Leatt MTB HydraDri 3.0 Mono Suit review

The Leatt MTB HydraDri 3.0 Mono Suit is the cheaper of the South Afrian brand's two one-piece waterproofs. Its design sees a single garment covering your top and bottom half.

In testing, it has proved to be a top performer, with decent materials and fantastic features.

One-piece waterproofs might not look particularly cool, but so long as their cut fits, they’re one of the best ways to stay warm and dry when the cold and wet weather hits.

By combining a waterproof jacket with waterproof trousers there’s no way for rear-wheel spray to get to your back, and heavy-clad trousers caked in mud can’t start pulling down.

Leatt MTB HydraDri 3.0 Mono Suit details

Leatt uses a slightly stretchy material, with 10k waterproofing and 10k breathability, for the bulk of the suit. The 10k rating for each isn’t market-leading. However, it is pretty standard for most mid-priced waterproof garments, and offers much more wet weather protection than a softshell jacket.

It should do a decent job in all but the most torrential rain, without getting overly sweaty.

The suit has a soft lining at the inside top of the torso’s zip, by your chin – it’s cut to come high enough to cover your chin and mouth if needed.

There’s a hood integrated into the garment, which is designed to sit over a helmet and features a pair of magnets. These connect to keep the hood from billowing when not over your head.

The suit comes with a stick-on magnet for your helmet, so the hood remains in place when you’re riding – a smart touch.

The main YKK water-resistant zip extends low in the crotch, and is double ended, which is handy for toilet stops. To prevent the jacket from filling with air if you lower the zip while riding, there's a poppered tag (ClimbVent) that keeps the two sides linked at the chest.

The arms have an elasticated hem at the wrist, with a slightly lengthened cuff at the top to improve coverage.

On the legs is a Velcro-adjustable cuff to aid fit and removal. The knees are slightly articulated, while there’s a pair of Velcro tabs on the waist to ensure a good fit.

The legs have a mesh-backed, zippered vent on each leg, and there’s additional torso venting at the back and on the chest.

The suit features three pockets – one per leg and one on the chest, each with a weather-proof zip. I've found the chest pocket the most comfortable to use. It easily fits a decent-sized phone, cereal bar and half-pack of Oreos, my favourite riding snack.

Knee, elbow and shoulder areas are covered with a reinforced fabric to guard against excess wear.

Leatt MTB HydraDri 3.0 Mono Suit performance

I’ve tested a number of one-piece waterproof suits (including the Dirtlej Dirtsuit Classic, Endura MT500 One Piece and Endura SingeTrack One Piece) and thus far, Leatt’s cheaper offering (there’s a more expensive 5.0 version, too) has proved to be the best.

The sizing is good. I have a medium-sized version and am 182cm tall, 75kg and moderately built, with a long-ish torso. I’d say I’m at the border between Medium and Large sizes, for height.

On the bike, the torso didn’t tug annoyingly on top of my shoulders when in a riding position. It wasn't a loose fit over my back, but I didn’t find it restrictive or uncomfortable either. I wore it comfortably with back protection, though reckon shoulder pads would have more of an impact on how well it fits.

The cut around the torso felt good, with the garment not billowing or flapping about, while still having enough room for my build. It wasn't skin tight, but nor did it feel too baggy.

As with any item of clothing, you should check sizing guides first.

Leg length was just right for me. The legs were long enough to cover the top of winter boots easily, even when pedalling, thanks to that slight stretch and articulation in the knee.

I tested the suit with moderately bulky knee pads, and didn't find the trousers tight over the top.

The volume of the legs is good – there’s enough space for the knee pads, but it’s also easy to get in and out of the suit – the lower leg, especially around the ankle, isn’t too tight. Once on, the Velcro tabs at the ankle mean any excess material can be cinched in.

There’s no flappy bagginess, even with wet fabric, which is a real plus point, and a noticeable advantage over the Endura MT500 One Piece, which has a thinner-feeling fabric when wet.

I’d argue the arms are the area with the worst cut, but it’s all relative.

I would like a slightly longer arm length, as well as a wider opening at the wrist. It’s pretty tight, and there’s not a huge amount of elastication, nor a Velcro tab to pull it in.

The fabric has, thus far, performed well. The 10k/10k waterproof and breathability ratings aren’t the best out there, and one-piece suits are inevitably warmer than separate items.

Leatt says the suit is designed with medium levels of waterproofing (for very splashy rides and mid-intensity rain). It has mid-level breathability.

However, the two leg zips, two back zips and the long one on the front mean heat can easily be dumped out of the suit. I’d take the additional spray protection over a little extra warmth.

Seams are taped, too. Thus far, I’ve not had water-ingress issues, nor have I needed to re-waterproof the suit.

The fabric on this version of the suit doesn’t feel so thick as to be heavy and ungainly, nor so light that it feels fragile and overly thin when wet.

The little bit of stretch likely aids comfort and fit on rides.

Finishing touches

It’s the suit’s finishing touches that separate it from the others on the market.

The aforementioned tag that holds both sides of the torso from flapping when the zip is opened is a feature I’d like to see on all waterproof jackets.

The hood is also pretty effective. It’s well-shaped and it's easy to adjust the volume. The magnets in the hood, for the helmet, and in between your shoulders, mean it’s not annoyingly flappy. Instead, it stays where it should be, out of the way and ready for use.

I found my head’s ability to swivel around was compromised when wearing the hood. That results in a slight impact on your riding, but not so much that it’s impossible to ride.

The flipside is no water dripping down your neck, and much improved warmth.

The torso’s long zip makes comfort breaks easy and convenient (for men).

The leg pockets could be a little bigger in my opinion, with a slightly wider opening. However, they're well placed, and so long as they aren’t stuffed full, don’t feel obtrusive. I tend to put my phone in the chest pocket because of this.

The vents are handily mesh-backed, but the mesh is prone to catching in the zip.

I’d also like larger zip pullers, because they're small and fiddly to use with winter gloves on.

Leatt MTB HydraDri 3.0 Mono Suit bottom line

Though I’ve not tested the more expensive version of this suit, nor have I ridden the Scott one-piece that’s just been released, I can say the Leatt MTB HydraDri 3.0 Mono Suit outperforms options from Endura, Dirtlej and Vaude.

The most obvious comparison will be made to the Endura SingleTrack One Piece. The Leatt version is a touch more expensive, but has far more features and a significantly better cut.

A price of £280 for a single suit may seem expensive, but when considering it’s a combined top and bottom half, and given the market-leading features on offer, I feel it’s good value for money.

If you ride regularly in the wet, aren’t worried about getting splashed and don’t mind the slightly 'Stormtrooper' appearance, the Leatt MTB HydraDri 3.0 Mono Suit is an excellent option.