How to choose children's winter pants

Choosing the right winter pants for children can be challenging - the key is a combination of comfort, functionality and style. In our article, we'll give you advice on what to look for when choosing: from features that will outlast even the biggest snow fun, to details like reflective elements for added safety.

We are happy to advise you directly in our Skibi Kids stores.

Children's winter trousers, or salopettes, are a piece of clothing that is subjected to quite a lot of stress and must therefore be adapted to withstand it. Salopettes come into contact with the ground much more than a jacket and thus also with snow, water and even mud in spring. Therefore, the basic qualities that good children's salopettes must meet are waterproofness and abrasion resistance. But of course, this is far from everything.

Children's winter trousers

The most important features of children's winter trousers

• waterproof - the pants must protect against snow and rain
• abrasion resistance - the child wants to play, roll in the snow, slide around and not every pair of pants can withstand this
• insulation - salopettes are worn in winter and must protect the child against the cold
• windproof - protection against cold winds that could quickly chill the child
• breathability - wicking sweat, protection against the child getting sweaty

Children's winter trousers

Baby warmers must not get wet

Children are on the ground more often than they are on their feet during their winter fun. They slide, jump in the snow, fall, kneel. Or they sit in the snow, which, if they're tempted by a snowboard, lasts until late adolescence. This puts the warmers in contact with the snow, usually under pressure from the knees or buttocks, and to keep the water out, they need to be of really good quality.

Waterproofness is measured in millimetres of water column, below which the fabric still does not let drops of liquid through. In high-end membrane pants, it can reach up to 20,000 mm. You might think that your child will never go 20 metres underwater in a winter pants, but when he or she kneels in the snow and the weight of the whole body rests on one knee, a high waterproofing value at that point will be really necessary to keep your child dry.

For children, values as low as 5,000 mm water column can be considered very good.

Children's winter trousers

Children's salopettes with membrane and coating 

Just like jackets, overalls and other outer garments, pants are made with either a coating or a membrane. Insulated warmers are more cost-effective, but over time the padding wears out and they also have poorer breathability and therefore are less sweat-wicking.
You can pay more for children's warmers that have a functional membrane. And you can rely not only on the fact that they will be waterproof, but also on the fact that the child will not become damp in such pants, because they will wick sweat and breathe well.

Children's winter trousers with membrane

So for frequent use, choose membrane pants. There are many types of membranes and they differ quite significantly in their parameters. There are special membranes developed for children's clothing, for example Reimatec from the Finnish brand Reima.

What to avoid

Beware of buying cheap unbranded pants, which are sometimes only surface-treated to prevent waterlogging and after the first washing start to leak water. If you are choosing children's salopettes and you cannot find out in the shop whether they are equipped with a membrane or a coating, or what their technical parameters are (waterproofness, breathability), then you should avoid these trousers.
To be truly waterproof, the waterproofing or membrane must be complemented by taped seams. Cheap products often do not have these and it is through the seams that water then seeps in.

Breathability

Breathability is also very important for children's winter pants. This indicates how many grams of water vapour pass through a square metre of fabric in 24 hours. Manufacturers offer trousers with a breathability range of 3,000 - 20,000 g/m2/24h.
Producing a material that has the highest water column and breathability at the same time is not easy, as these properties go against each other. In practice, a combination of higher water column and lower breathability is usually preferred.

Children's salopettes

Insulation in winter trousers

Children's winter trousers should of course be properly insulated - after all, they are designed for the winter months and freezing weather. Therefore, they must have a good quality warm lining.
Modern functional linings can also wick away sweat and tend to be relatively thin, yet have great insulating properties. So don't be alarmed straight away if the trousers are not very thick. It doesn't necessarily mean they are not warm.

The level of insulation is sometimes given in grams. The higher the grammage, the more insulated the trousers.

Children's winter pants

Children's warmers and abrasion resistance

Abrasion resistance, or the ability to resist mechanical wear and tear from abrasion, is monitored almost exclusively in children's clothing. For children's winter trousers in particular, this is a very important characteristic. Children will roll on the ground, crawl on all fours, slide down the back of their bodies and so on. In all these activities, the warmers will be subjected to a high level of mechanical stress and abrasion.
That is why the exposed parts of the trousers, such as the knees or the seat, are made of even more durable material than the rest of the trousers. It is also common practice for manufacturers, when offering a matching set of children's winter jacket and children's winter trousers, to make the trousers of a more durable material.

Practical details

Don't forget some details that can make them more comfortable to use. These can be, for example, suspenders and a raised waistband. Both are very practical for children, as the raised waistband protects the hips from getting cold, while the suspenders prevent the trousers from falling down. The braces should ideally be adjustable.

Note whether the lining is not only warm enough but also pleasant to the touch. The better models of trousers have a seamless inner part, so that the children do not scratch anywhere and are really like in clover in it.

It is good if the warming pants have a hem with a good quality elastic band or drawstring. If you use ski boots, then prefer a loose outer hem (possibly with a short zip) and elastic only on the inner hem.

Very handy are the detachable elastic bands on the legs, which can be pulled over the child's foot or over the boots to ensure that the trousers do not pull up.

Do not underestimate the equipment of trousers with reflective elements, which will increase visibility and thus the safety of the child in poor light conditions, which are quite common in winter.

Children's winter pants

Conclusion

Choosing the right winter pants will keep your kids warm, dry and comfortable on every adventure. Just focus on quality materials, functionality and a comfortable fit - and you're set!

The sales specialists at our brick-and-mortar Skibi Kids stores will be happy to help you with your selection.

Skibi Kids stores