The latest garment in my ever expanding range of waterproof onesies is the Dip, a rather dashing commuter-focussed outfit available from Raynsie in Amsterdam.
The city streets are mean places, dogged by wandering pedestrians, water-filled potholes and 1-ton chunks of metal being driven by dozy drivers who probably haven’t had enough coffee that morning. And so, while the occasional eyebrow might be lifted, on those dreary, dank, drizzly days that seem to dominate this time of year, I’m perfectly happy pulling on this bright yellow and orange one-piece waterproof suit.
Why an all-in-one, and not a regular jacket? Well, the two perform very similar roles, and both have their own advantages.
While a jacket and trouser combo might be more flexible for changeable weather conditions, the onesie’s integrated design means that my jacket doesn’t get pulled up by my commuter bag, and my trousers don’t start to slide down as I mount and unmount at traffic lights.
As such, other than the inevitable water spraying on to my shoes, I reckon it’s the best way to ensure you get to work nice and dry — there’s even a hood with a stubby peak that fits under your helmet!
Raynsie Dip Waterproof Coverall impressions
The Raynsie is made from a 2.5 layer, un-lined ripstop waterproof and breathable fabric, with taped seams for extra rain protection.
My cycle commute takes approximately 15 minutes, and for this relatively short, low-intensity ride (even though I'm usually running late!), I've never found the suit overly sweaty, nor have I found the point where rain has compromised the waterproofing.
If I were commuting a long distance or used my ride to work for training purposes, I wouldn’t use the Raynsie though, because the fabric isn't quite as performance orientated as the latest from Gore or Polartec.
The zip at the front goes fairly low, making the suit easy to get on and off and at the top of the zip there’s a zip garage made form a soft fabric that doesn’t irritate the chin. The zip itself has a stormflap behind it and uses YKK Aquaguard zippers. In normal usage I’ve had no issues with them, and they’ve remained smooth.
With the hood up and the zip to the top, your face is fairly well covered, and the hood has an elastic drawstring around the face, as well as one around the back to keep it from flapping. I do find that this pulls across the ears, which is a touch annoying.
The little visor at the front of the hood does a fair job of keeping rain drops and sun out of your eyes. The hood works fine without a helmet on, but also fits under your lid if required.
Both the legs and arms are a decent length, and don’t pull up leaving ankles or wrists exposed. The arms are cut slightly longer over the top of the wrist and have a Velcro strap to cinch them in.
The ends of the legs are elasticated, with zips up the outside to make the suit easier to get on and off. They’re still fairly baggy around the ankle though, and mine are stained with chain oil — though they’re not baggy enough to get caught in between the chain and chainring.
The cut across the back is decent. At 182cm I’m in a size large, and I’d say it’s fairly generous. It’s certainly not a slim fit, but there’s a touch of pull across my (relatively broad) shoulders. Arm and leg length are pretty spot on for me, certainly when riding a commuter bike, rather than some super-aggressive race bike set up.
There are two pockets on the suit, one of which doubles as a storage pouch into which the whole suit packs. This measures roughly 22cmx14cmx9cm, and would pack into the bottom of a bag easily. The suit itself weighs in at 461g in a large.
Raynsie Dip Waterproof Coverall overall
As alluded to earlier, the yellow and orange design I’m riding certainly makes a loud statement on the roads, and I’m happy with that. There are numerous reflective strips over the outfit to further aid visibility. If, however, you are a touch more conservative in your outfits there are a number of other options available – some more, some less subtle.
At £220 in the UK the suit isn't particularly cheap, but if you add up the cost of a decent jacket and trousers, you won't be too far off.
It's also not the most versatile piece of clothing (as it's an all-in-one). On the flip side, I do think it offers unparalleled protection from the weather.
The Raynsie really shines on those drizzly days when the rain isn’t heavy enough to justify jumping in the car, but you know you’ll be getting too damp for comfort. Paired with boots or waterproof socks it’s probably the best way to ensure you get to work as dry as possible.
