These aren't exactly for climbing, but will probably get used in the pursuit. I have some great jackets for around town when it rains, they shed water without a problem, but the problem is that whatever pants I'm wearing get soaked. Are there any suggestions as to some softshell pants that look good for around town that aren't mega bucks?
I'd have to tip my hat in favour of the OR Tremor Pants. Slim fit and comfortable.
However, they do come with a bit of a price tag. You should be able to find em' cheaper on sites like everestgear.com, e-bay, craigslist (maybe) or wait for the REI dividends to come out & combo it with the 20% coupon.
If you're into dead bird, their Gamma LT pant manages to be both a great technical pant (climbing, hiking, scrambling) and cut like a nice pair of slacks.
Softshells are not water resistant in the sense of a hardshell. They are made for repelling snow mostly. They will do alright in light rain but in hard rain you will get wet... unless they have a waterproof membrane which most do not.