The facts speak for themselves, tens of thousands of water column and breathability, combined with welded and reinforced seams, as well as waterproof zippers. There are also six air intakes, sophisticated pocket management and reflective elements. Sounds good, but that's what many functional garments offer these days. But this one does: The piece simply looks great!

A jumpsuit is a very demanding item in terms of cut, as it has to fit a variety of different body proportions in one size. In this case, men and women too, as it is sold as a unisex model. At 172 centimetres tall, the size S fitted me very well. Comfortably tight around the upper body but not restricting movement, full around the hips and slightly wider around the legs. Only the leg length is a little too short in a sitting position. When riding down in a standing position, it's just fine. Depending on the protectors, there is little or no overlap with the trousers when seated. "Protector gaps" are not only unattractive, but the rainwater from the trouser leg runs directly under the protectors. Pleasant is different. However, this depends on the length of the protectors and the respective body proportions.

On the other hand, the "overgarment" shines with a waistband adjustment and adjustable closures at the wrists, so it fits like a glove and doesn't give you that wingsuit feeling. The hood is cut so that it fits just above an all-mountain helmet, but can also be worn underneath. For full-face helmets, it only just covers half the helmet.

Rain at last - let's go outside

According to Dirtlej, the Dirtsuit is designed for demanding enduro tours and downhill rides. But it is also perfect for classic bike tours, provided it is not too warm. Thanks to the various ventilation inlets, a pleasant climate is ensured uphill. In light continuous rain, it remained perfectly waterproof even after riding for more than 90 minutes. Even when it had to withstand 30 minutes of heavy continuous rain after the fifth wash cycle, it remained waterproof. The outer material soaks up a little, but the water does not penetrate the inside. The fabric dries very quickly when the rain subsides and only a slight residual moisture remains.

However, the overall has two striking advantages that no other rainwear can offer. Firstly, the dirt stays where it belongs and can't sneak in between layers of clothing. Secondly, it is super comfortable to wear, no trousers that slip when soaked with water and mud and it doesn't pull in anywhere around the hips.
Unfortunately, one of the zipper levers broke on one of the first rides. According to Dirtlej, this has happened in individual cases and will be repaired with a different product in the next production run. However, zipper handles can be retrofitted in the supermarket for a few francs and you can once again enjoy unrestrained mud-slinging.

In really heavy rain, however, the dirtsuit stayed in the closet - except for a few test rides - because then nothing beats long legwear. Dirtlej has also recognized this and recently launched a long version with detachable legs. This version is a little more expensive, but in my opinion definitely worth the money.

Conclusion

Thanks to its robust materials and inner lining, the Dirtsuit is probably a little too warm in summer. But from fall to spring or on cool summer days, there is hardly any more comfortable weather protection. Even after numerous mud battles, it hardly shows any signs of wear. The only small drawback is that the leg length is a little too short for my taste, and for men it would be an advantage if the zipper could also be opened from the bottom. But that's complaining on a high level.

www.dirtlej.de