2011-2012 Flylow Stash pants

Product: 2011 – 2012 Flylow Stash Pant, size Large

Test Location: Las Leñas 

I’m a college student in Colorado, and part of a very active student body. For students here, and lots of younger riders everywhere, heading to the mountains is as much a part of the weekly routine as Saturday night house parties.

As for the wardrobe that accompanies a rider’s lifestyle, the truth is that outerwear with a loose/baggy fit (the kind that older generations scoffed at when we were growing up on the hill), is here to stay. Why has ski and snowboard wear moved in this direction? Baggy outerwear is as much a part of the progression of snow sports as triple corks and gnarlier, more technical lines.

Outerwear has to provide a rider with the mobility required to go bigger and set spins harder.

Thankfully, brands have caught on in recent seasons, and are putting out products that have a properly baggy cut. Just as important, they’re fully functional technical pieces of gear. And the Stash Pant from Flylow is a good example.

I’ll admit, while I had few doubts about the build quality of Flylow gear, I was very unsure if the style and fit of the Stash Pant was going to suit me. After several days rocking them in Las Leñas, I’m really starting to like these things.

The Large size is sufficiently loose and hangs very comfortably. Most of all I’m impressed with the way they’re cut: plenty wide, with articulated knees, and they don’t look like something MC Hammer would wear.

I’m 6’3” and lanky, with a 33” inseam. For quite a while, to get my preferred fit, I’d have to buy pants two or three sizes bigger than what the manufacturer’s sizing chart recommends (and rely on belt).The Stash have a nice free fit through the legs, but actually fit me perfectly in the waist (I’m about a 31″).

In the past week days we’ve experienced warm, sunny conditions at the base area and some much colder, very windy situations at the top of the Marte chair. Made from reinforced nylon twill, these pants hold up really well in the wind, and they’ve definitely kept me warm.

Venting is a big selling point on these pants. With big 18” outer and 9” inner thigh vents, opening both sides up on a descent will cool you down very quickly. The plan is to hike Cerro Martìn in the coming days, and I’ll be able to add more on their venting on the bootpack then if needed (though I don’t doubt they’ll do very well).

The first thing I noticed about these pants is the Cordura reinforcements around the cuffs. I’ve destroyed the cuffs of several past pair of pants over the course of a season, and these look like they will hold up really well. With all seams and venting zippers fully taped, everything about these pants strikes me as super durable. We’re expecting a lot of new snow in the next week, so I’ll be sure to report on their waterproofing qualities in the field when the data has been gathered. But for now, Jonathan is going to offer his take on the Stash.

Jonathan Ellsworth

The funniest part about Will’s comments above is that, before we got down to Las Leñas, he was pretty convinced that Flylow wasn’t going to get the newschool, freeride look and cut correct. Maybe the biggest compliment I can pay Flylow is that the kid is sold.

And Will is right: the Stash pants are a quality construction and a proper cut. In fact, I’m not sure I’ve ever had ski pants with a better cut and fit. I hate restrictive pants, too, and the Stash is roomy through the thigh and lower leg but with a narrower waist. I’m 5’10”, 185 lbs., 32 inch waist, 30” inseam, and I’m wearing the Stash in a size Large. I could probably go medium, but I like room to move. (You will never, ever catch me in a pair of skinny jeans. Ever.) The Large is baggy, but the adjustable velcro tabs at the waist mean that I’m not swimming in these; I don’t even have to wear a belt with them, though I do have to cinch them down quite a bit. Evidently, Flylow is assuming that the people rocking their gear are actually out getting after it rather than sitting on a couch getting fat.

One other thing: I’ve owned the Flylow Chemical pant for a couple of seasons, and I consider the 11/12 Stash pant a clear improvement. Flylow has used a heavier duty fabric on the Stash pant. I felt like my Chemical pants were made of a fabric that hung on you like a pair of dress pants – too light, sort of droopy. They also aren’t cut quite as wide as the Stash.

Also, in very wet conditions, the Chemical pants saturated too quickly. I haven’t yet had the Stash in wet snow or rain, but I’ll be shocked if it doesn’t do a better job of repelling water.

Bottom line: if you’re into a tighter fit, and a really light fabric, the Chemical might be your thing; but if you’re looking for a loose fitting pant that will keep you drier longer, the Stash is the ticket.

[Editor’s Note: The pair of Stash pants featured above is a pre-production sample in red. The “Orange” color  production version of the Stash is shown below.]