Adventure Cycling Association

The saying goes: “There’s no bad weather, just inadequate gear.” Be prepared for your next dousing by Mother Nature with these picks for some of our favorite wet-weather touring gear.

Best Helmet Cover for Wet Weather

Proviz Reflect360 Waterproof Helmet Cover, $26

This windproof and waterproof seam-sealed helmet cover is made from 100-percent reflective material to make you visible on dark and rainy days or at night. The one-size-fits-most cover uses elastic and an adjustable drawstring to fine-tune fit. During the day, the cover is gray, but when car headlights hit the cover in low light conditions, the cover shines bright.

Best Seat Bag for Wet Weather

EVOC Seat Pack Boa WP, $175 and up

There are a lot of good touring seat bags out there. This is a great one. Not only is the dropper-post-compatible Seat Pack Boa WP waterproof, it’s also one of the most stable bags I’ve used thanks to the wedge that wraps the seatpost and under-saddle anchor straps. The two-point locking system kept the bag from swaying even when I was out of the saddle climbing. I didn’t know I needed Boa on my seat bag until I tried it. It tightened down the load while still giving me instant access to my stuff — no fumbling with slippery buckles when I had wet, cold hands. Exterior loops held overflow gear, and reflective strips plus a rear light strap kept me visible after dark. Available in 9, 12, and 15 liters.

Best Rainy Day Shoe Covers

Velocio Luxe Rain Shoe Cover, $99

These snug-fitting, softshell, sock-like shoe covers keep the water from saturating your shoes just like you’d expect. But the polyurethane-coated Lycra booties also feature a clever pull tab for easy on and off as well as a reinforced toe and heel to make them long-wearing. Zero zippers mean fewer places water can get in. While they’re minimally insulated, they boost warmth by blocking wind and water. Compatible with road and MTB cleats.

Best Wet-Weather Water Bottle

Bivo bottle, $39-$49, plus Dusty the Dirt Cap, $5

Getting giardia can ruin a bike tour. Bivo’s Dusty the Dirt Cap keeps the microscopic parasites that cause it out of your mouth by covering the Bivo bottles’ high-flow nozzle. Stainless steel bottles come in multiple sizes, insulated and not. I use Dusty all the time. The one-hand-operable silicone cap is easy to use and reduces my chance of ingesting something gross that sprayed up from the road or trail.

Best Glasses for Rain

Tifosi Moab XC with Clarion Pink Fototec Lens, $90

It’s as important to have good eye protection when it’s raining as it is when it’s sunny. Tifosi’s Moab XC glasses with Clarion Pink Fototec lenses have you covered in all conditions. Like most cycling sunnies, the Moab XC’s larger lenses protect eyes from raindrops, road grit, and, when the weather clears, the sun. They also do a good job of staying clear and not fogging when things get moist, and the photochromic lens transitions to nearly clear when it’s overcast, with 61 percent light transmission. In full sun, the lens darkens to just 16 percent light transmission.

Best Rain Jacket

Velocio One Jacket, $359

Cycling jackets are expensive. This one is worth it because, as named, it may be the one riding jacket you need. Made with Polartec’s Power Shield Pro membrane, the One is waterproof and wind-resistant, but also highly breathable. Plant-based Biolon nylon cuts the carbon footprint in half. And, the jacket has a stretchy, softshell feel, meaning it’s not loud and crinkly. The trim cut features a high neck, long sleeves, and a drop tail so it won’t ride up when you’re in the drops.