Posted on November 14, 2022 by Cory Benson
Leatt has a bunch of new riding gear lined up for 2023 – from good ol’ singletrack trail riding to enduro and fill-on gravity mountain biking – and with a renewed focus on more gear tailored to women and junior riders. But what really stands out right now as winter settles in, are many more HydraDri options for riding in wet & sloppy conditions, and a few new affordable helmets…
Our sneak peeks earlier this year from Eurobike & Crankworx offered a lot of insight into what Leatt has in store for the next riding season. We even ran into Leatt’s EU PR team on our local Czech trails when they were prepping for photoshooting and filming some of that video above.
But while much of the new kit is more well-timed for next summer, and even some of the next-gen kit is still unreleased (like an upcoming more affordable & more convertible Enduro helmet, that’s so secret that it’s hiding in plain sight on their MTB home page), there’s plenty to dig into already.
MTB HydraDri 5.0 Mono Suit (l) & Junior MTB HydraDri 2.0 Mono Suit (r)
Probably the big winter highlight is new 3-layer membrane HydraDri waterproof gear. It is the main feature of the new 1-piece Leatt Mono Suits, and mostly carries over from Leatt’s regular riding jackets.
It comes in three spec levels HydraDri 10,000mm waterproof /10,000g breathable, HydraDri Evo 20,000mm waterproof /20,000g breathable & HydraDri Max 30,000mm waterproof /30,000g breathable. Effectively, the 30k Max is both the most breathable and the most waterproof for the heaviest rains and comes in Leatt’s top 5.0-level gear. The 10k membrane is good for lighter rain and is reasonably breathable – in the 3.0 & 2.0-level gear. And the 20k is a happy medium in between for 4.0-level gear.
The fully seam-taped $400 / 420€ Mono Suit 5.0 with 30k performance should be a killer solution for riding in the foulest weather, but also when it isn’t unbearably cold, just super wet & muddy. It gets Leatt’s magnetic hood system that can fit over a helmet or get tidily tucked away, heavy-duty reinforced stitching, DWR coating, 360° stretch fabrics.
It also features adjustable internal suspenders that keep the suit in place while riding, but also let you pedal with the jacket top rolled down, plus plenty of adjustable cuffs, 6 pockets & zipper vents. It comes in six sizes S-XXXL, in all black or a Lava red/navy combo.
Also fully seam-taped with the lighter weight but less breathable 10k fabric, the Mono Suit 3.0 gets pretty much all the same features for a more attainable $300 / 320€. It gets 3 outer pickets and comes in the same six-size range, in Shadow gray/black or Lava orange/black
The Mono Suit also comes in a Junior-specific 2.0 version for younger, smaller riders with 4 junior sizes. The Mono Suit 2.0 JR uses the same 10k HydraDri fabric and mostly the same detail as the adult 3.0 suit, but omits taped seams to slash 1/3 off the price down to $200 / 210€ to make it more reasonable for parents with growing kids. And you know really your kid will care less if they get a little wet around the seams, right?
HydraDri jackets at the 5.0, 4.0 & 2.0 level, women’s & junior 2.0 jackets, and HydraDri 5.0 pants & shorts also carry over, in updated 2023 colors.
7.0 HydraDri Clip (l) & 7.0 HydraDri Flat (r)
Two more pieces of HydraDri waterproof mountain bike kit are two pairs of all-mountain shoes.
Pick from a clipless version with a soft gum rubber sole, extended SPD cleat slots, and Waffle Grip Pro midsole for control when unclipped OR the full platform-friendly Waffle Grip Pro stick sole for flat pedals. Both $120 / 120€ Leatt HydraDri 7.0 Shoes share the same 10k HydraDri membrane upper with built-in reinforcement at high-wear areas, a high snap-close cuff, waterproof zipper & hidden speed lace system inside.
1.0 Flat (l) & 4.0 Clip Pro (r)
More 2nd gen shoes bring a 20% softer and tackier RideGrip Pro rubber compound and inverted waffle WaffleGrip Pro tread pattern, from the entry $90 / 100€ traditionally-laced 1.0 Flat up to the top-tier $190 / 210€ 4.0 Clip Pro with boa-style MOZ wire dial lacing. There’s even a light mesh 6.0-level clipless trail bike shoe coming next spring.
c. Canyon KIS, photo by Roo Fowler
I personally love the existing Leatt Knee Guard AirFlex Hybrid (above) as one of the simplest sets of knee pads that comfortably stay in place while riding, don’t get too hot on the warmest days, and offer solid protection without being annoying while pedaling. Now, two more new sets of AirFlex knee pads promise more or less protection.
