing or winter hiking/nature walks or playing around in the snow with the kids.

• Skiing/Snowboarding - Manhattan, Lapland, VaVaBoom
• Snowplay/travel/urban - Prague, Hudson, Solla

Read More: 6 Softshell Pants to Wear this Winter

Plus Size Shell Pants for Skiing and Outdoor Adventures

Shell pants are becoming increasingly popular, for ski touring, spring skiing, and simply because they provide a very flexible option. We’re still developing our range of plus-size shell pants as we look for brands and models that fit the needs of our customers. If you can’t find the perfect plus-size shell pants for you here, please keep checking back.. In the meantime, know that most of our plus-size ski pant styles feel like a shell because they are lightweight and have high-quality insulation that doesn't feel bulky.

• Skiing/Snowboarding - Rio/Bolivia - We’re currently working on developing a pair of highly technical plus size ski pant shells
• Rain / Outdoor Adventures - Leisti, Pine & Pine long, Styx

Plus Size Ski Pants With Braces

Braces. Not just for 1930s gangsters and city hipsters - braces look CHIC, enhance comfort and keep your ski pants sitting exactly where you need them to be.

• Savona
• Any pant can add a pair of braces - We’re currently working on developing a pair of bibs! Stay tuned.

Live life in Colour (AKA - Plus size ski pants in anything but black or navy)

• Arctic - army, sand
• Canada - sand, light grey
• Queens - pink, mint
• Whistler - tropic
• Argentina - copper
• Switzerland - shiraz
• Glide - grey & copper
• Smooch - grey, shiraz

Price: Budget-Conscious Ski Pants

If you’re just looking for winter pants to keep your butt from freezing (literally), but you don’t need a technical ski pants, or if you’re keeping a careful eye on the budget, these pants will do the job without breaking the bank.

• Smooch
• Switzerland
• Argentina
• Glide
• Solla (softshell not for skiing)

Making Sure You Don’t Miss Out

We’re a small business and, much as we’d like to, we aren’t able to access an endless supply of stock as the big guys' can. We do sell out, and your first choice might not be available until next year, or sometimes not at all. We do suggest getting in early to avoid disappointment!

The Small Business Advantage

The advantage of us being a small business, though, is that we’re here to help you. There are real people behind our email address, and it’s truly our passion and purpose to create opportunities for ALL people to get outside and enjoy the beauty and exhilaration of winter.

If you’ve read the guide and you still have questions, HIT. US. UP.

If the guide was a bit long and technical and you’d rather just chat to us… HIT. US UP

Read more about finding the best plus-size ski pants suited to your needs.

All sounds like too much information? Read more about getting fitted for plus size snow pants

And when you get out there in pants that fit, whether you’re bombing the backcountry or building a snowman with your kids for the first time in years, we want to hear about it! Your stories inspire us every day. #curvystoke