Colmar Ski Trousers and Salopettes: Which Pair to Buy

Colmar ski pants are women’s ski trousers and salopettes from the Italian house founded in Monza in 1923, each sold with a published waterproof rating, breathability rating and warmth level. Coveti carries 13 styles from the Colmar skiwear collection for Fall Winter 2026, filed with our women’s designer ski pants, from the stretch Dressy Softshell Ski Trousers in Black to padded pairs, salopettes and a softshell legging.

The short answer: choose an unpadded softshell trouser if you run warm and ski in mild weather, and a padded trouser rated Warm for cold resorts. Salopettes keep snow out at the back. Ratings run from 10,000 mm to 20,000 mm, and the Glam Padded Ski Trousers carry the highest figures.

The pairs below are grouped by the job they do on the mountain rather than by colourway. Every figure comes from Colmar’s own product pages, and the table below sets them side by side.

How Colmar rates its ski trousers

Each rated pair carries three published figures. The water column comes in 10,000 mm, 15,000 mm and 20,000 mm; Colmar describes 10,000 mm as “suitable for heavy rain”, and 15,000 mm as suitable for heavy rain with a barrier of up to 15,000 mm water column. Breathability comes as 10K, 15K and 20K, and Colmar calls 15K “excellent for sports”. Warmth runs on a four-step scale from Light to Very Warm, and these trousers sit at Medium and Warm.

Trousers take more water pressure than jackets do. You kneel to fix a binding, you sit in the snow at lunch, and a wet lift seat presses straight through the seat of the trouser. That is a good reason to look at the water column first. Every pair also carries a water-repellent finish that Colmar says was developed without the use of PFOAS and PFOS.

Our sibling guide to ski waterproof ratings explained covers the numbers in depth. Here they are applied to real trousers.

Softshell trousers: stretch, no padding

Colmar’s softshell trousers are unpadded and cut from a stretch fabric of 96% polyester and 4% spandex. They move with the knee, they breathe, and they suit skiers who run warm and wear a base layer underneath on cold days. Each of these three is rated 10,000 mm and 10K, Medium, in a Regular fit, with fleece back support, knees with an ergonomic curvature and a zipped gusset at the hem.

The Dressy Softshell Ski Trousers in Black are the widest choice, in six single colours at $520 at Coveti, plus a two-tone Dressy Softshell Ski Trousers in Tulle Pink and White at $530 at Coveti. The hem adjusts with a zip and button, and the waistband has belt loops.

The Wonder Softshell Ski Trousers in Disco Pink share the same rating and fabric, with a hem that adjusts with a zip alone, at $530 at Coveti. The Ritmo Softshell Ski Trousers in Black and Incense White are the two-tone pair that matches the Ritmo jackets, at $560 at Coveti.

Softshell trousers sit close without padding, so the leg line stays clean. Our guide to stretch ski pants covers how to wear them with boots.

The slim softshell pair with gaiters

The Captivating Softshell Ski Trousers in Black sit apart from the other softshells. They are cut in a Slim fit from 88% polyamide and 12% spandex, with internal waterproof and snowproof gaiters, a zip and button closure and a Colmar logo on the left leg. Colmar rates them 10,000 mm and 10K, Medium, and Colmar publishes no padding for them. They come in three colourways at $660 at Coveti.

Padded trousers for cold resorts

Padded trousers keep the legs warm on long lift rides at altitude. Most of Colmar’s padded pairs have internal waterproof and snowproof gaiters, so the cuff seals over the boot, and several add polyurethane protection on the hems.

The Niseiko Padded Ski Trousers in Midnight Blue are the entry point, rated 15,000 mm and 15K, Warm, with an adjustable waist and fleece back support, at $550 at Coveti. They match the two-tone Niseiko jacket. The Prize Padded Ski Trousers in Black share the 15,000 mm, 15K, Warm rating and swap the adjustable waist for an adjustable belt, at $610 at Coveti in four colourways.

The Likely Padded Ski Trousers in Black are rated 15,000 mm and 15K but sit one step cooler, at Medium. That makes them a sound pair for spring skiing and for skiers who climb. They are $580 at Coveti. Colmar does not publish a padding weight for the Niseiko, Prize and Likely pairs.

Glam: the most protected trousers

The Glam Padded Ski Trousers are the most technical pair in the edit. Every colourway is rated 20,000 mm and 20K, Warm, with 80 g Clomax padding, a graphene lining and a RECCO reflector. They are the only trousers in the edit with all three.

There are two versions. The Glam Padded Ski Trousers in Black are high waisted, with a front zip, thermal padding and 85% recycled fabric, at $660 at Coveti in black and white. The Glam Padded Ski Trousers in Dark Steel Grey add a removable adjustable belt and zipped side pockets, with a hem that adjusts with a zip and Velcro, at $700 at Coveti in grey and Azteco Green.

Corduroy for the resort skier

The Padded Corduroy Ski Trousers in Incense White bring a corduroy texture to a rated ski trouser. They are rated 10,000 mm and 10K, Warm, with 80 g Clomax padding, an adjustable belt, fleece back support and internal gaiters. The hem adjusts with a zip and Velcro. They come in Incense White and black at $620 at Coveti, and they read as well at a mountain lunch as on the piste.

Salopettes: the bib option

Salopettes, called bibs in the US, run the trouser up over the chest on braces. They keep snow out of the small of the back after a fall, and they stay put when you bend. The trade is a little more effort at a lift station bathroom.

The Shape Softshell Ski Salopettes in Black are unpadded and cut in a Slim fit from 88% polyamide and 12% spandex. They are rated 10,000 mm and 10K, Warm, with adjustable braces, internal gaiters and polyurethane protection on the hems, at $690 at Coveti in black and white.

