Considering Trail Bloom only launched at the start of the year, this women-led brand has certainly taken no time in getting itself established in the UK riding scene. If you’re an avid Instagram user, you may have spotted them whether it be through ambassadors showing off the kit or through group rides throughout the year. I’ve been using these all winter, and reckon they are good enough to compete with the best mountain bike trail pants.

If you’re into staring into the distance and looking pensive on the trail, these trousers will aid in that exponentially

But what is the kit like, and is it worth the hype? The Ladies MTB Trousers were released pretty recently, and are the first pants/trousers (whatever you like to call them) by Trail Bloom. They’re priced at £95 which is perhaps slightly more expensive than other options like those from DFYRS or the many many sales we’ve seen recently with things like the Endura MT500 Burner Pants down to around the £60 mark.

A zip closure and elastic on the ankle hem make it easy to get your knee pads on and off

But, remembering Trail Bloom is a small business is key here – and to be quite honest, they’re still cheaper than some options from better-known brands. Enough about price, though, let’s have a look at what makes these trousers work so well.

Snuggly enough to snooze on, according to the ever-helpful testing assistant, Mila.

The fit

I found the fit of these trousers to be superb – some trousers can feel like they don’t quite sit right on certain areas, or can make walking around off the bike feel a bit awkward. The Trail Bloom trousers, however, offer a great range of motion thanks to the ‘4-way stretch performance fabric’. Essentially they feel like lightweight joggers but with a bit more technicality put into the composition.

The high-waisted design suited me really well, and I imagine quite a few women will appreciate this. The zip and popper closure is super easy to undo with gloves, even after a day of riding the soggiest trails, and the elasticated waist was forgiving after eating too many chips at lunch.

I love the closure system – easy to undo with gloves, which is ideal when it’s cold and you’re desperate for a wee

Shaping wise they’re slightly tapered towards the lower leg and ankle, but still offer plenty of room for movement, and importantly, a zip on the side of the legs means you don’t need to take the trousers off to put on your knee pads.

The MTB Trousers cover plenty of inclusive sizes, from UK8 to UK24. I would perhaps like to see a smaller size available in the future, as I tested the size 8 and was on the borderline of them being a little too baggy, but appreciate as a small business it’s difficult to please everyone at both ends of the size spectrum.

Pockets galore with these trousers, with rear and front options to stuff your items in

The performance

Rain, wind and mud are all part of the game of riding in Yorkshire (and Wales, apparently), so these trousers have been put through their paces. With fabric designed to wick away sweat and moisture, I’d say they do a fantastic job. What I wouldn’t say, is that these are ideal for deep winter rides.

They’re incredibly lightweight, and although I never felt cold on my rides, they didn’t stop the rain and mud from penetrating under the fabric – cue an exasporated me questioning how mud got in certain places when getting changed. There isn’t a DWR coating or anything on the fabric, so the ‘water-wicking’ properties are all down to the nylon elastane composition. While they’ll keep you dry for a little while, in a downpour you’re going to get wet.

That being said, they’re not designed to be a deep winter pant, they’re something I’d definitely recommend as a three-season option, though. They’re super comfortable, and the fit is just spot on. You can certainly tell they’ve been designed by someone familiar with the female form, rather than just changing the sizing from a men’s version and calling it a day.

You can see the thoughtful design in the Trail Bloom Trousers, although Mila the testing assistant was more interested in having her photo taken than looking at the fit.

The only other qualm I had was with the elasticated ankles. I would like to see some adjustability there in future versions, as I felt the hem was quite loose around my ankles.

It would be remiss of me to test women’s kit and not talk about pockets when there actually are some. And there are a rather luxurious three of them on these trousers: one at the rear and two on the front. They’re spacious enough for car keys and/or a wallet without interfering on your riding, without being overly spacious.

The logo offers a little reflective touch – and it’s pretty subtle, particularly when it’s covered in mud…

Overall, the Trail Bloom MTB Trousers are an excellent set of breathable and lightweight pants that offer performance and quality at a reasonable price.