Hardshell Pants
Product 2020
Woman, Man
Like the Vaude Back Bowl 3 L jkt II jacket, the Back Bowl III ski pants are an excellent ski-touring/freeride inspired product.
The major positive point concerns how the waist has been designed. For once we have a pair of ski pants that stay in place and ensure good wrap lower back coverage. The Vaude Back Bowl Pants III are also delivered with suspenders: a removable and stretchy panel which supports the suspenders and encircles the waist comfortably. Skiers who want to use a belt can slip it through the loops provided for this purpose. The bonus: two wide Velcro straps also adjust the waist size so you can tighten it. Again, for once, these bands are well-placed and stay put, even if you have a small waist.
Rather than opting for a line of press studs to fasten the waist, Vaude chose a single press stud with a small Velcro strap around it: simple and effective.
The straps are also carefully designed, we noted the flexible loops, which do not cause any pressure points on your chest.
We liked the pre-shaped knees, the right balance between a comfortable yet snug fit with slightly stretchy fabric.
The zips are all waterproof except the flies. The large zip sliders, which allow the pants to be opened-wide laterally, have slider housings to ensure 100% waterproofness: this is important when you are in the rain, on a chairlift.
The right thigh has a pocket with two compartments, one would have been enough, the stretch separation was more of a pain than anything else. But the pocket’s volume is well calibrated, its contents don’t interfere when you bend your knees.
Waterproofing is at the standard level for ski pants in this category: effective for skiing use and limited when there is a deluge.
The bottom of the Vaude Back Bowl Pants III is pretty much protected from ski edge damage. In use, it feels like you’re wearing tough yet flexible pants.
The Vaude Back Bowl Pants III are a very good and well-conceived product. Their strong point concerns waist comfort and being able to wear them with suspenders or not. The fabric’s toughness, design and the care taken in manufacture must also be pointed out. An excellent complement to the jacket of the same name.
We used this equipment over a long period of time
These are our thoughts after intensive use:
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