So bomb cyclones and sudden autumn arrival has me questioning "water proof" gear again 2023 edition

Should I invest in mid-grade (say 250ish) waterproof hooded jacket and/or waterproof pants?  Or just stick with my "water resistant" but breathable gear and wool base layers?  Perhaps add an emergency shell to strap to bike for the occassional severe downpour.  What works for you in these September to November increasingly cold wet PNW months?

I ride in water resistant vests and jackets in the winter on Van Isle, but I don't go out of my way to ride in heavy rain. I find waterproof gear ends up wet inside from sweat anyways so it's not that useful to me. Not clothing, but having large-ish fenders front/rear and a downtube splash guard keeps a lot of the dirty trail water off me which helps a lot for comfort. I like Andrew's waterproof vest idea for heavier rain, but my solution to that is just adjusting my ride schedule to avoid heavy rain.

for heavy rain, I suggest a shovel.  Trails don't fix themselves.

Fair enough.  See you in May.

I gave up on trying to stay dry and now my focus is on staying warm when wet and stuff that doesn't hold water. Once you start pedaling and building heat from the inside I never found anything that could keep up and not turn into a sweat lodge on the inside. 

Merino wool base layers. While wool does absorb a decent amount of water, it keeps you warm when it's wet.  

Thinner fabric shorts or pants. Less surface area for water. Think of boardshorts type material, this holds far less moisture than a chunkier weave. Usually a poly material vs a nylon as polyester absorbs less water. 

Fast drying windshirt over the base/mid layers. Block the wind that cools you off but usually much more breathable than a waterproof jacket. 

Merino socks for warm feet. Shoes that aren't a sponge.

Yep water resistant and wool. Waterproof is basically useless (in the context of north shore mountain biking).

Anyone have recommendation for water resistant, breathable jacket with a hood that fits over helmet?  A hood that doesn't obstruct side view, breathable, durable, decent wind resistance.

All the arcterxy stuff is awesume I have a couple of Beta's I like

I have a Gortex dry suit I would hermetically seal myself in for seakayaking on the north coast so put up the tarp/ collect wood/ start a fire do all the in-the-rain shit before taking the suit off and the reverse procedure in the AM BUT i wasn't putting out a whole bunch of energy also it had to be colder than 10C or it was just too warm

there isnt so much of a wet season up here for biking before it just starts snowing and if it rains instead you don't bother

Last winter I rode in: 5.10 TrailCross GTX, wool socks (thickness based on temp,) NF DP4, wool shirt, NF Mid-Weight Jacket (carried up) and Klim Inversion gloves for the pedal up. 

Generally don't ride in the rain as its ski/board/sled time then.  This was in the cold dry spells 

I did pick up a Leatt 5.0 Monsuit that I didn't bring to WBP in mid-July and got burnt on that one. 

I have a Leatt 5.0 jacket black mens medium brand new with tags if anyone is looking to purchase.

https://www.mec.ca/en/product/6017-198/hydrocycle-jacket?utm_source=promo&utm_medium=email&utm_term=bike_en_sep27&_kx=FLb3yK1aY6K6CyZlpAr1UlWyNj2hW7oKWbzoWvD1Ua0%3D.UsLG8u&colour=Rosin&utm_campaign=fall_deals

here ^^ is something from MEC, pretty cheap

Posted by: Endur-Bro

Last winter I rode in: 5.10 TrailCross GTX, wool socks (thickness based on temp,) NF DP4, wool shirt, NF Mid-Weight Jacket (carried up) and Klim Inversion gloves for the pedal up. 

Generally don't ride in the rain as its ski/board/sled time then.  This was in the cold dry spells 

I did pick up a Leatt 5.0 Monsuit that I didn't bring to WBP in mid-July and got burnt on that one. 

I have a Leatt 5.0 jacket black mens medium brand new with tags if anyone is looking to purchase.

So you use the monsuit on the shore? 

I already posted saying waterproof stuff is useless but I'll contradict myself by saying I've been unitard-curious. 

I like the idea of a single garment with no seam in the middle that can literally be hosed down and hung up for the next ride. 

But, alas I dislike the idea of being souveed in my own bag.

I've ridden many winters in either a "breathable but not waterproof" or "waterproof but not breathable" $200+ jacket. In decent rain, I do think the waterproof kept me drier; certainly not completely dry, but not soaked to the skin like the more breathable option. 

Last year picked up a proper gore-tex on sale, and have to say it's worth the money. Never going to stay completely dry on wet days, but with merino base layers this is the most comfortable option that works for all winter rides; I don't risk having worn the wrong jacket. 

But if you're not riding December to March and have no other use for it, I wouldn't suggest spending $250 on a waterproof jacket. There's really only a handful of days in the shoulder season that it might be needed.