Rain gear review (long..)
Today was one of the few days it was raining hard enough to warrant the full rain gear kit and caboodle, so I figured I might as well write a review in case anyone else is considering the same gear. (My usual stuff is water repellent or water resistant to a degree, plus I sweat a lot, so in light rain I'll just ride and get wet.)
Ok, so for todays commute of a little over one hour, medium intensity, 4 deg C/40 deg F, steady to heavy rain, I wore:
head: Giro Monza helmet, Gore skullcap, cheapo yellow goggles. In rain I would have preferred a helmet with a visor, but I cracked mine and only have one now. No big deal. The skullcap is excellent, sleek and closefitting, totally windproof and almost waterproof. I wouldn't want it completely waterproof anyway. Two minor points - I can hardly hear a thing with it on since it's windproof over the ears (I think the newer model has mesh over the ears, which would also make it less weatherproof) and since it's synthetic it stinks to high heaven after some use. But in rain it rocks. Goggles were nice, I very rarely wear them but it was nice not to have the rain stinging around my eyes. I smeared a little vaseline around my nose and mouth so I didn't feel the need to pull up my neck gaiter that often.
torso: sports bra, Brynje (mesh synthetic) longsleeved base layer, thin Smartwool zip turtleneck, thin wool neck gaiter, Showers Pass Elite II jacket. A bit much, but I froze on Friday and didn't want to repeat that.. Mesh+wool does a decent job of both wicking and absorbing sweat, which in heavy rain really can't evaporate no matter how good a jacket you have. The SP jacket is great material but the fit isn't optimal for me. It's a tad short and boxy in the torso, while the shoulders "pull" over my broad upper back so I ride with the pit zips open all the time. This improves the fit and the venting, but does get me a little damp. Also I had to ride with a small backpack so the big vent on the back was covered. Still, it's the best rain jacket I've tried so far, and the details are excellent. Wool gaiter up over my chin, soaked but it kept water from dribbling in.
hands: Sealskinz waterproof mtb gloves. I am really disappointed with these gloves :( They look very wellmade, the fit is great, the padding is good, nice details all around - but they are so cold. The waterproof lining appears to be quite close to the hand, so in steady cold rain I end up with something that feels like a thin rubber glove inside a regular glove saturated with icy water. So I get cold, and have the additional annoyance of heavy, dripping gloves. Plus I suspect the neoprene cuffs are not waterproof, so I have to cover the cuff completely to stop water from seeping in from the sleeves - which is where most of the water is going to come from in the first place. These gloves were bearable today, but practically useless on Friday, with rain just above freezing.
legs: bib shorts, Bavac synthetic base layer tights, Norrøna Offtrack thin Goretex rain pants. The rain pants are narrow and cut for cycling/running use, but even with velcro closings on the calf they tend to drag a little over the knee, so the knee could be a bit more articulated. Otherwise the fit is good, they overlap the shoes well and they're quite weatherproof for being that lightweight. For riding all day in the rain I'd want something heavier. (Well, I'd want not to ride in the rain, to be honest). They come in a bib version now, but in rain I'd want the upper part to be extremely breathable.
feet: medium thick wool socks, Shimano winter mtb shoes with wool insoles, Shimano neoprene booties. Overkill for this temperature, but nice to be really warm even when a passing car forces me to ride through a huge puddle dousing me in water from the knees down... The booties are not waterproof (but the shoes are pretty close), so given enough water it will seep in sooner or later and slosh around the insoles.
And boy do I love my workplace, with a locker room, hot shower, drying cupboard and sauna... :D
