Recommendations for rainproof trousers
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Hi everyone, not sure if BIFL, as textiles are generally prone to wear out. I’m looking for good rainproof trousers. A little background: I’m commuting by bike, 7 km back and forth plus train commute, all year. Due to the geographical region (Germany) there is a good chance of unforseen rain.
Now I’m looking for a well built, stable set of rainproof trousers. I’m not a fan of those standard trousers where you need to put your feet or shoes through, as I’d like to put them on spontaneously and without too much hassle. I recently found out about full zipper trousers which kind of have a side entry rather than a top entry. They seem interesting, but I’m unsure about the practicability.
I’d be glad to hear your experiences with rainproof trousers for commuting, and ideally a buy it for
lifevery long recommendation. -
Hi everyone, not sure if BIFL, as textiles are generally prone to wear out. I’m looking for good rainproof trousers. A little background: I’m commuting by bike, 7 km back and forth plus train commute, all year. Due to the geographical region (Germany) there is a good chance of unforseen rain.
Now I’m looking for a well built, stable set of rainproof trousers. I’m not a fan of those standard trousers where you need to put your feet or shoes through, as I’d like to put them on spontaneously and without too much hassle. I recently found out about full zipper trousers which kind of have a side entry rather than a top entry. They seem interesting, but I’m unsure about the practicability.
I’d be glad to hear your experiences with rainproof trousers for commuting, and ideally a buy it for
lifevery long recommendation.A cheap solution is to wax some thrift store or old trousers. Beeswax and paraffin, there are different ratios to experiment with, and premade bars you can buy. You rub some on and heat with a hair dryer or clothes iron (with parchment paper so the iron doesn’t get wax on it). It’ll darken the cloth. The more you put on the more waterproof and wind-resistant it’ll get. For bike pants you could focus on the front of the upper thigh and coat the rest less, leaving some breathability on the back.
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A cheap solution is to wax some thrift store or old trousers. Beeswax and paraffin, there are different ratios to experiment with, and premade bars you can buy. You rub some on and heat with a hair dryer or clothes iron (with parchment paper so the iron doesn’t get wax on it). It’ll darken the cloth. The more you put on the more waterproof and wind-resistant it’ll get. For bike pants you could focus on the front of the upper thigh and coat the rest less, leaving some breathability on the back.
I cycle in Germany and can confirm: Beeswax and linseed oil (I currently use a 1:1 mix) are great for the purpose. Any cotton fabric will happily comply.
I use smaller amounts of the wax/oil mix also to prepare most of my trousers, hats and jackets for the Wetter seasons.
- and to lubricate zippers, and wax my beard, make wax cloths, treat wooden cutting boards and tool-handles, pack food items, and whatnot …You can pour the molten mix into an empty deodorant stick dispenser and - voilà - you have an omni-use-wax-stick. - Even an empty lip balm (think labello / chap stick) works for an omni-use-travel-pocket-wax-stick.