Despite the recent warm conditions, winter is definitely not over in the Wasatch Mountains. With spring comes bluebird skies, corn snow, and of course the occasional powder day. With so much variation in mountain conditions, we could all use a snow pant that is ready for anything. Hell, forget the pants…how about some bibs? The Trewth Bib by TREW is a piece of outerwear tailor-made for variable weather, and I had a chance to test them in the frigid chill of January to the ridiculous fifty degree snowboarding weather of March 2017.
What makes the Trewth Bib jump off the page is the amount of technical features packed into them. Take a look:
• 80D 3L Dermizax® NX – body
• 140D2X 3L Dermizax® NX – below knees
• SuperFabric® cuff and kick patches
• Adjustable heavy-duty stretch jacquard suspender straps with Velcro® attachment
• Cargo and zippered chest storage
• ¾-length, dual-direction zip side vents with YKK Aquaguard® zippers
• Bemis 3-layer seam tape on all seams
• Cross joints reinforced with laser-cut seam tape circle
• Zip hand pockets
• Flap thigh cargo pockets
• Zip fly and belt loops
• Internal boot gaiters with gripper elastic
• Double snaps at the bottom opening adjust for slimmer fit
• Rubber-tipped cordage zipper pulls
• RECCO® reflector
The proof is always in the pudding, and after plenty of skinning and resort laps in the Trewth Bib, I can expound on some of these features. Behold my findings.
The fit was right on, at least in my opinion. My girlfriend thought they looked too baggy, but I think she would have me wearing Jimmy Page’s extra tight leather leggings if she had her druthers. To each their own.
The suspenders were easy to adjust, and could be dialed in perfectly for whatever base layer setup I wore on a particular day. The amount of pockets is also a standout feature on this bib; I especially liked the chest storage areas. These are ideal for photo and video specialists, as they allow you to store batteries close to your body where the winter chill can’t drain their power as quickly. When it came time to get radical, the Trewth Bib was definitely up to the task.
The waterproof rating on this bib clocks in 20,000mm. This is certainly good enough to stand up to the wettest snow conditions, as I found out several different times during Wasatch whiteouts. The breathability number is a staggering 40,000 g/m2, which is overkill in the best way possible. Even Chris Farley on a jalapeno bender wouldn’t overheat in these bad boys. And even if you beat the odds and manage to work up a sweat, the ¾ length side zippered vents will provide a quick cool down. I barely had to touch them when touring, but they are a very welcome and functional feature.
Additional features like the reinforced cuff and kick panels are also just as useful. The panels are very burly and show no signs of tearing or fraying. The overall comfort of the pant is very good; I never felt my movement was restricted, and the Dermizax NX fabric is stretchy and soft. And as Jared Hargrave found out earlier this season, wearing bibs means no snow on your ass, which is always a bonus in my book!
Finally, I can’t say enough about wearing a bib while splitboard touring. Seems that all my standard snow pants slide off my rear end due to a combination of climbing and getting rubbed on my backpack. It’s annoying to have to stop every mile or so to hike my pants up, and luckily I kissed all those troubles goodbye when I skinning in the Trewth Bib. Saving my sanity, one suspender at a time. Yes, they are certainly pricey, but you get what you pay for. In this case, your investment would net you a snow bib that will get it done from the first flakes until closing weekend…whenever that fateful time might come.
The Good: Trewth Bib is overbuilt and able to handle any mountain conditions out there.
The Bad: I had to combine them with a belt to reduce drafts on cold days.
The Verdict: These bibs will do it all: repel the slop, allow you to cool off on hot days, and keep the ice off your booty. TREW calls them “quiver killers”, and that claim is hard to dispute.