100% Hydromatic Jacket and Pant Review

100% HYDROMATIC JACKET AND PANT REVIEW

WATERPROOF RIDING GEAR

Review by Drew Rohde | Photos by Brian Niles
Action Photo by Peter Jamison

April showers bring May flowers, but 100% Hydromatic clothing makes sure you don’t miss prime flower-riding season because you’re out with pneumonia. Over the last few months we’ve battled cold and wet weather rides and video shoots and stayed dry thanks to the 100% Hydromatic Jacket and Hydromatic Pants.

If you’re a rider who regularly finds yourself digging or riding in the rain and don’t want to feel like you’re trapped in a garbage bag, we’d suggest giving these items a closer look.

100% Hydromatic Jacket Review

THE LAB

Hydromatic Jacket – Ride 100% uses a mechanical stretch woven 2.5-layer 10k/10k laminate that is both waterproof and breathable. They also use a water-resistant coating on top of that material to help shed as much water as possible. Cordura sleeve panels are found near the elbow to help prevent damage from crashes or grasping branches.

100% also gives the Hydromatic jacket 2-way waterproof CF zipper, fully taped seams, taped hand pockets, a shock cord encased inside the hood and adjustable sleeve tabs to adjust the sleeve opening. The hood is large enough to fit over helmets easily and the drop tail also helps add some coverage while bent over in a riding position. Another feature we enjoyed was the microfiber wipe inside the pocket.

100% Hydromatic Pant Review

Hydromatic Pant – Like the jacket, 100% uses the same mechanical stretch woven laminate and water-resistant coating. Ride 100% gives the pants a Cordura back saddle and knee panels to help increase the durability of their Hydromatic pants. A BOA System dial and lace make waist sizing a breeze. The pants have waterproof pocket zippers, waterproof hem zippers and are surprisingly breathable compared to other rain pants we’ve worn.

100% Hydromatic Jacket and Pant Review

THE DIRT
We mistakenly ordered a size medium jacket, which we found to be a little too short for our 5’11, 170lb tester. Despite the slightly short length of the body and sleeves, the jacket fit well. The hood offers nice coverage over the helmet but doesn’t fly around too much either. We got caught out in some pretty heavy rains and blustery winds, and the Hydromatic jacket did its job and kept us dry. And when the lenses got dirty enough, I was able to use the optic wipe and get some clear vision again, even if it was short-lived.

Although the jacket is a solid piece of kit, and one I would recommend, it’s the Hydromatic pants are what I’d rather talk about. I really like the breathability and water protection of the pants; possibly more than any other rain pant I’ve ridden. The downside is that the fit of the pants is a bit tricky. I am a 32 in just about everything from Levi’s to Dickies to all my riding gear. The 32 pants didn’t quite cinch down tight enough for me, and I feel they’re a bit large as they slide down from time to time, even with the grippy material on the inside of the waist band. And while the waist is a bit loose, the knees are a bit snug, and the length is a bit short. Granted everyone has different dimensions and wears different thickness knee pads, but I feel that for riders who regularly wear pants, thicker knee pads are usually expected and when I wore these pants with 100%’s Taratec + knee pads, I thought they probably couldn’t take much more, and I’m not a thick-legged guy. All the thunder thighs out there may want to check the sizing sheet and make sure you’ll have enough room.

If you’ve got thinner to average size legs and don’t ride in super thick knee pads, then you’ll probably be fine and you’ll certainly enjoy the tailored fit and breathable feel.

100% Hydromatic Jacket and Pant Review

The Wolf’s Last Word

Overall, we really like 100% Hydromatic material and think it does a great job of keeping water off your skin and clothing. The jacket is a solid performer all around and we’d recommend it without thinking twice. We feel the same way about the pants; however, we have to mention the sizing concerns we have as it could be an issue for thicker-legged riders or those who have really long legs. If you’re an average-sized rider, then chances are you’ll fit the pants fine and will really like the breathability and water protection they offer. Despite them being a bit big in the waist and tight in the knees, they’re the waterproof pants I pick most often as they don’t leave me or my pocket-full of belongings soaking in sweat after a ride.

Price:
Jacket – $179
Pants – $159

Website: 100percent.com

Disclosure: Our team selects all of the products we review and do so with honesty and objectivity in mind. Some of the products we receive come directly from Competitive Cyclist, who also value our readers and have offered them a 15% discount (exclusions apply) on their first purchase by using LOAMWOLF15. Through this program we may also receive a small commission at no cost to you. Thanks for your support, TLW.

We Dig

Water protection
Pants are breathable and waterproof!
Stealthy looks
Nice features and pockets

We Don’t

Pant fit won’t work for everyone

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