DHB Waterproof trousers

For any commuter cyclist, waterproof trousers are essential. I remember the first two years of working in town, I was too tight to buy any waterproof trousers. When it rained I would teach by standing by the radiator waiting for trousers to dry. Happy days!

Then I got a pay rise and bought a pair of waterproof trousers from an outdoor shop. They weren’t very good. Firstly they were too short and so your ankles got very wet. So I bought a pair of walking garters to fill the gap and stop the trouser getting stuck in the chain. I’ve been meaning to buy a proper pair of cycling waterproof trousers for several years, but I never seem to get round to it. There’s always a new deep section front wheel to buy.

For the past two years, the elastic waist broke on my  old trouser. So it meant when I got off the bike, the waterproof trousers would start to fall down. A bit embarrassing, even if there was another pair of trousers underneath. Anyway when I was offered a pair of DHB waterproof trousers to review, I was pretty happy. Anything was going to be a big improvement…

I got them a couple of months ago, and to be honest there haven’t been that many wet days. But, when it has rained, I’ve put them on and they have done a good job in keeping my dry.

Modelling some new waterproof trousers.

The jacket is a dhb Flashlight waterproof, I’ve reviewed previously.

A small back pocked. I wouldn’t use this, I just keep stuff in my proper trousers.

Velcro makes it easy to clip the trousers together and adjust the width at the bottom of the leg. This makes the trouser narrow at the bottom and prevents the trouser getting caught in the chain. Better than the trouser in sock routine.

With my old waterproof trousers, I had to use ‘walking garters’ to prevent them getting caught in the chain.

Review:

Sizing is very good – I was able to choose small waist  – long leg. This is a big bonus for trousers, as I usually end up with short and stumpy. The range of sizing means you can get a good fit. They fit fairly closely over the trousers so they are not too bulky when cycling.

Breath-ability is reasonable; I never managed to work up a sweat, but I take the ride into town at quite a steady pace. The important thing is that they kept trousers dry and the waterproofing seemed pretty good.

They are fairly light and easy to stuff in your bag for when you don’t need them.

A test of waterproof trousers is how they perform after a couple of years. It can be effective to use some waterproofing spray to maintain it over time.

Overall

I’m a bit lucky to get these for review because I really needed a pair of waterproof trousers. It is hard to find any real fault. They do a good job, keep you dry and are quite comfortable to cycle in. I just don’t know why I persevered with my old waterproof trousers for so long….

Waterproof trousers

• DHB Flashlight waterproof trousers – £42 at Wiggle