The 6 best women's snow bibs of 2022 for skiing and snowboarding

The Trew Chariot Bibs are very comfortable for different body shapes and heights, made from highly durable yet breathable fabric, good for backcountry and resort skiing and snowboarding, and have small design features that make for frustration-free wear.

Pros: Durable, breathable, fit well on multiple body shapes, come in short and tall lengths, come in many colorways, drop seat

Cons: Expensive, internal leg vents only (no external), slightly snug at the booty

When testing for this piece, I always found myself reaching for the Trew Chariot Bibs. These women's ski bibs are the full package: They're incredibly comfortable for every direction of movement, including sitting on the lift, bending to buckle in, and launching into jump turns.

They fit well on not just athletic bodies but also curvy ones if you have wide hips like I do or a bigger chest like another of our testers. They also come in three inseam lengths — short, tall, and regular — which is great news for short shredders constantly battling length.

Its PNW 3L performance fabric is highly durable, water-resistant (rated at 20k waterproof), and repels dirt and oils well, which means a longer lifespan and less cleaning is needed. These bibs are still quite breathable and feature two interior leg vents.

These TREW bibs have the standard features of any good ski bib — water-resistant seam tape, internal leg vents, internal boot gaiters, and a wrap-around drop seat.

But other details are refreshingly well-thought-through: The Chariots have multiple pockets, including a convenient chest pocket for your phone or a beacon. The zipper is along the midline, like a jacket, which makes these much easier to take on and off than the more common side zipper construction. Lastly, the cuffs and kick patches are designed from a ceramic-coated, abrasion-resistant SuperFabric so the bottom of your bibs won't get as torn up over time.

After a full season of use, my Chariot bibs look barely used.

Like all bibs, these are quite pricey. But the detailed-oriented design and durability of the fabric and kick patches mean these bibs will serve you well for years. Plus, Trew's customer service is super helpful and responsive if you have any issues with your pair.

The Flylow Foxy Bibs are well designed, very stretchy, soft to the touch, and come in popping colorways ideal for an eye-catching ski kit.

Pros: Super soft fabric, lots of pockets, well-designed drop seat, multiple leg vents, six cute colorways

Cons: Light colors get dirty quickly, not super wide at the hips, expensive

If the aesthetics of your ski bibs are just as important to you as functionality, the Foxy Bibs are for you. Not only are the colorways cute and eye-catching on their own, but Flylow makes matching ski jackets, both insulated and non, for every color.

The Foxy Bibs are designed with a flattering, feminine fit with a good bit of stretch for maximum movement. The 3-layer shell is also waterproof, breathable, and feels the most luxurious to the touch of any bib we tested. Flylow also uses full seam tape.

These bibs have two low-rider pockets, though they really only fit flatter things like Honey Stinger waffles or a map. The chest pockets are great, with a kangaroo storage pouch accessed from the side and a smaller vertical chest pouch to conveniently stash small items like chapstick, separately.

They also have a small scuff guard and a powder gaiter at the ankles.

I found the drop seat design on these, which lets you unzip the whole back panel vertically, easier to use than a wrap-around drop seat. If you don't use this feature, the cross-back straps are a little cumbersome to get in and out of for bathroom breaks.

I also really loved that these have both interior and exterior leg vents for even more breathability or room to squat. These were the most comfortable bibs for uphill skiing.

I own them in light pink and they definitely get dirty very quickly, but the fabric is easy enough to spot clean, and you can opt for a darker colorway if regular cleaning isn't on your agenda.

Although I love how much movement these bibs allow for, the fit does lean more toward athletic, taller bodies than curvy or short ones. If you have wide hips, size up.

The North Face's Women's Freedom Bibs are one of the few sub-$200 women's ski bibs that fit well, keep you dry, and have small, helpful design features.

Pros: Weatherproof, two-layer fabric, side-entry for easy on and off, gaiters, kick patches, many pockets
Cons: Limited colorways, probably not waterproof enough for backcountry

Bibs are expensive, and most options under $200 are poorly designed without paneling for better movement or reliable waterproofing.

The Freedom Bibs, however, live up to The North Face's reputation of quality. For starters, these bibs fit well, especially curvy body types. They're pretty stretchy considering they don't have specific paneling for better movement.

