I ended up buying professional landscaper's rain gear through Gempler's. Visor-hooded rainjacket and long pants. Does for most sloppy garden work, and no holes or tears after 3 years. For general (not shoveling stinky stuff) rain, I use a lined, hooded jacket found at Blair's -- (sorry cannot remember the maker, but it comes in all sorts of colors, and not at all expensive)- the first one is now 4 years old and still looks and feels like new, and I bought another last winter to wear to office... it'll probably outlast me! In the prof stuff, look for drawstring hoods and elasticized wrist-bands, and well-hidden air vents; and the bib on the pants looks funny but works like a dream to keep you dry... and I've found rain gear is when PVC-over-vinyl works best.

OK meldy - it's off to the farmers' co-op I go. I've had a yearning for bib overalls for a while. Thanks for the input.