Plus Size Ski Pants: 4 Pants and 2 Bibs, Sized by Your Hip
Six plus size ski pants and bibs from three brands, with the hip and waist each top size is charted to, the lengths each is sold in, waterproofing and price.
The ski pants zip fine in the fitting room, then the waistband digs in on the second chairlift ride and the seat pulls tight every time you crouch to buckle a boot. Going up a size in a regular line runs out fast: at Eddie Bauer, the regular fit stops at an XXL charted to a 48–50 inch hip, while the Plus fit of the same snow pants goes to a 3X for a 54–56 inch hip. So each of the six pieces below is sold in plus sizes, with the hip and waist its brand charts the top size to, the lengths it comes in, what its page says about waterproofing, and a price.
The short answer
| Pick | Best for | Price (reference) | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arctix Women’s Insulated Snow Pants | A first pair on a budget | $56.99 | 1X to 4X, four inseam listings, 85 g insulation |
| Arctix Essential Insulated Bib Overalls | A bib on a budget | $62.99 | 1X to 4X, adjustable suspenders, side gussets |
| Eddie Bauer Alpenglow High Rise Stretch Ski Pants | A slimmer, high-rise pant with no insulation listed | $169 | Plus 2X and 3X, stretch face, 8K/5K |
| Eddie Bauer Powder Search Insulated Pants | An insulated pant with a printed K rating | $199 | Plus 2X and 3X, 10K/10K |
| Outdoor Research Snowcrew Pant-Plus | Hips up to 61 in | $265 | 1X to 4X, Short or Regular, plus-specific leg vents |
| Outdoor Research Carbide Bibs-Plus | A shell bib up to a 4X | $375 | Side zips, bathroom zip, Short or Regular |
What each brand’s top size covers
The same label is a different body at each brand. A 4X is a 57–59 inch hip at Arctix and 57–61 at Outdoor Research, and Eddie Bauer’s Plus fit stops at a 3X.
| Brand and chart | Size | Waist (in) | Hip (in) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arctix, women’s | 1X | 36–38 | 46–48 |
| Arctix, women’s | 2X | 40–42 | 49–52 |
| Arctix, women’s | 3X | 44–46 | 53–56 |
| Arctix, women’s | 4X | 48–50 | 57–59 |
| Eddie Bauer, plus | 2X | 41–43 | 50–52 |
| Eddie Bauer, plus | 3X | 45–47 | 54–56 |
| Outdoor Research, plus bottoms | 1X | 39–43 | 45–49 |
| Outdoor Research, plus bottoms | 2X | 43–47.5 | 49–53 |
| Outdoor Research, plus bottoms | 3X | 47.5–51.5 | 53–57 |
| Outdoor Research, plus bottoms | 4X | 51.5–55.75 | 57–61 |
Eddie Bauer’s chart also has a Plus 1X row (46–48 inch hip), but both Eddie Bauer pants here sell the Plus fit in 2X and 3X only.
The six picks
Pants
Arctix Women's Insulated Snow Pants
If you are buying your first pair and do not know yet how often you will go, start here: it is the cheapest of the six, and, like the Arctix bib below, it comes in four lengths. Arctix sells the same pant in X-Short, Short, Regular and Long listings, each in 1X to 4X, and its women’s chart gives inseams of 27, 29, 31 and 33 inches (matching those to the listings is our reading). The page lists a polyester dobby shell with 85 grams of ThermaTech insulation, sealed seams, boot gaiters with boot zippers, 600-denier nylon at the ankles and hem, and an O-ring for keys or a lift ticket. It is machine washable.
Drawbacks: No waterproof rating on the page; Arctix calls it water and wind-resistant. The price is for Black in the Regular listing, 1X to 4X; it differs by colour and inseam listing.
Eddie Bauer Alpenglow High Rise Stretch Ski Pants
For a high-rise shell that stretches. Eddie Bauer says the high waist “stays put under a jacket and blocks the cold.” The face fabric is 90% nylon and 10% spandex, the page prints 8K/5K and a C0 DWR finish, and the fit is labelled Slim, with a 31-inch inseam in a Medium. The materials list names a shell face, shell back and lower lining but no insulation, unlike the Powder Search below (our reading: it is a shell).
Drawbacks: Plus fit stops at 3X, a 54–56 inch hip. The materials list has no insulation line, so plan on layers underneath (our suggestion). Slim fit, by the brand's own label.
Eddie Bauer Powder Search Insulated Pants
For an insulated pant with a printed K rating, in a 2X or 3X. Of the two Eddie Bauer pants here, this is the one with an insulation line: the materials list names a polyester shell with a polyurethane coating, polyester insulation and a nylon cuff guard, and the page prints 10K/10K and a DWR finish; its care notes say the “water repellent finish should be replenished as needed.” The fit is labelled Classic, with a 31-inch inseam in a Medium. Its Plus 2X is charted to a 41–43 inch waist and 50–52 inch hip.
Drawbacks: Plus fit stops at 3X, a 54–56 inch hip, and there is no Plus 1X. The page does not give the insulation weight.
Outdoor Research Snowcrew Pant-Plus
If your hips measure over 59 and up to 61 inches, this and the Carbide bib below are the two picks charted that far, on the same plus bottoms chart: its 4X runs from a 57 to a 61 inch hip. It is a plus-only listing, 1X to 4X in Short (29-inch inseam) or Regular (31.5-inch). Outdoor Research lists a waterproof, windproof, breathable Ventia 2L shell, fully seam taped, with 45 g/m² VerticalX Eco insulation, waist adjustment tabs, articulated knees, internal stretch gaiters and an avalanche beacon pocket. The feature list names “Mesh Backed Outer Leg Vents (Plus-Size Specific Feature)”; the description above it calls this a mesh-backed inner thigh vent.
