Winter Hiking Pants

This selection brings together explicitly lined, winter-described and relevant softshell models. It is not a temperature rating. A brushed lining, an alpine softshell and ordinary trousers over a base layer behave differently as effort and weather change. Decide whether you need built-in insulation or room to adjust layers before choosing a pair.

Outdoor Research Cirque III offers a different construction from an Eddie Bauer Rainier Lined model or a budget snow-hiking listing. Look at boot clearance, waist adjustment and the ability to vent excess warmth. A water-resistant outer is not a substitute for a suitable waterproof layer during sustained precipitation.