REASONS TO BUY
Great weather resistance
Versatile
REASONS TO AVOID
Expensive
Slim-fitting waist
Not warm
Patagonia PowSlayer Review
Good all-around hardshell pants for a variety of activities, at a steep price
Credit: Patagonia
RELATED: Best Ski Pants of 2023
Our Verdict
The Patagonia PowSlayer is a protective hardshell pant with a Gore-Tex membrane. It keeps water out, thanks to a waterproof shell fabric, an excellent DWR finish, waterproof zipper, and taped seams. The fit is a little awkward, with less room around the hips and crotch and extra room throughout the lower leg, but it works for most people. The style, features, and ventilation are about average. For such an expensive pant, we expect a little more, but if you are looking for a solid pair of hardshell ski pants, these won't disappoint.
Compare to Similar Products
 This Product
Patagonia PowSlayer | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Awards |  | |  | | |
| Price | $589 List | $549 List $549.00 at Backcountry | $399.00 at Backcountry Compare at 2 sellers | $329 List Check Price at REI | $170 List Check Price at REI |
Overall Score  |
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| Star Rating | |||||
| Pros | Great weather resistance, versatile | Highly weather resistant, great fit, good features and style | Comfortable, weather resistant, great features, excellent price | Great performance at a low price, tons of features, weather resistant, breathable | Great value, warm, comfortable, relaxed vibes |
| Cons | Expensive, slim-fitting waist, not warm | Expensive, not warm, vents have mesh | Not warm, less durable than other hardshell pants | Lacks good style and warmth, average comfort | Limited seam and pocket sealing, less effective vent design |
| Bottom Line | Good all-around hardshell pants for a variety of activities, at a steep price | These are the best ski pants we could find, thanks to their excellent fit and weather resistance, freeride style, and great durability | These best-in-class pants feature a removable bib and excellent weather resistance | An affordable hardshell that provides great weather resistance, ventilation, and features | A good insulated ski pant for budget-minded resort skiers who don't need a technical pair of pants |
| Rating Categories | Patagonia PowSlayer | Norrona Lofoten Gor... | Mammut Haldigrat HS | Outdoor Research Sk... | The North Face Free... |
| Weather Resistance (25%) | |||||
| Fit and Comfort (25%) | |||||
| Ventilation (20%) | |||||
| Warmth (10%) | |||||
| Features (10%) | |||||
| Style (10%) | |||||
| Specs | Patagonia PowSlayer | Norrona Lofoten Gor... | Mammut Haldigrat HS | Outdoor Research Sk... | The North Face Free... |
| Main fabric | 80D recycled nylon plain-weave | 70D x 160D 100% recycled nylon | 100% Polyamide | 88% Nylon, 12% Spandex | 100% Nylon |
| Insulation | None | None | None | None | 60 g Heatseeker Eco Polyester (50% Recycled) |
| Waterproofing | Gore-Tex | 3-layer Gore-Tex | DRYtechnology Pro | AscentShell | DryVent (2-layer) |
| Waistline construction | Snap/zipper fly with grown-on blet loops | Snap/zipper fly with adjustable velcro waist tabs | Snap/zipper fly | Snap/zipper fly with external velcro adjustment, belt loops | Snap and zipper, Velcro tabs for adjustment, belt loops |
| Weight (in pounds) | 1.21 lbs | 1.44 lbs | 1.09 | 1.32 lbs | 1.32 lbs |
| Weight (in grams) | 547 g | 653 g | 496 g | 599 g | 599 g |
| # of Pockets | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 3 |
| Vents | External thigh zips | Outer thigh zips | Outer thigh zips | Inner thigh zips | Inner thigh zips, with mesh |
| Ski-specific features | Scuff guards, gaiters | Reinforced interior ankle, snap-in solution for powderskirt, gaiters | Removable bib, Dyneema ski edge protection | Scuff guards, powder cuffs, articulated knees, beacon clip | Scuff guards, elastic powder cuffs |
| Recco | Yes | No | No | No | No |
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Our Analysis and Test Results
Performance Comparison
The PowSlayer is a nice hard shell pant for mostly resort skiing, with the occasional backcountry tour thrown in.
