Commuting - keeping feet and hands dry in rain

I am wondering what people do here to keep their feet and hands dry while riding in a downpour. I have fenders and a waterproof jacket and waterproof pants that keep me pretty dry except for my hands and feet.
I usually just let my feet get wet, and change my shoes. I ride with baskets on my pedals and a variety of shoes. I wear standard bike gloves on my hands.
Maybe it would be better to keep them from getting wet in the first place.
What do you folks do?
Thanks

I don't have the perfect solution for feet. I tried simply shoes, and it works for light rain or even a downpour on a short ride, if I enter inside afterwards and change shoes. Overshoes are good in medium rain or in snow, but if it rains too much, water drops from the rain trousers and slide into the shoes. SO far, only plastic bags work for me... until I get off the bike.

For hands, I generally use a second pair of gloves when the first is wet... I have tried neoprene gloves, and they work fine in a downpour, but otherwise, I get wetter with them than without.

P.S. I don't mind getting wet in Summer. It's when temperature is at 10 C and under that I need to protect myself.

Regards

In winter rain, I wear a pair of waterproof leather trail shoes. Low boots would be ideal, but I cant seem to find any that fit.
In really cold, wet rain I will put some platic bags on, to keep the runoff from my rainpants out.
For summer rain, I use a pair of ordinary trainers, with silicon spray.
Im not a great fan of booties. They are OK for sport and training rides, but for a trip into town on a wet day, they look so stupid.
For gloves, a pair of mid-weight, full length gloves works in most conditions. Mine are a polyurathane material, that is like a very thin foam (not like neoprene diving suit material).

I use plastic bags under neoprene overboots on shoes for real heavy rains. I have some water proof gloves but if they are not up under the coat sleeve then they get full of water and are very heavy. Wool gloves work well in the right temperatures. I have used plastic grocery bags in a pinch. Just experiment and see what works best for you in consideration of the temperatures.

Depends on whether you mean warm or cold weather. In warm weather, the norm hear in New Orleans, I just get wet. It is more comfortable than anything waterproof, including a jacket or vest. In cooler weather, 50s-60s F, I add a vest, then a jacket. Somewhere around 50 I start wearing thin neoprene waterproof socks (Nashbar). As it gets cooler I add windstopper fleece gloves. They aren't waterproof, but they keep my hands warm even if wet. I have some waterproof insulated mtb gloves, but I only use them as a last resort. They are waterproof OK, so much so that perspiration quickly builds up inside, and the insulation makes it hard to turn them inside out or get air inside to dry them out. Bottom line, I don't mind being wet as long as I can keep warm. Keep in mind however, that I seldom have to deal with anything below 30F and that only rarely (I guess much below that getting wet is no longer an issue, just staying warm). So far I have been very lucky and never had to deal with rain at anything below perhaps 40F. The trick in any weather is to wear enough insulation and water resistance to keep warm without overheating.
FWIW,
Raymond

Comments I hear from others, feet are impossible to keep dry. I bought a set of 'Burley' shoe covers. Feet encased in vinyl from mid-leg to toes. Water still gets in through cleat openings. Hands not so difficult, plenty of good water tight gloves.
Some think best for feet, plastic bags from grocery store? I have a set of neopreme shoe covers. Maybe that is most comfortable.

The plastic bags are a good solution on tour. They are lightweight, and while they are not very resistant when one puts the foot down, it's easy to cycle a long distance on tour without ever putting one foot down. Besides, it is also on tour that one need to avoid wet feet, as there are no other dry shoes to put on...

Just make sure you select the proper brand of grocery bags. For Québecers, it means avoidingLoblaws and Provigo (their bags always have holes), and using IGA and Métro bags (no holes).
For Canadian with small feet, milk bags are the best. And for all Canadians, they do great seat covers...

Regards,

For light rain, over 40F/4C I don't do anything special. Below that I use my old solid leather Shimano MTB boots that I've sno-sealed. If it is really pouring enough that I actually go with my rain pants and not just the wind-front pants I also wear Seal-skinz. My only complaint with Seal-skinz is that they do constrict a little more than their sizing labels would indicate and contribute to toe chilling in cold weather. I've tried some waterproof light hikers (New Balance Adventure 963) that are promising, but of course not SPD compatable.

For my hands, neoprene is out, they make my fingers cramp. My best combinations are either wool or outlast liner gloves covered with either leather work gloves that I've sno-sealed or Gore-tex split finger gloves. I have lots of left over sleeve on my jackets, a life-long condition that I've turned to my advantage by using my sleeves as overgloves if it is not too cold. Often that is all I need. Sometimes by adding a bit of double sided velcro to the wrist strap I make a kind of thumb loop, but it gets uncomfortable after about an hour.

