Endura make excellent cycling clothing, and their mens MT500 waterproof MTB trousers are no exception – check out my review.
Plentiful water and mud on autumn or winter rides makes overtrousers highly desirable, if not a necessity. True, you may fit mudguards, avoid puddles or tolerate being soaking wet. But for those of us riding in cold climates, remote areas or just to work, decent overtrousers are a godsend. In fact, for mountain biking in Scotland, these Scottish-made trews could almost be considered winter uniform! Lets take a closer look in my MT500 waterproof trousers review.
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Features of the MT500 waterproof trousers
The MT500 waterproof MTB trousers use Endura’s own 3 layer Exoshell 30 DR fabric. Thanks to it’s membrane layer, the fabric has a 30,000mm hydrostatic head rating and a breathability measurement of 20,000 g/m2/24hr. If that doesn’t mean much, compare those figures with a pair of basic hiking overtrousers costing half the price. These have a 10,000mm hydrostatic head and 10,000 g/m2/24hr breathability, so much less waterproof and less breathable. Add to that, their non-bike specific fit and you can see why spending on proper MTB overtrousers can be a smart move if possible. Like most good manufacturers, Endura’s fabric is backed up with a DWR coating to prevent wetting out and help breathability. These coatings typically need replacing with an off-the-shelf reproofer after a while, but that should help the breathable membrane continue to do its job.
But good quality fabric isn’t much use if the design of your bike trousers is, well…pants. Riding MTB in wet conditions demands shell trousers that are waterproof, breathable, tough and loose without being flappy. That’s a tall order, hence why bike-specific designs will almost always feel and perform better than non-bike-specific garments. So, is Endura’s take on waterproof MTB trousers any good?
In theory, ankle zips help you put overtrousers on mid-ride. However, they barely opened wide enough to get my size 10 Freeriders through.
Stylish bike bibs?
You could certainly describe the styling of the MT500 pants as understated, with no eye-catching details or reflective hits. Neither of these are a problem when you’re making rooster tails down a gloopy trail. But maybe bear it in mind if you are dodging traffic in town or spinning down unlit country roads. Moving up to the top of the MT500 trousers, you’ll notice that they are ‘bibs’. This means you get a slightly higher back and front, which certainly helps you stay dry and warm on the bike. Plus, they have adjustable elastic braces rather than a fiddly drawcord or uncomfortable belt to hold them up. The two well-positioned hip pockets seal shut with lightweight water-resistant zippers. They could easily swallow an average-sized smartphone in a case.
On-the-bike fit
As I said before, garment fit is really important for high-energy sports like biking. First off, these taper nicely to the ankles, which helps reduce water ingress, flapping and snags. Secondly, the upper legs have plenty of room for a thin pair of D3O kneepads and softshell riding trousers (I think armoured kneepads would go as well, but I haven’t tried yet). I was a bit concerned that my large thighs and waist might mean sizing up to XL, leading to bunching. But thankfully, Endura’s sizing means a large is fine for me with a 94cm waist.
These pants don’t feature stretch panels, but Endura seem to have nailed the MT500 spec by good seam placement and panel shaping. Although a degree of stretch might help with movement, ‘non-stretch’ fabric does have some advantages. Firstly, it costs slightly less and secondly its waterproofing tends to last a bit longer. To help with the fit there are a pair of velcro tabs at the waist and a double-buttoned flap over the fly. The seat panel is important on bike trousers – unnecessary seams here can cause a weak point. Happily, these trousers have a one-piece seat panel, which should last well and avoid rubbing.
Endura seem to have have nailed the MT500 spec by good seam placement and panel shaping
Review ✓
- NAME: Endura MT500 waterproof trousers
- WHAT IS IT? Waterproof cycling trousers
- WHO’S IT FOR? trail riding, big mountain and freeride
- PRICE: £199.99
- PROS: hard-wearing, weatherproof, good fit, well made, good features
- CONS: expensive, Ankles could open a bit wider
- BOTTOM LINE: Well designed, well built overtrousers for biking in wet, muddy conditions.
- MY RATING:
How do the MT500 trousers perform?
I tend to run hot, yet surprisingly, overheating wasn’t an issue with these particular waterproof trousers (a common issue with shell layers). I was on a damp November trail ride wearing a thin merino baselayer and Endura shell jacket and I think a few things helped here. One, the material is relatively thin and breathable. Two, the ‘bib’ is low enough to let your upper body breathe. And three, the zippered thigh vents (and main zip at the front of the bib) dump heat relatively easily. Decent-sized pullers on the water resistant YKK vent zips helpfully mean they can easily be opened or closed one-handed while riding. Furthermore, mesh lining within these vents keeps them streamlined without becoming funnels.
A restriction-free fit is important if you’re wearing overtrousers for MTB riding in technical terrain.
While riding fast twisty, muddy Scottish singletrack to prepare for this review I was happy to find the MT500 waterproof trousers caused zero restriction. Even during steep drops, hops or chutes they stayed in place, allowing me to move my legs freely. I’d even wear these on a bikepark jump line (if I had to). This flexible fit is one of the advantages of the slightly thinner fabric, together with better packability (especially useful if you prefer bikepack to bikepark). No moisture made its way through despite plenty of wet vegetation and puddles. When deciding what to wear for MTB riding in wet conditions, these could easily become go-to legwear for me.
💡 Tip: wear a smooth layer below overtrousers to reduce snagging.
How hardwearing are the MT500 waterproof pants?
Crash protection? Minimal I would say (although I’ve not had them long). The flipside of adding reinforcement to shell garments is a reduction in breathability and increase in cost. The ankle, seat and knee panels on the MT500s isn’t overly thick, but seems tough enough to take some abuse. I’ll just be careful when kneeling on rocks or riding past thorns. The inner face of the fabric is a bonded ripstop scrim. This is typically stronger but a little less breathable than the printed dot pattern sometimes used on other garments. In my opinion, it’s a good shout on legwear destined for a hammering and, if that sounds like your kind of riding, I would definitely recommend them for your MTB kit list.
So that concludes my review of the Endura MT500 waterproof MTB trousers. Scottish brand Endura seem to have done it again and produced another bombproof garment for bikers. Although some people find the sizing a bit off (I must admit, I have in the past), these seem to do the trick nicely. They’re reassuringly expensive, but not, I would say, outrageously so. And they are full of the feaures you need to stay (relatively) dry and warm when biking in autumn and winter conditions.
Leading and coaching near Aviemore and beyond
✅ No freebies or reimbursement were received in return for this review.