Credit: Jackie Kearney
Weather Resistance
The PowSlayer is a three-layer hardshell pant utilizing Gore-Tex for its waterproofing. It keeps all liquid water out, thanks to this waterproof shell material. It also has waterproof zippers and taped seams, so that water can't get in through the stitching. The legs have elastic boot gauntlets to prevent snow from getting into your ski boots. One minor flaw is the lack of a mechanism to tighten the leg cuffs around a boot, a nice feature when bootpacking through deep snow to access terrain. But overall, these pants perform well when the weather takes a turn for the worst.
The PowSlayer has waterproof zippers and a Gore-Tex membrane to keep out all water and snow.
Credit: Sam Willits
Fit and Comfort
The PowSlayer has a tricky fit that is hard to get perfect. We thought the waist was a bit tight for the given size, especially when compared to the length of the legs. Our lead tester found himself choosing between a smaller size with a snug waist, but plenty of room in the legs, and a larger size with a roomier waist and baggy legs. There are hook-and-loop tabs on the inside of the waist belt to tighten the fit. The pants aren't stretchy, and the hard shell material is relatively thick and stiff. Overall, the fit is a little off, so don't become attached to these pants until you try them on.
The fit of the PowSlayer is a bit tight in the crotch, despite being roomy throughout the legs. It's a tricky fit that isn't perfect for everyone.
Credit: Sam Willits
Ventilation
The PowSlayer uses a thick hard shell fabric to keep water out, and this fabric also prevents the exchange of warm air from the body to the outer environment. These pants breathe decently, but on the skin track or boot pack, we had to open the vents to dump heat. The vents are 12 inches long and don't have any mesh covering the openings.
Long, open vents allow plenty of air movement when you start to build up heat.
Credit: Sam Willits
Warmth
These pants are uninsulated, so they don't provide much warmth. As our bodies warm the air inside the pant, this warm air becomes trapped between the pant fabric and the leg. Without puffy insulation to keep this space filled with warm air, you'll need to layer underneath appropriately. Don't expect these pants to keep you warm on their own, since the thin shell fabric allows the easy conduction of heat away from your body while sitting on chairlifts.
A thick and burly hard shell fabric is all that lies between your legs and the winter cold.
Credit: Sam Willits
Features
The PowSlayer has decent features, but they don't blow us away. There are two thigh pockets, and the right side pocket has a transceiver sleeve and clip loop if you plan on venturing into the sidecountry or backcountry. There is one hip pocket on the right side, but it is too small to be that useful for anything other than a credit card or stick of lip balm. The elastic powder cuffs are great, and there are also scuff guards on each leg to add durability. Overall, these pants have enough features to make your day easier.
Two well-placed thigh pockets and one hip pocket are useful features.
Credit: Sam Willits
Style
We think these pants look good. They have a tailored fit and some articulation, which makes them look athletic and high-performance, but not overly so. The zippers are slightly darker than the rest of the pant, which adds subtle highlights, but it's not over the top. The color options are limited and understated, which is how we usually prefer our pants, so that we can add more style with our jackets, but that choice is up to you.
We like the look of these pants, with their refined tailoring.
Credit: Sam Willits
Should You Buy the Patagonia PowSlayer?
At such a high price, we don't think the PowSlayer is worth it unless you're a Patagonia loyalist. They perform about average for high-end Gore-Tex hardshell pants, and their tricky fit takes them down a notch. These are quality pants, to be sure, but we think there are better ski pants out there. And, there are better pants at a lower price.
Ripping groomers in the PowSlayer during early-season testing.
Credit: Jackie Kearney
What Other Ski Pants Should You Consider?
If these pants appeal to you, check out the top-scoring Norrona Lofoten Gore-Tex, which have a better fit and better features. At the time of publishing, they're also a bit cheaper than the PowSlayer. The Arc'teryx Sabre Pant, one of our long-time favorite pants, also performs better and costs less. If you are shopping on a tight budget, the Outdoor Research Skyward II Pant nearly matches the performance of the best pants. For a more backcountry-specific hardshell pant, the Patagonia Stormstride is a great option.
—
Jeff Dobronyi
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