Rainlegs Review
Posted November 17, 2011
December is our wettest month. Met Office statistics show that you can expect at least 13 days of rain in the final month of the year. Suddenly, commuting seems less appealing, there’s nothing quite as bad as arriving at work sopping wet. Fortunately, help is at hand thanks to an innovative Dutch product that at least keeps your legs dry.
The Product
I’ve never liked waterproof trousers. Cumbersome and awkward, they’re not the best legwear for riding a bike. You might not get wet from the rain, but the “boil in the bag” effect gets you damp from your own sweat. Rainlegs get round this by providing waterproof cover where you need it most when riding a bike – the tops of your thighs. This cuts down on the weight, avoids them getting caught in the chain and provides plenty of ventilation to stop you overheating. They’re very quick to put on – clip round the waist and a few straps hold them firmly and comfortably in place. Flaps over the knee contain a thin layer of foam, forming an overhang to stop water running down the front of your shins. There’s plenty of reflectives to improve visibility and they’re also available in fluorescent yellow. It’s possible to wear the Rainlegs rolled up as a belt, with prestuds to hold them in place until it starts raining, although in practice I tended to just roll them up and keep them in my bag.
My Verdict
The Rainlegs were surprisingly effective at keeping my trousers dry, a bit of road spray made it onto the lower part of my trousers but thanks to my mudguards, this was no worse than I might have got walking in the rain. I found them much more convenient than full waterproofs for commuting and was able to ride in my normal work trousers without fear of them getting a soaking. The ventilation meant there was no overheating, even up steeper hills. I got the odd double-take from passers by – the appearance takes some getting used to, but this is a minor point when compared to all the positives.
For:
Convenient, easy to use and transport
Very effective at keeping your trousers dry – from without and within.
Against:
Look a little odd at first.
Competition – Win a Pair of Rainlegs
We have four pairs of Rainlegs to give away on dailycycle next week - follow us on twitter and facebook to find out how.