For short distance commuting, trying to keep dry is a good idea. But for long distances in any kind of real rain, you will get wet no matter what equipment you use. Better to insure that you stay warm rather than dry.

Dave

It depends on how hard it is raining. If it is light I just wear my SPD shoes regardless of temperature. If it is a hard rain and > 60 F, I use SPD sandals, no socks and just get wet. I find the sandals dry by the time I leave to go home unlike shoes. If it is 32-60, SPD sandals with Gortex booties over socks (wool if it is cold) with rain pants. If you wear the booties without the pants the water just runs down your leg into the bootie.

Yes I use the SPD sandals as well. On long brevets, you're simply gonna get wet if it rains, so your footwear might as well be fast drying!

Dave

We have two seasons here in the PNW cold wet and warm wet. During cold wet I have a pair of OR Gor-Tex gloves and where Seal Skinz waterproof socks (and no they are not made of seal skin :) ) in the warm wet season I just ride through it in regular gear. I do always have a spare set of socks and a t shirt in a waterproof bag in my pack just in case

I've got it figured out for hands... for feet I just wear cheap sweded leather Shimano MTB shoes. They ger marginally wet but don't tend to let it all the way thru. They don't breathe, either, so they're pretty warm.

For hands I wear a pair of GoreTex gauntlet gloves that are made for motorcyclists. I have a Harley and these are their brand gloves. Not cheap, but warm and dry.

Originally posted by hayneda
For short distance commuting, trying to keep dry is a good idea. But for long distances in any kind of real rain, you will get wet no matter what equipment you use. Better to insure that you stay warm rather than dry.

I've noticed this in tropical downpours, too. As a consequence, I make no attempt whatsoever to keep myself dry (plastic bags keep the contents of my panniers dry) during the ride, but make sure I have something dry to change into when I arrive. Having said that, keeping warm is rarely (if ever) a problem around here.

I use goretex overshoes to keep my feet dry... I HATE wet feet. That said, I agree with all the above who say that if it rains hard enough, you'll get wet no matter what. I found plastic bags tend to flap around and get caught in chains and stuff. Frankly I don't mind if my hands get wet and have never even thought of doing anything to prevent that.

Ok, how do you keep your glasses dry or at least clean enough so you can see through. I can't wear contacts anymore and I doubt that RainX will work on glasses. Will they????

-Wynn

I must say that rain or even mud has yet to prevent me from seeing through my glasses. However, fog could be a problem for those in colder climates. I've heard somewhere that gel toothpaste (make sure you use the gel, not the other) can prevent fogging for a while. Basically rub it on and rub it off again. Don't quote me on the source, however.

If you have a pair of waterproof booties but still get water running down your leg into the bootie one solution is using a motorcycle inner-tube (This sounds stupid but bare with me). The problem with waterproof booties is that they don't form a watertight seal around your leg, if you can get you hands on a large (4 inches or more) motorbike inner-tube (go to any motorbike store or workshop and ask if they are throwing out any large inner tubes eg. ones that have been punctured. They should be more than happy to help you, if possible try to grab a few different sizes to see what fits best).

After this cut a decent sized section out of the tube (2 inches or more). Slide your foot (you will need to remove your shoes to do this) through the section then slide it up your leg (this might hurt if you have hairy legs). It should look like a little sleeve, this is the best time to check what size fits best, make sure that it is tight enough to form a watertight seal but not so much as it cuts off the circulation.

After doing this put your your shoes and socks as normal then the bootie, after putting the bootie on slide the inner-tube down your leg and over the top of the bootie, half the inner-tube should cover the bootie while the other half forms a cuff around your leg. This is a bit of an impractical solution since you have to take your shoes on and off, also water could still come up through the cleat. But it will keep the vast majority of water out of your shoes, also its good cause unlike plastic begs it won't get stuck in your chain.

1. congrats on your first post being a response to a six+ year old thread.

2. it's only water

Ok, how do you keep your glasses dry or at least clean enough so you can see through. I can't wear contacts anymore and I doubt that RainX will work on glasses. Will they????

-Wynn

I wear a billed baseball cap. Works pretty well for me and give the illusion of being warm and dry under a canopy, staring out at the rain. :)

1. congrats on your first post being a response to a six+ year old thread.

2. it's only water

:lol: :thumb:

Thanks; I was going to respond to another post as well. :o

Seal Skinz waterproof socks

:thumb::thumb::thumb:

Plan on buying a new pair every year. They do work great. Wear a light weight sock liner under them.

