# Rain Pants......I want the best!



## Spokerider (Apr 25, 2005)

I`m looking for some rain pants, something WATERPROOF, BREATHABLE and DURABLE. I want the best, and will pay for the best, but only want to do this once, lol. 

I ride all year long in the pacific northwest, 4 or 5 times a week, and with the torrential rains of November upon us, my 4 hr rides in the freezing rain give me hypothermia.......no fun at best. I have an arcteryx jacket and icebreaker base layer top, and although the condensation still develops on the inside of the jacket, I get clammy wet, and I can just tolerate it. The Icebreaker wool helps with tolerating the dampness. My polyester pants however are another matter......NOT waterproof, dripping wet in the rain, with my legs and feet getting so cold they get numb.

So, what do you use for rain pants? I`ve been looking online at cycling specific pants like Showers pass pants, MEC cycling pants, MEC softshell hiking pants, Marmot Precip pants, as well as top of the line hiking pants like Arcteryx Beta AR pants and REI Shuksan eVent pants. If the pants are not a tight fit at the calf, as might be the case with hiking pants, I plan on using some velcro straps to tuck the excess material in tight to my leg. I may even consider wearing gators over the pants if it helps. If I can also use the pants for hiking, well, then that`s a bonus. 

Wanting them durable enough for XC light AM use, yet breathable for high cardio output vapor transmission / evaporation. Riding in temps from just above freezing to minus temps in snow, but mainly wanting them for torrential rain. 

Thoughts?


----------



## mtbxplorer (Dec 25, 2009)

I don't have any, but from hanging on the commuter forum it seems like the PNW people like the Showers Pass stuff. Maybe do an advanced search there for more info from all-weather riders.


----------



## sean salach (Sep 15, 2007)

The more waterproof it is, the less it's going to breathe, in general. eVent stuff works really well in that regard. Cycling pants are going to get hammered though. Expect the seat to lose waterproofness eventually. Being between your ass, a layer of mud/road grit and your saddle is simply too much wear and tear for even the best to last a really long time. If money isn't a concern, I would definitely look at stuff made from eVent, and accept that it will need to be replaced or repaired ever couple of years or so if used daily. Fenders will go a long way toward extending their useful life.


----------



## Spokerider (Apr 25, 2005)

Thanks for the info. 

I`ve read the reviews on Showers Pass, and it;s not the best. Only the *critical* seams are taped, and so the non-taped seams leak.....

Having read SO much online material on eVent vs Goretext, I get the impression that the eVent is the more breathable fabric, but that is only one half of the equation. What about the durability of the fabric that it`s bonded to, the quality of the taping, quality of the zippers, quality of the garment in general as well as fit and articulation? 

For a $100 *cheap* pair, I`d consider the marmot Precip or similar. 
Been looking at the REI Shuksan, an eVent rain pant vs Arcteryx Beta AR Goretext pant, both top-end rain pants. Anybody have experince with either?


----------



## womble (Sep 8, 2006)

If you are prepared to pay a *lot* of money, are prepared to spend a lot of time describing exactly what you need, and only want to use the pants in cold temps, consider getting something highly custom from Cioch Direct (Isle of Skye, Scotland). They should be able to do something in a tighter fit than their usual (they do hiking/mountaineering clothing which is loose fit), and they can add reinforcing patches if you're concerned about durability.

They use Paramo Analogy fabric, which works very differently from hardshell clothing (Goretex, eVent). You'll have to spend some time researching this to get your head around the concept- it's pretty much a British/Scandinavian thing that has not made it to the US because it's conceptually more complex than hardshells.


----------



## sean salach (Sep 15, 2007)

womble said:


> If you are prepared to pay a *lot* of money, are prepared to spend a lot of time describing exactly what you need, and only want to use the pants in cold temps, consider getting something highly custom from Cioch Direct (Isle of Skye, Scotland). They should be able to do something in a tighter fit than their usual (they do hiking/mountaineering clothing which is loose fit), and they can add reinforcing patches if you're concerned about durability.
> 
> They use Paramo Analogy fabric, which works very differently from hardshell clothing (Goretex, eVent). You'll have to spend some time researching this to get your head around the concept- it's pretty much a British/Scandinavian thing that has not made it to the US because it's conceptually more complex than hardshells.


