Waterproof riding pants are a necessity here in the UK, unfortunately, and while there are some excellent options on the market, it’s hard to get away from the sensation of wearing a bin bag or a pair of rubber waders. Until now, that is. These 7Mesh Glidepath pants are every bit as light, comfortable and soft against the skin as the best summer riding trousers, yet they also deliver a respectable defence against spray and slop on muddy rides.

The 7Mesh Glidepath pants have a tapered cut that’s not excessively tight.

Design and specifications

I’m already a fan of 7Mesh’s Flightpath riding pants for their light weight, soft fabric, and cool comfort on hot days. These Glidepath pants employ some kind of sorcery, because they are the same weight as the Flightpath, roughly the same price, equally comfortable in a range of conditions, and yet they are almost as good as full waterproof pants when the trails are wet or muddy.

Integrated waist adjusters negate the need for a belt.

They use a four-way stretch fabric woven with 85% nylon and 15% elastane content, which also happens to be Bluesign approved. On top of that there’s a PFC and PFAS-free DWR coating to shed rain and spray. The seams are not taped though, so it’s important to bear in mind this is not designed to be a waterproof pant. Think of it as the kind of garment you sling on for the vast majority of rides in the UK, when the trail is not 100% dry or there’s a chance of some rain.

Elasticated ankle cuffs help when it’s time to take them off.

At just 275g the Glidepath is among the lightest riding pants I’ve tested, and around 50-100g less than a typical waterproof pant. And yet it doesn’t skimp on features. There are two open hip pockets and two zipped pockets, loops for a belt, locking waist adjusters, and double pop stud fly closures. 7Mesh’s open pockets are deep enough to carry a tool or a phone without it flying out, but having zip pockets means you can keep valuables totally secure anyway. My only criticism of the pockets is that 7Mesh’s zip pulls are cheap and basic, and tend to come loose and fall off – all of my 7Mesh clothes are missing at least one of these. I expect better on a premium garment.

The zip pockets are useful, but the basic zip pulls are a weak point, and should be better given the price.

The cut is described accurately as ‘regular’, in that it’s not crazy tight like some trendy DH race pants, but nor is it baggy and flappy. Essentially my medium sample had room in both the cut and the stretch of the fabric for knee pads and bulkier builds. They would also accommodate anyone with longer legs than my 32in inseam, as there was some bunching at the ankle cuff.

Not the cheapest option, but the 7Mesh Glidepath pants exude quality, and work in a variety of trail conditions.

Performance

To reiterate, these are not waterproof pants, and when I tested them with an upturned bottle of water, the surface wetted out and saturated through the fabric in less than a minute. So they won’t work in a downpour, or when sitting against a wet saddle, but they are very good at shrugging off light showers, wheel spray, and splashes from puddles. Here the water droplets just bead on the fabric and roll off.

Being a single layer of fabric with a DWR coating means there’s very little barrier to evaporation, so sweat transfers away from the garment rapidly, meaning they are actually really good on summer rides. Particularly on days when there are showers around, or the ground is already wet.

And even if it’s bone dry, they are as light, cool, and dextrous as almost every summer pant I’ve tried.

The secure waist fastener and built-in adjusters work well, and I had no accidental breaches during testing. While the array of pockets give plenty of options for carrying items within easy reach.