As for hands - unless it is really cold out, you gonna have wet hands.

Seal Skinz waterproof socks

:thumb::thumb::thumb:

Plan on buying a new pair every year. They do work great. Wear a light weight sock liner under them.

As for hands - unless it is really cold out, you gonna have wet hands.


Comments I hear from others, feet are impossible to keep dry. I bought a set of 'Burley' shoe covers. Feet encased in vinyl from mid-leg to toes. Water still gets in through cleat openings. Hands not so difficult, plenty of good water tight gloves.
Some think best for feet, plastic bags from grocery store? I have a set of neopreme shoe covers. Maybe that is most comfortable.

Since JoeyBike jumped into this zombie thread, I will too. For fans of plastic bags, I have picked up from a local Bagel Shop (Finagle-a-Bagel) cyclindrically-shaped fairly heavy guage plastic freezer bags that are form-fitting to my feet and I can tuck in over the tops of my socks. My socks do get wet, mostly from sweat, but remain clean since they are protected from grimy road water.

Yay for old threads. I'm still waiting for more rain to see how well my goretex booties work. In the last downpour, I discovered that wearing my Skins (ie, compression tights) over the bootie worked really well for stopping water leaking down the inside. But with my luck, it seems when it rains, it pours, and although my feet stay dry for a while, sooner or later I'm axle deep in water and my feet get dunked.

Yep, the thread is back from the dead, but the problem remains.

I wear goretex shoes from LLBean which are fairly waterproof, together with waterproof gaiters from a military surplus place. They're a bit bulky and they don't go with my attire all that well, but yesterday and today my feet have been dry enough to leave my shoes on despite riding in rain both days.

My hands get wet, but that doesn't bother me so much unless it's really cold.

2. it's only water

I always try to remember what my dad once told me when we were hiking in the rain "Don't worry God made you water proof"

2. it's only water

I always try to remember what my dad once told me when we were hiking in the rain "Don't worry God made you water proof"

That's all well and good, if you don't mind being wet when you get where you're going. Riding in the rain and getting soaking wet is not a big deal if you can change into dry clothes on arrival. But if your ride is just a prelude to sitting on a train for an hour, then it's better to be dry when you sit down.

That's all well and good, if you don't mind being wet when you get where you're going. Riding in the rain and getting soaking wet is not a big deal if you can change into dry clothes on arrival. But if your ride is just a prelude to sitting on a train for an hour, then it's better to be dry when you sit down.

Why?

That's all well and good, if you don't mind being wet when you get where you're going. Riding in the rain and getting soaking wet is not a big deal if you can change into dry clothes on arrival. But if your ride is just a prelude to sitting on a train for an hour, then it's better to be dry when you sit down.

Lighten up dude it was a joke then and it is a joke now

if you notice where I live I know all about rain and I ride in it year round and I have pleanty of gear for it. I have already (6 years ago when this thread first appeared) offered my suggestions. Most of the new ones I read this morning pretty are much useless out here.

Why?

I can answer that. When it rains 9 months out of the year and you commute dry is a good thing. Also it rains here when it is 35F warm and dry is REAL good.

I can answer that. When it rains 9 months out of the year and you commute dry is a good thing. Also it rains here when it is 35F warm and dry is REAL good.

warm and dry is for wussy ;)

For cold weather,treated leather shoes/gators,treated leather gloves = warm
For warm weather rain,you either get wet from the inside or outside,take your pick.Getting wet from the outside smells better!

Well, this is a zombie thread, but since we're commenting anyways...

If it's cold enough to wear rain pants, there are a number of products for keeping your feet dry this year. Gore Bikewear makes overshoes that are waterproof, though a little absurdly expensive ($90, but they've worked really well for me). I believe Endura this year came out with a pair of waterproof booties to go over your shoes for like $45. You could also buy a pair of lightly insulated waterproof shoes, like the Specialized Defroster shoes (the reviews say they aren't really warm enough for subfreezing temps, but that's a good thing for a rain shoe).

For you hands I bought a pair of Specialized Sub Zero gloves. They have a separate inner liner and outer waterproof shell that's only very lightly insulated. I use just the outer shell when it's raining. Gore Bikewear also makes a pair of gloves that looked promising (Countdown gloves, I think?) but I can never find them in stock so I haven't tried them.

I am surprised no one has mentioned using a different shoe? I know my SPD's are vented on the bottom and the botties don't cover the vents. Obviously the feet get wet from the bottom in my case. Plastic bags do work but the shoes still are soaked through. I wonder if a different shoe without vents would be better? anyone know?

