I'm all wet, rain gear suggestions?

Yup I don't want a little rain stop my commute, so I'm covered up top but I need to get some rain pants and thinking about buying some rubbers to cover my feet. (thought I'de cut hole for clips) I'm all set to keep warm just need to stay dry. Any suggestions?????

I bought my rainsuit at Sports Authority. It is made by Pacific Northwest, and came separate. They had many different types, styles, and price ranges, enough to suit any taste, need, and pocketbook. They ranged from about $15 for plastic up to over $75.

My suit cost about $150, $85 for the jacket and $65 for the pants, and I stay dry except in the most intense of rainstorms.

For your feet, there are any number of rain booties available from Pearl Izumi and many others.

What about the "other rainstorm"? I find that anything that keeps out the stuff thats falling from the sky traps the sweat inside the jacket, which is just as wet afterwhile. Actually, it's worse this time of year because it's getting chilly outside and sweat is really becoming the enemy of the morning commute.

I'm trying to hit the happy balance without sinking a small fortune into Gore-tex. I've been losing weight and would like to put off the purchase of really expensive gear until I've stabalized at the weight I want.

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I use EMS rain pants with a Quechua jacket for the heavy stuff. Probably about $300 for the set unfortunately.

You can buy less expensive shells...usually about $75 or so. They have a thin layer of waterproof material, and usually a web layer on the inside to keep the outer layer off your skin. GoreTex is a proprietary name, and one of the more expensive ones. The technology is pretty much the same though. Breathable is the key word. Products like vinyl are not breathable, thus it rains more on the inside than the out. GoreTex type products are manufactured so that they do not allow a molecule of water to enter, but they allow a molecule of air to escape. This prevents the internal typhoon.

Granted, I live in California where it doesn't get too cold when it's raining. I do ride approximately 20 miles per day, rain or shine. Here's how I set it up:

Neoprene shoe covers( from Performance). I use athletic tape to keep the water out of the top.

Marmot PreCip jacket. It's lightweight, waterproof and breathes fairly well.

Neoprene gloves. Keeps my hands sweaty, but also warm.

..If it's raining hard, I'll wear the hood of the jacket under my helmet.

Thanks for all the info! I think what I'll need to be sure I do is get something that breathes well. I think if one can afford it the gore-tech line is right up there in fit and function. I would go with strait up regular rain gear, BUT my ride home mostly uphill and even in the cold I will sweat, therefore breathability Is important.

Thanks All

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Got a gortex set from performance a whiloe back. Works great but wasn't cheap. The plus is it was mad for cycling so the hood fit over my helmet and longer in back then front. Bright yellow for easy visibility on those gray days. Toasty warm on the coldest days as well.

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Another thing that really helps are getting fenders (with added mudflaps). Of course, it doesn't help in a downpour, but when there is little rain but the streets are wet, it makes a big difference.

Cheers!

Check out the rainwear by . U02 Rainwear . It is cheap and very breathable. It is made using ProPore, which was developed for surgical gowns and diapers. A review on a hiking website said it was about the most breathable and waterproof material they had ever tested. The only knock was that the garments did not have pit zips and other ventilation panels. This stuff is also great for commuting because it packs down to nothing. I just carry my jacket in my pannier every day. For the money, you can't beat it.

Goretex...... all the way!

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I tried many different items from many different manufacturers.
Burley makes jackets, pants, helmet covers, and shoe covers.
They all work quite well for me.
Check them out on Burley's website at URL:
http://www.burley.com/products/raingear/default.aspx
I have never found a method to move all sweat out, during even the most ideal conditions.
Burely's air flow system works as well as any and better than any I have tried.
I have come to expect that I will have some residual moisture from my sweat. However, the comfort and safety that good rain gear provides, makes it worth the investment.
David Ornee, Western Springs, IL

Important Item is neoprene overbooties they work great and keep your feet warm. I find that if my feet are warm I can keep gong longer.

Nikwax can really help gear bead up the water. it will revive old gortex and such.

http://www.altrec.com/shop/brand/nikwax/

Even when it's dry out if I ride more than a few miles I useally end up pretty wet from sweat, so no matter how you dress you're going to get wet. If it's warm enough then just wear fast drying athletic clothes. It's just water. Rain is only a problem if it is cold outside. In that case the cheaper nylon rain suits keep the rain and wind out and keeps a lot of heat in meaning that you can wear less clothing. It also doesn't absorb or "wick" sweat so it dosen't smell as much and to clean it just rinse it down with soap and water. They are also not as heavy and bulky so you have more freedom of movement and less wind resistance. They are a lot cheaper and you don't have to wade through alot marketing hype to figure out what you're buying. Underneath the suit go with wool. It stays warm while it is wet and you can sweat in it for ever without it getting smelly. Polypropelyne gets smelly really fast. In the winter forget about clipless pedals/shoes. Get good medium height waterproof/insulated hiking boots, Big BMX platform pedals and bootsized powergrips(go ahead and laugh but they work pretty well.) http://www.ekosport.com/index.htm

I agree with jg. I don't know of any way to stay dry in the rain. But you don't need to. Staying warm is the important thing.

The rain jacket I like the best is my LeMond jacket. It's thin vinyl or mylar. Not breatheable fabric at all. It has two thin mesh panels on each side, though, that run from the hem up to the pit. That's all the ventilation one needs.

The jacket's a pleasure, even in cold rain. Where the vinyl is the rain keeps out. I keep warm in the rain, so what moisture there is, from the sky or from me, doesn't bother me.

The thing was cheap, it folds up small, and there's no waterproofing to deal with. As long as the jacket doesn't tear it's as good as the day I bought it.

It doesn't have a hood, though. The idea, I guess, is that you'll be wearing a helmet cover anyway.

I've got a cheap Performance raincoat with a hood, and I like that one too. The coating wears off, though, and I had to respray it with waterproofing. More trouble than the LeMond jacket.

Anyway, you can get away with cheap jackets. Again, the crucial idea is keeping enough water off of you to keep warm, rather than keeping dry.