Lt Stonez

Wonder what kind off rain gear BF people USE on touring?
Am thinking of buying this https://www.thenorthface.com/shop/mens-dryzzle-jacket
Anybody tried it? Or do you have a rainjacket to recomman


Cheers

bwgride

This company has a good reputation for bicycling rain items

https://www.showerspass.com/

Tourist in MSN

I like the Marmot Precip but there are dozens of other good jackets out there. When on a bike you likely are producing some heat, so some venting can be nice. I never use the hood while riding, but I like a hooded jacket for campground use.

A good collar that seals off much of the water from coming in is good too.

Make sure it has long enough sleeves so that when you reach forward to the handlebars that the sleeves are still down around your wrists. Some jackets can have sleeves that are a bit too short for cycling.

The higher visibility colors are safer.

jamawani 

I've had many jackets over the years - Patagonia, REI, Columbia, Performance.
My current one is a North Face - about 4 years old. Hydrovent or some such name - I forget.
I am generally pleased with it - nothing is perfect.

Generally, I have a jacket only for when I get caught out in a storm.
If it's going to pour all day - I take the day off.
(And I tend to skip the Pacific Northwest in the winter.)
If it's raining all day, not light mist, but heavy rain -
it really gets to be a chore - plus drivers are frustrated, too.
Visibility, frayed nerves, slippery roads, fatigue - not a good combo.

Just my 2c - -

shipwreck

I have a Showers pass, without a hood. Really like the bright color and reflectors, and take it on shorter lighter trips when the weather is warmer and not having a hood is less irritating if setting up camp in the rain.
When it is cooler weather and on winter tours I take a Patagonia rain jacket with a big hood, pit zips, and storm pockets. Its bigger and bulkier, but keeps a cold rain out pretty well. Found one in a bright neon green, so its got decent visibility. Cold weather touring is not something that I struggle to save grams on. Other than being a little bulkier, its about four or five ounces more than the showers pass. When I got it, I chose a size larger so it fits over jackets, and fits better in riding position.

For years I used a Marmot Precip, and liked the balance between weight and working well as a do all jacket. Even with the pit zips it got sweaty and hot inside while riding, so when I lost it(probably left at a restaurant I left after the rain stopped)I just started using a cheap nylon rain jacket with a hood, the kind that zips into its own pocket. I still take that one on day rides when its cold and looks like rain, saving the showers P for warm weather.

jefnvk

I used one of these on and off for a week in a mostly light drizzle condition: Canari Deluge X Jacket. I got mine on super cheap closeout, I'm not sure that it is worth $90.

It kept me dry, but didn't really vent all that well, it seals up excellently. As such, it generally only went on when the rain started coming down, if it were a light sprinkle I stayed with just my jersey. I never wore pants, the rain didn't bother my cycling tights. Big thing I wished I had was shoe covers, wet feet are no fun.

For colder weather and wet, I have an old 66 North wind/waterproof technical fleece coat. It is too warm for cycling above 50F or so, and being black it is not my first choice to wear. It does do a good job at keeping me dry and warm.

Ty0604

Performance Ripstop rain pants and either my Nike jacket or Asics packable jacket. Both jackets are only water resistant and not water proof. I don't mind getting wet while on tour. I generate a lot of heat while riding too. If it's really pouring I'll pull over and take cover and wait it out. That only happened 3 days of my 71 days riding across the north this summer. Not worth it to me to carry an actual rain jacket, which would be much heavier than the either of the jackets I have.

gerryl

Marmot precip for me. This past summer I was in Scotland and England, it pretty much rained every day for the first 3 weeks, it did its job nicely.

Tandem Tom

Maybe we carry too much but this works well for us. We each have StormPass jackets and pants. The pants work well as an extra layer for really cold days. We also carry a Cannondale light weight jacket wit sleeves that attach via magnets. So we have a light weight rain,thin drizzle, and a vest for cool weather and long descents. I am on my 2nd. one and they are light and pack nicely in the front pannier.

CliffordK

Norway? In December?

For touring, there are two issues. Warm & Dry.

Even if one isn't expecting rain, it can be nice to have a coat in the evenings. And, a simple windbreaker layered over something like fleece an be quite warm, while being light and easy to pack. And adaptable.

Dry is the other issue. And, one has to be sweat free. I can remember one day trying a paddle jacket. It seemed like a good idea at the time. Reasonably sealed.... EWWW, sweat was horrible.

That Northface jacket looks equally bad. Good sealing. The Goretex will help a bit, but probably not enough.

Most of the good cycling jackets such as the Showers Pass jackets are designed with maximum ventilation, underarm ventilation & back ventilation.

Some have back pockets, some have side pockets which would be a matter of personal preference. I'm not a vest fan, but some also have removable sleeves (which are a pain if you don't use the feature).

Doug64

That looks like a good jacket;The North Face makes good gear. I have used a Marmot Precip, but not for cycling. I've actually had 3 of them. The first one had some stitching issues, and was replaced free. The second one had stitching issues and was replaced free. The third one I wore for several years and it finally started delaminating.

Right now I'm using a Patagonia rain jacket, and am pretty happy with it. However, I don't use it for cycling. The only trouble with non-cycling rain jackets is that they are usually too short, and ride up when riding in a bent over position.

You have to realize that I live in Oregon, and most of us Oregonians have Gore-Tex in several different colors We give our rain jackets hard use.


Jackets we have used for cycling:

I've had 2 showers Pass jackets and my wife has had one. I was not satisfied with one, it was one of their cheaper models. I still use the Elite model, and it seems to be holding up reasonably well. My wife's "Tourist" model started delaminating on a very wet 6 week tour this summer. She got a new REI jacket when we returned. Both of the malfunctioning jackets were about 6-7 years old when they bit the dust. I wore the Elite on a long tour the first year I had it. It rained 35 days out of 90, and I was happy with the jacket. However, it is an expensive jacket.

