Skip to Content

How Long Should Snow Pants Be? (Answered)

Activities in the snow require the proper type of fit clothes and snug. These clothes should be comfortable and waterproof. The piece of clothing that protects your legs in the snow is snow pants. And they are of different sizes and designs.

How long should snow pants be?

Snow pants should be 4-5 inches longer than your regular wear pants. They have to be long enough to cover your legs from the waist to your snow boots. They should go over your snow boots to stop the snow from entering inside your feet.  Otherwise, your feet will be wet and cold.

Snow pants consist of three layers and are baggier. They are good insulating covers to protect your legs. They should be according to your height to give you a good experience in the snow.

Are snow pants supposed to be long? 

Snow pants protect your legs on the ice. You wear them while you go snowboarding, skiing, snow tubing, etc.

Manufacturers use synthetic fibers that repel water to keep you dry and safe for a long time. But they are of a different measurement than your regular pants.

Snow pants are supposed to be a little longer and denser than regular pants. They have inner layers, and they have to cover the bone line of your ankle as well.

If you are wearing snow pants, you do not want any ice inside of your legs. That’s why they have to be of the proper fit and length. In this way, it will cover the whole waist to the boot area.

The extra length ensures the full coverage of the legs. You have to be very careful while you buy the comfortable stretch for you. Take into consideration of the inseam measurements. Then measure the length you want.

Why are snow pants so long? 

Snow pants are clothing that requires other layers to function well. That is, they are not insulating on their own. You have to wear something inside the pants to keep yourself warm and dry.

These pants consist of three layers. The innermost layer is the insulating layer, then the waterproof layer and the last layer is the synthetic outer layer.

You have to choose a snow pant which is longer than your regular use jeans or any other regular pants. These pants are long and baggy for some specific purpose.

The extra length of the snow pants allows them to cover your boots as well. It is easier to carry these pants around your waist. And they also facilitate the movement of your legs while you are doing any activity on the ice.

Snow pants are so long because of your comfort and flexibility. Choose the right size according to your height and boot measurements.

What do you do when your snow pants are too long? 

Snow pants are undeniable during snowfalls. But the measurement of these pants seems complex to many. Let’s find out what do you do when your snow pants are too long –

Cut and seam the bottom:

It might seem impossible to hem your snow pants without harming their seams. But it is possible. You can hem the bottom part of the snow pants according to your convenient height.

Folding and tucking:

You can always fold and tuck your snow pants from the lower part to shorten them for temporary use. If your pants are not that long that it touches the ground and only needs an alteration, you can try this.

Using stretches and buttons:

You can also use stretches in your pants to make them fir tighter and shorten them. The stretch chains will clench the pants. And use buttons on the lower parts of the pants to adjust the size of the pants.

Attach a belt to the inner lining of your pants and fold the extra length to attach it with a button to decrease the length of your snow pants.

Altering at the knee area:

If the bottom part of your snow pants are cuffed or attaches a bib, you cannot perform any hem in that part. You can then alter the knee area of your pants accordingly.  You can take the help of an expert tailor in this regard.

Can snow pants be hemmed? 

The hems and seams on snow pants are done by machine. They are secure and firm. And the fabrics in use for these purposes are waterproof and sturdy.

If your snow pants are not of the perfect fit or length, then you can alter them to fit. You can hem your snow pants.

There are different layers in a snow pants. It might make its hemming process complex.

But the hemming is done from the lower portion or bottom of the pants. This part is not that thick and hard to hem.

Hem the bottom of the snow pants which fall upon your boots. There are Velcro or cuffs at the bottom part. In that case, you might want to hem it from an upper height. Make sure you are careful while deciding the length of your pants.

How do you measure snow pants?

Taking measurements for snow pants needs attention to specific details.

Few steps to measure your snow pants:

  • Measure the size of your waist. Keep the measuring tape horizontal and measure the size of your waist by relaxing your body.
  • Then measure the hip size. Try to get the measurement of the widest angle of the bones of your hips.
  • After that, take measurements of your thigh, an inch lower from the crotch.
  • The inseam measurement of the leg is next. Take the height from the crotch to the tip of the ankle for inseam measurement.
  • You have to measure the length from the hipbone to the boots for the outseam. These pants are longer than regular pants to cover your snow boots as well.
  • To fit the pants, take the measurements for the bib around your belly point according to personal convenience.

Do snow pants go over boots? 

Snow pants go over boots under the condition that it does not obstruct your movement. The extra length of the pant ensures that no snow can enter your boot and make your feet wet.

The snow pants have to be longer than your jeans or regular wears. But it should not be too long. If it is longer than it should be, it can cause mishaps. You can flip and fall. That is, it will hinder your movement and comfortability.

Snow pants with gaiters help your pants to tuck with the boots laces. It covers your boots and legs and keeps them secure. There are hooks in the gaiters that connect the pants to the snow boots.

So, snow pants go over boots. But they should be of the exact length from the hip to the tip of the snow boots and no longer or shorter.

How tight should snow pants be? 

Snow pants should not be too tight or too loose. They should not be the skin fit. Because then it will not allow movements and bends. They should be loose-fitting to the point where you can freely move your legs to make bends and perform jumps.

Baggy and loose snow pants should cover your leg length and go over your boots as well. In this way, it will save your feet. They will be dry, warm, and cozy. 

These pants are worn upon an inner base layer to provide insulation and protection from ice. They are waterproof. So they should have the space to allow another pair of pants inside it. That is why they should be loose.

But do not buy snow pants that are loose to the point that they go under your snow boots and make you trip. Make it comfortable and snug to enjoy the snow and stay dry.

What are bib snow pants? 

Bib snow pants are like snow overalls. They are the one-piece dress that covers your legs and waist up to your chest. These snow pants are comfortable and multi-functional.

They serve a lot of purposes. They keep you warm and keep the snow out of your body even if you fall. They provide you with better options for storage. They are also comfortable and easy to wear.

Bib pants do not let the snow enter your body through the gap of your snow jacket and snow pants. It covers that area. Moreover, the waist belts in regular snow pants are not present in bib snow pants. Bibs make the movements effortless.

You can also adjust the bib pants according to your size and adjustments using hooks that suit you. They come in various sizes and designs and are stylish as well.

Should I get a snow bib or snow pants? 

Snow bibs and snow pants both serve the purpose of protecting your legs from snow and keeping them warm. But they differ in design and style.

Snow pants are in the shape and structure of regular pants, but their sewing and materials are different. And bibs are in the form of overalls that go from the foot to your neck. They are longer and one in the piece.

Snow can enter your skin through the gap between your jacket and snow pants. Then you can go for snow bibs. They cover that space.

If you need extra storage units in your snow pants, snow bibs are the options that provide that.

Moreover, the bibs are more comfortable around the waist and loose in fitting.

Snow pants are the vital gears for snow activities. Be careful and selective when you are buying snow pants. They must be of the proper length and fit for a better experience.