7mesh Grit Wet Weather Pants

First There was Thunder

I had high hopes when 7mesh introduced their Thunder Pants in early 2021. They were built with two different types of 3 layer Gore-tex Pro and had some interesting features. They only had one pocket but I was willing to overlook that if they rocked in other areas.

When they arrived, the fit was... Let's call it unconventional. The drop front with no button or fly up front looked weird, making them unwearable for anything but riding. They were uncomfortable, loud and crinkly to wear. They did keep you dry but the trim to fit cuffs and full length side zippers were an uncomfortable hassle that provided little utility. All for 450 CAD.

Part of that price involves using two variants of Gore-Tex Pro fabric. Gore-Tex fabric is expensive to begin with and it's also a lot of extra work. Because Gore-Tex provides a waterproof warranty to garments made of their products, certain standards of fabrication and design must be adhered to. The zippers, seams, hood, cuffs and the overall cut has to meet Gore requirements. This means you've got to get your garment to Gore once you have an accurate pre-production sample, and have it approved by the company. And this isn't a free service. It's like a "convenience fee" on a parking meter; not only are we charging you for this, we're charging you extra for taking your money.

Gore-Tex has its limitations however. It doesn't work well when it's dirty and it doesn't vent effectively once it becomes soaked because the membrane becomes blocked once moisture fails to bead. Beyond that it's a little stiff and noisy to wear and has little to no stretch in most iterations.

And Now Grit

This time around 7Mesh took a different approach. Part of this relates to the company's introduction of their own water resistant (1 and 2 layer) and waterproof (3-layer) breathable fabric; Airmap. The tagline is "engineered airflow," which means garments are made with some combination of 1, 2, and 3-layer fabrics. The 3-layer fabric goes to areas that are most exposed to the elements. In the case of pants that would be your bottom and the front of your thighs. 7mesh tells us there is, "weather-protective 3-layer Airmap throughout, interspersed with 2-layer Airmap panels on the back of the legs."

7mesh wanted to emphasize airflow over waterproofing with the Grit, a significant departure for a company that has largely relied on the Gore-Tex name until this point.

Design

Compared to the Thunder Pants, the emphasis here seems to be everything you need and nothing you don't. The cuffs are elasticated, rather than the Thunder's velcro wrap. The front closure is 7mesh's hook and ladder design, which works well to cinch things if you happen to towards the larger end of the waist size spectrum for a given size. The ultra suede belt can stretch a little between washings and if it gets too loose there isn't much you can do in the field. I consulted 7mesh on the size and their recommendation was spot on. For my 6', 165lb frame I was steered toward a size... small. The first spot in the ladder fits my 32" waist and I haven't had to adjust it during a ride once, unlike my experience with 7mesh Glidepath shorts, where the mediums will sometimes get too loose to be cinched up with the system during a ride.

Details

There are two generously-sized slash pockets* on the sides. The pocket is angled down and slightly rearward to keep your cargo out of the way and there is a sleeve within each to keep your keys from destroying the screen on your phone, and to keep things in place if you forget to zip up. These pockets are excellent in terms of size, access ease and placement. The addition of the interior sleeves is the cherry on top.

*The bare minimum number for mountain biking in the pack-less era

The front snap is very secure, even more so than most recent 7mesh bottoms I've worn and the hook and ladder system works great if you nail your size.

The fabric has enough stretch to take comfort several notches above Gore-Tex and the finish is at the highest level, as I have come to expect from 7mesh.

Features (from 7mesh)

• Zippered fly with 7mesh branded snap closure
• 2 zippered pockets with mesh sleeve for valuables
• Integrated ultra-suede hook and ladder waist adjuster
• Knee pad compatible
• Reflective logos
• Bluesign® approved fabric
• Oeko-Tex® Standard 100 certified fabric
• PFC & PFAS-free
• Recycled Fabric
• Price 370 CAD / 300 USD / 300 EU / 280 GBP

Materials

• Face: 88% recycled nylon, 12% elastane
• Membrane: 100% polyurethane
• Backer: 100% recycled polyester
• PFC & PFAS-free
• Bluesign® approved fabric
• Oeko-Tex® Standard 100 certified fabric

On the Trail

The combination of a great fit, a little stretch, and a smart cut makes these very comfortable pants to ride in. In fact, I happily wear them on the rare cool days when puddles are rare. The inner feel is pleasant and never felt clammy, even when things got warm.

Breathability is a big part of comfort and these score well in that category as well. They do seem to vent better than Gore-Tex but I'd need to do some warm weather back to back testing to provide a more definitive judgement there. Lately I've been pretty accurate with my layers and running a little toward the cool side so over-heating hasn't come into play very much.

The knee cavities are large enough that there is no pull up or down when pedalling with knee pads on. Around the waist I found the fit very good with no bunching or overlap.

For the Weather

7mesh is careful not to refer to these pants as waterproof. More firms should be similarly conservative because if it rains long and hard enough, the weathe will conquer even the best Gore-Tex jackets. If you are riding a mountain bike in the wet, with your ass being power -washed with sloppy trail debris, the experience is similar. I have had good luck with these thus far however.

I was out for a particularly mucky ride a week ago, finishing with Expresso on Mt. Fromme. In the wet it's a bit like the Whistler Bike Park in that all the dirt from the trail seems to end up on your bike and your behind. We covered a lot of ground and when I got home my nether regions were a little moist but not much more than they would be from sweat alone. I was certainly perfectly comfortable and never felt wet at all.

Thus far, the waterproofing gap between Airmap and Gore-Tex has not been significant. About the only reason I might reach for a pair of Gore-Tex pants on a wet day, is if I think I'm going to be cold. Gore's fabric seems to run a little warmer, likely related to Airmap's apparently superior venting ability.

Compared To:

Earlier in the winter I reviewed Pearl Izumi's Summit 3L WxB Pants. These are as close as two wet-weather mountain biking pants can be. The fabrics are similar, they each have zip slash pockets on either side, elastic cuffs and an unconventional closure. Both are even made from recycled materials with an emphasis on breathability.

The Pearl Izumi fabric feels a little softer to me, both inside and out, but I prefer the 7mesh closure. PI also uses a hook and loop but instead of multiple loops there is only one and the belt can be pulled tight. I had to cinch mine significantly causing some bunching and I also often had to adjust the belt a little during rides. There is no button on the PI pants either and while everything stayed together, the Grit pants feel more secure.

While the pockets are quite similar, there are no sleeves in the the PI versions. I wore a medium Pearl Izumi pant but they were a little snug around my pads and even a little shorter than the size small Grits.

In terms of comfort while riding, venting and weather protection, I'd call it a wash because both are very good. I'd say that, independent of price, and categories we can't yet judge like durability, I'd give the Grits the edge.

Once price is factored in it's tougher to call. The Pearl Izumis are 250 CAD / 185 USD vs. 370 CAD / 300 USD for the 7mesh Grits. You can also purchase the Grit pants in a women's version while Pearl Izumi only makes the Summit WxB in men's sizes.

In the End

I really like these pants. They vent well and keep me dry, are very comfy to wear, and they don't make me look too much like an alien. They have everything I need and nothing extra and are made extremely well. I also appreciate that a locally-owned company is behind their design and supervising their manufacturing. These are a huge leap forward from 7mesh's previous foul weather trousers.

At 370 CAD / 300 USD / 300 EU / 280 GBP they aren't cheap but based on my experience with 7mesh gear, they should last you a long time indeed - and If you have a problem, 7mesh tends to stand behind their products.

7mesh Grit Pants