Please recommend me some waterproof overshoes
Please recommend me some waterproof overshoes
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JQ

Original Poster:

6,801 posts

208 months

Wednesday 12th September 2012
quotequote all
Having always previously been a fair weather commuter, I'm determined to cycle through winter this year. I commute on a mountain bike with BMX pedals wearing trainers. Having spent some time looking I really can't see any overshoes that would be suitable for trainers - as they all look like I'd wear out the sole very quickly. Obviously if anyone does know of any please let me know.

Therefore it looks like I'm going to have to put my spd pedals on. I've already got some shoes, but can anyone recommend some very very waterproof overshoes for MTB spd shoes - there seems to be such a wide variety, cheaper ones are preferable ovbiously. I'll wear shorts no matter what the weather and I'm only on the bike for 70 mins a day. I have worn Gore-tex trainers in the past but the water just runs don my leg onto the sock, which is nice and absorbant.

All suggestions welcome.


minimoog

7,395 posts

248 months

Wednesday 12th September 2012
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Also interested in suggestions. Same requirement - waterproof overshoes for spd mountain bike shoes.

okgo

42,127 posts

227 months

Wednesday 12th September 2012
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They don't exist.

No overshoe keeps your feet totally dry.

rhinochopig

17,932 posts

227 months

Wednesday 12th September 2012
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From personal experience do not buy these over the net. You need to try them on as some are an utter pig to get over your shoes, and if they're a pig to fit you won't wear them.


IroningMan

10,598 posts

275 months

Wednesday 12th September 2012
quotequote all
I have some cheapo neoprene ones from my LBS - they've lasted several years but wouldn't work with the aggrssive sole on my MTB shoes, only with road shoes.

As okgo says. they don't keep your feet entirely dry - but they do make a huge difference to how cold they get.

Rocksteadyeddie

7,971 posts

256 months

Wednesday 12th September 2012
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As above no such thing. Unless you put a bin bag underneath. Which raises its own issues.

JQ

Original Poster:

6,801 posts

208 months

Wednesday 12th September 2012
quotequote all
IroningMan said:
As okgo says. they don't keep your feet entirely dry - but they do make a huge difference to how cold they get.
That's the biggest issue - cold hands and feet. I resolved the hands issue last year with some nice gloves, I hope to resolve the cold feet issue this year.

Sounds like a trip to Evans at lunchtime tomorrow then.

Justin S

3,658 posts

290 months

Wednesday 12th September 2012
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As said, no overshoe is any good at water tightness. For my MTB I have some shimano winter boots, with a neoprene sock sewn in, which seem to keep your feet warm. I fell in a large puddle one day ( half submerged) and the foot that went in got wet, but after 5 minutes was 3 times warmer than the dry foot.

Rolls

1,502 posts

206 months

Wednesday 12th September 2012
quotequote all
As above.. I've got waterproof shoes.. Which most importantly keep my feet warm.. The water runs down your leg, and into the shoe from which there is no escape.
Best way of keeping feet dry will be with some decent mudguards IMO!

Kermit power

29,622 posts

242 months

Wednesday 12th September 2012
quotequote all
I tried this last winter with a couple of different brands of overshoe.

They were universally crap, and fell apart within weeks. I have 81 sets of traffic lights on my commute, plus use MTB SPDs, so between the aggressive sole profile and the frequency of clipping in and out and putting at least one foot down, they just got shredded on the underside. They also used to let water in through the holes on the bottom, as the MTB shoe doesn't have a flat sole, so there's lots of channels for the water to come up through.

As others have said, they're lovely and warm when wet, but if you can't dry them and your shoes at work, they're fking horrible to put back on again in the evening!

I graduated from them to a pair of Goretex Northwave Farenheit boots. They were around £120, but they're still as good as new, and I reckon I'd have spent that much on multiple pairs of overshoes by now. I still get the problem of sock osmosis, but I've just bought a set of clip on mudguards for my snotter commuter bike, so hopefully this won't be so much of an issue this winter.

I have also toyed with the idea of cutting the fingers off some heavy duty rubber gloves and taping the arm portion round my leg just above the top of the boot to create little foot ponchos! hehe

jodypress

2,107 posts

303 months

Thursday 13th September 2012
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When it comes to waterproof clothes for cycling I've found the only material that works is Goretex. For the summer I've got a pair of Goretex overshoes: http://www.tgstore.eu/race-power-overshoes-p-3303....

For the winter I have Shimano RW80's which I paid £99 for new a few years ago: http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/category/clothing/sh...

When it's cold and wet in the winter I use a combination of the above. Warm and dry feet.

When it's proper cold (below freezing) I'll pop some fleece lined on top of the shimanos: http://www.tgstore.eu/oxygen-thermo-overshoes-p-35...

You could always try Sealskinz waterproof socks.

oyster

13,728 posts

277 months

Thursday 13th September 2012
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Slightly connected, but I've been looking for ages for some trainers that can fit under the overshoes.

The biggest problem is that most trainer soles are just too wide, especially around the heel. I have bought cheapish trainers with narrow soles, but they also happen to be too thin and so there's no padding between my feet and the pedals.

The overshoes I have are actually quite large, and I'm not going to go down the route of SPDs for commuting.

donfisher

793 posts

195 months

Thursday 13th September 2012
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Try something old school like a New Balance 410. The sole is narrower than the upper but there’s enough padding.

Simond S

4,519 posts

306 months

Thursday 13th September 2012
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http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Pro-Tarmac-H2O-Road-Bike...

all winter and no wet feet.

(I do tape between the shoe inner and sole with duct tape to stop water getting in via the screw holes.)

Kermit power

29,622 posts

242 months

Thursday 13th September 2012
quotequote all
Simond S said:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Pro-Tarmac-H2O-Road-Bike...

all winter and no wet feet.

(I do tape between the shoe inner and sole with duct tape to stop water getting in via the screw holes.)
These are OK with flat soled road shoes, but not with MTB shoes.

M400 NBL

3,552 posts

241 months

Thursday 13th September 2012
quotequote all
For years i've worn a pair of hein gericke over shoes (motorbike shop) and i've not once got a wet foot. Even after riding through huge unavoidable puddles. Their website is down so I can't provide a link. They look ugly, and are wrapped around leg and foot and secured with velcro. I think they are gortex! Under a pair of water proof trousers they don't look too bad.

They must be getting on for being 10 years old so they are very durable. The sole of your footwear is exposed so all you need is something with a decent sole. I tend to always wear fabric running trainers (my everyday trainers) and they are totally dry to wear again later.

I wouldn't consider buying a pair of cycling overshoes, no matter how nice they look.

I must stress that these are not a fashion item hehe

hellsbuddha

321 posts

272 months

Thursday 13th September 2012
quotequote all
A little off-topic, but relevant, how do you stop water running into the shoe or inside the overshoe, is there a cuff or something that can be worn?

thanks


IroningMan

10,598 posts

275 months

Thursday 13th September 2012
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Mine are far too tight a fit around the top for that to be a problem - mind you I do have proper PH calves...

IroningMan

10,598 posts

275 months

Thursday 13th September 2012
quotequote all
By complete coincidence this week's marketing e-mail from Planet-X includes details of these:

Overshoe Offers

Jimbo.

4,220 posts

218 months

Thursday 13th September 2012
quotequote all
hellsbuddha said:
A little off-topic, but relevant, how do you stop water running into the shoe or inside the overshoe, is there a cuff or something that can be worn?

thanks
I used duct tape once.

Once.

Jesus.