The North Face Freedom Insulated Review

These pants perform well across the board. And taking price into account, we are amazed by their performance. They are warm, weather-resistant, and durably constructed. There are better ski pants, but to raise the bar, other pants use materials and construction that come at a price. Overall, the Freedom hits a sweet spot.

Performance Comparison

Weather Resistance

The North Face can usually be trusted to provide great weather protection, and the Freedom Insulated pants are no exception. In all but the gnarliest of weather, they provide adequate protection. The fabric is waterproof, windproof, and beads water well. The pocket construction is also adequate, but we'd prefer waterproof zippers. These, of course, would raise the cost of the pants. The main seams are all sealed, but the seams around the zippers are not. The thigh pocket closes with velcro instead of a zipper, offering easy access, but less weather resistance. The North Face uses an excellent DWR coating that beads water and performed well in an extended dousing in the shower. This coating prevents water from seeping through those unprotected zippers and seams for a season of light use before it wears off.

Fit and Comfort

We found the Freedom Insulated to fit true to size. The range of motion is reasonable, and the external fabric is soft and comfortable. The puffy synthetic insulation also adds comfort, compared to other shell-only pants in the review.

The cut of these pants is just barely on the baggy side of neutral. This allows for a good range of motion and great comfort, but we found the crotch seam to hang just a little too low, preventing most acrobatic leg movements. There are velcro straps on each side of the waist to adjust the waist fit, eliminating the need to wear a belt. Overall, these are some of the more comfortable and well-fitting pants that we have tested.

Ventilation

Because of all the synthetic insulation, it is clear that the Freedom Insulated is more concerned with keeping heat inside than keeping the user cool. The main ventilation features of these pants are the inner thigh leg vents. In general, inner thigh vents allow less airflow than outer leg vents. Furthermore, the vents are only about eight inches long, which is shorter than other pants in the competition. Lastly, the vents are backed with mesh, which prevents most snow and water from getting in when the vents are open but also prevents some air motion. In general, ventilation in these pants is limited.

Warmth

These pants are among the warmest in our review. This is due to synthetic insulation, the same insulation used in many "puffy" jackets. They don't look "puffy," but the insulation is there. In fact, these pants are too warm for all-season use in warmer ski destinations. That said, if you go skiing a lot, you are bound to end up skiing in cold weather, where this model is right at home. Still, the insulation makes them less versatile, and if you are the type of skier who likes to have exact control over your warmth through a layering system, the Freedom Insulated might not agree with you.

Features

The Freedom Insulated pants are light on pockets. That said, the pants still come with all of the major features we expect from ski pants, like boot cuffs and handwarmer pockets. Other than that, they have one big thigh cargo pocket, and that's it. The hip pockets are fleece-lined, making them very comfortable, and the velcro closure of the cargo pocket is burly and secure, though none of the pockets are waterproof. The elastic powder cuffs at the leg openings are big enough to fit over ski boots while keeping snow out.

Style

Most ski pants are largely neutral in styling, which means not too baggy and not too tight. The cut of the Freedom pants is generally neutral, a little on the looser side, but still unremarkable in comparison with the general trend. We wish the style were a bit more tailored. These pants comes in many colors, so anyone can probably find something to their liking. The zipper flaps of the two handwarmer pockets and the cargo pocket flap stand out a little bit, and ski fashion aficionados might note that the high-end pants are moving away from these features towards zippers that are flush with the pant material. However, for the price, they have a great style with tons of size and color options.

Should You Buy The North Face Freedom Insulated?

These pants provide good performance and a great value. If you need a warm, insulated ski pant for cold winter conditions, but you don't want to break the bank to get them, these pants are perfect. We think other pants have better performance at a low price, but those other options aren't as warm. The Freedom Insulated is a perennial favorite for our test team, and they are a great value.

What Other Ski Pants Should You Consider?

These pants are great, but we like the Helly Hansen Legendary Insulated even better, thanks to a better fit, even though the Freedom Insulated is warmer. If you are looking for even cheaper pants, the REI Powderbound Insulated also gets the job done, but not as well. The Spyder Dare is another excellent and inexpensive insulated pant, but it has a funky style. If you are looking for inexpensive bibs, The North Face Freedom Bib has a similar fit and price point. If you are looking for the best pants on the market with better weather resistance and style, the Arc'teryx Sabre Pant is our favorite overall.