Rain Trousers

Overtrousers pulled on when the weather turns

Rain trousers are a shell layer worn over what is already on the legs, not a replacement for it. The designs here are pull up overtrousers for adults, breathable versions for walking and cycling cuts for the commute. Because they go on and come off during a day rather than at the start of one, what decides whether a pair gets used is the waistband, the leg opening and how fast the job can be done standing in a lay by.

Can you put them on without taking your boots off?

That is the single question worth answering before anything else. A plain elasticated hem has to be threaded over a muddy boot, usually balanced on one leg in the wind. Side zips running from the ankle up the calf, or full length zips, open the leg wide enough for a boot to pass through. They also come off without unlacing anything, which is what makes a pair get used rather than stay in the pack. The same zip arrangements run through the wider waterproof trousers range.

Why do they feel damp inside even when nothing leaks?

Because legs produce vapour, and a shell that stops rain also slows that vapour escaping. Walking uphill in a sealed layer condenses moisture on the inside of the fabric, and it feels identical to a leak. Breathable membranes reduce it without removing it, and none keeps pace with hard effort in mild weather. Ventilation is what closes the gap, which is why open ended thigh zips are worth more on a long walk than any change of fabric.

What should you look for?

• Taped seams: the stitch holes along a seam are the first route water takes, so a sealed tape over them matters as much as the outer fabric.
• Adjustable waist: elastic alone loosens once the trousers are wet and heavy. A drawcord or tabs keep them up over a layer already worn.
• Ankle adjustment: a hem that closes down stops the leg flapping into a bicycle chain and keeps water from running into the boot.
• Packed size: a pair that folds into its own pocket travels every day. A bulky pair travels the first week and then stays at home.

What goes under the shell?

A quick drying layer, never cotton. Denim and cotton hold water for hours once they take any in, and they cool the leg all the way home. Synthetic hiking trousers shed the damp they collect and dry while being worn, which is exactly what a shell layer over the top is meant to protect. For longer days on the hill the reinforced cuts in trekking trousers take the same shell over them without bunching.

Do you need overtrousers if the legs already resist water?

It depends on how long the rain lasts. A water resistant finish sheds a shower and wets out in sustained rain, at which point a separate shell is the only thing still working. The distinction is between clothing that copes with weather and a layer built to stop it. Either way, reproof the outer surface when water stops beading on the surface rather than waiting for it to soak through.