The POC Ardour All-Weather Pants are designed for flexibility to fend off nasty weather and cope with changeable conditions. Its features include strategically placed waterproof panels that balance weather protection with all-out breathability but can struggle with moisture anywhere that’s not protected. The fit is very baggy which, given the price and POC’s reputation for high-quality kit, is a considerable letdown.
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POC Ardour All-Weather Pants - Technical details
The POC Ardour All-Weather pants are built to cope with a bit of everything, so they combine waterproof fabrics that are rated to a 15000mm water column found below the knee and the saddle area. These zones are also reinforced with Cordura to boost durability in high-wear areas. The balance of the trousers uses non-waterproof stretch weave fabric that’s finished with a PFC-free DWR coating. POC then claims a moisture vapour permeability of 30000gsm/24hr.
The Ardours get elasticated cuffs, a Velcro adjustable waist and two zipped hand pockets. There's also a zipped card pocket at the rear. Closing up these trousers is a very simple zip and popper fastener. It comes in. five sizes available to suit waists from 70 to 105cm including women’s sizes.
POC Ardour All-Weather Pants - Performance
First off, the fit of the Ardour pants is interesting. In terms of waist and length, the fit is great thanks to the adjustment in the waistband. These are a baggy pair of trousers with quite a bit of excess material. This hasn’t posed much of an issue but the folds can hold water, which makes them feel heavier than they should. There’s also a lot of spare fabric that can be caught by foliage and trailside branches.
The zip and popper closure on the Ardours is super simple and that simplicity translates to its performance. It’s not the most secure closure system as the popper can easily undo when hunched over the bike. I’ve often had to reclose the pants after a descent, which isn’t ideal.
POC’s placement of waterproof panelling is very well considered with the lower legs and bum area showing some decent protection but these trousers can benefit from more complete protection. During my time with these, I’ve never ridden in the rain, only when the trails are wet which is where a trouser like this makes sense. They provide excellent breathability above the knee but because the waterproof panel doesn’t wrap around the thigh, the DWR-coated stretch fabric quickly floods and begins to stick to the skin underneath.
It’s a similar case behind the knee, too. Where it makes sense for breathability purposes, there’s no waterproofing in these areas and they’re prime areas for spray and moisture ingress, and ingress it certainly does. Through consistently wet bike park days, water has found its way in and defeated the purpose of the waterproofing found everywhere else on the pants.
However, in terms of comfort when dry, it’s excellent. There’s loads of room inside for pads and the felt waistband feels great against the skin. Tight spots are nonexistent and the waterproof and stretch fabrics don't affect comfort.
It’s just tricky to find exactly where these trousers make sense. Their protection isn’t complete enough to remain dry when riding wet trails but waterproofing is present and it can get pretty sweaty under these waterproof panels. Again, I’ve ridden in conditions where full-waterproof trousers might be considered overkill but the Ardours have been overwhelmed.
Then in terms of durability, they don't live up to POC’s typical quality. Colour is running from the seat area and the logos are beginning to peel off. I rarely put DWR-coated kit through the wash, too, usually opting to hose them down and the DWR treatment isn’t the most effective. There's also a part of the interior felt panel that's peeling away.
POC Ardour All-Weather Pants - Verdict
For £230, I was expecting a lot more from the Ardours, especially with POC’s track record of creating some good products. In terms of rivals, Madison’s Zenith 4-Season DWR Trouser benefits from better weather protection for £100. It’s changed since we last tested it but our sample provided ample waterproofing in those important areas.
You could spend another £20 for Rapha’s Gore-Tex Trail Pants. They struggle to regulate moisture but when dry, they’re super breathable and the waterproofing is rather good. The fit is slimmer too which is another plus. But again, these cost £250.
But for the conditions where the Ardours will perform well in, other trousers with more effective DWR coatings would perform equally. One of those is YT Industries’ Gravity Cordura pants at £110.
While there are some things to like about the POC Ardour All-Weather pants, such as their comfort, breathability and waist adjustment, they’re tough to recommend, especially for the cash. Unfortunately, they don’t offer as comprehensive waterproofing as expected, the zip and popper comes undone and the fit is very baggy. But if it's a light and breathable pair of pants you’re looking for, with some level of waterproofing, these do fit the bill despite their lacking waterproofing qualities.