Snowshoeing is an enjoyable activity you can do with friends and family. However, it can also be an excellent winter exercise. Just as it is vital to choose the most suitable and comfortable footwear for this sport, selecting the best pants for the best mobility and comfort is also crucial.
The best pants to wear snowshoeing are snow pants or any trousers with a fleece or polyester material that will provide water-wicking capabilities to provide comfort and will prevent you from freezing quickly. An inner layer and outer layer of pants are recommended when snowshoeing.
In this article, we will review which are the best pants for snowshoeing and some extra tips on buying the appropriate ones for you.

Factors To Consider For Snowshoeing Pants
When it comes to a long day hiking or snowshoeing with family and friends, people tend to focus on choosing the appropriate snowshoes for this activity.
Even though this is, in fact, valid and necessary, it is also essential to pick the best pants for the occasion. In order to successfully achieve this, many should consider some key factors when buying snowshoeing pants.
Weather Conditions
Before picking the best trousers for snowshoeing, it is crucial to analyze the weather conditions when performing this sport. Figuring out how cold it is, mainly in extreme heights, is the best thing to do since the weather forecast in the city may differ from the one in the mountains.
If it is a warm day, you can wear “wicking hiking pants” with a long layer as a base underneath. You can also put on warm leggings or softshell trousers to keep the snow away.
However, if it is cold or rainy, the best trousers to wear are hiking pants and rain pants on top. Another great tip is layering leggings or any thermals beneath them.
This is where layering becomes extremely important because depending on the weather conditions, the number of layers you put on will vary.

Layering
The key to feeling comfortable when hiking or snowshoeing is definitely layering. If you get too hot, you can take off the layers or add more when in icy conditions.
How Can You Wear The Correct Amount Of Layers?
Always start with fewer layers since it will warm up once you start moving. If you add too many at the beginning, you’ll probably overheat.
To prevent this, here are the base layers for snowshoeing:
Start with a wicking base layer or underwear:
This is a tight moisture-wicking pant that usually goes underneath the outer or top layer. It is essential to wear long underwear to absorb sweat easily.
Believe it or not, snowshoeing is an activity, and regardless of the icy conditions, you will sweat during the day.
This is why this layer is vital because, without it, it traps perspiration against your legs and causes you to shiver. You should also ensure that it fits you perfectly since too close a fit may cause restrictions in mobility.
Choosing the best fabric:
In this case, the best fabrics for snow pants are synthetic fabrics which are polyester, nylon, or blends. They are great because they are moisture-wicking and water-resistant but not good at odor control. A different option is merino wool, which helps with providing warmth. It regulates the temperature, but they tend to be expensive.
Proceed to add a mid-layer:
Often called “insulation layer,” it must be fitted but not too tight. When it is too baggy, it will create excess bulk underneath the wicking base.
Similarly to when it is closely fitted, it will restrict movement. This step is important because it will keep you warm for a long time. However, it all depends on the temperature and how you would be performing this activity. Either more laid back and relaxing or hardcore and intense exercise.
Outer layers are the cherry on top:
Once you have layered in the correct order and fabric, now is the time to finish it with the outer part. This outer shell will keep you dry if it is snowing or raining since they are made of waterproof and breathable material, yet it still provides stretch.
Great options are rain jackets since they are perfect in case it rains or snows in the mountains. An exceptional brand is Gore-Tex, which implements the utmost technology and durability into their garments, making them worth the money.

Additional Things To Consider
Finally, now that we have reviewed the art of layering, some different characteristics should be taken into consideration.
Ventilation
Once you start getting intense with snowshoeing, it is critical to use clothing pieces that allow ventilation of the heat being produced due to this exercise. Since you burn calories while performing it, it is necessary to enable air circulation to prevent discomfort.
It is extra helpful if the trousers have zippers which help you cool down quickly without having to take off all the layers. This makes it a great addition to have since sometimes when snowshoeing, you feel the heat build-up starting, and you need to release it fast. That is why front zippers are lifesavers in these circumstances.
Durability
It would be tragic if you invested in snowshoe pants that break off easily or don’t resist different factors such as snow, ice, rocks, trees, and more. If it tears up pretty easily, it can cause your legs to feel cold, and this is why it is necessary to choose strong and flexible pants that will last a long time and protect you in harsh weather.
Choosing The Right Fabric
As stated earlier in the article, it is all about choosing the most suitable cloth material when choosing what pants to wear for snowshoeing. In this case, it is best to pick waterproof snow pants.
The reason being is that sometimes people don’t recognize that snow will get in your pants which will melt throughout the day and may wet your snow pants. This is why it is better to select a water-resistant material to keep away moisture.
Can You Wear Jeans Snowshoeing?
Since snowshoeing is a fantastic exercise, choosing the most suitable garments will make a huge difference. In fact, if you want a comfortable and memorable experience, it is best to stay away from jeans.
You can wear jeans snowshoeing however, due to the fact that jeans are made of cotton or denim, they can actually hold in moisture, which can lead to you freezing right away. Surprisingly, some people do wear them, but it has many downsides.
Wearing jeans in icy conditions is never a good idea for the following reasons:
- Holds easily to water: as expressed earlier, cotton can easily absorb wetness, leaving you freezing through your hiking experience. So it is best to avoid frostbite, to stay away from denim jeans when snowshoeing.
- Less mobility and flexibility: since jeans tend to be tight-fitting, this is not always ideal, especially for snowshoeing, because it will restrict movement. It can strain hips, knees, and back if worn for a long time while performing an intense sport.
Conclusion
To sum up, the best pants to wear for snowshoeing are snow pants (source) or any trousers with a fleece or polyester material that will provide water-wicking capabilities for the apparent reasons: provides comfort and will prevent you from freezing quickly.
Since snowshoeing (source) is an incredibly active sport, sometimes fleece or wool might be too warm depending on the weather conditions, which makes polyester the safest and most fantastic choice for winter activities.
However, as stated earlier, it is necessary to take into consideration a couple of factors: flexibility, durability, ventilation, and layering. These are crucial characteristics for choosing the best pants for you and providing a memorable experience when snowshoeing.