Originally Posted by
Atlas Shrugged
That is my feelings as well however I am wondering for an extended tour whether rain pants would be the way to go. Although the general consensus leans towards rain pants, my experience tells me I am usually much more comfortable in tights. I find, regardless how weatherproof the clothing is a combination of sweat and some eventual leakage means I’m soaked as either way. However, that experience is mostly with hiking and not cycling.
It sounds like you've worked out your preferences for shorter/local rides, so I guess it boils down to whether or not you can start each day of an extended tour with dry gear? If you're staying in hotels (or can stay in a hotel on particularly bad rain days) and can dry your gear, then your current approach can work.
If you're camping, the worse case scenario is not being able to dry your gear and then putting on wet gear for another rainy day. If the morning is cool and you're not warmed up, that can be a chilly morning.