Snow Pants for Curvy Women

Trying to find a good fit of snow pants for curvy women? Here are a few of the best options we've found for winter outdoor gear.

Are you attempting to do the impossible? If you’re a curvy woman (aka a woman with hips and possibly an hourglass figure), dressing for winter sports can feel outrageously difficult.

Women’s snow pants and snow bibs seem to be made for the tall and thin, so if you’re not that, finding snow pants can be tough.

In my attempts to find things to wear in the snow, I have at times felt as though this entire section of sporting goods was not built to fit me. (This was just as difficult as my search for wide calf ski boots.)

But after much (much!) searching, I’ve found a few things that worked for me.

Here I’ll share my tips, along with the brands that worked best for me, and hopefully you can find snow pants that fit also.

Snow Pants for Curvy Women: Shopping Tips

• When possible, shop in person
• When shopping online, check available sizing measurements, especially a hip measurement when that’s available
• Don’t be afraid to size up. In general, I wear either a medium or large (10-12) in pants, but for snow pants I've found I need an X-Large to even have a hope that they'll fit.
• Some women have reported that men’s sizes fit looser through the hips, so that may be an option if the pants are the correct length
• Look for snow pants or bibs marketed as wide leg. Yes, this is a thing!
• Ski bibs can be a wonderful option as they often aren’t as fitted and tight through the hips

Our Favorite Brands

These were the brands we found best for curvy women, as well as a few that didn't work for us but might work for you.

Seniq

Both the Seniq ski bibs and down pants were the best of the best that I tried. They were both roomy in the hips and not restrictive, allowing me to do squats without pulling fabric.

The bibs in particular were fantastic. I found that sizing up gave me a comfortable roomy fit, perfect for wearing over leggings.

The bibs have lots of pockets, and the pockets remained loose and usable during wear. The leg openings were large enough that it was easy to get them over my wide calf ski boots without issues.

The only downside is that they don’t offer tall lengths. They also don’t offer short lengths, but the standard length worked well for me, despite being longer on me than in their photos. Since I actually need a short, the rise was a little long in these, but not terrible, and shortening the bib straps helped.

The Seniq ski jacket (which we tried later and don't have photos of yet!) is also fabulous and easily zipped over curvy hips.

The North Face

I’ve had fairly good success with The North Face snow pants, although I definitely had to go up one (or even two) sizes from my normal size.

Even after sizing up, I did feel that the hip area didn’t have as much give as I preferred. (Squats were possible but not easy.)

If you happen to have wide calves, I found it possible (but a little snug) to get the pants over my larger ski boots.

Other Brands to Try

• Obermeyer. Their snow pants and bibs did NOT fit me but they came close, and might be a solid option.
• REI Co-op. Again, these pants weren’t a perfect fit for me, but they also came close and might be a good option for someone else.
• Nobody’s Princess. Based in Australia. I haven’t tried this brand, but have heard good things about it. They have a very nice selection of pants and bibs for various body shapes and heights.
• Trew Gear. This is another brand I’ve heard good things about but haven’t tried yet. They offer standard and plus size women’s snow pants and bibs.

Alternatives to Snow Pants for Curvy Women

Finally, here are some snow pant alternatives. These probably aren’t ideal for actual wintertime snow sports, but might be good options for fringe-season.

Option 1: Consider Wearing Fleece-lined Leggings Instead

This tip obviously won’t work for every situation, but leggings that fit are much MUCH easier to find than snow pants. If needed, you could pair leggings with a down skirt for extra warmth.

• These Baleaf leggings are my personal favorite for winter trail running or for layering under a water-resistant pant. I also like to wear them under snow pants or bibs.
• These Kuhl Frost softshell leggings are water resistant and lined. I’ve found they run very small, so consider sizing up if you order them.

Option 2: Consider Wearing a Water-Resistant Winter Hiking Pant

Again, this won’t work for every situation. However if you’re looking for a snow pant for a snowy cold hike, I’ve got only good things to say about waterproof hiking pants.

• I wore Kuhl Klash pants while backpacking in Iceland and on a snowy hike in Grayson Highlands, and have only good things to say about them. I’ve also worn them sledding and they kept me both warm and dry.
• These Fjallraven Keb pants are also warm, water resistant and high-quality. They may work best if you’re tall. I found the rise a little long on me.

Let us know what clothes work well for you, especially if you try a brand I haven't reviewed yet! Here are suggestions for more ski gear for beginners, as well as things to know as a new skier.