Arc'teryx are at the leading edge of backcountry/ski touring design and they've put all this know-how into the development of the new Rush LT bib pants. A simple but effective legwear option for straight up ski touring and backcountry use, if your skiing is mainly done on piste then you're probably wasting your money on these. The mid-chest height bib is fairly form fitting, as are the legs which don't leave any baggy excess material flapping about in the wind. We found the legs a touch short on the medium size so these are ones to check sizing on before ordering online.
The elasticated braces are as pared down and simple as you would expect, just a simple slide adjuster and quite thin and narrow strap material but they're comfortable nonetheless. Inside the upper bib pocket there's a transceiver loop for safely attaching transceiver and there's a fairly shallow hand pocket on the left leg and a zipless, storm flap equipped pocket on the right leg - so minimal storage options really.
Ventilation is great through the long leg openings on the outer thighs and we've found breathability to be pretty good on long climbs. Real scientific evidence is notoriously hard to come by, but we reckon the Gore with C-Knit backer used on the Rush LT pants is more breathable than an equivalent Gore Pro, and it's certainly softer and stretchier and therefore more comfortable to wear. With this softer material though comes durability questions and we don't think these pants would outlast a Gore Pro equipped bib under sustained hard use. Having said that there's a massive patch of decidedly thick and chunky material at the instep to protect the pants from abrasion and tears from crampons.
We wanted to like the Rush LT bib pants more than we did, perhaps it was the sizing that put us off as they perform well enough out on the slopes, we just don't think they're worth the high price tag.
