Arc'teryx Sentinel Pants - Women's Review

The Sentinel is an ideal pant for both the resort and the backcountry, coming fully loaded with waterproof zippers, 3L Gore-Tex protection, fully taped seams, and features you can rely on. 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. When we first got the pant, it had little at first glance that truly made it stand out. But after rigorous testing, this is a pant that is well thought-out and delivers, consistently performing at a high standard.

Performance Comparison

Weather Resistance

To test for weather resistance, we took the pants out onto the mountain and put them through a 2-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. 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. This, combined with the soft material and regular, baggier fit, means that there is little limiting when you need your pants to perform.

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

While these pants are technically a shell, they offer more warmth than standard shell pants. Thanks to their flannel-like interior brushed liner, they have just a touch more insulation than is typical for their category. When temperatures drop low, you may want some extra insulation. If you dislike layering or generally run cold and prefer an insulated pant, these might not be for you.

If you don't mind putting on some long johns, you shouldn't encounter an issue. The pants have a regular, baggier fit, allowing plenty of room for layering underneath to still give the wearer warmth on cold, burly days. Not having much insulation also makes these pants more versatile. When it's warm, you might not need anything underneath, and the cozy lining makes them comfortable against bare skin. When temps drop, you can easily add base layer bottoms underneath to keep you warm.

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.

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.

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 four appealing color options and various sizes, ranging from short small to tall large, allowing women of all sizes to find their style within the pant. If you are fine touting the technical features of your gear rather than the showiness, you will be easily pleased by the style of the Sentinel.

Should You Buy the Arc'teryx Sentinel?

Well deserving of its Editors' Choice Award, 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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