I am surprised no one has mentioned using a different shoe? I know my SPD's are vented on the bottom and the botties don't cover the vents. Obviously the feet get wet from the bottom in my case. Plastic bags do work but the shoes still are soaked through. I wonder if a different shoe without vents would be better? anyone know?

See my post immediately above yours. Specialized Defroster shoes would work. Other companies make other waterproof insulated shoes, but the Specialized are the least insulated ones I know of.

warm and dry is for wussy ;)

Thats a strange thing to say from someone who lives in Wussyville OH :)

Thats a strange thing to say from someone who lives in Wussyville OH :)

We're talking rain, hands and feet here...if it's raining, I let em get wet, if I it's too cold I'll put wool socks and/or sealskinz under my sandals and use wool gloves on my hands. Beauty of wool is that it keeps you warm even when wet and dries fairly quickly...beauty of sandals is that they dry really fast. ;)

Hasn't the OP dried out yet?

If not, double bag and SealSkinz

Waterproof Redwing workboots, 365 days a year. They come up high enough over my
ankles that my rainpants have a good 5-6 inches of overlap. No problem unless I
step in a 10 inch deep puddle.

1/ Thanks, looks like I've revived a very old thread

2/ Yeah I know its only water, my shoes are a pain to dry.

As for hands - unless it is really cold out, you gonna have wet hands.

Actually the best thing I've found for hands is that I keep a pair of surgical gloves in my bag. Gloves will get soaked, but it does keep the hands from becoming prunes. Nitrile or Latex, you may have to experiment - I know latex breaks some people out (me included)

I just put them on under the regular gloves. Reg gloves will get wet, but it does minimize the chill on the fingers.

2/ Yeah I know its only water, my shoes are a pain to dry.

that's the beauty of sandals ;)

1/ Thanks, looks like I've revived a very old thread

2/ Yeah I know its only water, my shoes are a pain to dry.

Don't sweat it. If you'd started a new thread, folks would've likely made snarky remarks about the 'Search ' function.

+1 for sandals.

I'm using Louis Garneau neoprene booties over my spd mountain Lake shoes with clipless pedals. They've done me well in heavy rain, keeping almost all the rain out and keeping my feet nice and comfortable even up to probably 46 degrees F. They cover well above my ankles with a strong velcro strip to hold them closed, so the go well up under the legs of my Endura rain pants. So far I'm loving this solution. I think I can add thicker socks underneath and use this down to the 20s.

Why?

sucks to sit on a 'less than warm' and drafty train, soaked. Very uncomfortable especially if you have to get onto bike #2 to finish the commute. Once you start to cool down things get very uncomfortable. I do it everyday and being wet on the train in winter is always the low point.

The only thing bothering me in rain is my wet eye glasses. Ususlly I frirst got wet from inside than outside.

sucks to sit on a 'less than warm' and drafty train, soaked. Very uncomfortable especially if you have to get onto bike #2 to finish the commute. Once you start to cool down things get very uncomfortable. I do it everyday and being wet on the train in winter is always the low point.

Valid. I can take my bike on my train, but the place for it is right next to the door, so it's 20 minutes and 4 stops with the North wind pounding thru before I get back on the bike. Leaving soaked fabric seats for subsequent passengers isn't real considerate, either.

Valid. I can take my bike on my train, but the place for it is right next to the door, so it's 20 minutes and 4 stops with the North wind pounding thru before I get back on the bike. Leaving soaked fabric seats for subsequent passengers isn't real considerate, either.

Once I entered the train after a big deluge and the lady next to me said,"That's the biggest puddle I've ever seen on the train". I felt bad.....and cold.

Aye. Since I generally enter and exit with the wheelchair and walker crowd, puddles are very bad form.

Actually the best thing I've found for hands is that I keep a pair of surgical gloves in my bag. Gloves will get soaked, but it does keep the hands from becoming prunes. Nitrile or Latex, you may have to experiment - I know latex breaks some people out (me included)

I just put them on under the regular gloves. Reg gloves will get wet, but it does minimize the chill on the fingers.

I do it the other way around - I get the largest, loosest vinyl gloves I can find, and put them on over my normal gloves. That keeps my insulated gloves dry so they can can keep my hands warm. Obviously it requires you to be wearing relatively thin gloves as a base, but that should work down to 32F.

Going with latex under saturated wet gloves really only gives you about a tenth of a millimeter of thermal insulation under cold, wet fabric. Give it a try the other way around, I bet it works a lot better for you.