Rain gear review (long..)

[lph]

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...

[pardes]

And boy do I love my workplace, with a locker room, hot shower, drying cupboard and sauna...

I wanna come to work with you. We do have a shower but it's in the autopsy room....and no one uses it, not even the dead.

Great foul weather gear report. As I suspected, it's hard to buy the "perfect" rain gear. Mostly we seem to make do with what we have.

I'm lucky by comparison. I only have to bike a couple of miles to a bus stop and can wait till the hard rain is over and catch a later bus if needed. On the other hand, I bike in the clothes I work in, mainly because I'm lazy and determined to avoid the hassle of changing, so I tend to OVERDRESS to keep warm and dry.

CuddlDuds camisole and long johns, dress knit slacks, rain pants, pullover knit shirt, polartec vest, and a mountain-climbing "Belay" jacket with a hood that is fantastic for fitting over the helmet AND keeping the wind and rain out. The rain pants are too long but that makes them almost cover my feet which still get somewhat wet. Gloves are a dilemma. I still haven't found good gloves but with only two miles to bike to the bus I just tough it out. That will change as the temperatures drop.

[Eden]

... 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.

If you get a pair of waterproof booties or even a pair of gaiters you should be able to keep your feet almost totally dry! I have a pair of Sidi winter boots. They have a neoprene cuff around the top, but they are a bit big on me so it doesn't pull as snug as I might like. If I make sure to tuck my socks in well, put a pair of regular waterproof booties (I use Sugoi) over the top, and pull my tights *over* the booties, my feet will stay pretty much dry, even in a two hour downpour.

[Grog]

Thanks LPH for the detailed comments! You inspire to post a review of my winter gear sometime later this week.

Inspired by a fellow commuter, I used my rubber boots to ride to work in the pouring rain last week (with my rain pants on top of the boots). It was spectacular. Warm. Dry. Relatively comfortable. Note that I have 13-15 km both ways (total 26-30 km).

And I can vouch for the kitchen dishwashing gloves on top of a thin liner as being warm (down to +4 Celcius at least) as long as the dishwashing gloves are a size up from usual (to fit the liner and leave an insulating layer of air). Bonus: they are yellow so great for signaling.

I look like a total dork (or, for the Sesame Street fans out there: like Big Bird) but I'm dry and warm when I get to work. (I have showers but no sauna!!)

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

I hope no one is forgetting the benefit of having fenders and mudguards on your bikes if you do a lot of rain riding. It won't keep all the wet off, but I hear it helps a great deal.

That idea of leg gaiters is a very good suggestion! I do snowshoeing and boy do they keep my shoes and legs dry and warm!... I put them on over my rain pants and boots for the snow. These are similar to the ones i have:
http://www.rei.com/product/725915

[lph]

Oh yeah, nothing like good old-fashioned rubber boots and heavy fishermans waterproofs when it comes to staying dry! But it seems really hard to construct something that's close-cut, and works well at speed. Dressing to keep out the cold is a doddle by comparison. Sometimes I think a full-length wetsuit might be just as easy

[Grog]

I wouldn't say I was "speeding" but despite the rubber boots I was passing lots of people on the hills leading to work and back... Sure it's not super aerodynamics, but everyone is slowed down in the rain.

[SouthernBelle]

The dishwashing gloves is worth a try. I have to find a way to keep my hands warm.

[Grog]

The dishwashing gloves is worth a try. I have to find a way to keep my hands warm.

Make sure they are big enough to fit a liner glove with a bit of room to spare. If the combination is too tight, you'll be cold anyway.

They're also pretty cool for signaling.

[lph]

I have big hands. I am getting such a kick out of imagining myself wearing monstrous brilliant yellow dishwashing gloves that come up to my elbow on my commute have to give this a try. If nothing else I'll keep myself amused.

[Grog]

I have big hands. I am getting such a kick out of imagining myself wearing monstrous brilliant yellow dishwashing gloves that come up to my elbow on my commute have to give this a try. If nothing else I'll keep myself amused.

When I am in full (yellow) rain gear, I just feel like Big Bird and laugh my way to work:


I tuck the gloves inside my jacket though.

[Trigress]

I might have a suggestion as to the gloves, lph. I have a pair of neoprene gloves called "glacier gloves", bought on XXL, that I use for glaciering (how appropriate!), and they're waterproof and rather warm. If you'd like to try them for cycling I'm sure you can borrow them - I won't be climbing around the blue ice in a few months now. I used a pair of Sealskinz before and I have the same experience - freezing and soaked with icy water by the feel of it. Send me a PM if you want to borrow gloves.

How much did you pay for the Norrøna trousers? I've been ogling them for years, but never actually seen a pair in my size in a shop...

[lph]

I just a few days ago picked up a pair of quite cheap neoprene kayaking gloves! that I'm going to test out for rain biking. With luck I have a good crossover there. I know of others who use the Glacier gloves and seem happy with them. But plus 1 C and rain is a really hard combo to dress for anyway.

I was given the Norrøna rainpants by my sweet MIL for Christmas one year I think she got them at Sportslageret.