Dirtlej bike clothing: I wish I’d known about this brand sooner

Patrick Bardelli

10/6/2025

From rain jackets, to vests and dirtsuits for rough terrain, Dirtlej offers cycle clothing for all conditions. This German brand delivers real game changers.

There are those aha moments where realisation sets in. It doesn’t necessarily have to be an earth-shattering event that turns your life upside down. Sometimes a jacket is enough.

After my first experience with a Dirtlej dirtsuit last winter (more on this later), the brand has now kindly provided me with a rain jacket and vest to review.

Weathershield rain jacket

Fancy a new favourite piece of clothing? Here it is: the Dirtlej weathershield rain jacket. If a name says it all, then this is it. Whether I’m on my gravel bike, on a dog walk or on the (once again) rainy first day of Cycle Week in Zurich, this jacket seriously rivals my previous favourite from Columbia.

And, unlike the latter, it’s also designed for bikes. The 2.5-layer membrane made from 100% recycled material is treated with PFC-free, durable water repellent (DWR) waterproofing. Its small pack size means the jacket is also suitable for outdoor activities such as hiking. Meanwhile, when you’re on the bike, the extended back ensures freedom of movement and protects your derrière from dirt and moisture.

At 20,000 mm, the water column is excellent, while breathability is 25,000 g/m2/24h. This value is also called MVTR (moisture vapour transmission rate). This means that 25 kg of water vapour can escape per square metre within 24 hours. For grading purposes, from 10,000 a membrane is considered very breathable, while the very best ones can achieve up to 40,000.

Nevertheless, the Dirtlej weathershield rain jacket has become a faithful companion over the last few weeks. Not least thanks to its cool design.

Details

Pocket companion vest

Before the intense heat arrives in July and August, it’s often cool in the mornings in spring. The sun is warm, but the air is still fresh, so you need a vest. Dirtlej also offers a good product in this category. With its two-way zip, the vest is comfortable to wear and can be reduced to a small pack size in the inner pocket if required. This means it fits in a rucksack or even a hip pack.

Details

Dirtsuit core edition

The dirtsuit core edition is made for the rough stuff. As I mentioned, I’ve already tried it a few times during the winter. The aim was to find out what to wear underneath so as not to freeze while out and about. Here’s what I discovered:

Now it’s spring and often rainy, so the challenges are different. With its three-layer membrane, fully taped seams and waterproof zips, the Dirtlej dirtsuit is watertight. Even after an hour in constant rain, no water or dirt penetrates from the outside.

However, it’s worth reiterating that very little gets from the inside to the outside in this way. Despite good breathability and additional ventilation zips under the arms and on the legs, the atmosphere inside the suit is like a sauna when it’s 15 degrees outside with 100 per cent external humidity. However, this isn’t surprising; it’s just a matter of physics. In dry conditions, however, the suit’s breathability is excellent.

The suit is comfortable to wear, even if it is quite heavy at around 1.25 kg in size M. The loose cut provides good freedom of movement and the area you sit on is reinforced with a robust, seamless material. The suit’s legs are removable to stop you bringing dirt into the house after an expedition.

To be honest, biking in chilly, damp weather isn’t particularly fun. Not in my book, anyway. But when I’ve got the Dirtlej dirtsuit core edition on, I can cope much better with the mud than when I’m in any other clothing I’ve tried in the rain.

Details

All in all, I wish the Dirtlej brand had been on my radar earlier. I love the rain jacket, vest and the dirtsuit in particular, all of which are real game changers, both on gravel and mountain bikes.

Patrick Bardelli

Senior Editor

Patrick.Bardelli@digitecgalaxus.ch

From radio journalist to product tester and storyteller, jogger to gravel bike novice and fitness enthusiast with barbells and dumbbells. I'm excited to see where the journey'll take me next.

---

Guide

Practical solutions for everyday problems with technology, household hacks and much more.

Show all

These articles might also interest you