DFYRS COFFINDODGER DC PANTS REVIEW

DURABLE, COMFORTABLE AND STYLISH

Words by Robert Johnston  |  Photos by Micky Francis/DFYRS

Today DFYRS launches their new Coffindodger DC riding pants, optimized for aggressive riding in dry conditions. We were lucky to get our hands on a set to put to the test prior to their release, and have been very impressed by their performance so far. Keep on reading to learn all about them and find out why they’ve been impressing us.

ABOUT THE DFYRS COFFINDODGER DC PANTS

DFYRS (pronounced De-Fy-Ers) is a UK-Based mountain bike ridewear company, producing tattoo and metal-inspired designs on items designed to excel for freeride and downhill riding. With wild riders at the helm, DFYRS commitment to durability and supporting loose antics on the bike shines through in their range of products, such as the new Coffindodger DC Pants.

Building off the success of the Coffindodger V3.0, DFYRS has made their fourth-generation Coffindodger into a Dry Conditions optimized pant. It retains the durability and aggressive intentions of V3.0, but provides a lighter and airier design to keep you cooler on the hot park days or when pedaling.

The Coffindodger DC is built with a 350gsm Flexi-Ripstop material, letting them move with you on the bike without sacrificing durability in a crash. This material is given an eco-friendly, BIONIC-FINISH ECO DWR (Durable Water Repellent) coating, helping them to fend off splashes and light rain. Ventilation holes are laser cut in the thigh to aid breathability.

The cut is slightly baggy for maximum style points (*unless you’ve got tree trunks for legs, like me), with room in the knees for a decent knee pad beneath. A unique detail of DYFRS park pants is the Fiberglass-reinforced vinyl “coffins” on the front of each knee. These are designed to slide on the ground instead of sticking, helping to keep both the Coffindodger DC pants and your body in one piece. These are not a knee pad in their own right, but work with a pad beneath to provide ultimate protection in a crash.

Other details on these DFYRS pants include a zip pocket on each leg, with tough YKK Vislon zippers to stand up to the abuse and elements. There’s a utility loop on the waistband to stow a cap or tee shirt if desired. The waist is fastened with a moto-style ratchet buckle with a generous adjustment range, and the inside of the waistband is given a silicone gripper to help keep them in place. A tapered cuff is given a tough elastane collar to stand up to the abuse. Finally, a neat embroidered logo on the leg ensures there will be no peeling graphics after a few wash cycles.

DFYRS is selling the Coffindodger DC Pants in a wide size range and a choice of three colors: the bold Floral Reef (pictured); Zion Dust (tan); or full-stealth Shadow Black. They retail for $170 / £140, and come with DFYRS crash replacement service which offers a replacement Coffindodger DC pant at a 40% discount if you manage to damage them within a year of purchase.

THE DIRT

I was lucky enough to get my hands on a couple of sets of the new DFYRS Coffindodger DC pants a few weeks back. Since then, I’ve worn them on the majority of my rides, including a couple of park days in the Alps and a couple of pedal rides back in the UK. I’d have used them more if it wasn’t for a freak crash, but it served as some good validation for the feelings of durability that the Coffindodger DC pants had provided me with.

As with most riding pants, the Coffindodger DC’s are fairly form fitting on my thick legs. I’m wearing the size large, which is a perfect fit around my 32-33” waist when the ratchet is tightened. Thanks to a slight stretch, and touch more room in the leg than many contemporary riding pants, the DFYRS offering kept my legs happy in the park and felt okay when pedaling. However, a hematoma on my shin has rendered them unusable for me since my crash. This either highlights how close-to-body the Coffindodger DC’s are sitting on me, or how messed up my leg is…I’ll let you decide.

The Flexi-Ripstop material that DFYRS used on the Coffindodger DC pants provides a solid blend of comfort and durability. It has a slight give, but feels suitably abrasion and tear resistant to last season after season of sketchy freeride antics. Crashing hard only served to back this up, with my shin ripping my shifter off the bar and the knee pad ripping, but the pants miraculously showing no signs of damage. I’m not entirely sure how that’s possible, but it certainly indicates that these pants are able to stand up to some abuse.

While I’ve used the Coffindodger DC’s for a few pedaling missions, they wouldn’t be my first choice. Don’t get me wrong, they are far departed from the moto-style pants we were rocking 15 years ago. But compared to the lightest and most stretchy trail pants, they do feel a touch heavier and more restrictive. Of course, this is not what the DFYRS pants were designed for, and you reap the rewards in durability and protection when you’re wearing these over a super light trail trouser.

In all aspects, these DFYRS riding trousers feel to be high quality and up to the task of bike park abuse. They’re not cheap, but sit in line with most premium offerings, and certainly don’t feel any lesser quality. The knee panels won’t be to everyone’s liking, but so far I’ve only received comments to the tune of “those are cool”, so I’m more than happy to keep rocking them. Especially since they have some very welcome function for the times you put your knee to the ground.

As for the bright-ass Salmon pink? I’m digging it. But the Tan and the Black colorways look good in their own rights, too.

The Wolf’s Last Word

The DFYRS Coffindodger DC pants are an awesome option for park, freeride and downhill riders looking for a comfortable pant with solid protection. They’ll still support you for a pedal mission – especially on an eBike – but aren’t the absolute lightest and airiest offerings going. But that’s not what they’re for, and their durability and badass looks make them a pant I’m looking to spend many more laps in.

Price: – $170 / £140
Website: DFYRS.com