The national team salopettes carry the names of the Austrian and Slovenian teams. The Austrian National Team Salopettes in Black and the Slovenian National Team Ski Salopettes in Black are each rated 15,000 mm and 15K, Warm, in a Regular fit, with adjustable and detachable braces, patch pockets with zip and an adjustable hem with maxi-zip. Each is $780 at Coveti. They pair with the team jackets in our guide to Colmar ski jackets. For a deeper look at the bib style in general, read our guide to women’s ski bibs.

Softshell ski leggings

The Softshell Ski Leggings in Black are the closest-fitting piece in the edit: unpadded, Slim fit, with an elasticated waistband, a front zip with hook-and-eye and stretch inserts on the sides. Colmar rates them 10,000 mm and 10K, Medium. They are $450 at Coveti in black and white, and they sit with our ski leggings edit. Wear them over a thermal base layer in cold weather.

Fit and sizing

Colmar names three fits, and two of them appear on these trousers. Regular is the standard for the softshell, padded and team pairs. Slim is used on the Captivating trousers, the Shape salopettes and the leggings.

Colmar sizes its trousers in Italian sizes 38 to 50, and some styles run to 52 at source. Coveti lists them on the UK ladder, IT 38 as UK 6 up to IT 50 as UK 18, so IT 42 is a UK 10. IT 52 is not stocked at Coveti. Colmar matches IT 42 to FR and ES 38, DE 36 and US 6. Women’s models on Colmar’s pages are 173 to 177 cm tall and wear IT 42. The full body chart is in our Colmar size guide.

Salopettes add torso length to the fit, so check the braces adjust far enough for your height. Some skiers take a size up in a Slim pair to wear thermal leggings underneath; that is a personal choice, not a Colmar rule.

Care

Most Colmar trousers machine wash at a maximum of 30 degrees C. Do not bleach them, do not tumble dry them and do not dry clean them. Close the zips before washing to protect the gaiters and hems.

Colmar ski pants around the world

US buyers bound for the Rockies, where snow tends to be cold and dry, are well served by padded pairs like the Prize. In the US, salopettes are sold as bibs, and Colmar’s IT 42 equals a US 6.

UK skiers who fly to the Alps for a February week should plan for wet snow as well as deep cold. A 15,000 mm padded trouser such as the Niseiko covers both. IT 42 is a UK 10.

EU buyers will know the Italian ladder already, with IT 42 as FR and ES 38 and DE 36. For spring skiing in the Dolomites, a softshell pair over a light base layer is often enough.

GCC buyers who ski at Ski Dubai and then travel to the Alps, Japan and the Rockies can treat the two differently. A softshell trouser suits the steady cold of an indoor slope, while a padded pair rated Warm is the safer choice for the trip abroad.

Every price at Coveti is shown in US dollars, every piece is 100% authentic, and London-based Coveti ships worldwide. For other houses, see our round-up of the best women’s ski pants.

Which Colmar ski pants to buy

If you ski fast in cold, wet snow, buy the Glam: 20,000 mm, padded, with a RECCO reflector. If you ski mostly groomed runs in the Alps, the Prize gives a Warm rating at 15,000 mm. If you run warm, take a Dressy softshell and add a thermal underneath on the coldest days. Salopettes suit anyone who falls into deep snow often, and the Shape pair does it in a slim line.

Prefer a single piece? Our sibling guide to Colmar ski suits covers the one-piece option, and the full range sits on our Colmar brand page beside the wider designer skiwear edit.

How we measured: waterproof rating, breathability, warmth level and insulation are the figures Colmar publishes on each product page (colmar.com, read on 1 November 2026). Colourways and prices are the Coveti catalogue on the same date. Where Colmar does not publish a figure, the cell says so. Nothing is estimated.

Frequently asked questions

Are Colmar ski pants waterproof?

Yes, every Colmar ski trouser at Coveti carries a published water column of 10,000 mm, 15,000 mm and 20,000 mm depending on the pair. Colmar calls 10,000 mm suitable for heavy rain. The Glam Padded Ski Trousers are the most protected, rated 20,000 mm and 20K breathability.

What is the difference between softshell and padded ski trousers?

Softshell ski trousers are unpadded and cut from a stretch fabric, so they breathe well and suit skiers who run warm. Padded trousers add insulation and are rated Warm in most cases. At Colmar the softshell pairs are rated 10,000 mm, while the padded pairs run from 10,000 mm to 20,000 mm, most at 15,000 mm.

Are salopettes the same as ski bibs?

Yes, salopettes and ski bibs are the same garment: ski trousers that rise over the chest on braces. The British name is salopettes and the American name is bibs. Colmar’s Shape Softshell Ski Salopettes are slim and unpadded, while the two national team salopettes have detachable braces.

Which Colmar ski trousers have a RECCO reflector?

The Glam Padded Ski Trousers are the only Colmar trousers at Coveti with a RECCO reflector, and every colourway has one. They are rated 20,000 mm and 20K, Warm, with 80 g Clomax padding and a graphene lining. Prices are $660 at Coveti for the high-waisted pair and $700 for the belted pair.

How do Colmar trouser sizes convert?

Colmar sizes trousers in Italian sizes, where IT 42 is a UK 10, a US 6, FR and ES 38 and DE 36. Coveti lists them on the UK ladder from IT 38 as UK 6 to IT 50 as UK 18. Models on Colmar’s pages are 173 to 177 cm tall and wear IT 42.

Can you machine wash ski trousers?

Yes, most Colmar ski trousers machine wash at a maximum of 30 degrees C. The care notes say not to bleach, not to tumble dry and not to dry clean. Close every zip first, and let the trousers dry flat in the air so the gaiters keep their shape.