Ski pants and rain pants aren’t quite the same thing. But if you really needed to, you could probably get away with skiing in rain pants. “If they are a high-quality, truly waterproof pair of rain pants, they’ll do the job,” Braverman says. “You do want to make sure that they are either thick enough to keep you warm or that you are wearing the right layers underneath them.” (Ski pants are typically insulated. So you need to make sure you’ve piled on enough layers to stay warm underneath your rain pants.) “The one potential problem I can think of is durability,” Braverman adds. “Ski pants are typically made from very durable strong fabrics that won’t easily tear if you take a spill. If you’re not an expert skier and you think you might take a tumble, just make sure the rain pants you’re wearing are sturdy enough to stay in one piece.” If you feel like your rain pants are both genuinely waterproof and very durable, they may be up to the task. That said, it’s probably a good idea to ski in ski pants—rather than in rain pants—if you have the option.