Patagonia Mens Powder Town Ski Pants

The Powder Town Pants from Patagonia have an H2No® Performance Standard 2-layer shell for waterproof, breathable and windproof protection, an articulated fit for freedom of movement, and a smooth liner for comfort and easy layering. They are fully PFC-free, featured for versatility and focused on mobility. Inseam is 32½". Fair Trade Certified™ sewn.

Features

• Durable H2No® Performance Standard 2-layer 100% recycled polyester fabric with waterproof/breathable protection that's fully PFC-free—that means the fabric, membrane and DWR finish do not contain perfluorinated chemicals; slick mesh lining keeps you warm and wicks moisture
• Waist features adjustable elastic tabs that customise the fit, plus a two-snap closure, belt loops and a zip fly
• Webbing loop on rear yoke securely attaches pants to powder skirt on any Patagonia® Snow jacket
• Gaiters seal out snow; tough scuff guards protect inside of legs and bottom hem
• Mesh-lined vents at outer thighs quickly dump heat
• Zippered pockets: two handwarmer pockets and one thigh pocket
• Concealed RECCO® reflector

Your outerwear is your first point of defence for keeping the weather out. The quality of your outerwear is often a key point in your enjoyment of a bad weather day on the hill. This guide is aimed at providing you with the tips and info you need to make buying the right gear simple.

Waterproof and Breathability Ratings

The Waterproof and Breathability ratings are a good place to start when it comes to picking out a Ski Jacket or Pants. In general, higher ratings will perform better in adverse conditions, although these ratings aren’t the only important factor.

Waterproofing

Waterproof Ratings are measured in mm’s of height using a water column. They range from 2,000mm (2k) up to 40,000mm (40k), with most options sitting at 10k, 15k, or 20k. Gore-Tex is accepted to be rated at 28k waterproofing and is the gold standard for staying dry.

If you go out when its raining and expect to stay dry, you don’t want to be looking  at anything less than 20k Waterproofing. Lower-ratings work well for the occasional shower or snowing, but will wet out quicker than their higher rated cousins.

Breathability

Breathability is a measure of how well a water vapour disperses from inside the outerwear. It is measured in grams per 24hr period, and ranges from 2,000g (2k) up to above 30,000g (30k). Breathability becomes more important the more active you are when wearing it.

If you regularly chuck your skis on your shoulder and hike for a better run, a higher breathability rating is essential. Anything 10k or less you will find that you sweat more often while skiing and the moisture inside your layers will be more uncomfortable.

Breathability is only as good as the layers you wear. If you are stacking cotton t-shirts and hoodies under your jacket, breathability performance will be severely compromised. Layering is key!

Waterproof & Breathability is only the start. Most brands are likely to add higher quality features in a higher quality garment. Hence you will find better seam sealing, DWR finishes and zippers on pieces with higher waterproof ratings. These smaller details play a huge role in comfort & performance.

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There are many misconceptions out there about cleaning Ski Jackets & Pants. Fundamentally, in order to keep working its best, they need to be washed and re-waterproofed on a regular basis. Gore Tex, or any other membrane requires the outer fabric to bead the water in order to maximise waterproofness & have any semblance of Breathability.

Over time, the pores in your outerwear's membrane get filled with dirt, oil & other various grime. This inhibits the garments ability to breathe and wears down the DWR coating, ultimately leading to reduced waterproofing performance.

Outerwear Cleaning Steps

The process for cleaning your outerwear is pretty simple. Zip it all up, then Machine or Hand Wash following the instructions of the detergent and garment.

A specialised 'Tech Wash' detergent is important to ensure you don't degrade the DWR or damage the membrane on your Outerwear. We have had great luck with Nikwax products over the years and strongly recommend their water based solutions.

If no instructions are present on your garment, its generally safe to us a warm wash, with a rinse cycle or two, and minimal spin. Avoid the use of any fabric softeners, bleach or stain removers.

After washing, a medium heat tumble dry will help to re-activate the DWR. You can also line dry and re-activate the DWR coating with an iron on medium heat, no steam with a small towel between iron face and garment to prevent burning.

Re-Waterproofing

If water still isn’t beading off your garment after following the above steps, your DWR coating may be worn through. DWR Coatings are advertised to last for up to 20 launderings, but in reality, we rarely find that is the case. Good news is that re-applying a DWR coating is fairly easy.

There are two kinds of DWR application. 'Spray on' DWR are good for insulated pieces or anything with a lining. 'Wash In' DWR is only good for 3L shell pieces. If you are unsure, Spray is the way to go. 

The Outerwear needs to be wet to absorb the Proofer, so if it has fully dried after washing, re-soak it with water. Then apply the proofer that suits the garment.

How Often Should you Clean your Outerwear?

It depends. The DWR Coating will be the first noticeable failure and sign that your outerwear needs some love. When water stops beading off the surface and water begins to absorb into the fabric it is definitely time for a wash.

This rarely happens more than once a season, unless you are out in the elements every day. If you are a recreational skier, a great habit is to wash and care for your gear before putting it into storage for summer so that its ready to go for the next season.

If you ski back to back winters and put a lot of days in. We recommend to do a full care in Spring and a touch up once in Autumn when you get back from Overseas.