Pants for backcountry skiing and mountaineering

I am looking forward to doing some backcountry snowboarding and mountaineering for the first time this winter in Japan. It seems like the pants for backcountry and for climbing have pretty different features, but I am trying to figure out a system that lets me get away without buying several new pairs of pants this year.

One of my main questions is about the size of the cuff: it seems like most pants designed for backcountry skiing have very wide cuffs to accommodate ski boots. If I do get a pair of pants that has the wide cuff for backcountry, am I going to be miserable tripping over them when I'm climbing in crampons? I'll be snowboarding, not skiing; are the wide cuffs necessary for snowboarding boots, or are snowboarding boots closer in size to mountaineering boots?

The other thing I'm trying to decide is between hard shell and soft shell. Right now my only pair of winter pants are a stretch woven soft shell. I think they'll be fine for climbing in good conditions, but I'm not sure about once I get into deeper or wetter snow. Conditions are very wet in Japan, and people here seem to lean heavily towards hard shells. Anybody with experience in Japan or similar climates able to weigh in on this?

Is it doable to find pants that can cover both backcountry skiing and winter mountaineering bases for a season or two, until I can diversify a bit more? Or do I just need to suck it up and buy the right gear for each task?

I use the oft-recommended OR Cirque pants for both backcountry skiing and climbing.  The cuff fits over my ski boots just fine and is stretchy enough that I can even buckle/unbuckle the top buckle switching from walk to ski without pulling them up.

I don't have experience with Japan, but they've worked fine in the Cascades which can also be wet.  I also have a pair of the OR trailbreakers, which are a little more burley than the circques, that I use when I want a little more protection from the cold.

You will probably be able to get away with a skinnier cuff as a splitboarder. I know a few of my friends do. It is probably worth taking your boots to the store to try some on. Some companies make zip cuffs as well, so keep an eye out for those.

Softshells are the answer. I've ski toured hundreds of days all over the western US and Japan, I've never once wished for hard shell pants. They seem miserably sweaty, no matter how much you vent them .There is just too much aerobic movement in ski touring. Sure, a hardshell jacket can be nice on those real wet days, but never pants.

No reason you can't get a pair to do both reasonably well.

I highly recommend something that is gortex or similar material that is both breathable and very waterproof for Japan.  I've been ski touring in Japan on two trips now on a splitboard and it was snowing pretty much every day both times.  You will find your hotel room turns into a drying rack at the end of the day.  I have a pair of the Burton AK shell pants that work great.  The cuff is a bit wide and I wouldn't think they would be the best for when I am not in ski or snowboard boots.  

I pretty much always wear soft shells (like 99% of the time). Additionally I have full zip hardshells (OR Furio) that I can put on with skis (or board) on if the weather turns or it’s a wet day. I like to always have the option to quickly ditch the shell pants as i hate the clamyness and lack of stretch in hardshells. I run this system mountaineering as well. If temps are going to be cold (colder that 15F or so) I’ll add a base layer under the soft shells. I have OR cirques and don’t like them very much, my other soft shells are an old mammut (don’t know the model) but the fabric is woven tighter, prevents crampon tears, and keeps water out better. They have an elastic at the cuff that fits skis boots but works best with climbing boots. 

Where it Japan? It makes a big difference.

Mammut pants

Thanks for the feedback so far. Interesting range of opinions.

Ian Machen wrote: Where it Japan? It makes a big difference.

I imagine I'll be in a few different places. Definitely climbing in Yatsugatake, maybe elsewhere. For snowboarding, I will at least be going to Kagura in Niigata and Hakuba in Nagano, not sure where else.

Soft Shells are the only way.  MH makes a great pair with a leg cuff zipper, reinforced ankle and butt patches for crampons and seat checks.  Hard shells are no good if your planning on hiking in the sun for over 20 minutes at a time.

I've never been to Japan, and I do my ski touring in the drier climate of the Wasatch, but I really like my OR trailbreaker pants (mentioned above).  They are softshell fabric above the knee (a bit thicker than some), with 3-layer waterproof fabric from the knee down.  They've also got large side vents for the uphill on warm days.  This has worked well for me touring in wide range of temps and dampness, from warm spring skiing to wet, cold windy days in the mid-season (with different base layers).  The cuffs are big enough to get over a ski boot, but just barely--they work for me with regular hiking boots also, so I'd expect they would be good for climbing if they fit you.