Outdoor Research White Room Pants

by Niels Oomkes

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Outdoor Research’s Core Mission is to provide innovation and inspiration for the relentless adventurer. With the Core Beliefs being: A Culture of Respect, Innovation That Works, Improve Every Day, Beauty in Function, and The Power of the Journey.

That is a strong and powerful message that should resonate with the everyday athlete and weekend warrior, no matter your interest and/or passion. I like it!

Initial Impressions for the Outdoor Research White Room Pants

Let me start out by saying that these are a higher priced item, and because of that I expect a high quality and top performing piece of snow apparel. The Outdoor Research White Room Pants are a shell made with high quality technologically advanced materials. They are waterproof, breathable, have plenty of pockets, and provide some very nice venting options. I am super excited to be able to take them for a spin here in my backyard, the Rocky Mountain High Alpine peaks. I have been putting them to the test for about five to six weeks now, and have a real good feel for their capability.

In search of powder at Steamboat Ski Resort

Outdoor Research White Room Pants Features

Below you will find the entire list of wonderful features that encompass these pants. I do want to mention and highlight a few of these that have stood out during my time wearing these. The reinforced scuff guards on the inside of the bottom leg are a very common sight on ski pants. The additional step of taking that reinforcement down and around the entire bottom of the hem adds to the durability and life of the White Room Pants.

Cuff guard on the inside that wraps around the entire base.

Although, I have not had the opportunity or need to test the avalanche beacon pocket for its intended use, it is securely located on the right front and also has a handy dandy key clip.

Right Front Avalanche Beacon Pocket and Key Clip

The internal Gaiter with Power Strap Slot is very nice. The 4 strips of elastic gripper right below a stretch mesh ensure that the gaiter does not ride up. In addition, the Power Strap Slot allows you to loosen and fasten your boot strap without having to remove your gaiters. This will come in really handy in the backcountry when skinning, climbing, or hiking for some hard earned turns.

An amazing piece of technology on ski apparel these days is the RECCO Rescue Reflector system. This system was developed in response to an avalanche tragedy that involved its inventor, Magnus Granhad, back in 1973. The clothing, as well as boots, helmets, and body protection worn by skiers and riders has an integrated reflector. Secondly, organized rescue teams have a detector to aid in finding someone in distress. In the White Room Pants, the reflector is located on the lower outside pant leg. Please do keep in mind that this is not a substitute for avalanche safety gear, beacons, and general mountain awareness, knowledge, and common sense.

Waterproof
Windproof
Breathable
Durable
Fully Seam Taped
Water-Resistant Zippers
Movement-Mirroring Stretch
Accepts Accessory Suspenders
Belt Loops
Dual-Snap Zipper Fly
Adjustable Tabs at Waist
Brushed-Tricot-Lined Waistband
Zippered Pockets
Zippered Rear Pocket
Zippered Thigh Pocket
Avalanche Beacon Pocket with Key Clip
Zippered Outer Thigh Vents
Zippered Inner Mesh-Lined Thigh Vents
Articulated Knees
Reinforced Scuff Guards
Stretch-Mesh Internal Gaiter with Power Strap Slot
Venting on outside and inside of thigh
Beacon pocket – out of the way

Breathability Factor of the Outdoor Research White Room Pants

Let’s get down to it. These pants are a great option for a wide variety of skiers, snowboarders, backcountry explorers, or mountain climbers. The first point is that they are actually quite warm because of the thicker and more durable outer layer.

Inner vent zip pockets with mesh lining

Gore-Tex is durable, lightweight, breathable, versatile, and rugged all in a minimalistic design. The 3-Layer Construction bonds the Gore-Tex membrane to both the outer fabric and the inner lining. The great advantage is that there is no movement between the 3 layers. This means less wear and tear and a stronger enhanced durability.

Outside leg vent can be opened from top to bottom, bottom to top, or a little bit from both ends.

The Fit

The Outdoor Research White Room Pants come advertised as a “relaxed fit”, and they feel and look that way. They’re not too baggy, but allow for enough room to be able to wear a base layer or thicker insulated bottoms when the temperatures really dip. With my endurance ventures the past few years, I have become a bit leaner, and my 6’-1” tall average frame is stuck in between Medium and Large. I opted for the Large in this case, and that was a good call. Having said that, if you are at all in limbo on what size to pick you should look at sizing up.

Jacket Powder skirt connected to the White Room Pant

The twin companion to the Outdoor Research White Room Pants is the identically named White Room Jacket (see full review HERE). In tandem and connected properly they will aid in keeping you dry, warm, and able to enjoy the mountain to its fullest. With several hooks, straps, and loops, these pants will also accept accessory suspenders and jackets.

Let’s put these Pants to the test

I decided to check out the early season ski conditions at Keystone Resort, and was pleasantly surprised. A few late November storms brought plenty of snow to provide a good base. No deep powder tree skiing by any means, but enough to get in a few good turns on some fast groomers. A chilly morning started off quite well. A simple base layer and my Outdoor Research White Room Pants withstood the first few chairlift rides and some speedy descents. As the day wore on, the sun decided to make its presence known warming things up quite nicely. People were shedding layers left and right, and all I had to do was unzip my exterior vents slightly to get the proper amount of cooling to continue comfortably.

Kicking up some powder at Steamboat Springs

Mid to late December really gave way to storm fronts that were dumping some serious snow on the high country. A Christmas trip to Steamboat Springs was just the ticket to some fun in the snow they call champagne. They claim it’s fluffier, lighter, very smooth, and dry which is great for Skiing. Steamboat Ski Resort actually holds the trademark to “Champagne Powder”. Temperatures were cold enough for me to put on my thicker insulated thermals. There was a light snow falling throughout the day, and the fog played tricks on the terrain. I made it through the day without any complaints or concerns for the wind or snow that never had a chance to penetrate.

After one of those really expensive burgers (so worth it), we decided to hike to a few areas where the snow laid untouched. Hard work does pay off although at several points the terrain does level out forcing me to work by skating and pushing my way steeper slopes. I was starting to work up a good sweat, and in this case I was able to open up the mesh lined inside as well as the outside vents to aid in dumping excess heat. When I reached the fresh powder once again, I simply zipped and flew back down to drown myself in that fresh champagne powder.

The Outdoor Research White Room Pants in their element.

Technical Details

Fabric: GORE-TEX® 3L, 92% nylon, 8% spandex soft shell face fabric, 100% polyester fleece backer
Avg. Weight (oz./g): 24.3oz / 689g (L)

Final Verdict on the Outdoor Research White Room Pants

Really, what’s not to like? High quality, waterproof, breathable, with plenty of features to take your mind away from your apparel and towards enjoying nature’s beauty by taking on the mountain. These Outdoor Research White Room Pants are a very nice complement to any skiers or boarders closet. I foresee several seasons of use. For more information on these and other quality ski pants please visit: www.outdoorresearch.com or www.amazon.com/outdoorresearch.