Drawbacks: The dearest of the four pants. No K rating; Outdoor Research marks it 4 on its own waterproofing scale.
Bibs
Arctix Essential Insulated Bib Overalls
For a bib at close to the price of the Arctix pant. The Essential bib has the same 85 grams of insulation and sealed seams, plus adjustable suspenders and what Arctix calls “elasticized side gussets to accommodate extra mobility.” It has a heavy-duty zip closure, boot gaiters with boot zippers and 600-denier nylon at the ankles and hem. Like the pant, it comes in X-Short, Short, Regular and Long listings, each in 1X to 4X, and its 4X is charted to a 48–50 inch waist and 57–59 inch hip.
Drawbacks: No waterproof rating on the page; like the pant, Arctix calls it water and wind-resistant. The price is for Black in the Regular listing; other colours are priced from $55.
Outdoor Research Carbide Bibs-Plus
For a shell bib up to a 4X, with a zip meant for bathroom access. The Carbide Bibs-Plus list a 3-layer Pertex Shield nylon fabric, waterproof, windproof and fully seam taped, with stretchy suspender webbing and quick-release buckles. There are dual side zips, and the right one runs “From Bib Top to Knee for Bathroom Access”, plus a swing hatch, a bib-top stash pocket and an avalanche beacon pocket. It is sold in Short and Regular, on the same plus bottoms chart as the Snowcrew pant.
Drawbacks: The most expensive pick, and a shell: the page lists no insulation and marks it 1 on its warmth scale, so plan on layers underneath on cold days (our suggestion). It is marked 4 on the brand's waterproofing scale, with no K rating.
How to choose
- Measure first. Our guide on how to measure your bust, waist and hips covers the tape method. Arctix measures the hip “at the fullest part of the seat”.
- Pick by your hip. From 49 to 52 inches, all three brands have a 2X that covers it (Eddie Bauer’s starts at 50). From 53 to 56, a 3X at each brand (Eddie Bauer’s starts at 54). From 57 to 59, the Arctix and Outdoor Research 4X. Over 59 and up to 61, only the Outdoor Research 4X (the Snowcrew pant or the Carbide bib). None of the three charts goes past 61.
- Check the waist column too. At a 4X, Arctix charts a 48–50 inch waist and Outdoor Research 51.5–55.75, so if your waist is large for your hip, Outdoor Research’s chart is the closer match (our reading). If you land between two sizes, Eddie Bauer’s guide says to size up for comfort.
- Decide how much rain and slush you will sit in. Only the two Eddie Bauer pants print a K rating (10K/10K and 8K/5K); Outdoor Research marks both of its styles 4 on its own waterproofing scale, with no K figure. The two Outdoor Research styles list waterproof, fully seam-taped fabric, and the two Arctix pieces are sold as water and wind-resistant.
- Insulated or shell. The Arctix pair, the Powder Search and the Snowcrew list insulation; the Alpenglow and the Carbide do not, so they need warm layers under them (our suggestion).
- Get the length right. Arctix sells four inseam listings and Outdoor Research two; Eddie Bauer sells one length in Plus.
- Finish the outfit. For a jacket in your size, see our plus size coats picks. More in sports gear.
Before you order
- Order by inseam listing for the two Arctix picks. Their Short, X-Short and Long versions are separate product pages, not an option on one page, and prices differ between them.
- Use the right chart. Outdoor Research’s plus styles follow its Women’s Plus Bottoms chart; Eddie Bauer’s follow the Plus rows of its women’s guide.
- Read the return terms on each brand’s site before you order, and try the pants on over your base layer and with ski boots on.
Where these numbers come from
Sizes, fabrics, features and prices were read on each brand’s product page on 15 October 2026, and the body measurements on each brand’s size chart. Arctix’s inseams come from its chart’s X-Petite, Petite, Regular and Long columns; matching them to the X-Short, Short, Regular and Long listings is our reading.
Frequently asked questions
What size ski pants fit a 56 inch hip?
A 3X at all three brands here: Arctix charts its 3X to a 53–56 inch hip, Eddie Bauer's Plus 3X is 54–56 and Outdoor Research's plus 3X is 53–57. At Arctix and Eddie Bauer, 56 inches is the top of the 3X range, so check the waist column too before ordering.
Do plus size snow pants come in short lengths?
Some do. Arctix sells its Insulated Snow Pants and Essential Bib Overalls in 1X to 4X in X-Short, Short, Regular and Long listings, and its women's chart gives 27, 29, 31 and 33 inch inseams (matching those to the listings is our reading). Outdoor Research sells its two plus styles here in Short and Regular, 29 and 31.5 inches on its plus bottoms chart. The two Eddie Bauer pants are sold in one length in Plus, and their pages give only the Medium inseam, 31 inches.
Are plus size ski pants waterproof?
It depends on the pair. Of the six here, the two Eddie Bauer pants print a K rating, 10K/10K on the Powder Search and 8K/5K on the Alpenglow. The two Outdoor Research styles list waterproof, fully seam-taped fabric and are marked 4 on the brand's own waterproofing scale, with no K figure. The two Arctix pieces call themselves water and wind-resistant, with sealed seams, and print no rating.
Should I get ski pants or a bib in a plus size?
It comes down to whether you want suspenders. The two bibs here are the Arctix Essential Insulated Bib Overalls, with adjustable suspenders and what Arctix calls elasticized side gussets, and the Outdoor Research Carbide Bibs-Plus, a shell bib with no insulation listed, quick-release suspenders, two side zips and a right-side zip from bib top to knee for bathroom access.
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