Outdoor Research Snowcrew Pants - Review 2025

Top Notch Ski Bibs at a Fraction Of The Price

I’m quite particular about my outer-layer pants for skiing. Typically I opt for a shell layer, rather than an insulated one, so I should say I came into this a bit biased when I received these bibs.

That being said, I was very impressed with Outdoor Research’s Snowcrew Bib. If you’re like me and steer away from insulated items, cast those notions aside and check out the Snowcrew Bib.

I was initially happy to find, upon unpacking this item, that it was lightweight, pliable, and seemingly well-constructed. The materials feel nice and seem to possess a solid integrity of construction.

Excited to try them on, I found stepping into the bibs a breeze, with their long full-center front zipper.

Doing a couple quick squats in my garage to make sure there were no pinch points or areas of constriction, my pleasure with this Bib continued to grow. I felt a great freedom of movement in the Snowcrew Bib, it certainly inspired confidence in my ability to try hard on the mountain without a fear of my gear holding me back.

I always say that one of the best things outerwear can do is make you forget that you have it on. I’m certain that the Snowcrew Bib’s light weight and free movement would feel like a second skin on the mountain.

On first impressions, the Snowcrew Bib struck me as a very solid piece of equipment given it’s $279 price tag. A price which is half that of many other brands.

Top Outdoor Research Ski Bib Features

Outdoor Research always impresses me with their production of highly-functional, feature-rich garments that never feel smothered. The Snowcrew Ski Bib upheld my expectations.

Snowcrew Ski Bib Pockets

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: too many pockets do not make better equipment!

However, too few pockets can be a bit frustrating.

The pockets the Snowcrew Ski Bib does have are great. They feature a large pocket on both the right and left leg, perfectly positioned on the front of the pant, making access easy. A right-side breast pocket and a left-side breast pocket with an avalanche beacon clip inside.

I did quite like the attention to detail here–The right breast pocket has a quick velcro closure, whereas the left breast pocket with the beacon clip features a zipper closure (an absolute must for your beacon pocket!)

My singular qualm about the pockets on this ski bib is that I didn’t feel that there were enough. I would’ve enjoyed a thigh pocket or two somewhere further down the legs for stashing snacks or snow study tools. I wouldn’t call this a deal-breaker, though.

Outdoor Research Ski Bib Crotch Zips

Even skiing in the dead of winter can get your body temperature up quickly. I was glad to see that the Snowcrew Bib features crotch zips on both thighs with mesh panels inside to allow for some ventilation while keeping out snow and debris.

Ski Boot Gaiters

Pretty much all pants should come with a boot gaiter, it’s a de facto standard that shouldn’t be a reason for praise. That is until I noticed a neat feature about the Snowcrew Bib’s gaiter. It features a small cutout called the “Power-Strap Slot”.

You can feed the power strap on your boots through this slot to anchor the gaiter down and keep the snow out. I’ve never seen this before on a pair of pants, and I thought it was a nice touch that I’d like to see on more ski pants and bibs!

Snowcrew Bib Waterproof Material

Outdoor Research uses a proprietary fabric in this bib called the Ventia 2L. I’ve reviewed some Outdoor Research gear before that also featured this fabric and was thoroughly impressed with how it held up to massive amounts of moisture.

Of course, no piece of gear gets an easy pass from me, so I carried on with my typical waterproof testing protocol: put the gear on and get in the shower.

As expected from my previous experiences with OR’s Ventia fabric, the Snowcrew Bib held up to 5 minutes of full exposure to water in my shower, and I remained entirely dry underneath.

I didn’t have the fortune to test the gear on a stormy day on the mountain, as I went on a bluebird day (poor me, right?). However, based on my testing and experience with the gear in some knee deep powder, I feel confident saying the Snowcrew Bib will keep you dry in all but the absolute worst conditions.

Snowcrew Ski Bib Warmth

The Snowcrew Bib is an insulated bib, not just a shell. I didn’t find the insulation to be stifling, but it is definitely a consideration before purchasing, depending on how you might use this gear.

The VerticalX ECO insulation kept me warm at around 15 degree Fahrenheit, with some long johns underneath. I’m sure if temps had been warmer, I could’ve ditched the long johns, opened the crotch zips, and been quite comfortable.

However, I’m not as sure that I would use this bib as a touring piece. Outdoor Research has done a great job in creating a synthetic insulation with great warmth-to-weight ratio, but I fear in the athletic business of touring it might be a bit too much, and I’d rather opt for a shell layer.

Of course, the Snowcrew Bib does come equipped with a beacon pocket, so given truly frigid far north or eastern American temperatures, the Snowcrew Bib may be quite appropriate for touring in.

Outdoor Research Snowcrew Ski Bib Freedom of Movement

In both skiing this bib and doing a set of silly looking movements around my garage, I found the Snowcrew Bib gave me quite a large range of movement.

I have no concerns about the Snowcrew Bib holding anyone back on the mountain due to restriction of movement by the garment!

Durability

In my testing I found no reason to think that these bibs are anything but bombproof. Especially so if you’re just kicking around the resort.

The outer material of the bibs feels a bit soft to the touch, and I do worry that if I got into some truly hairy terrain I may walk out with some snags or tears, but that’s just speculation. After a couple grazes with tree branches I only saw minor scuffing, but it didn’t appear that the material had any intention of failing.

Additionally, the cuff of the bibs and the inner leg are reinforced. The website doesn’t say exactly, but it’s obvious that a different material or weave is used on this reinforcement area. Regardless, it’s comforting to know that the bibs have been made extra durable at the most vulnerable points.

Price/Quality

As with many of Outdoor Research’s other products, the quality of the gear far exceeds the price point, in my opinion.

The Snowcrew Bib skis like a bib that should cost twice as much, but it goes for a cool $279 USD, with some colourways being offered far cheaper.

Do We Recommend Them?

Yes!

I would categorize the Snowcrew Bib as a product that can suit anyone from beginner to expert, with some minor limitations as a backcountry piece.

Given the wallet-happy price point of these bibs and the stellar performance, this product comes highly recommended from us!