I've been only comfortably cool hiking vigorously in a moderate rain at 38 F wearing:

Polyester running hat
Polyester t-shirt
Polyester (not cotton) fleece jacket
Nylon hiking pants
Synthetic running or dress socks
Hiking shoes (not waterproof)

But, this was a dayhike without too much wind. If it were an overnighter, I would have worn at least a rain jacket and probably rain pants.

My suggestion would be to try out a DriDucks rain jacket/pants. They won't stand up to bushwhacking or significant thorny trail overgrowth, but they're one of the lightest and cheapest options at around $20.

Edit:
One factor to consider when deciding on wool vs. synthetics is that synthetics dry faster, but that means there's evaporation happening near your skin. Evaporation is a significant source of heat loss. The result is that you'll likely be chilled more while your synthetic clothing dries than while wool clothing dries more gradually. For this reason, I generally choose synthetic clothing for above freezing temps and wool for below freezing temps when moisture from sweat and precipitation is less likely, and heat loss from evaporation is a more significant factor.


Edited by ohiohiker (05/12/10 05:06 PM)