The 2-layer DryVent fabric isn't quite as waterproof as pricier options, but it's enough to keep moisture out if you wipe out on the resort. When I tested these on dry and powder days, they kept my base layers dry, though I was a bit chilled. (It does come in an insulated version for $20 more if you're purely a resort skier and run cold.) For that reason, I probably wouldn't recommend these for backcountry skiing in deep powder.

I love that these come with features most other sub-$200 bibs skimp on: They still have kick patches along to bottom for protection against abrasion, stretchy gaiters to keep snow out of your boots, and two thigh vents. The vents, however, are on the inside which we prefer significantly less to outer vents as the zippers are more likely to catch each other between your legs.

The downside to these bibs is they feel and look cheaper. The fabric feels significantly less luxe to the touch, the bibs overall look a little bulkier, and they aren't very lightweight. None of these is truly going to affect your day on the slopes though, and these are still the best option if you're a beginner looking for a pair to help you grow as a skier or snowboarder.

Built for professional mountain guides, Helly Hansen Odin Mountain Infinity 3L Shell Bib Pants are incredibly lightweight, highly waterproof and windproof, and equipped with details you need like a beacon loop and RECCO rescue reflectors built into the fabric.

Pros: Ridiculously lightweight, highly waterproof, windproof, RECCO® Advanced Rescue system transponder built-in

Cons: Expensive, limited colorways, limited pockets

These new women's ski bibs from Helly Hansen use the brand's LIFA INFINITY PRO technology, which has an incredible waterproof/breathable ratio. In addition to being fully hydrophobic, the water repellent protection never needs to be re-treated. In the backcountry, this level of moisture repel is invaluable. And yet they're also still very breathable.

In addition to forgoing the chest panel to ditch weight and bulk, these bibs also don't use DWR or Gore-Tex, which keeps them more lightweight than other bibs – and better for the environment. Despite being so lightweight, they're still fully windproof.

You can certainly resort ski in these, but they're built for the backcountry: They have a beacon loop in one of the zippered thigh pockets and, like most Helly Hansen ski gear, RECCO reflectors inserted into the legs, which can help a rescue team find you if lost or in an avalanche. (Note: These reflectors do not substitute for a beacon.)

Lastly, these bibs are just plain comfortable with a yoga-style waistband and articulated construction at the knee and seat for more mobility.

The Columbia Shafer Canyon Insulated Pants are well-designed to comfortably move with a plus-size body hiking up the backcountry or sailing down groomers, and they're super lightweight, breathable, and highly waterproof.

Pros: Highly waterproof, lightweight, stretchy and articulated at the knees, adjustable waistband, roomy thighs and butt, affordable

Cons: Not bibs, only go up to a 3X

We have yet to find a reliable pair of plus-size ski bibs, so while we'll keep testing in this category, we can only recommend snow pants for plus-size skiers and snowboarders for now.

That said, there are a handful of solid options for plus-size snow pants, namely from Eddie Bauer, Plus Snow, and Columbia, the latter of which is a favorite among plus-size adventure athletes we've spoken with.

Columbia's Shafer Canyon Insulated Pants, specifically, are the top option for fit (up to 3X), features, color options, and price point.

The Shafer Canyon snow pants are a stretch polyester of Columbia's proprietary Omni-Tech, which is highly breathable but also waterproof, including seam-sealed. These women's snow pants are super lightweight and crafted with two-way stretch and articulated knees for comfortable movement in every direction. In fact, reviewers note they offer a lot more give in the knees than other Columbia snow pants, which is a huge plus for snowboarders.

We also love that these have an adjustable waistband, super convenient for cinching them tight so they won't fall as you move.

These snow pants have thermal reflective on the lining, which will keep you comfortably warm while skiing at a resort or in the backcountry. If you run on the cold side, size up for more room to wear a base layer underneath.

These snow pants, of course, have an internal leg gaiter and zippered hand pockets, and they come in five colorways. Lastly, these pants are a great price point at just over $100.

FWIW, if you're willing to spend a little more, we love Plus Snow's ski pants, which are super high-waisted and designed specifically for a plus-size body; but they do run close to $200.