Wonderful* Winter Weather Gear: The Snow Pant

Becki Henderson--Administrative Assistant

(*The adjective “wonderful”
is modifying the word “gear,” not the word “weather.”)

Today I wanted to spend some time looking at one of the most
crucial elements of winter weather gear that you can have.  For some of you, you may not have worn a pair
of these since you were in elementary school and had to put them on in order to
go outside for recess.  But let me tell
you, this clothing article is a must-have for those who live in the snowy
Northwoods of Wisconsin.

What am I talking about, you ask?

The snow pant.

Snow pants are basically just like regular pants, except
bigger and often waterproof.  What makes
them great is the function they accomplish: keeping you warm and dry. 

There are several myths associated with snow pants that I
would like to dispel for you now.

Myth #1: I look fat in my snow pants; therefore I should not
wear snow pants.

Fact #1: Virtually everyone looks fat in snow pants.  Even skinny people.  It just doesn’t matter.  Snow pants are not designed to be
slimming—they are designed to keep you warm. 
Let them do that job.

Myth #2:  Capris look
great on me in the summer; therefore capris would be a good look for snow pants.

Fact #2: Capri-length snow pants (if there are such a thing)
would probably make you look like you were wearing lederhosen.  You definitely want your snow pants to be
long enough.  They need to reach down to
your boots so there isn’t exposed skin or sock between the end of your pants
and the top of your boots.  That is where
snow can (and will) get in.  Nobody wants
that.  Brrr!

 
Myth #3: I wear low-rise jeans all year; therefore I should
wear the lowest cut snow pants I can find.

Fact #3: Let me assure you, both for your own sake and the
sake of the people around you, you want your snow pants to be high enough.  They need to cover all of your bottom so that
when you fall down your bottom does not show. 
This applies whether you are playing broomball, cross-country skiing,
tubing or snowshoeing.  It is possible to
fall down doing any of those activities, and you want your coat or jacket to
meet and even cover the top of your snow pants. 
Trust me on this.

 

Myth #4: I am too cool to wear snow pants.

Fact #4: No one is too cool to wear snow pants.  Take, for example, great heroes of history,
like George Washington or Elvis Presley or Albert Einstein.  I am absolutely certain that they would wear
snow pants if they were playing broomball at HoneyRock.  They just would.

*This does not mean that if you are visiting HoneyRock for a
long weekend you need to buy yourself some snow pants.  Feel free to borrow some from your brother or
whatever.  I’m just saying that if you
LIVE here you should invest in some.