Great raingear on a budget
 

ok... So I had my first straight-up downpour yesterday so I got to find out out what parts of me get the most soaked....EVERYTHING. For my tour this summer I looking for what everyone thinks is the best midrange rain gear, including booties (soggy cheats are not fun). I am not looking for convenience i.e. I don't care about pockets or breathable material, but to keep my arse dry!

So, nobody uses toe clips anymore?

I have never used gore-tex or fancy pants waterproof/breathable stuff on any of my tours. Mid range I like Columbia rain gear, i get it oversized so that I have plenty of air between me and the weather. That, a long sleeved flannel turtleneck, and a wool sweater have gotten me thru many an alpine deluge.

I have even used the good ol' fashioned yellow raingear ya went to kindergarten with. It makes a good dropcloth as well. It does get awful stiff in cold weather though.

roughstuff

Actually that was a long debate I had, but I decided on the cleats, I love them.

have come from using spd clips for the past 10 years I set up my commuter with the toe straps mainly because it's what I had available. I took them off after a few rides. They're fine once they're on, but getting started out on them and tightened , especially with a lot of start and stop riding is a pain in the ass. I'll stick to the clips any day.

I bought a Goretex rainsuit about 15 years ago for my first "big" tour. Then it didn't rain much (I'm not complaining.) The one day it did rain and I had to wear the suit, I ended up wet inside from sweat. I was wearing a long-sleeve cotton T-shirt, which probably didn't help, but I remember thinking I had wasted my money buying the expensive, "breathable" suit since it didn't seem to breathe all that much. Maybe Goretex wasn't as good in those days (?)

That suit wore out, so I bought new rain gear for my tour last summer. It isn't Goretex, but has excellent venting - pit zips as well as under the yoke in the back. I stayed much drier (I had a polypro long sleeve shirt this time.)

I would say look for a jacket with good venting, spend money on "breathable" if you want, but realize you'll probably have to put up with some dampness no matter what you get.

I know the Frogg Toggs are pretty reasonable and lightweight but I've also heard from some that they are fragile. Sorry, no 1st hand experience.

This Summer I used an inexpensive coated nylon jacket and pants. Both packed tiny. I think the brand was Sierra Designs. They worked about as well as anything I have tried and were pretty cheap.

For me, if it rains much, keeping dry just isn't an option. I find that I am wet no matter what, either from the rain or from sweat.

For hands I just wear gloves that are warm enough for the conditions and don't bother with waterproof ones.

For my feet I wear shoes that don't really get very wet (Sidis made of Lorica) and socks that are comfortable when wet and dry quickly (either wool or some fairly inexpensive ankle high sports socks by UnderArmor). I wear shoe covers if it is cold enough to need them for warmth and make sure to dry and air out my feet at night in camp.