Testing The Rev'It Orlando H2O Riding Jeans

Rev'it claims the poly-cotton stretch denim of its Orlando H20 Ladies Jeans is 100-percent waterproof. The assertion is holding up: Light showers haven't penetrated the Orlando's laminated denim, and a mesh liner has kept the inside of the jeans from sticking to my skin. Together, they're traits that make the Orlando jeans a viable alternative to packing rain gear on short rides. Flexible CE-rated Seesmart armor at the knees contours well too. No more feeling like I'm suited up for battle. Only the tiniest of the Orlando's five pockets is fitted with a water-repellent zipper—but considering how snugly these jeans fit me, I wasn't worried about water sneaking into the other pockets.

Which brings up the fit. The Orlandos didn’t accommodate my curves very well. Ordering my typical jean size resulted in a snug fit in the hips and thighs but left a gap at the waist. That’s without optional hip pads; they wouldn’t have fit. A mid-rise waistband is all well and good when walking around, but when it came time to sit on a bike, the only thing keeping my butt cleavage from seeing the light of day was a riding jacket and a long base-layer shirt tucked into my pants. Crack kills, people!

At $300 (not including the cost of a belt) they’re near the high end of the price range. But if you’re a little less curvy and the Orlando’s keep you from buying rain overpants, they might well be worth the coin.