There’s a clue in the name as to the use for which the Untracked ski pants are intended, although they work equally well on-piste as well as off.
The articulated design moves with you and is extremely comfortable, and the loose fit means you don’t ever feel restricted whether hiking uphill or blasting down.
The outer are three-layer nylon Gore-tex, which choosy skiers may find a little stiff, but this is more than made up for by the waterproof/breathable and windproof protection it offers (the Untracked will keep you dry in heavy rain and sleet as well as snow; this is also aided by the DWR finish which helps to shed water). The soft, brushed interior increases warmth and manages moisture while minimizing bulk, although in cold conditions you’ll definitely need some sort of additional insulation beneath them.
For warmer days or when hiking the mesh-lined thigh vents with Vislon zippers help to circulate air and reduce heat build-up, whilst the gaiters combine tough gripper elastic and a DWR finish to create a tenacious seal for serious postholing – short of being caught in an avalanche it’s hard to imagine anything getting through the hems of these pants.
Other features include watertight, coated Slim Zips on the pockets to reduce bulk and weight (albeit they are a tad stiff), burly scuff guards, adjustable Velcro waist tabs to fine-tune the fit, an embedded RECCO avalanche rescue reflector and just the right amount of pockets for storing stuff on the go - two handwarmers, two thigh and one rear.
All said the Patagonia Untracked is easily one of the best ski pants we’ve used this winter.
