Hello All:

I'm looking for opinions about rain gear. I've been a commuter on and off for ~ 25 years, currently 200+ days/year on a short (~4 mile) urban ride in Lexington KY. Oddly though, in all the years I've been riding, I don't feel that I've ever had a really cool weather rain gear solution.

My current commute is short enough that I'd rather not do a wardrobe change at work, on longer commutes I'd pack a change and ride in cycling gear, and if things got a bit wet it was no big deal. Here I'd rather trying and ride in my grown-up clothes.

I got through last fall and winter in gear that I had picked up at MEC when I was living in Vancouver BC. It was some single layer membrane stuff that was good for the first year, and, given that I was changing at work, OK for a few years, but now it's just about useless. I've tried re-applying the DWR coating and reactivating the membrane by running through a hot dryer, but it's time to replace.

I tried a cape (a budget item from Campmor, made by, I think, Log House Designs) I went the cheap route because, well, I'm cheap, and I was curious but not willing to commit serious cash. I think the cape is conceptually fine until the weather turns colder, but the execution of this particular number is rather poor. The seams were unsealed, and I decided not to wast time sealing them as the fabric wetted through in a twenty minute ride in the first serious rain I encountered. A better-made cape might work in the late spring and early fall, I've not abandoned the idea, but, for the fall and winter I think a jacket and pants makes more sense. Also, I like the idea of a jacket that can do double-duty as a windshell.

So, to (slowly) get to the point, I'm looking for opinions on specific manufacturers.

Hunting around I've come across the following intriguing possibilities:

In the woven and membrane category

Showers Pass (Specifically the "Touring")
Bellwether (Aqua No)

In the non-woven membrane category

Frogg Toggs (probably the Tekk Toad)
O2 Rainwear( cycling)

and, because I'm something of a retro-grouch, some coated nylon
from the folks at J&G

Frankly, I'm a bit suspicious of membrane stuff in general. I think the breathable thing is over-rated if you are exerting yourself at all, I suspect that big pit zips and back vents help more than the fiber.

I've also seen some comments on the 'net that the Dripore stuff doesn't hold up well to day in day out use. While the stuff is reasonably priced, I hate the thought of adding to the waste stream by replacing every year or two.

I've had wildly varying experience with coated nylon. Some I've owned in the past has been very good, some very bad (see my current cape for example). I like J&G's story, if I can find a locally made (this side of any large body of water, presumably not made by prison labor with total disregard for worker health or environmental considerations) product that does the job, I'd far rather buy it than something else, but I'd like to here from people who have had actual experience with the products.

Thanks for reading this long and rather rambling missive, I look forward to any advice or opinion that anyone would care to share.