Dungarees, or bib pants are all the range in winter MTB at the moment and while they might not be everyone’s first choice aesthetically, Endura’s MT500 Waterproof Bib Pants provide tonnes of wet weather protection without skimping on breathability. Although they’re a little baggy, they feel light on the body and are well-equipped with vents, pockets and plenty of stretchy panels for a great fit elsewhere. Despite being a heavy duty waterproof, they’re surprisingly versatile and well deserving of a spot amongst the best MTB pants.
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Endura MT500 Waterproof Bib Pant – Technical details
Designed to pack the waterproofing while extending coverage, the Endura MT500 Waterproof Bib Pant is understandably packed with features. To start, the whole thing is made from an ExoShell1130DR waterproof fabric that’s cut with a high back bib design which has been added to add additional coverage against rear wheel spray.
Keeping the heightened waist up, there’s a pair of Jacquard elastic straps sorted with Tri-Glide adjusters. There’s also waist adjustment thanks to a pair of velcro tabs. The upper waist portion is mesh-backed for comfort. Speaking of the upper, there are no pockets here, which may irk some but personally, I’ve had no issue with that.
Complete with water-repellent zips are a pair of rather sizey hand pockets at either side of the pants as well as a pair of mesh-backed vents along the side of each leg. Speaking of zips and velcro, Endura has included two lengthy zips at each ankle that allows for the pants to be taken off with shoes on. Velcro tabs around the ankles also provide a bit of adjustment.
To get into the Bib Pants, there’s a single long zip at the front paired with a couple of poppers about half wayup.
Endura offers the MT500 Bib Pant in five sizes and one colour.
Endura MT500 Waterproof Bib Pant – Performance
Although this is definitely a heavy-duty waterproof product, it has shown awesome versatility as I’ve worn it both through heavy deluges but also on rides where it’s not rained, but the trails have been wet. That’s with waterproof jackets, under thermal fleeces or even worn under plain old jerseys.
But to start with the fit, it’s pretty good. There’s a lot of adjustment available in the straps and the velcro tabs around the waist, so for the most part I’ve managed to dial in the fit perfectly. However, the pants are a little baggy around the ankles. I chose a medium bib and have an inseam of 32 inches. There is plenty of room underneath for knee pads.
Waterproofs get warm and sweaty, and bib pants or dungarees are especially so. But not the MT500 Bib Pants. The ExoShell1130DR fabric is not only seriously waterproof but it’s surprisingly breathable. I’ve worn these when it’s been above 10 degrees and I not once felt the need to open up the leg vents. The fabric is just excellent as it’s soft to the touch, so it’s super comfortable to wear but it’s incredibly effective at keeping water out without overheating.
Waterproofing is top notch. I’ve ridden through one of the wettest days of the year and come out the other end completely dry underneath. That’s a few hours of riding too, so when it come to waterproofing, I have absolutely no complaints. The Bib Pant is a serious performer in that respect.
Thanks to the high waistband, there’s an awful lot of weather protection available. When paired with a waterproof jacket, it’s as complete as it gets without stepping into one-piece territory. That said, the combination of a bib pant and a jacket is much more flexible and provides just as effective weather resistance, but it ups breathability as air can flow under the jacket. Of course, weather protection is extended further when not paired with a waterproof jacket as the lengthier top section offers its weather protection when worn under a jersey. And thanks to the mesh-lined interior, it’s comfortable against the skin, should you choose to wear it that way.
That high waist also reduces the opportunity for water to seep into the trousers from the top.
Though it’s claimed to be a durable fabric, a small imperfection has arisen during normal riding conditions – around the saddle the outer layer has delaminated a little bit, showing a crinkled appearance that’s occurred with normal movement and general rubbing against the saddle. This popped up after my first ride but since then, there have been no signs of this getting worse or failing, so for now, it’s cosmetic but there may be some failure far into the future as movement on a muddy saddle wears through.
Endura MT500 Waterproof Bib Pant – Verdict
Mountain bike dungarees or bib pants is a growing market with now a few products on offer. The key product is POC’s Consort Dungarees. They come in at a whopping £450 and do a great job, but their kangaroo pouch pocket is a little small. They’re pretty warm too but let’s face it, the price is on another level compared to Endura’s offering.
Bringing things more down to earth is Madison’s DTE 3-layer Waterproof Bib Trousers. They’re the same money as the Endura Bib Pants but they also get a 20k/40k waterproof/breathable fabric, a DWR coating and multiple pockets. A real benefit is that these come in three leg lengths, which would solve the length qualm I’ve had with the Endura Bib Pants.
Then compared to trousers, well, the Endura Bib Pants have replaced my go-to waterproof trousers, the Rapha Trail Gore-Tex Pants at £250. That’s mainly because the Bib Pants provide more coverage and are more breathable. They’re more comfortable too.
If you’re willing to bite the bullet and make the jump towards a mountain bike dungaree or bib pant, Endura’s MT500 Waterproof Bib Pants are an excellent choice. Although there’s a bit of a question about its durability and the inseam is longer than expected, when it comes to performance they do exactly the job they’re designed to. However, they’re much more versatile than I first expected.
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