Arc'teryx Sentinel Pants - Women's Review

Fully loaded with waterproof zippers, 3L Gore-Tex protection, fully taped seams and features you can rely on, the Sentinel is an optimized pant for both resort and backcountry endeavors. So streamlined is the Sentinel, that it had little that stood out at first glance. But after extensive testing, this pant delivered consistently. Its light fleece lining provides a soft inner layer that many shells do not have, while its removable belt provides instant security when getting after it. And, while getting after it, we can assuredly say that this pant performs to the highest standards.

Performance Comparison

Weather Resistance

To test for weather resistance, we took the pants out onto the mountain and put them through a two-minute shower test. Throughout the shower test, we aimed specifically at weak points such as zippers, seams, pockets, and vents to see how the pants would perform. The Sentinel passed the test with flying colors, without moisture or water leaking or seeping through the material.

The Sentinel continued to impress us on the mountain, where they held up to wetter, warm snow (known locally around the Tahoe Basin as Sierra Cement) without missing a beat. In the ripping winds of the Sierra Crest and San Juan Mountains in southwest Colorado, the heavy 70 denier weave and fleece backing kept drafts at bay. These pants stood up to it all thanks to their fully taped seams, water-resistant zippers, and 3L Gore-Tex.

Fit and Comfort

The Sentinel is one of the more comfortable pants we tested, with excellent mobility thanks to articulated knees and a gusseted crotch. Even when hiking in deep snow, they never became a hindrance or issue. Our lead tester often uses them on the job as a ski patroller due to this quality. This, combined with the soft material and regular, baggier fit, means that there is little limiting when you need your pants to perform. After a return to a narrower fit in previous seasons, we noticed the fit migrated back to wider in the quad area. We love this fit and function.

These pants are great inbounds, and thanks to their superior mobility and comfort, they would make a great pair of backcountry touring pants, too.

Ventilation

With two double-sided zips for ventilation, cooling off is easy. They allow for rapid cooling, and the dual zipper feature enables you to customize the size and placement to your preference. This is a key feature for those hoping to wear these pants in the backcountry. The zippered vents are also mesh-free, allowing maximum airflow. Some pants have mesh backing vents that keep snow from entering in a tumble. We generally prefer the greater airflow of no-mesh vents at resorts and in the backcountry.

Even if you don't head into the backcountry, ample ventilation is important to handle swings in body temperature between heating up while charging through all that champagne powder and then cooling down on icy chair lifts. A few pairs of pants offer even more airflow. However, our testers felt that the Sentinel dumps heat as effectively as they ever needed.

Warmth

These pants offer more warmth than standard shell pants thanks to their flannel-like brushed liner. This gives them just a little more insulation than is typical for their category. When temperatures drop below freezing, you may want to add some extra insulation. If you generally run cold or dislike layering and prefer a pant that includes insulation, these might not be for you.

If you don't mind putting on some long johns, you shouldn't encounter an issue. The regular, baggier fit of these pants allows for plenty of room to layer and still gives the wearer warmth on cold, burly days. The cozy lining makes it comfortable to wear against bare skin on warmer days. And when temps drop, you can easily add base layer bottoms to keep you warm. Needless to say, the lack of insulation makes these pants super versatile.

Features

Fully loaded with features like a small, zippered stash pocket, a removable belt, and pockets with plenty of room for a beacon or phone helped keep the Sentinel ranking high in this category. A small note, our testers with larger quads at the height of the pockets noted that a beacon was a tight fit in the beacon-specific pocket. We would encourage wearing a harness for a transceiver anyway, so this is not a huge deal.

When you are heading out for a big day on the slopes, those smaller features come to matter. They offer a place for all of your gear. While the belt was not our favorite of these features, it is removable and can be replaced. However, the pants do not have velcro tabs for size adjustments, so a different belt may have to be used. We like the low profile of the belt. The pants also come with two snaps on the back, which are compatible with Arc'teryx jackets. This is useful on deep, glorious powder days. Like most ski pants, the Sentinel has a cuff guard to add durability in the high-wear areas at the bottom of the pant legs. After nearly a season of professional patrol use, it should be noted this feature and the construction of the pants are holding up incredibly well.

Style

While the Sentinel may not be making a fashion statement, it doesn't need to. For a pant that delivers such a punch on the technical side, it is fairly plain in style, save for the addition of its belt. That said, it comes in five appealing color options and various sizes, ranging from small to large and short to tall, allowing women of all sizes to find their style within the pants. The cut of these pants is also timeless and flattering, in line with the looks of the hardest shredders out there.

Should You Buy the Arc'teryx Sentinel?

The Arc'teryx Sentinel Pant is at the top of our list for women's ski pants. The design is thoroughly refined, and the materials are excellent. These pants have more than enough to get you through a day at the resort or in the backcountry; we can't get enough days in them. Any serious skier or snowboarder should consider adding these pants to their arsenal—these pants are just waiting to deliver for you.

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