9 best women’s waterproof trousers for cycling in unpredictable weather

Designed for mountaineering, these breathable, waterproof over-trousers have a huge amount of stretch built in around the knees – this is intended for clambering, but translates beautifully to cycling. The fabric is waterproof, breathable and a nice texture to touch, but the real achievement here is the legs: a studded cuff means you can fasten the trousers tightly at your ankle, and the velcro strap at the calf means you can keep the fabric tight there. The leg-length zip (behind a storm shield) also means you can slip them on and off over your shoes with ease.

Proviz makes our all-time favourite reflective cycling jacket, a borderline miraculous, 360-degree reflective shell layer that makes you exceptionally visible. The trousers aren’t made out of all-reflective fabric, but they have it where it counts: large flashes on the calves, around the knees and on the thighs mean you’re visible from all sides of the bike.

A hook and loop elastic fastener around the ankle makes it easy to cinch in the fabric and keep it well away from the chain, and a velcro back pocket is perfect for anything you might need to grab in a hurry – like keys or a mask.

Hump is known for its ultra-reflective bike kit, and that expertise shows here: the big reflective chevrons on the back and front make these ideal for rainy night-time cycling. Two Velcro fasteners around the ankle mean you can keep the fabric close to your shoes, and there’s even a zippered waterproof pocket – a much-overlooked feature that saves you having to undress on your doorstep when you need to reach your keys. Our reviewer liked the fabric, which felt softer and less “bin bag-like” than some.

Velcro cinches around the ankles and a flexible but taut waistband made these some of the best cycling overtrousers we tried, even though they’re strictly designed for walking. That ankle fastening also means you can secure them slightly higher up your leg, which we found leaves a bit more give around the knee for when you’re pedaling.

We tested these in cool, rainy weather, and found the Texapore, Jack Wolfskin’s go-to waterproof material, perfectly breathable and completely waterproof. They pack down into a small drawstring bag, included, which stows easily in a pocket, pannier, or office draw.

The kind of hi-tech overtrousers you see people wearing in Scandi-noir, this comfortable and stylish pair was designed with seriously bad weather in mind. Completely waterproof but still very breathable, three-quarter length zips make it easy to access your pockets, shoes or – if it clears up – provide some ventilation. The Velcro cinches at the ankle and just over the calves keep the fabric taut where it matters, and have little reflective flashes – great placement for when you’re pedaling at night. Expensive, but very high quality.

Large reflective flashes and an internal leg gaiter make this redesign of Altura’s classic overtrousers a brilliant option for commuting. The relaxed fit, two pockets and secure leg fastening make them easy to slip on over your work clothes. They’re also very breathable, so you can wear them on your ride into work without worrying about building up a sweat, and pack down to a pocket-size that means they’re convenient to carry for weather emergencies.

Given that all but the most expensive overtrousers are still unavoidably built for function over style, a cheaper pair will do the trick when it comes to keeping you dry in a shower. This pair comes with brilliant features like a shoe cover, reflective and hi-visibility stripes.

The shoe cover means that the fabric is taut around your lower leg, but if you find the leg still flaps close to your drivetrain you can secure it with a band easily. Not quite as breathable or as waterproof as some of the more expensive trousers, they will see you through a commute-length downpour with ease, and pack down to a small, stashable bundle.

Large reflective flashes and an internal leg gaiter make this redesign of Altura’s classic overtrousers a brilliant option for commuting. The relaxed fit, two pockets and secure leg fastening make them easy to slip on over your work clothes. They’re also very breathable, so you can wear them on your ride into work without worrying about building up a sweat, and pack down to a pocket size that means they’re convenient to carry for weather emergencies.

It’s difficult to make a pair of waterproof overtrousers stylish, but Keela has come pretty close with this walking trouser-style pair. The outer is almost fabric-like to touch, with a soft and comfortable lining. Instead of pockets, it has two sealable openings where your pockets would be, giving you easy access to the pockets underneath. There isn’t a velcro strap around the ankle, but we found the combination of fastener and storm flap over the zip kept the fabric away from our drivetrain.