Jacket: 2011-2012 TREW Bellows Jacket, Large 
Bibs: TREWTH bibs, Large
Days Tested: ~50
Reviewer: 5,’10” 185 lbs., 30” inseam, 32” waist
Test Location: Alta, Arapahoe Basin, Las Leñas, Silverton, Taos, Wolf Creek
When I first heard about TREW a couple seasons ago, I thought: Yeah, right. These three dudes are going to produce bomber, technical outerwear that also ups the steeze factor. In an industry where over-the-top claims run rampant, the safe assumption was that this was just another example.
Nevertheless, near the end of the 10/11 season, I picked up a TREW Cosmic jacket, I dunno, I think mostly because it was orange or something. I was curious but still skeptical about this new company.
That Cosmic jacket was impressive, the construction was bomber. It was made from a heavier nylon than most technical shell fabrics for increased durability. It was burly, but it wasn’t stupid heavy. I’m not a guy looking to shave every last possible ounce from his ski gear, so this basically felt dialed to me.
Later, when I heard that TREW was retooling things a bit for their 11/12 line up, I was even more curious, and I ended up skiing almost half of my days this past season in the Bellows Jacket and TREWTH bibs.
In short: the jacket and bibs are the most bomber outerwear I’ve ever worn. The stuff seems fairly indestructible, and I’ve got anecdotes to back that up. But first, let’s talk about the fit.
SIZING / FIT:
The Large TREWTH Bibs are pretty huge – I’ve got a 32” waist, and I’ve got a ton of room around the midsection of the bibs.
Personally, I’d like to see TREW reduce the whole midsection width of the bibs a bit (from sternum to the top of the thighs), but whatever. There are belt loops on the bibs if you want them, and they work fine.
(As a point of reference, I wear 10/11 MOMENT Arlington pants in a medium (those have an enormous waist, too); 11/12 Flylow Stash pants in a large (perfect fit for me); 09/10 TNF Park Cargo in a medium (relaxed fit) and large (baggy fit).
I haven’t tried the TREWTH bibs on in a medium, but I could imagine dropping down in size if that sucked up some of the extra room in the waist, but left (at least close to) the same amount of room in the legs.
The Bellows Jacket didn’t feel as big relative to the pants, and I wouldn’t be tempted to down size to Medium. (FYI, I wear a medium in my ArcTeryx Theta AR; I’m a very snug medium in my Arc Venta (it’s an athletic fit); and I have a size Medium 10/11 MOMENT BELDON jacket, which I definitely should have sized up to Large.)
Okay, some reports from specific test days. (FYI, I’m not going to blather on about all the product features of this jacket and bibs. TREW’s website and videos do that well. What I’m going to focus on is how well this stuff worked, not just a giant list of specs you can find elsewhere.)
so after reading your and other reviews saying how quality Trew’s gear is, i’ve decided to invest in a Trew jacket (not totally decided yet between the Bellows and the Pow Funk). My only concern is that i’ve read a couple of people who say that, while very durable and totally waterproof, the gelanots fabric isn’t totally windproof, and skiing on the east coast (mostly sugarloaf) this is a bit of a concern for me. I was just wondering what you thought, in regards to this, from your experience.
thanks a lot in advance for any thoughts you may have,
Hi Andy, I think it’s very important to be clear about which model year each person is referencing.
My comments are about the 11/12 line, not earlier versions. All I can say is that, in 50+ days, wind was absolutely not an issue at all, and I don’t layer very heavily – often, a pretty thin wool base layer, then maybe a Patagonia Nano Puff.
I also asked our reviewer, Will Brown, who spent a number of days in the 11/12 Bellows jacket and TREWTH bibs, whether he ever felt like wind was an issue: “No way.”
In any case, that was our experience. Might be worth an email to TREW to ask, I’m sure they’ll give you a straightforward answer. Let us know what you decide to do and how it’s working out.
I emailed the TREW guys earlier today, and got a response back within the hour saying that if I buy the jacket and don’t like it for whatever reason I can send it back no questions asked. Top marks for customer service in my opinion, looking forward to trying out the jacket for real.
Thanks so much for the extremely informative review. I’ve been thinking about buying the Cosmic jacket and you’ve definitely convinced me to buy it. I do have question though – What’s the fit like for TREW jackets? I’m 6′ 2″ and I like my jackets on the longer side, but without too much baggage. Therefore I’m not sure whether to go for the xl or xxl.
Hey Brian, these jackets definitely run on the freeride cut side – not an athletic / slim fit. I’m 5’10”, and I’m wearing a large Bellows jacket. I’m not sure how much length is gained by going to XL or XXL, but I’m sure the guys at TREW would be happy to tell you exactly that. Email them. As Andy can attest, they are good at getting in touch.
I have the Pow Funk Jacket and it’s awesome.
I have it in an XL. 5’11” and 195 lbs. Fits well and the thing is totally bomber
I just broke in a pair of Trewth bibs at the Fairy Meadows Hut in BC last week and wanted to drop you guys a line with a couple thoughts:
First, I’m 5’10”, about 180, and went with a large. As a general rule, I was stoked on the pants. Style’s great; zipper and pocket placement were on point; internal gaiter was great; cuff guards have absolutely no visible damage after a week of hard touring and skiing. That being said, I have two suggestions to make the pants (in my opinion) damn-near perfect. My first suggestion is the use of a way more breathable fabric above the waistband. No need for waterproof/breathable under your shell and I constantly found myself soaked with sweat while skinning or booting.
Second, the bib straps could stand a bit of tweaking. I’d like to see a burlier material used for the straps themselves. If I set the bibs where I wanted them with empty pockets and such, it didn’t seem to take adding much (snacks, a pair of gloves while skinning, etc) to the thigh pockets to get the pants to start sagging down. I understand Trew’s looking to create technical gear with a more freeride-oriented cut than your average alpinist’s pants, but I hate having to pull the crotch of the pants up while high-stepping technical bootpacks or steep skin-tracks. On the strap note, I would also like to see the actual adjustment buckle moved further down the front of the bib. I started running into problems with the buckles sitting under my backpack straps when I tried to really tighten things up. It may be that those issues would be resolved by dropping down a size, eh? But there you have it, my two cents.
Thanks for the feedback, Mike!