We have also used the REI brand rain jackets and pants. Both of us just semi-retired +12-year old Novara jackets that were used for commuting, touring, and around town use. We still use them as wind breakers and in light rain around town.
This is my old REI rain jacket. It has seen a lot of use. It still sheds water, and breathes reasonably well.


We both just bought REI Novara Stratos rain jackets. We used them on a short, wet tour this summer and they worked well. They seem well made and have some nice features. How well they hold up, remains to be seen. We are still using the 12-year old REI rain pants.
https://www.rei.com/product/883098/n...ke-jacket-mens

Left to right: REI Novara Stratos (older style), Patagonia non-cycling, REI Novara Stratos, Showers Pass Elite. Yeah, we also like Ortlieb

Cougrrcj

A couple of years ago, I bought a jacket and pants from J&G Cycleworks Bicycle Clothing At Its Best--and Our Bicycle Clothing Is MADE IN OREGON! I haven't tried actually touring with it yet, but it seems to work just fine on my 12-mile commute.

And as @jefnvk pointed out, shoe covers are nice to have as well!

Timequake

Paying $200 for a rain jacket is insane. I have this jacket. Got it on sale for $38. Very waterproof and breathable. The collar can be zipped up for when its really cold or left open for more ventilation. Great fit and comfortable when riding. Also packs really small.

Columbia Men's Watertight II Jacket

Ty0604

Or waterproof shoes! Mine weren't waterproof but a can of Thompson Water Seal made them so. Quite impressed at how well it worked out.

I wasn't the market for a new rain jacket but just bought one of those haha Thanks

dannwilliams

I picked up a Columbia rain jacket a few years back as well. Not sure if this is the same one I have, but definitely a "best buy" at $38! Using the hood keeps the rain from running down my neck and under the rain jacket.

fietsbob

on my tour almost 20 years ago I had an Anorak.. so I had a pocket to stuff my Gloves into and a Kangaroo pocket for the

Fisherman's friend Cough drops when I had a sore throat and cold


Now I have a Cyclist's rain cape . example shown

Where I live is Not Western Ireland, like the Cycle Tour was. But it is quite wet, .. and By the Sea.

Draping over the handlebars My hands stay dry under the cape, they never stayed dry long with any gloves I've owned.

And Unlike other fabrics Coated on the inside , the Grunden's rain cape, is more a Nylon backed welded PVC,

so inside is the fabric feel, towards You. not a Urethane coating ..


other than the heavy rain, I have a Parka.. bright, with reflective stripes .

Any rain pants are good for only 2, maybe 3, winters, before the coating and the seam tape go off.

Note:
OP in Norway, has Multinational brands Like NF, Enduro, and British ones .. US Showers Pass may not be sold there ..

And With an Outdoor Nature loving citizenry He has some Norwegian Brands Sold just there ? Sweden etc?

...





....

bikenh

It all depends on the circumstances. If its warm out, I don't wear anything for a rain jacket, no need to...unless you enjoy being soaked from sweat. If its cold out, below 55-60F, I use an old rain jacket I got for free from the LBS owner who was getting rid of some of his old gear he doesn't use anymore. Got quite a few old jersey as well, some that have to be 25-30 years old given the bike shops one the jersey haven't been around in that many years...still wear them all the time.

mdilthey

Outdoor Research's warranty is hard to beat.

1Mule

I have a Showers Pass Elite 2.1. it's a nice enough jacket, but they're got backwards (women's side) zippers. Drives me crazy. I've also got a J&G Cyclewear Rain jacket that I like very much that can be purchased for half the price of my backward zippered Showers Pass jacket.

GamblerGORD53

On my 2015 trip to VN and China, I only used my $10 Chinese cape bought in 2006, it is still almost as good as new. Anything more than a mist, I had the hood up over my baseball cap. Rain on the eyes is no fun. Works great, except the hood is small, and it has a window. It covers me and half the bike besides. The front tucks around my handlebar and my hands hold it also. My legs below the knees still get wet, so I had to put bags on my shoes so they didn't get drowned. I only get annoyed if my loaded pockets get wet.
It gets hot and sweaty, but still far better than the over $200+ MEC jacket and pants that were passengers the whole trip. I did buy and use plastic leggings for my calves, even they got hot on 3c days.

PS My cape is heavy like 2 lbs at least, way better than Bob's.

reppans

My tent doubles as a rain cape.

Doug64

My experience riding with folks using rain capes in moderate to heavy winds is that they are not very practical especially in a headwind.

We were riding with a French couple when a thunderstorm came up. My wife and I dug our rain jackets out, and they donned their capes. We had to rush to catch the train back to our starting point in Paris. We battled a cross/headwind and rain all the way back to the train station. They arrived tired and wet. When we finally got to the station the first thing they asked was about our jackets. Based on this experience, I think a jacket is much more practical, especially in cool, windy weather.

fietsbob

The Grundens cape is relatively heavy so works better Here on the Windy wet coast, than something , thin but packs smaller ..

Its all Trade offs.

irwin7638

I like the Grunden's rain cape. It keeps you dry without overheating. It's also comfortable to wear around the campsite when it's pouring rain. Comfort is worth the extra bulk and weight.

Marc

reppans

Course capes have their advantages and disadvantages (like anything).

Capes can do a good job of keeping shorts, legs, and hands/grips dry, and allow good ventilation from underneath, but they become sails as you get into the teens mph, and against headwinds. Mine has arm holes so I can to poke though (getting them wet) and then belt the cape to minimize billowing and drag coefficient, when that is an issue.