I bike commute every day year round and as a result often end up biking in the rain. I need recommendations for a lightweight,
compact rain jacket-y thing that I can carry with me every day in my bag. It needs to be comfortable for summer. If it's a women's jacket, it needs to fit an XL-XXL with broad shoulders; men's jackets are also okay provided that the fit is fairly tailored. Compactness is key - I carry a medium-sized messenger bag and my current rain jacket takes up most of the room when I bring it. Warmth isn't really a concern as this is for times when I can't wear a wool jacket and hat. Should not be designed to fit super tight, as it will need to go over a shirt and possibly a light cardigan. Cheap is better than expensive, but I would pay for a spendy one if it were perfect.
posted by Frowner
on May 24, 2013 -
11 answers
Help me find (not rain) boots for a rainy, not terribly cold climate. Bonus difficulty level: in South Africa!
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posted by mrfuga0
on Apr 17, 2013 -
2 answers
I'm in Barcelona with a friend. We've spent two pleasant days wandering around and seeing the sights, and we'd be happy to keep doing that, but tomorrow the weather is forecast to be wet. No problem, we'll go to some museums! But tomorrow is Monday, and most of the museums are shut... What can we do instead?
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posted by ManyLeggedCreature
on Mar 3, 2013 -
12 answers
My roommate bikes about 4 miles to work. His feet are size 13 and he uses platform (flat) pedals. He wears pretty chunky shoes. We live in Portland, OR. For HolidayGiftingTime I bought him some Sugoi Resistor booties, but within a month they have shredded and ripped to the point of uselessness. What are some other options for the large-footed, shreddy-pedaled biker? Are there any booties specifically for platform pedals?
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posted by MonsieurBon
on Jan 27, 2013 -
5 answers
I'm visiting LA for the first time. It's raining today and for the rest of the week. I have no car. What should I do and where should I go?
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posted by bluelight
on Nov 29, 2012 -
16 answers
Richmond Hill/GTA Ontario filter: I'm looking for one of those companies that fixes leaky basements.
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posted by feelinggood
on Sep 5, 2012 -
3 answers
When should you cancel an outdoor event because of rain? When the chance of rain is 50%? 75%? When there is a little lightning bolt in the picture?
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posted by smirkyfodder
on Jul 15, 2012 -
12 answers
I am looking for a messenger bag or backpack that will be good for bus/bike commuting in the rain, i.e. will keep my lunch, reading material, and spare clothing dry whilst I am getting soaked. I would also prefer it to be durable and green.
posted by Celsius1414
on Apr 11, 2012 -
26 answers
Please recommend rain gear that will keep me dry and comfy walking around the city this winter.
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posted by kristi
on Nov 8, 2011 -
12 answers
Why do snowstorms last so long? We live in the Denver area and it snowed for 18 hours, from 9 PM last night to 3 PM this afternoon. My wife asked me why it never rains for that length of time. I muttered something about convection in the summer, then stopped when I realized I didn't know what I was talking about.
posted by lukemeister
on Oct 26, 2011 -
11 answers
Several people I know here in Chicago, including myself, have witnessed very small isolated rain showers. They are usually no more than 6 feet in diameter, clearly not coming from a building, no clouds in the sky. One of saw this happen in a wide open intersection, one in an open quad area and one on a sidewalk. These showers tend to last anywhere from 40 seconds to 2 minutes and seem to be coming from absolutely nowhere. They are clearly unusual enough that people stop, stare, comment and try to locate it's source. Is this a naturally occurring phenomenon? Is there a name for it? Where is that rain coming from?
posted by smich
on Oct 21, 2011 -
13 answers
I ran across a travelogue a while back of two young women going on a long bicycle tour in the Eastern U.S. in the 1930s or 1940s. I think they started from Pennsylvania or another nearby state and originally intended to go west, but ended up going south. On the return trip, I think they took a boat up the Mississippi or another major river. Does this ring a bell?
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posted by jocelmeow
on Sep 21, 2011 -
2 answers
I'm throwing a small outdoor party tomorrow (25 people) and now there's rain in the forecast. It being graduation season, I don't want to spend all day calling party stores to find someone who can still rent me a tent. So, will a pop-up canopy
like this protect people from the rain or is it a waste of money?
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posted by cabingirl
on May 26, 2011 -
14 answers
Did rain cause my new window air conditioner to make a spattering noise or was it normal operation of the unit?
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posted by flyingcowofdoom
on May 4, 2011 -
7 answers
I need to identify certain areas of the world - figure zip cod/international analogue is discrete enough, although more granular is preferred - which meet a variety of meteorological conditions.
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posted by dyerfr
on Apr 13, 2011 -
5 answers
Looking for information about rain gear for hunting and fishing.
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posted by norm
on Mar 7, 2011 -
5 answers
I always wear/use leather in rain but they always tell me it's wrong for the material. This is a bit naive but I'm wondering what high quality good looking materials work for coats and bags in rain? I don't mean plastic or nylon looking stuff (although if they're technically the best I'd like to know) but more stylish.. let's say upto $1k/coat
posted by the mad poster!
on Feb 26, 2011 -
12 answers
When I walk in the rain, why does the calf of my right pant leg get much wetter than that of my left?
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posted by pollex
on Oct 15, 2010 -
14 answers
I'm looking for information regarding the safety of using water from a rain barrel in a vegetable garden. Has anyone seen any studies that test water from a rain barrel to determine its quality? How would I go about getting water tested to make sure it's safe?
posted by GernBlandston
on Jul 13, 2010 -
14 answers
Goddamnit, why does my apartment smell like cat pee? Difficulty: I don't have a cat, and I live in a pets-verboten building. Preliminary research suggests it may be mold?
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posted by pazazygeek
on Jun 12, 2010 -
19 answers
When I'm at work or at home and I want to concentrate on coding I often plug my ears into the sound of rain and thunder (usually courtesy of http://www.rainymood.com/).
I'd like to extend the experience of immersing myself in a rainy day even further - so I thought I'd ask the hive if it knows of any screen savers / other apps that package a realistic visual and audial experience of rain together.
In my mind, I'm imagining a viewpoint across a park with heavy rain falling on trees, wind whipping through leaves, branches swaying, thunder and lightning in the distance -- but anything that brings the experience at looking out at a rainy day would be welcome.
I'm open to suggestions about video files, streaming cameras, screen savers, anything else, as long as the rain is the major theme. Bonus points for lack of relaxation / pan pipe music in the background.
What say you, Hive? Can you help?
posted by planetthoughtful
on May 21, 2010 -
5 answers
Will rain do any damage to my pea coat? I'm going to Ireland next month and I expect I'll get caught in the rain a time or two. Will the rain do any harm to my pea coat that's labeled "80% wool, 15% polyester, 5% other"?
posted by Dodgy_Dude
on Mar 16, 2010 -
11 answers
If I'm planning a trip to Southeast Asia in late September/early October, should I be concerned about the weather?
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posted by josh.ev9
on Jan 30, 2010 -
4 answers