maurice74

I have a poncho for rainy days, but I would like to have waterproof clothes.
For example, I have a "snowboard" jacket that is really waterproof and it is good also for general daily life. I haven't a particular job suit, so i am searching something similar (waterproof generic clothes) for pants and shoes...
Silly question I know, but maybe interesting for someone...

Ok for really rainy days it is better a "cover" cloth like a poncho.

tjspiel

The problem with most things that are good at keeping water from getting in, is that they also keep water from getting out. In other words, they are hot and sweaty.

As long as it's a light rain or drizzle, I've got some hiking boots that will stay pretty dry. I don't have any ideas for pants although wool and some synthetics will feel less damp and will dry quicker than cotton.

unixpro

Tiepiel is right. If it's good enough to keep the rain out, it's also going to keep the sweat in. This is mitigated somewhat in some clothes by judicious placement of zippable vents (i.e. pit vents, vents on the back), but they generally don't work as well as you'll want, and they can let the rain in under some circumstances.

I have a good raincoat I wear when it's going to be really raining out, but I try to minimize what I wear under it. For drizzle and the like, a simple windbreaker I've treated generally suffices.

I ride a 'bent with a fairing, so my feet stay dry no matter what the weather

vaticdart

You have two choices:

1.) Wear fully waterproof pants and shoes and ride at 6 mph or less so you don't turn into a sauna.

2.) Wear decently water resistant and comfortable when wet materials, use full fenders, and accept that you will get wet.

You compare bicycling to snowboarding regarding the waterproof clothing, but that doesn't really work. Snow isn't anywhere as wet as rain, and doesn't soak through you as fast. Your level of aerobic activity when snowboarding, at its highest, isn't even close to what most people get up to while bicycling. Waterproof laminated fabrics work great for snowsports, but not so much for bicycling.

I tried the waterproof pants and shoe cover route. It was horrible. Wear decent technical fabric (my choice is wool), have full fenders with long mudflaps on your bike, and accept that you'll get wet on your bike one way or another when it's pouring.

It's just a choice whether you want to get wet from the rain or your own sweat.

PaulRivers

I don't have time to write a more in depth post, but what other people are saying is fairly true.

eVent fabric is supposed to be the *most* breathable waterproof fabric you can get. It sounds like it breathes about twice as much as Goretex. Shower's Pass makes some nice looking stuff (including a bike road jacket with lots of vents, as well as a mountain jacket that's a less vented but a little more regular looking). Endura makes some stuff to. But be prepared to spend $230-$300 for a jacket and $160-$250 for pants. And it's still not going to be as breathable as non-waterproof stuff. It sounds like you'll definitely be going above 6mph, but maybe not 100%.

I'm in the same boat though, and I'm thinking of buying some of the Shower's Pass stuff for winter biking / summer rain.

stomppow

Everyone keeps saying that waterproof clothes automatically make it a sauna... this is not my experience in the mountains, with good mountaineering gear, and this is not my experience while biking.

Good gore-tex shells (very minimal, lightweight, no excess at all, simple design like ArcTeryx) are very waterproof and breathe quite well. As long as the temperature is below 10 degrees celsius, and it's raining or even drizzling, I stay comfortable at a fast cruising pace (with 1 layer of very light merino wool underneath)

If it's above something like 15 degrees celsius, I will either ride at a leisurely pace if it's raining hard, or I will put on a light softshell treated with DWR and get slightly moist on the core, but I will always wear waterproof pants and boots when it's raining.

-you don't sweat that much from your legs, your core needs to dump heat by evaporation, but your legs are pretty adaptable

-I like really minimal rainpants with no features whatsoever except for complete side zips to take on and off without removing your boots. I like a baggy fit compared to most cycling people, and I like some of MEC's stuff for that, I won't wear really expensive rainpants just for getting around town, since they aren't needed (the shell on your core I find it's worth it to have a really good one though.)

Or you can get cycling specific ones which are a much closer fit, and generally have full side zips. Again MEC has some awesome ones for 90$. They were absolutely perfect and I rode across Canada with them in a very rainy summer.

maurice74

yes i prefer getting wet from rain.

an other choice:
something to cover front part of legs without having to wear it, and over shoes

it is right: snowboarding and biking are different, but I wear really light things under my jacket and it is good enough

Twebs46

I found that REI Ultra light rain jacket and pants are very good. Sure, you can still get a bit of sweat, but they breathe pretty well for me. I wear the jacket as my outer layer year round. Pants work very well in the rain.

Tom

tjspiel

Probably worth getting a clarification from the OP but he referred to "generic" pants which I interpreted to mean as either "normal looking", or inexpensive, - and maybe both.

stomppow

https://www.mec.ca/Products/product_d...=1233605171912

for shoes I either use waterproof hiking boots (with no insulation) for regular pedals, or I use clipless shoes that are very minimal, mostly just plastic and ventilation, but with goretex socks on top of wool socks. Your feet stay dry and your shoes dry out in 5 minutes.

Ken Wind

I have an eVent jacket, and I hope to have a pair of eVent pants by this spring. My jacket is breathable while being completely waterproof. I don't wear it if the temperature is over 70F, unless it's a downpour or I'm taking it easy.

zrieser

Hey,
I think that it all depends on how far you ride... how cold it is, and how hard its raining. I have llbean rain pants and rain jacket and it has been wonderful for the cold winter rains that I get. I actually wear the rain pants if their are puddles on the road to keep my work pants clean.

When the weather gets warmer I will wear less under the rain gear or just get wet. I rather being a bit sweaty than absolutely soaked.

As for the feet I have been blown away by the difference fenders make.

maurice74

thank you for all the answers...i am buying this for now
https://www.evanscycles.com/products/...spats-ec006366
yes i know it is not what I had written (definitevily out of topic)
but it is very cheap so I want to try
I will write here a review

get_nuts

I'd definitely recommend a base layer that drys out quickly, especially socks. That + nylon pants (dickies) and a light, synthetic sweater works fine for me. I bring a thin waterproof windbreaker but I usually prefer to keep it in my bag unless it is coming down hard or extremely windy.

PaulRivers

I forgot to mention - the other thing that makes Shower's Pass jackets usable for other stuff is that you can get a hood from them and put it on the jacket. A lot of cycling specific jackets don't have a hood, so they're not very good for off-the-bike use.