Dramm ColorWear Garden Apron: Product Review – Best review

Stylish and comfortable

Stylish, Functional Gardening Apron to Hold Almost Anything

Do you always seem to have too much to carry when gardening – pruners, twine, seed packets, Lesche digging tool, plant clips…? It can become quite a juggling act!

I often carry everything in my Nantucket Diddy Bagg, but lately I’ve been wearing the Dramm ColorWear Garden Apron instead and I’m loving it.

I first saw the garden apron at a trade show late in 2012 (it’s a new product for 2013) and thought it was “interesting” but probably not all that practical. Turns out that I was wrong – it’s well designed by someone who clearly thought through how an apron would actually be used in the garden.

These are just some of the items I regularly carry in my garden apron – all without it getting in the way or feeling heavy.

Carries a Lot

There are three mesh pockets in the apron.

The middle pocket is the largest and is zippered at both sides so that you can easily open it to remove anything you may have stashed in there – like clippings while deadheading or pruning. This pocket is so roomy that I regularly carry my Lesche digging tool, a hori hori, AND a trowel in it.

The two side pockets are a little smaller but still large enough for a range of gardening tools. I carry my ARS pruners on the right side, and plant clips, labels, a small notebook and pen, and my iPhone in the left-hand pocket.

Comfortable

As you can see, the apron doesn’t get in the way, even when it’s loaded with all of the tools you see in the photo above.

You might wonder how comfortable an apron could be with all of that stuff loaded into it. Can you even bend down with a “full load”? And do things fall out?

I was surprised to find that the apron doesn’t get in the way at all, even when squatting, climbing (yes, I climbed a tree while wearing it), running, or any other movement. In fact, I don’t even notice that I’m wearing it – until I reach in for something I need.

The pockets are deep enough that things don’t fall out, yet not too deep that you can’t easily access items.

Other gardening aprons often have a more traditional apron design, with a bib and neck tie. I’ve found those to be quite uncomfortable when gardening; the neck tie often chafes or pulls and the bib gets caught on branches. Those problems are eliminated with the Dramm Garden Apron design.

I’ve also tried aprons with loops or hooks on which to hang tools (rather than putting them in pockets). I’m sure you can imagine how annoying it is to walk around with tools jingling and banging around you!

The Dramm Garden Apron is available in three fun colors

Sturdy Yet Lightweight

So will it hold up to regular wear? Will the mesh pockets tear?

It’s hard to say for sure without having used it for a year or two, but I can say that the mesh pockets are reinforced at the bottom so pruners, garden shears, or other sharp implements won’t easily poke holes in it. The zippers on the middle pocket are sturdy, and the stitching is well done. I expect that the garden apron will hold up quite well.

Fits a Wide Range of Sizes

The Dramm Garden Apron is wide and so will fit most people. However, if you’re petite, you may find that it wraps around behind you, putting the side pockets in a somewhat uncomfortable position.

The waist ties are really long. For most people, you would cross them behind you and then tie them in front. There are handy belt loops on front to keep the waist ties in place and help hold up the apron.

Washable

Anything used in the garden will eventually get dirty. Just throw the gardening apron in the washing machine, hang it to dry, and it’s ready to go.

Recommendation

We give the Dramm ColorWear Garden Apron a 4-shovel rating. Smaller gardeners may find it overly large, and the jury is still out on how well it will hold up to repeated use. Editor’s Note: After using the apron extensively for 6 months, I can attest to the fact that it stands up to everything I can throw at it. None of the stitching has come undone, the zippers still work perfectly, and even carrying my Lesche digging knife in the pockets hasn’t caused any damage.

Where to Buy It

The ColorWear Garden Apron comes in four bright colors; red, yellow, spring green, and berry. You’ll find it in garden centers (suggested retail price is $19.95), as well as online from Amazon.