Commuting - Need some good wet weather tights

I live in a very wet climate and could use a pair of good tights on a student budget for the upcoming fall and winter. Good padding is also a requirement. My local REI is clearing out Canari stuff, but I'm not sure of their level of quality compared to PI et al.

Thoughts?

I'd also like to hear some opinions about this.

What do people use to commute in, say, -- 60F, hard rain, and a thick towel but no shower at the end point. Assume decent fenders. I've been a fair weather commuter for a few months now, and I'm feeling ready to try stretching through the winter -- which means cool rain and wind for us in Southern California.

Dont use padded leggings/tights, you have to wash these after every use, just like shorts. Wear unpadded ones over shorts.
I use Ron Hill tracksters which are a general purpose athletic leggings, with a zipped pocket. They are cheap, hardwearing and std equipment for all UK outdoor people.
In cool hard rain, I tend to wear pertex over-pants. These are not totally waterproof, but very resistant, breathable and quick-drying.

Some people like legwarmers, but these are best in highly changeable conditions such as mountain climbs. Tights are more comfortable and dont fall down.

In cool conditions, you dont need to sweat on a bike, so you can wear more normal clothes. I do a lot of winter riding in polyester hiking pants.