This was the year that I went all-in on bike commuting. Astride my trusty commuter e-bike, I’ve cranked out hundreds of miles on our local bike paths in the wet PNW fall. What made the transition possible was committing to a great pair of rain pants, which for me meant looking at what Showers Pass had to offer. Their Refuge pant offers their highest level of waterproof, breathable fabric with plenty of features to keep you dry, ventilated and seen.
Showers Pass Refuge Pants Features:
- Fully seam taped, 3-Layer Elite™ waterproof-breathable hardshell fabric
- Durable reinforced seat is perforated for breathability
- Thigh vents prevent overheating
- Articulated knees with reflective accents
- YKK Aquaguard Vislon water-resistant zippers
- Reflective trims for low light visibility
- Hook and loop cinch straps keep pant legs away from chain and crank
- Ankle zips for easy on-off over shoes
- Thigh pocket is accessible while on the bike
- Suspender compatible
- Weight is 13.7 oz in size medium
- MSRP: $249.00
Daily driver for daily riders:
I’m writing this review from the perspective of someone who used these pants for commuting, but there are probably plenty of people out there who’d like to pack these on long bike tours. I’m going to try and keep both groups in mind as I write this, but most of my experience is from my daily ride two and from work.
We’ll start with the Refuge’s fabric. These pants feature full coverage with a proprietary three-layer waterproof/breathable fabric. There’s not actually a great deal of info about this fabric on their website, but we can figure out some of the details. Like most three layer fabrics, this one features a waterproof/breathable membrane sandwiched in between a tough ripstop outer and a more comfortable, oil-repelling inner layer.
What you get is a high-performance, resilient fabric that’s inherently waterproof, meaning that it will keep water out even after the DWR coating wears off. In practice, I was pleased with how the fabric performed. It has some give to it, and combined with some really excellent tailoring around the seat and articulated knees it did not feel restrictive when I was pushing hard.
I made significant use of the twin thigh vents, which feature a burly zipper and a generous zipper pull for grabbing with cycling gloves on. The zipper is the YKK Aquagard, which is a waterproof design that I’ve had really good luck with in the past, although I’ve noticed it can start stiff and take some time to wear into pulling easily.
Other key cycling-specific features are really well executed. In particular I was pleased with the hook-and-loop cinch straps at the ankles. The velcro is really easy to grab with gloves on, and there’s plenty of real estate to get a nice tight seal at the ankle. I wore these almost exclusively with the Club Waterproof Shoe Covers, which were absolutely the perfect pairing.
So much for a low-down on some of the features. Let’s talk about how riding with these actually feels. One of the major strengths of these is the generous cut and thoughtful tailoring. I usually wear medium or large pants on my 5’11”, 200lb frame. I tested the size Large because I was looking for a non-restrictive fit that would go over my dressier work clothes, and that I could easily slide my legs into. Thanks to generous ankle zips, it’s easy to just bunch the leg up and stuff your foot through and then slide them on up. I was really, really pleased with how easy they are to get on and off.
Some of the other less obvious features include the reinforced seat and the reflective stripes. The reinforced seat is necessary on these high-dollar pants, since that’s a major early failure point for cycling pants and shorts. Similarly, those reflective stripes are a major safety gain, particularly since the motion of your legs pedaling naturally amplifies how eye-catching the pattern is for drivers.
Fit: I’m 5’11” and 200 lbs., wearing the size large Refuge Pants.
The Good:
- Excellent overall construction and tailoring
- Love the use of YKK Aquagard zippers throughout
- Reinforced seat a must for these expensive pants
- PLENTY of reflective stripes help those drivers see you while they’re watching TikToks
- Easy on and off over clothing and shoes
The Bad:
- Hard to find any stats on the Elite 3L fabric, although it performed well
- YKK Aquagard zippers can start awfully stiff when new, a trial for gloves
The Bottom Line: Showers Pass Refuge Pants
If you’re a serious bike commuter, a good pair of waterproof pants is indispensable. For me, I now keep these in my bike’s cargo bin on all of my rides in the PNW’s spring, winter and fall. They’re there if I need them, which I often do. I loved how easy it is to throw them on over whatever I’m wearing, and the features including the vents, ankle zips and velcro hem minders are all well executed. If you’re looking for the Cadillac commuting rain pant, this is it.
Buy now: Available from ShowersPass.com
