Men's Ortler Gore-Tex Pants 26/27

The Ortler Gore-Tex Pants are very lightweight, wind- and waterproof hardshell pants built for demanding ski tours. They use Gore-Tex Performance with an ePE-based membrane in a soft, low-noise 3-layer fabric weighing just 86 g/m², rated to a minimum 28,000 mm water column for the life of the pant. The men's version weighs 390 g.

These are stripped down to the essentials to save weight and pack small while staying breathable at high exertion. The trade-off is that minimalism: they are not a burly freeride pant, and Ortovox rates them low for freeride and high for touring.

They are for ambitious ski tourers who want full waterproof protection that disappears in the pack on good days and goes on fast when the weather turns. If you want a warm, heavily featured resort pant, look at a freeride model instead.

Regular fit with an adjustable waistband, belt loops and anatomically shaped knees. Side vent zips, zip-adjustable leg width, integrated gaiters with non-slip elastic and Dyneema-Cordura edge protection are all here, plus two thigh pockets, the right with an expansion pleat, mesh pocket and transceiver carabiner.

We love these for big spring objectives and long tours, light, quiet and completely weatherproof.