Stormproof Ski Bibs With a Better Fit and Cleaner Materials: Arc’teryx Women’s Rush Bibs Review

A great women’s ski bib should feel like part of your body. I’ve spent enough years skiing in every imaginable condition to know that not all bibs achieve that. But the updated Arc’teryx Rush Bibs come pretty darn close. Whether I was lapping runs at Aspen Snowmass or sucking wind while climbing 2,000 vertical feet on a hot and sunny day, these bibs moved with me.

Yes, the new Rush Bibs are technical, storm-ready, come with a RECCO reflector, and are made with PFAS-free GORE-TEX PRO ePE materials. But all of that is what we’ve come to expect from Arc’teryx.

Instead, I was most impressed by how well these bibs fit compared to the older versions. The longer rise, roomier thighs, a smidge of wiggle room in the hips, and all-around better mobility made a massive difference in my comfort. It’s like the brand has finally dialed in the fit for women — including those with an athletic, curvier build — and I’m here for it.

In short: The updated Arc’teryx Rush Bibs ($750) boast small but meaningful design tweaks that make these women’s ski bibs more comfortable, more useful, and more eco-friendly. And they did it with the weather protection (and price tag) the brand is known for.

See how the Arc’teryx Rush Bibs stack up against the competition in our buyer’s guide to the Best Women’s Ski Bibs.

Arc’teryx Women’s Rush Ski Bib Review

Over 3 days of resort skiing in everything from blustery winds and sub-20 degrees Fahrenheit to bluebird warmth, plus one uphill ski day at Snowmass, the updated cut of the Arc’teryx Women’s Rush Ski Bibs never restricted me.

It didn’t ride up. It didn’t stick at the hip crease. In general, it didn’t fight me. As someone with powerful quads and an athletic build, these bibs feel like they were finally tailored for bodies like mine.

Arc’teryx has long been one of the most trusted names in ski outerwear for alpine and backcountry skiers. This is largely thanks to the brand’s reputation for bombproof construction and all-around weather protection.

The Rush Bibs sit squarely in the freeride-touring category: light enough for skinning, burly enough for storm skiing, and cute enough that you look good no matter what you’re doing.

A Fit That Matches Real Movement

The fit is the biggest and most welcome change in this redesign. I’ve worn the previous-generation Rush Bibs for a few years (from the 2023-2024 update), and really liked them. But while they were durable and protective, the rise was always a bit short.

On steeper skin tracks, the crotch seam tended to ride up in an unfortunate way that usually left me doing an awkward dance as I dug fabric from my nether regions. (Now there’s a visual!) The new version fixes this. The longer rise gives you room to actually move, and I never noticed fabric where fabric shouldn’t be.

The thighs and hips are roomier, too, which I personally appreciate as a woman with strong quads. In a ski stance with bent knees and my quads naturally expanded, the fabric doesn’t pull tight or restrict motion. Instead, it moves with me.

Whether I was cruising groomers, navigating cold storm laps, or climbing 1,900 feet of vert on a hot day at Buttermilk, the bibs stayed comfortable. And, it was a bonus that they didn’t bunch up around my I-had-a-baby-hips in the way they do with some brands. Nothing bunched, nothing pinched, and nothing rode up. They simply worked, no matter what I was doing.

Smart Storage and Venting

Arc’teryx kept the pockets simple but functional, and everything feels easier to access. The bibs have two large thigh pockets — one on each leg — and each with an internal, drop-in tech sleeve. These are big enough for a large cellphone.

Because the thighs are roomier now, the pockets don’t press uncomfortably against your leg. You’ve never lived until you’ve had a phone jammed tightly against your quad while skiing, and that’s a special experience that the Rush Bibs will save you from.

Higher on the waist, two small zippered pockets sit flat and secure against the body. They’re not big, but they fit small valuables like a credit card. Personally, I used them for anything I wanted to keep track of but didn’t need to access, like my car keys.

Dual-side zippers run from hip to knee, offering excellent heat dumping on both legs. I used them extensively during my uphill ski day on a warm, sunny afternoon, and they made a huge difference.

I sweat enough to clog my eyeballs, so overheating is the norm for me. But these leg zippers did a fantastic job of allowing me to manage airflow efficiently and stay (relatively) comfortable as I slogged uphill.

The New Stuff: Cleaner Weatherproofing

The other major update this season is the switch to GORE-TEX’s new ePE membrane, which replaces the fluorochemical-based waterproofing used in older shells. If you’re not deep in textile nerdom, here’s the abbreviated version: This ePE material is now GORE-TEX’s top-end option for rugged outerwear. It fills the same role that its burliest alpine fabric used to, only now it doesn’t come with PFAS compounds.

This shift isn’t just Arc’teryx being progressive — it’s happening across the entire outdoor industry. New regulations in the EU and in some U.S. states are pushing brands to phase out PFAS (“forever chemicals”) due to their persistence in the environment and links to health concerns.

PFAS were widely used because they made fabrics incredibly water-repellent. But they don’t break down: They accumulate in ecosystems and in human bodies. Most major outdoor brands are now transitioning to PFAS-free waterproofing, and this generation of the Rush Bibs reflects that shift.

PFAS-Free Fabric, Same High Performance

In practice, the new fabric performs exactly as I expect from a ski shell. During a stormy, mid-teens day with blowing snow, nothing soaked through. On my hot uphill climb at Snowmass, the bibs breathed well enough that I didn’t feel like I was melting from the inside out. I also feel like the ePE material has a softer hand that is less stiff, less crunchy, and less swishy when you walk.

Care is easy. One of the quirks of these newer membranes is that they perform better when washed regularly. Sweat, sunscreen, dirt, and body oils can clog the fabric and slow down breathability, especially after big effort days. I toss mine in the wash with a technical detergent like Nikwax, and then tumble dry on low heat to help the water-repellent treatment reset.

Every so often, a spray-on treatment refresh keeps everything beading like new. For many skiers, drying your shell gear feels wrong, since we were told not to do it for years. But it’s different now, and the Rush Bibs are a great example.

Room for Improvement

I’ll be honest: there’s not a lot to dislike about the Arc’teryx Rush Bibs, except for the price tag. At $750, the newer iteration is $50 more than the previous version, likely because ePE costs more. This type of investment is what I call a “cry once, buy once” purchase.

They are a premium piece of technical gear, but Arc’teryx is known for its durability. Based on my testing and experience with the brand, I have no doubt these bibs will last for years and years. But still … ouch. That’s a lot of coin for a pair of ski pants.

Final Thoughts

The updated Arc’teryx Rush Bibs feel like the version I didn’t know I wanted: more comfortable and better proportioned. They’re sustainably updated and technically uncompromising.

These women’s ski bibs are designed for skiers who demand performance, regardless of whether that means bluebird laps, storm days, or long skin tracks.

If you’re new to skiing, these are probably overkill — mainly because of the price tag. But for experienced skiers who want one pair of women’s ski bibs to take you from the chairlift to the skin track and back again, this redesign feels like the one that got everything right.