Best Winter Cycling Overshoes
Our Top 5 Winter Cycling Overshoes
Cycling overshoes are essential accessories for riders looking to protect their feet from the elements and who want to keep their toes toasty. They are designed to shield against wind, rain, and road spray, helping to keep your feet comfortable in challenging conditions.
For many cyclists, cycling overshoes are considered a valuable investment for winter riding. Overshoes are highly effective at keeping your feet warm, dry, and protected from cold wind and water, especially during long rides in cold and wet weather.
Waterproof Overshoe Options at Sigma Sports
Most overshoes feature insulating materials and snug fits to prevent heat loss, while also offering rain protection through waterproof or water resistant fabrics. This ensures your feet stay dry even in heavy rain or wet road conditions. At Sigma Sports we stock a range of weather resistant options from the leading brands such as Gore and Spatz overshoes, Rapha winter overshoes and Castelli toe warmers and have outlined some of our top picks below.
Best Cycling Overshoes for This Season
What stops you from cycling through the winter? The chances are your extremities suffering from the impenetrable elements are high on the list. Keeping your feet warm can feel like a difficult task but with advancements in technology and materials, many brands are now coming up with products, designed to significantly reduce that all too familiar feeling of cold and numb feet. Full cycling overshoes, which cover the entire shoe and ankle area, provide greater warmth and protection for cold rides compared to toe covers, making them especially beneficial for long or particularly cold rides.
Best Aero Overshoes
The Spatz Windsock 2 Shoe Covers are premium aero oversocks, developed with pro cyclists like Mathieu van der Poel, featuring a UCI-compliant striated lycra leg section and a waterproof, sleek fitting main panel for maximum speed and minimal drag.
Their unique combination of aerodynamic fabric and robust weather-protecting features, including Kevlar-reinforced toes, double silicone leg grippers, and waterproof material makes them durable and effective for the changeable conditions of the autumn and winter seasons. Considered a top choice by year round roadies, they perfectly balance elite level aero performance with enough wind and water protection to keep your feet comfortable in cool and damp, training or racing scenarios.
Best Cycling Overshoes For Roadies
The Castelli Perfetto Shoe Covers are highly acclaimed for their use of GORE-TEX INFINIUM™ WINDSTOPPER® fabric, providing excellent windproofing, high breathability, and reliable water resistance against road spray and light rain. They are potentially the best choice for road cyclists because of their sleek, aerodynamic fit and reduced-seam construction, offering a performance advantage that sets them apart from bulkier deep-winter options. This combination of race-ready fit, versatility, and all-weather protection makes them a perfect 'do-it-all' overshoe for the variable and demanding conditions of the autumn and early winter season.
Best Cycling Overshoes for Deep Winter
The Castelli Estremo Shoe Covers are Castelli's warmest offering, explicitly designed for extreme cold cycling with a recommended temperature range down to −10c. They achieve this superior insulation through a double-layer construction, featuring a windproof and water-resistant GORE-TEX INFINIUM™ WINDSTOPPER® outer layer and a thick Polartec® Power Stretch® Pro™ fleece lining. This combination of ultimate thermal protection, breathability to manage moisture, and rugged durability makes them arguably the best choice for cyclists who brave the coldest and harshest deep winter conditions.
Best Cycling Overshoes for Value
The Entrata Overshoes are Castelli's entry-level offering, featuring a four way stretch fabric with a DWR finish and a fleece liner to provide good wind protection and insulation for cool-weather riding (rated 4 ∘ C to 14 ∘ C). While not fully waterproof, they offer excellent splash protection and a snug, form-fitting design with a neoprene cuff to seal out the elements, all aided by a simple rear zipper. In our opinion at Sigma Sports, they are some of the best value overshoes because they deliver the trusted fit and quality of the Castelli brand at a more accessible price point than their high end models, effectively providing warmth and wind resistance for most non torrential autumn and winter rides.
Best GORE Cycling Shoes
The GOREWEAR Shield Thermo Overshoes are best for performance oriented road cyclists who train through very cold, damp, and windy winter conditions. Utilising GORE-TEX INFINIUM™/WINDSTOPPER® fabric with a fleece backing, they provide exceptional thermal insulation and windproof, water-resistant protection in a sleek, aerodynamic fit.
Benefits of Wearing Overshoes
Wearing cycling overshoes during winter riding brings a host of benefits that go beyond just keeping your feet warm. By creating a barrier against wind chill and road spray, overshoes help maintain a comfortable temperature inside your shoes, reducing the risk of numbness and discomfort on cold and wet days. Many overshoes are made from thick neoprene, which not only insulates but also offers a snug fit for improved aerodynamic performance. Reflective detailing is another key feature found on many overshoes, enhancing your visibility to other road users in low light conditions. Ultimately, investing in a quality pair of overshoes means you can keep your feet warm and dry, ride longer, and stay safer throughout the winter months.
Features to Consider
When searching for the best cycling overshoes, there are several important features to keep in mind.
- Water resistance is crucial for keeping your feet dry in wet conditions, so look for overshoes made from materials like neoprene that repel moisture effectively.
- A tall ankle cuff can help prevent water from seeping in, while Velcro straps ensure a secure fit and make it easy to adjust the overshoe over your cycling shoes.
- Reflective logos and detailing are also worth considering, as they boost your visibility during early morning or evening rides.
By focusing on these features, you can find a pair of overshoes that will keep your feet protected and comfortable, no matter how challenging the weather gets.
Maintenance and Care
To get the most out of your cycling overshoes, it’s important to care for them properly. After each ride, rinse your overshoes with cold water to remove any mud or road grime, and let them air dry. Applying a waterproofing spray can help maintain their water resistance and extend their lifespan. Regular cleaning and thorough drying will also prevent the buildup of bacteria and mold, ensuring your overshoes stay fresh and your feet remain healthy. With a little routine maintenance, your overshoes will continue to provide reliable protection ride after ride.
Conclusion
Cycling overshoes are a smart investment, offering crucial comfort and protection to keep your feet warm and dry through cold and wet conditions when chosen correctly with features like water resistance and reflective details. A quality pair, combined with proper care, ensures year-round use for both winter commutes and challenging training sessions, helping you stay focused on the road.
