DUER All-Weather Denim – Review [WATERPROOF CYCLING JEANS TESTED]

I’ve been writing product reviews on Discerning Cyclist since 2012.

So, I feel like I know a thing or two about how to carefully articulate a product’s strengths and weaknesses.

I certainly know that a product review should be poised, considered and shouldn’t jump to any rash conclusions.

With that in mind, I’d like to inform you that DUER’s All-Weather Denim Jeans are now my favourite trousers in the world.

PICTURED: Bicycle Anatomy 101 Mug (Limited Edition)

Oh…

DUER All-Weather Denim

Ok, so let me back pedal a little bit here…

High street jeans are a notoriously unfriendly piece of clothing for cycling. They’re stiff, they’re super absorbent and it doesn’t take much to work up a serious bit of sweat in them.

Fortunately, over the past 5-10 years or so, several brands have made some big strides in creating cycling jeans – i.e. jeans that offer more stretch, some breathability and even more “rear coverage” to prevent you from doing your finest builder’s bum impression. I’ve even written an in-depth guide on the best cycling jeans, which I regularly keep updated.

So what has made me go out on a limb and declare DUER’s All-Weather Denim my favourite pants around?

Waterproof Cycling Jeans

Well, not only do they have a great amount of stretch, the perfect fit for cycling, a reinforced crotch and even reflective detailing, but they are (as far as I’m aware) the first waterproof cycling jeans. Some of other bicycle jeans have had some DWR coating applied to them which helps with light drizzle, but these bad boys have an entirely waterproof membrane (i.e. a waterproof “skin”).

They also have really deep pockets. That may sound petty but, man, comfortable and spacious on-body storage is golden. The two front pockets are 20cm deep and 17cm wide – for context, the hefty iPhone 13 Pro Max is 16cm tall and 7.8cm wide – meaning you could easily fit two big phones side-by-side in these pockets if you wanted.

On the front right pocket, there’s also a coin pocket. But, again, this is more spacious than your typical coin pocket and I can even manage to fit most of my hand in there.

I should also mention at this point, in case you haven’t already deciphered from the photos, these are beautiful looking jeans.

How Can Jeans Be Waterproof?

Now, how on earth can cotton denim jeans be waterproof? It’s a fair question.

Well, on the surface, the material feels like a very soft denim. And it is. The DUER All-Weather jeans are made from 70% Cotton Denim, 28% Coolmax All-Season Polyester and 2% LYCRA Spandex – which combines to create a very comfortable, breathable and stretchy fabric.

But whereas some other trousers add some water-resistance by adding some DWR coating to the surface, DUER have looked inward… well, inside the trousers and have added a polyester membrane beneath the surface of the jeans. This membrane is really soft against the skin and has a slightly rubbery feel (in a nice way). It means that while some water may be absorbed on the outershell of the jeans, the moisture is prevented from reaching your skin by the membrane.

It’s worth noting though that these aren’t waterproof in the sense that you could use them as waders to go fishing with – they’re waterproof for cyclists. That’s because that while the fabric has a waterproof rating of 18,150mm (i.e. provides protection from heavy rain with high pressure), DUER consciously decided not to seal the seams as well, as this would have prevent the jeans from being breathable and would therefore cause you to sweat more (like overtrousers can do). Instead, the places where 99% of rain hits a cyclist – i.e. the front of the thigh and the lower leg – are waterproof and will be enough to keep you dry as you ride even in heavy rain.

Reflective Cycling Jeans

And there’s plenty more cycling friendly features on these jeans too. For starters, the DUER jacron on the back of the jeans is reflective, while there are also reflective DUER logos at the trousers cuffs when they’re turned up.

Gusseted Crotch

Another key consideration for cycling trousers is how durable they are. After all, frequenting the saddle and pedalling a way is going to cause a lot of wear and tear around the crotch area. The good news is that DUER have added a hidden gusset to the jeans which means they won’t be blowing out on you any time soon.

Where to Buy

These jeans are fantastic. 100%. Unfortunately, they’re also understandably pricey and retail at $199 USD (~£150). I know, it’s a lot.

There’s also the added difficulty of shipping, as DUER as based in Canada. Shipping to North America is no problem and DUER even offer free shipping on orders over $99.

However, for those of us elsewhere (e.g. in UK, Europe or Australia), there are a couple of challenges: 1) the jeans won’t be arriving in a hurry (mine took 6 weeks to arrive) and 2) you’ll likely to have pay a customs fee upon delivery (I had to pay €35 in Spain).

This means you’re going to have pay close to £200 to get these jeans in the UK. That’s about the price of three pairs of high-street jeans, but I would wager that DUER’s All-Weather Jeans would outlive fast-fashion jeans, especially if you’re cycling in them regularly. However, there are some international DUER stockists around, if you want to avoid these fees.

If the $199 is even to put you off but you do want a great pair of cycling jeans, DUER also have a great paid of Performance Denim jeans, which are very similar to the All-Weather Denim jeans (aside from the waterproof aspect), but normally retail for $129.

But if you are willing to splash the cash in order to avoid the splash of your commute, DUER’s All Weather Denim Jeans are available for men and women in blue and black, with several fits available (including slim and relaxed fit).

READ: Where to Buy DUER in the UK