all,

curious as to what you commuters are using for Rain gear - obviously one would need something lowmass, and waist lenght -

are they any preferred brands ?

Fritz

I have the REI Novara Express jacket and pants. I sweat/condensate like a pig in them, so I rarely wear them. When working hard on a bike there is no such thing as waterproof/breathable.

Gore-Tex Oxygen III Pac-Lite jacket and pants. Both items roll up into a jersey pocket for storage. I work for Gore, so I can get my hands on some good stuff. I actually find that Windstopper products give me the best balance of waterproofness and breathability in anything other than a total downpour.

I use a cotton canvas/oil cloth duster. They have leg straps so your legs stay dry and you don't sweat at all in them. They are sort of cowboy looking but they split up the back and work great for keeping the wind and rain out. I got mine used but brand new with the tags for $40.00 from ebay.

Good tips - thanks guys.

I just get wet. It's either get wet, or sweat to death in supposedly breathable rain gear. The only time I wear my "rain" jacket (some illuminite jacket) is when the temperature is below 35 degrees.

I've been wearing my rain gear all week due to the low 30's weather.
Using illuminite pants,lined rain gloves and my winter coat.

J & G clothing. https://www.bicycleclothing.com Waterproof, breathable jacket, pants and helmet cover. The look is 'way Fred', but the gear is very effective. Pit zips help w/internal sweat, but ultimately the above poster is right...you'll get wet from the inside w/a long enough commute. Ya picks yer poison.

I wear a 1999 Nissan Altima.....

Only when it is cold, windy and a steady/heavy rain with bad drainage on the roads. I don't like wet feet all day....

Usually, just cold weather gear for drissles/wet roads.

All of my attempts at using "breathable" laminated shells have resulted in the sauna effect. I use full fenders, wear wool or wool-like fabrics, get wet when it's pouring, but I stay comfy and warm.

The only thing I want to add to my set up is some waterproof/resistant cycling boots that are also warmer than the Sidi Bullet 2s I use (not booties). I'm probably going to spring for some Answer Kashmirs over the summer.

Showers Pass Double Century jacket.

Bellweather Aqua-No pants.

Lake MTB Winter Boots

Showers Pass gets almost entirely positive reviews from people that have their stuff. At the high-end Gore-Tex fabrics and eVent will keep you dry while claiming to be breathable.

I have a jacket made of eVent that is made by a british company called Rab. The jacket is the Drillium. It is very waterproof and it breathes well, but I wouldn't wear it for biking in temperatures over 60 F unless there was a deluge. It doesn't have any vents, so maybe a jacket made of eVent with armpit vents and other venting strategies would be more tolerable in warmer temperatures.

I recommend a cycling cap by itself or under your helmet to help keep the rain out of your eyes. That usually works well for me.

No rain gear for me unless it cold out.It's either wet from the rain or wet from the rain gear.Wet from the rain smells better.I use REI rain gear when needed.

Jersey and shorts if it's over 45F. I'd rather have a little water on me than get overheated in any kind of rain gear.

32F-45F is really hard. I'll generally go with a thin wicking layer with a thin waterproof shell over it. Gloves are the hardest - for cold rain (hard rain), I actually put a large pair of rubber gloves over my usual gloves, none of which are sufficiently waterproof on their own.

My rain gear (9 months of the year)

Smartwool longsleeve jersey
Performance Tundra II jersey over top
Wool cycling cap or microfleece beanie
PI Cyclone gloves
PI Gavia Plus bib tights
Smartwool lightweight socks
Gore shoe covers

It's useless to try and stay totally dry up here, especially for a long ride. The best you do is to stay warm and keep your feet dry.
Other guys with the randonners wear wool gloves (Yehuda style) and wool tights and arm/leg warmers. Some wear Showers Pass gear, but it's not 100% going to keep you dry after too many hours.