waterproofing
Something I discovered a couple weeks ago that some lightweight, breathable, waterproof garments will eventually stop being waterproof. I discovered this the hard way with my 5 year old Burley jacket. I emailed them, and asked them what I should do, because I love my jacket - they recommended re-waterproofing with Nikwax.
You can find Nikwax products at US Outdoor, or cheaper at Next Adventure. There are 2 forms - spray & wash in. I picked up both. I also picked up the Nikwax wash that helps preserve the waterproofing. The directions recommend only waterproofing 2 -3 items in the wash. It works great - I re-waterproofed my bike rain armor - Burley jacket, a pair of old Columbia ski pants, Craft skull cap (under the helmet) and gloves. I was especially happy about the skull cap - water just beads and runs off of it now. Of course, the Nikwax will eventually wear off and you will need to re-apply - but you can use the Nikwax spray bottle to take care of problem areas until a re-wash.
To keep my feet warm and dry, I wear Wigwam wool socks, with Burley booties. The booties are basically waterproof nylon bags with zippers, but they accommodate any type of shoe and you can cut a hole in the bottom for clips.
btw, I am not an employee of Nikwax - I am just very happy it saved me from buying new rain gear.
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