Dirtlej have the distinction, in our eyes, as popularising the all-in-one waterproof suit, so is the original still the best or have the competition caught up?
Pete heads out into the winter wilds to see where the Dirtlej Dirtsuit Core Edition shines.
Photos by Pete Scullion.
Key features:
- Water column 18.000 mm
- Breathability 15.000 g/m2/24h
- 6 air inlets
- Waterproof pockets
- Stretch-segment and reinforced seams
- Detachable legs and storable hood
- Reflective Print
- £339.00 RRP
- Dirtlej.UK
The waterproof onesie isn’t new to mountain bikes and certainly there’s a few companies offering similar bits of kit, but the Dirtlej Dirtsuit is the OG. IXS did a downhill onesie many moons ago but it was a touch boil in the bag for longer days in the saddle.
The Dirtlej Dirtsuit Core Edition is the flagship suit, offering 18,000mm of waterproofing and 15,000g/m2/24h of breathability. Not the highest number by any measure but plenty for most missions. A considerable number of vents plus some waterproof pockets also allow you to help the breathability without wetting out your phone.
Dirtlej were kind enough to send me both an XSmall and a Small to try as I was on the overlap of both sizes. At 5′ 4″, 60kg, the XSmall was by far the better fit. Still a little long in the leg for my 28″ inseam but not by much. The only noticeable point was around the waist where, at 30″, it was on the comfy side of neat.
As you might expect, a waterproof suit is warm on the bike, especially on the climbs. However, some sensible layering underneath from a merino longsleeve to the full mountain layer setup means you can tailor it to the conditions. The vents mean you can further tweak the heat levels to avoid being a sweaty mess.
The real joy of the Dirtsuit is to slip out of it at the end of a ride and to be clean and dry, regardless of how stinking the trails were. Yes, you’ll still have to pick mud out of your hair and eyes, but the suit can’t do everything. The tuckable hood is a solid feature but can get in the way of larger packs and full coverage helmets, so sometimes it’s easier just to leave it hanging.
Possibly my only grumble with the Dirtsuit is the pockets. The check pocket isn’t quite big enough on the opening to fit my Google Pixel 7 Pro without a touch of wrestling. The thigh pockets feel very shallow too and sit on the part of the thigh that is tightest at the top of the pedal stroke.
What do we think?
Beyond the pockets, the Dirtlej Dirtsuit Core Edition is a quality bit of kit that has got me out the door when the rain is bouncing off the deck. It has stood up to constant washes without any sign of wear. It’s not cheap, but it’s in the ballpark if you were buying a jacket and waterproof trousers at the same time, albeit slightly less flexible in its use. If you ride somewhere that’s nearly always wet even when it’s not raining, the Dirtsuit is a god send.
We love:
- Weatherproof your ride
- Getting home dry and clean
- Robust
Could do better:
- Waterproof pockets aren’t quite the right shape or location
