Rain gear on self contained long distance touring?

[reed523]

Here in the NW I have been poured on every month of the year, sometimes far from any acceptable shelter.  I bring light weight "waterproof" jersey and keep pedaling.  I rarely use rain pants in the summer, but just let the legs get wet.  If in the mountains, though, it can get too cold so I bring leg warmers and wear them if I'm getting too wet.  Hypothermia can be an issue in the mountains any time of the year.

Ditto on the hypothermia and it doesn't have to be in the mountains.  The coldest I have ever been on a bike was in Oklahoma in June.  Freak cold front and all day driving rain storm. (I was known as blue lips for the rest of the trip!)  I have not left the house without some sort of rain protection since, and the better quality stuff sure makes it more pleasant to manage heat.

[Jambi]

Might as well mate. It weighs very little and nothing makes you feel like more of an idiot than shivering your arse off in the mountains with nothing to keep you dry/ warm. Your tent will seem ten times smaller if you have to wait out a seemingly unending storm by the side of the road...