Rainwear Recommendations

[mauisher]

Hi Everyone! I'm planning an across USA tour for next March-April. What rainwear would you recommend: hat/helmet cover, jacket, pants, booties??
Thanks in advance for your help!!

[Eden]

hat with a brim over a helmet cover (a cycling cap!) - a small brim will help keep the rain out of your eyes and off of your glasses.

I'd skip the pants, but take a jacket and booties. I prefer a pair of tights that stay warm when wet over rain pants.

[mauisher]

Eden, Thanks for your reply. I do have a small cycling cap but it's not waterproof. Also, as for tights that keep you warm when wet, which ones are best for that? I was going to get gore tex pants, but maybe the tights are better?? /////thanks//////////

[Eden]

I personally find rain pants to be too hot, even the breathable kind, and too loose - they bunch up and catch on things. I find them much more uncomfortable to ride in than plain old tights. I don't even have waterproof tights, just ones that will stay warm when wet (so just no cotton). Tights would also be less bulky to carry and more versatile than rain paints, when what you can pack/carry might be limited. I don't have a favorite brand, but I prefer tights without a chamois so that I can layer them over my regular shorts.

I really don't worry as much about waterproof, except for my feet, when I ride in the rain. Even breathable rain gear holds enough body heat and moisture to make you sweat and get drenched, so I find it better to just go for the warm when wet option in the first place. I prefer softshells to regular rain jackets. I do recommend waterproof booties, they'll keep your feet pretty warm and dry for at least a few hours.

[ny biker]

I highly recommend a jacket made with eVent fabric. Extremely waterproof yet breathable.

http://www.teamestrogen.com/Showers+...0-b100094.html

My first eVent jacket was made by Pearl Izumi. I wore it during an 80-mile ride in a heavy rain and it kept me wonderfully dry. And it didn't leave me really sweaty. The only problem was that it didn't have a dropped tail so my butt got wet.

So I replaced it with the Showers Pass jacket in the link above. Same fabric, but the cut is better for cycling. I also got the removable hood.

I find it comfortable in the rain when temps are in the 60s - if it's warmer than that, you would probably be too warm with the jacket on. It's also a good jacket for colder temps when it's sunny.

[mauisher]

Thanks for the info on E-vent fabric and the recommendation on the Showers Pass jacket. I'm trying to decide between a Gore-Tex and the Showers Pass jacket. Someone else recommended the Showers Pass jacket to me, so you're the second. Also, do you NOT use rain pants?? Thanks, again!!

[mauisher]

Thanks so much for your replies. I've decided to get the Showers Pass rain jacket. As for pants, I believe you've convinced me to not use rain pants and instead use tights. But, which ones work best??? Thanks, again!