Product Review: Redingote Equestrian Waterproof Rain Gear
Staying dry can be a never-ending battle. Unless you have the right equipment.
It’s spring in the Northern Hemisphere. Finally. You know what that means? Warmer and longer days, more ride time, shedding… and — if you live anywhere other than a desert — rain and mud. Lots of it. Don’t get me wrong, those spring showers mean lush pastures and great hay when delivered in the right amount. However, they also mean lots of wet and muddy days for equestrians. For those who live in the Southern Hemisphere, it’s fall, which also means rain and mud… lots of it.
In fact, upon reflection, there are very few times of the year when equestrians aren’t dealing with moisture of some sort. And staying dry and comfortable seems to be a never-ending battle. Unless, of course, you have the right equipment.
Enter Redingote Equestrian Waterproof Rain Gear.
You can see the rain drops coming down in front of me, but I remained dry. Photo by C.J. Sloan.
Y’all. This gear is legit.
The full-body jumpsuit is completely waterproof and keeps the wearer dry… like, really dry. The entire shell is made of waterproof breathable ripstop material. Practically, what this means is that you stay dry without smelling like a hockey equipment bag (if you’ve never had the joy of experiencing that stench, consider yourself lucky). This is an especially desirable quality in gear for equestrians since we’re not just wearing it — we’re working in it. That means it has to breathe. In addition to the breathable material, there are armpit zips and back ventilation to allow for more airflow and breathability.
Photo by C.J. Sloan
Photo by C.J. Sloan
Photo by C.J. Sloan
When the designers developed this jumpsuit, it’s clear they were equestrians and knew exactly what we need. For instance, the D-ring can hold spurs and other equipment, there is a crop pocket (!!) and the legs unzip to allow you to slide the jumpsuit on and off over your boots.
Not only is the shell waterproof, but also there are some amazing features included on the jumpsuit that go the extra mile to keep the wearer comfortable. For instance, there are wrist gators in the sleeves so that when you’re doing your barn chores or even mounting your horse, water won’t run up your sleeve and get you wet that way. Similarly, there are removable and adjustable stirrup straps to keep the pants in place while riding… or, you know, schlepping through the mud.
The hood allows ample space for a helmet and has a helmet visor which keeps the water out of your eyes. Howevet, it can also flip back and attach to the top with a magnet so that it can function like a normal hood.
This hood definitely keeps the rain off of your face and out of your eyes. Photo by C.J. Sloan.
The Redingote Equestrian Waterproof Rain Gear runs true to size. I ordered a large — I am 5’9″ with an athletic build. For doing chores around the barn, the sizing was perfect. I found that wearing jeans under the jumpsuit was slightly restrictive, but if I was wearing leggings or breeches, it was quite comfortable. I will admit that for riding, I would consider going a size larger, but I don’t have small hips and I don’t like to feel restricted when I ride. However, that is based purely on personal preference and not at all a fault of the sizing.
This particular jumpsuit is designed to be worn when the weather isn’t extreme, so it’s not insulated; however, I did find that it kept me fairly warm in cooler fall and spring temperatures. However, for winter chores, Redingote offers a fully insulated line that is guaranteed to keep you warm and toasty while you take care of your horses.
Okay, so capturing a photo of oneself leading a horse in the rain is not the easiest thing to do… Here I am, nice and dry, leading Shelby on a rainy morning. Photo by DeAnn Long Sloan.
My takeaway from testing out the Redingote coverall is this: at first it seems like a bit of a splurge, but once you have it, you’ll wonder how you ever lived without it. It has all the features of technical outerwear and then some. It’s designed by equestrians for equestrians, so it’s functional and durable. This is one of those items that you’ll be incredibly thankful you purchased and will get plenty of use throughout the wetter months.
Go Redingote and go riding!