Really? More complex? :skep: It's a polyester outer shell with a dwr finish and basically a brushed tricot lining. See Marmot Driclime and others, highly popular and available in the US for several years. They use a directional weave for the outer fabric so that the water runs off of it and it doesn't need to be exceptionally repellant. Not sure how it would work at cycling speeds and positions.


----------



## womble (Sep 8, 2006)

sean salach said:


> Really? More complex? :skep: It's a polyester outer shell with a dwr finish and basically a brushed tricot lining. See Marmot Driclime and others, highly popular and available in the US for several years. They use a directional weave for the outer fabric so that the water runs off of it and it doesn't need to be exceptionally repellant. Not sure how it would work at cycling speeds and positions.


Yeah, "more complex" in that the vast bulk of the market in the US doesn't seem to be able to get its head around the idea for some mysterious reason. My guess is that most consumers want the 'magic fix' of the Goretex 'guaranteed to keep you dry' over having to think about their clothing systems- look how long, and how much marketing, softshells took to make it into the mainstream, only to be derailled by Goretex membranes again (membranes make softshells pretty much useless in any aerobic sport).

The Paramo stuff doesn't use a directional weave for the _outer_. It's the _inner _fabric that's directional. Driclime is great for cycling in the rain as long - as it's not too cold (I have been using it for about a decade). Driclime will get soaked, but it still feels comfortable in warmer wet temps.

Paramo will stay completely dry in cycling . My top has withstood driving rain for hours. The only danger is that the wearer will overheat. It's warmer than Driclime, and it doesn't 'breathe' so much as 'wick like crazy'. But again, because it's usually cut very loose, it'd have to be custom cut to work for cycling trousers.


----------



## Ojos Azules (Sep 23, 2008)

Endura stuff is pretty good,and not too expensive.

MEN'S WATERPROOF LEGWEAR


----------



## D45yth (Jan 30, 2009)

What about the Goretex Active Shell stuff? Certainly not cheap but a lot more breathable than normal Goretex and eVent. Look for the Fusion AS pants...I have the jacket and it's spot on.


----------



## J_Hopper (Mar 5, 2005)

J and G Cyclewear. ~$80.


----------



## Spokerider (Apr 25, 2005)

I ended up ordering a pair of theses;
REI Shuksan Pants with eVent Fabric - Men's 30" Inseam - Free Shipping at REI.com

Never have tried eVent before, and since I`m only *marginally* happy with the breathability of my Arcteryx Jacket, I have decided to give eVent a try.......... As a bonus, I can wear them hiking, as I spend as much timne hiking as biking in the rain, lol. Have read many good things about REI too......customer service and returns etc.


----------



## lstone84 (Nov 15, 2012)

*crank rip*



Spokerider said:


> I ended up ordering a pair of theses;
> REI Shuksan Pants with eVent Fabric - Men's 30" Inseam - Free Shipping at REI.com
> 
> Never have tried eVent before, and since I`m only *marginally* happy with the breathability of my Arcteryx Jacket, I have decided to give eVent a try.......... As a bonus, I can wear them hiking, as I spend as much timne hiking as biking in the rain, lol. Have read many good things about REI too......customer service and returns etc.


aren't you worried about the lack of a tight fit in the lower leg. I have the beta AR for snowboarding and they are AMAZING. But im in the market for a rain pant as well BECAUSE I don't wan't to catch my beta's on the crank and tear them...I imagine any general non cycling rain pain will have too much extra in the lower legs...so i'm looking for a tapered breathable waterproof wind pant. I don't care if it provides zero warmth, as that can be handles w/ base layers.


----------

