Read this article:

http://andy-kirkpatrick.com/articles/vi ... mfort_game

It's aimed at the mountain climbing fraternity, but everything in it still applies (I'm largely in the same boat as yourself when it comes to overheating and sweating in waterproofs). This has been substantially improved by the purchase of this:

http://www.arcteryx.com/Product.aspx?EN ... #Softshell

Although I'd generally advise purchasing one with a hood (bit of a fail on my part).

I love rain - but then I am from Lancashire so I better had love it.

As for waterproofs, I can't stand the bloody things. Firstly, there's no such thing as a waterproof coat - if it rains for long enough you will get wet. And secondly, they make you so bloody hot! If I'm going to get wet, I'd rather the rain did it than having to sweat.

Put the coat in your rucksack, keep moving and once you get where you're going and dry off, your coat will be warm, dry and waiting for you.

You can't get much more waterproof than being able to use your coat as a bucket. There's no way that rain can get enough pressure to get through a modern breathable PTFE fabric, however while you're wrong about waterproof fabrics not being waterproof, you're right in that they don't allow enough vapour out to stop your sweat condensing and wetting your base layer - also of course you have massive holes for your neck and hands (why a crap hood can make a £250 waterproof worthless).

Ideally you should walk naked as your skin is the perfect breathable waterproof fabric, but for camp use, a waterproof jacket is incredibly good to have. A water resistant soft shell wind blocker is fine for when you have to walk in a storm, mostly because blocking wind is the most crucial aspect of a jacket, and modern softshells dry rapidly, however you're right at the end of the day, the really crucial thing for walking in the rain is to keep your spare clothes dry.

God damn white on black web pages!!!

Which is my point. The problem with coats isn't with the fabric - it's with the edges.

It doesn't matter what fabric you use, the rain will eventually get down the neck, up the arms and through the shoulder seams.

Well it threatened to have a proper thunderstorm earlier on. Lots of thunder, no lightening though and just a drizzle of rain (it was more like a fine mist!) lasting no more than a few minutes.

Always loved a good storm - watching nature put our efforts to shame. I like nothing better than to watch a really good thunder storm, particularly at night. Not so much fun when I'm driving in it though.

it's why the main thing I look for is hood design, with a good wired peak and a snug fit under the neck and around the chin, you can pretty much take any storm in the world, the problem is when people try to walk up a steep hill and get too hot and loosen their collar, put their hood down. At that stage your coat is useless and you should stick it in your backpack. Again modern technology and designs mean that there's really no place on a good Montane or Rab for water to get through. I like a good coat.

In a hot and humid Hanoi during a torrential downpour I was wearing a lightweight poncho type thing with a hood. It was very loose with good seams but I was still sweating like a Turkish wrestler's armpit. I took the damn thing off, got soaked, but it was cool and clean water, unlike the stinky, salty, sweaty stuff I had exuded. Loads of the Viet had a good laugh at me looking like a drowned rat but I felt refreshingly alive.

I also saw an umbrella at Camden earlier saying I <3 Rain.

Some wise words from leeds_manc there. Strangely knowledgeable, given how it never rains oop there

I think I need to invest in some decent waterproofs. My "Monsoon" gear is 100% waterproof, but as others have said - in the hot you end up soaked in your own sweat.

I'd very much prefer to run naked in such weather. It reminds me of a wartime story; during the monsoon in India a certain squadron used to cycle naked between bases with their uniform carefully wrapped. In that heat, you dry out in minutes and can quickly dress smartly at your destination like you've never been outside. I'm not sure what the locals must have thought of them

Might as well wear a bin liner, not breathable at all, only suitable if you're sitting down, ie, watching football... even then



Perfect for walking in the woods when it isn't windy ie a lot of US hikers use them. You'd be laughed at on a Lake District ridge walk though :p

Not good for walking around busy streets.

Rain's [LIFTED].
Spent my formative years growing up on the west coast of Scotland, under the biggest rain shadow in Europe, apparently.
It once rained, every day, for 40 days straight.
As an occasional occurrence, I can see the novelty. It soon wears thin when everywhere you go, and everything you touch, and the clothes you wear to school and college are just always wet and cold.
Grey skies for weeks on end as well.

Rain's [LIFTED].

Good point, it does depend where you are.

Rain wasn't so much fun when I lived in Edinburgh and it came hand in hand with gale force winds pushing me back along Princes Street.

Mind you that was better than when tourists decided to flock in...

But I don't want to pay £130 on a coat!
Generally my £15 M&S brolly does me, but sometimes it does get in the way.