Take an ex member of Britain’s boardercross team, put him in some low cost but good quality ski trousers and see what he thinks! The result is this Protest Fleetwood Pants review by Jamie Barrow.
After injury curtailed his professional snowboarding career Jamie moved onto speed stunts. For the latest he was towed behind a Maserati at 93.2 mph, which is the Guiness World Record for the fastest speed on a snowboard.
When it comes to choosing snowboard pants, it’s important to get it right. Even very good snowboarders spend time sitting in the snow, so trousers need to be very waterproof.
You often get what you pay for with snowboard pants. Buy cheap and you will get wet, pay a lot and you stay dry. Going against the grain these Protest Fleetwood Pants are low cost good quality ski trousers.
I tested these pants on a snowboarding and splitboarding trip in Chamonix. I relied on them while riding the pistes and exploring the backcountry.
I didn’t try them on in a shop and they arrived a day before I left. Luckily the size the website suggested was a perfect fit.
I wear Forcefield impact shorts underneath and they fit fine with these pants. This was a relief as my last pair of snowboarding trousers from a different brand didn’t.
The Protest Fleetwood Pants are classified as slim fit. This is not like slim fit jeans that hug your legs, but they are not overly baggy. The material is also slightly stretchy so it doesn’t restrict your movements at all.
In terms of performance these low cost good quality ski trousers are amazing. With 20k waterproofing you will stay dry and warm all day. They are completely windproof which came in very handy when at the top of a windy face in -20°C.
Splitboarding involves a lot of hiking so we were getting very hot. Unlike your jacket it’s impractical to remove lower layers. But the air vent zips on the legs allow you to cool down when hiking and to stay warm when you reach the top.
What I also found useful was the adjustable waistband. If you don’t like wearing a belt when riding you can just tighten the waste using the Velcro straps. (Ed: Also very useful after you’ve had a big lunch!).
Overall these pants are everything a snowboarder could ask for. From keeping you warm and dry to being able to cool down when you are hiking for lines or in warm conditions.
The Protest Fleetwood Pants are well made and feel like they will last. I am very impressed and will wear them for the foreseeable future. And for £130 (currently reduced to £104) you get trousers with specs that are similar to other brands who charge three times more.
The Fleetwood Pants come in brown, navy or black and can be purchased at various retailers or direct from Protest: www.protest.eu/fleetwood