The Elevate Shell Pant has a tailored relaxed freeride cut and uses the company's top-of-the-range, lightweight, seam-sealed Helly Tech Professional 3L fabric, which features a new 'FLOW' membrane which has excellent breathability as well as being water- and windproof.
We particularly liked the wide waistband with its big Velcro adjusters that made for easy and snug fitting - note that there are no belt loops, however, so this is the only means of securing your pants round your waist.
There are just two zipped front pockets, which have been 'lowered' to sit on your upper thigh and give easy access when wearing a jacket or sitting on a chairlift; the right hand pocket is huge and extends right down to the top of your knee - we found it great for stuffing in things like a beanie, goggles or map.
The Elevate also comes with two zipped vents on the outside of the thighs (not with mesh lining), articulated knees, Recco reflector, large, rugged scuff guards and very stretchy, easy-to-use internal gaiters, and if you have the appropriate Helly Hansen jacket there are poppers on the pants' uppers for attaching it to the jacket to give a great seal against snow and wind.
The Elevate may not appeal if you like to have a lot of pockets in your ski pants, but we're not especially bothered about that and as such this was one of our favourite pairs of ski pants in this season's tests.
