Patagonia Insulated Powder Town Pants - Women's Review

This insulated pant comes in at a great value for its thoughtful, weather-resistant construction. Featuring taped seams, water-resistant zippers, RECCO, and effective proprietary H2No technology, this is a great value if the specific wider hip and leg fit works for you.

Performance Comparison

Weather Resistance

The Patagonia Powder Town uses a proprietary H2No, two-layer waterproof-breathable membrane with DWR. The 75D finish gives the face fabric a beefy feel, and when put to the test, we were impressed by its resistance to water and wind. We didn't feel any drafts through these insulated pants. The face fabric did show evidence of saturation under high-pressure spray and after long sits in wet snow, but it never bled through to the insulation.

An extra layer of weather resistance comes from the water-resistant zippers on the thigh pocket and thigh vents. These excel at keeping moisture out of the high-exposure areas here. We wish that the hip pockets both had these zippers too. The gaiters do a good job of holding onto boots, and the extra lace hook on their end prevents them from riding up.

Fit and Comfort

We found these pants to fit like a nice, lofty synthetic sleeping bag. We love how the insulation is in baffles in this pant, which helps it stay put. This baffling also makes the fit of these pants feel very svelte for an insulated pant.

The adjustable waist sits comfortably right at the top of the hip and seemed properly sized for the width of the pants. This being said, the leg of this pant definitely leans on the wider and shorter side, so if you prefer a more narrow fit, consider one of the other pants in this review.

Ventilation

As an insulated pant, these did not breathe quite as well as the shell models in this review. We found the mesh-lined vents to be surprisingly effective due to their location on the outer leg. We think this vent could be improved by being fully open to increase ventilation instead of backed by mesh.

Warmth

With 60g of Thermogreen recycled polyester insulation, these pants kept us warm and dry all day. The baffled insulation stayed in place, creating even insulation across your entire lower half. We also did not notice any strange drafts through the zippers while skiing at high speed. We found that these pants kept us adequately warm on all but the very coldest days of our testing period (approximately zero degrees Fahrenheit).

Features

This pant is one of the most feature-rich pairs in this review, so if you like to have all the bells and whistles, you should consider this pant. There are three basic and functional pockets: one thigh and two handwarmer pockets. There is also an adjustable waist and a webbing loop to connect compatible Patagonia jackets and their powder skirts for the deepest days. The belt loops allow an additional belt if you want, and the powderskirt connection adds an additional level of protection. These pants also feature RECCO technology, which can help rescue groups' recovery efforts in the case of an avalanche.

Style

We found the Powder Town's cut to be on the traditional side. The cut of this pant is a little wider in the hips than some of the more modern pants in this review, but our reviewers also had narrower hips. If you prefer to have extra room here, this is a great look.

This pant comes in several different earth tones, and we like the slightly contrasting taped zippers that give them a more modern look and the geometric seams that give subtle shape. The fabric has an interesting sheen to it that looks a little more like rain pants than snow pants, but we found this less noticeable when paired with a ski jacket.

Should You Buy the Patagonia Insulated Powder Town?

If you're in the market for an insulated pant and need a wider fit in the hip and upper leg, then the Powder Town could be the perfect pant for you. With taped seams and water-resistant zippers in high use areas, this reasonably priced pant is well constructed. We also appreciate Patagonia's dedication to sustainability and recycled materials, and they have a great return policy, to boot.

What Other Women's Ski Pants Should You Consider?

If you are looking for a more breathable pant with a slightly more tapered hip, try the award-winning Arc'teryx Sentinel Pants. Looking for the best budget buy and still want an insulated model? Try out the REI Powderbound Insulated Bib. For an affordable insulated pant, check out The North Face's Freedom Pant.