A brand built on technical apparel with laid-back flare, TREW Gear has focused their 2017/18 season on redefining and redesigning their women-specific outerwear line. Since 2008, the Hood River, Oregon-based company's bread and butter has been bib snowpants and freeride jackets that hold up well in the notoriously wet conditions of the Pacific Northwest. For 2018, TREW upped their game for women who like to ski in deep snow and be comfortable.

 

Girls, your Chariot awaits.

Courtesy of TREW Gear

Like a lot of skiers who spend a nearly equal amount of days on chairlifts and in the backcountry, I’m prefer bottoms that are lightweight, breathable and fitted, but nothing too dorky. Enter TREW’s Chariot Bibs. Using Dermizax NX fabric, these bibs are just as waterproof as any jacket that features Gore Tex Pro, with an identical waterproof rating of 20,000mm+. But, what makes Dermizax so special is that it's scientifically proven to be nearly twice as breathable as Gore Tex, with a breathability rating of 40,000mm. 

 When testing in a range of freezing, wet and warm conditions while skiing in the Chariot bibs at Aspen Mountain, Steamboat, and the Colorado backcountry, I stayed both comfy and dry. With the Dermizax NX coverage reaching to my chest to my ski boots, my core kept warm. Dual side zips reach from the bib to knee, making it easy to ventilate when temps go up, or go to the bathroom in the woods. The heel cuffs and kick patches are reinforced with “SuperFabric,” reminiscent of high-tech alligator skin (in the best way possible), which prevents the usual wear-and-tear that ski pants see around the ankles after regular use. Plus, as the Chariot bibs are complete with six—count ‘em, SIX—frontal pockets for phones, treats, and more, I never ran out of snacks when skiing, and even had some to share with my friends.

Final answer: these bibs rock.  [$399, TREWgear.com]