AirFlex Ultra Lite (l) & AirFlex Hybrid Pro (r)
The lightweight version is the $80 / 90⁄€ AirFlex Ultra Lite (left) which uses a lighter mesh ‘leg sock’ design that extends further up the thigh to stay in place securely, but boosts breathability with an open front that lets more air in through the knee pad.
The extra coverage version looks almost exactly like the ones I already ride. But the new $130 / 140€ Airflex Hybrid Pro (right) also extends higher up the thigh for a more secure fit, and gets a more breathable mesh layer against the skin. It also adds an additional pad above the knee, which I can imagine would protect the top & inside of my leg just above the knee from the all-too-common impact with the bar, side of the stem, or even just the side of the toptube.
Leatt has been slowly but steadily expanding their women-specific cut options, starting with more Gravity gear and now going more All-Mountain for 2023. Key new women-only products for next season include a $55 / 60€ short sleeve (or long-sleeve) tee jersey and a $50 / 53€ technical tank top, both made from Tencel, a super soft eco-performance fabric made in Austria from recycled wood pulp waste material.
There’s also a new $90 / 100€ AllMtn 2.0 pair of women’s baggies that are designed to move with the rider and fit over knee pads, but with a closer ergonomic fit and a softer yoga tights-inspired waistband.
The new super-durable Gravity range gets lighter $70€ long-sleeve 3.0 jerseys made from Ice Cafe recycled coffee grounds, but the big deal is denim. Riding jeans.
The 3.0 Gravity Pants are a classic 5-pocket jeans cut made from a “durable polyester denim weave with 360° stretch” in black or denim blue. The $120 / 130€ 3.0 pants are dirt & water-resistant with a close tapered cut in 6 sizes (S-XXXL)
For MY23, it’s not only the Junior Mono Suit.
Leatt also is adding a $190 3.5 Body Protector jacket with chest, back & arm pads, a $120 3.5 Chest Protector, and $90 hardshell Dual Axis Knee & Shin Guards in junior sizes to fit young shredders.
Leatt’s name is really in protection, and they’ve done a good job of offering solid helmets at a wide price range. Now, a new second-level 2.0 Gravity full-face helmet improves on the super affordable 1.0 with a bit more flashy looks, and a more comfy premium padded liner. The new 2.0 DH lid sells for $150 / 160€ in 6 sizes (XS-XXL), with claimed weight from 960g.
AllMtn 3.0 (l) & AllMtn 2.0 (r)
There are two more new all-mountain half shells too, that essentially share the same 20-vent shell shape and 360° Turbine anti-rotation safety tech at different price points. The $150 / 150€ AllMtn 3.0 gets a 3-piece in-mold shell & Fidlock buckle, and the $100 / 110€ AllMtn 2.0 simplifies to a 2-piece shell & simple snap buckle.
There’s also a new affordable, convertible 2.0 Enduro helmet coming soon that has options for a removable chin bar and some apparently interchangeable ear guards as an option too. Details are almost non-existent, but we’re psyched to learn more.
The shape of the new helmet looks like it could be identical to the new AllMtn helmets, but the modular chain bar button attachment is a different mechanism to the lever on the current Enduro 4.0 helmet. No word on when this will come or how much it will cost since Leatt remains tight-lipped on details, but it doesn’t look like they are afraid to show what it will look like.
Cory Benson is the EU Tech Editor of Bikerumor.com.
Cory has been writing about mountain bikes, enduro, cyclocross, all-road, gravel bikes & bikepacking for over 25 years, even before the industry gave some these names. Prior to Bikerumor, Cory was a practicing Architect specializing in environmental sustainability, has designed bike shops & bike components and worked as a bike shop mechanic.
Based in the Czech Republic for 15+ years, he is a technical mountain biker, adventurous gravel rider, short & medium-haul bikepacker. Cory travels extensively across Europe riding bikes, meeting with key European product developers, industry experts & tastemakers for an in-depth review of what’s new, and what’s coming next.
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