Overshoes for commuting

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Comments

  • slowbike
    slowbike Posts: 8,498
    my BBB Heavy Duties stayed dry this morning ... but then, it didn't rain ;)

    I'll try them this evening - looks a little damp out there... :(

    Oh well - I'm riding :)
  • wolfsbane2k
    wolfsbane2k Posts: 3,056
    Slowbike wrote:
    my BBB Heavy Duties stayed dry this morning ... but then, it didn't rain ;)

    I'll try them this evening - looks a little damp out there... :(

    Oh well - I'm riding :)

    Go now. We've got an hour according to http://meteoradar.co.uk/zoom/800/1030/ActueleBuienradar
    Intent on Cycling Commuting on a budget, but keep on breaking/crashing/finding nice stuff to buy.
    Bike 1 (Broken) - Bike 2(Borked) - Bike 3(broken spokes) - Bike 4( Needs Work) - Bike 5 (in bits) - Bike 6* ...
  • slowbike
    slowbike Posts: 8,498
    I did - well - shortly after posting anyway - feet stayed dry all the way home - but then I only got slightly damp because it didn't rain until the last couple of miles - then it was only light rain.... so not a real test then. :)
  • wolfsbane2k
    wolfsbane2k Posts: 3,056
    Slowbike wrote:
    I did - well - shortly after posting anyway - feet stayed dry all the way home - but then I only got slightly damp because it didn't rain until the last couple of miles - then it was only light rain.... so not a real test then. :)

    I did think of you as I got to the top of the hill and saw a whole heap of lightening over to the east, and wondered how your overshoes were holding up!
    Intent on Cycling Commuting on a budget, but keep on breaking/crashing/finding nice stuff to buy.
    Bike 1 (Broken) - Bike 2(Borked) - Bike 3(broken spokes) - Bike 4( Needs Work) - Bike 5 (in bits) - Bike 6* ...
  • slowbike
    slowbike Posts: 8,498
    Wolfsbane2k wrote:
    Slowbike wrote:
    I did - well - shortly after posting anyway - feet stayed dry all the way home - but then I only got slightly damp because it didn't rain until the last couple of miles - then it was only light rain.... so not a real test then. :)

    I did think of you as I got to the top of the hill and saw a whole heap of lightening over to the east, and wondered how your overshoes were holding up!

    'Twas flashing all around - but luckily the heavens opened as I sat down to take off my shoes - having already got indoors and put the bike away! :)
  • cjcp
    cjcp Posts: 13,345
    Having forgotten to buy new overshoes last week, I've spent the last 30 mins sewing up the back of one of my old PX neoprene overshoes because the zip failed.

    The velcro strap on the underside of the overshoe means the shoe can be inserted from the bottom, but the shoe is pretty much in there now until March. Or until the stitching fails.

    And I've no idea whether I can get my foot in yet...

    But given that it's just started to bucket it down again, I'm feeling vindicated.
    FCN 2-4.

    "What happens when the hammer goes down, kids?"
    "It stays down, Daddy."
    "Exactly."
  • thistle_
    thistle_ Posts: 7,218
    Late to the party...
    I've been really happy with my Endura Luminite 2 overshoes. They've been used for commuting, MTB and road rides/races.
    They're warm enough for most days, and they'll keep drizzle out but fail if it's really wet but no worse than others I've had in the past.

    They have no zips: only Velcro so there's no zips to snap/split/jam which is why they've lasted so long with me. The Velcro is also a better fit for people like me with big legs.

    Unfortunately...They seem to have been discontinued and there's very little UK stock around so I bought a 3 year supply from bikester the other day!
    Zip free overshoes don't seem that common any more.
  • slowbike
    slowbike Posts: 8,498
    Hmmm BBB's heavy duty - they're probably a couple of seasons old now - leaking at the seem - not a massive leak, but then again, it was the roads that were wet and it wasn't raining ... I'll try some waterproof spray first, but will need to think about some new ones soon I think.
  • wolfsbane2k
    wolfsbane2k Posts: 3,056
    Back to this story again.
    .

    Winter boots I think this year, I've got nothing else I can justify on the c2w scheme, and they appear to be purcurable via cycle Republic on c2w. Now just got to find with one's might actually fit..
    Intent on Cycling Commuting on a budget, but keep on breaking/crashing/finding nice stuff to buy.
    Bike 1 (Broken) - Bike 2(Borked) - Bike 3(broken spokes) - Bike 4( Needs Work) - Bike 5 (in bits) - Bike 6* ...
  • Mardux
    Mardux Posts: 2
    Thanks for sharing!
  • jds_1981
    jds_1981 Posts: 1,858
    I've pretty much given up on overshoes.

    Bontrager omw shoes for when it's cold
    Amy surplus waterproof socks for when it's wet. They don't keep the water out well but they do make for wet and warm.
    FCN 9 || FCN 5
  • jspash
    jspash Posts: 107
    Not overshoes, but since the discussion has veered into "boot" territory, I have a pair of these: https://www.wiggle.co.uk/northwave-flas ... ter-boots/

    Cons:
    • very difficult to get on & off
    • smelly since they NEVER dry out completely
    • they have 5 - count em - FIVE holes on the underside for "ventilation" which should have been named "water ingress points". they only seem to work one way, and that is to let water IN to the shoe. good luck once it's in there. my full unbreathable leather mid-summer shoes only have 2!
    • heavy
    • ugly
    • expensive

    Pros:
    • if you are riding around barefoot at the moment, these will be ever so slightly better. ....just

    I wrote a marginally less snarky review on wiggle about these and they refused to publish it.

    In summary:
    F northwave
    F wiggle!
    2014 Planet X RT-57
    2015 Genesis Flyer
    2018 Canyon Endurace CF SLX Disc 8.0 Di2
  • wolfsbane2k
    wolfsbane2k Posts: 3,056
    jspash wrote:
    Not overshoes, but since the discussion has veered into "boot" territory, I have a pair of these: https://www.wiggle.co.uk/northwave-flas ... ter-boots/

    Cons:
    • very difficult to get on & off
    • smelly since they NEVER dry out completely
    • they have 5 - count em - FIVE holes on the underside for "ventilation" which should have been named "water ingress points". they only seem to work one way, and that is to let water IN to the shoe. good luck once it's in there. my full unbreathable leather mid-summer shoes only have 2!
    • heavy
    • ugly
    • expensive

    Pros:
    • if you are riding around barefoot at the moment, these will be ever so slightly better. ....just

    I wrote a marginally less snarky review on wiggle about these and they refused to publish it.

    In summary:
    F northwave
    F wiggle!

    Cheers for that review, I was looking at those as an alternative to the Lake 303's I've ordered if they don't fit.

    I might not go that way...
    Intent on Cycling Commuting on a budget, but keep on breaking/crashing/finding nice stuff to buy.
    Bike 1 (Broken) - Bike 2(Borked) - Bike 3(broken spokes) - Bike 4( Needs Work) - Bike 5 (in bits) - Bike 6* ...
  • secretsam
    secretsam Posts: 5,120
    elbowloh wrote:
    UndercoverElephant wrote:
    chillblanes
    Are they a real thing? I thought it just something old people talked about. :wink:
    Yup.
    My sis used to live in this ridiculous old house, central fireplace only. She got them. Her GP had never seen them before.
    It's just a hill. Get over it.
  • jspash
    jspash Posts: 107
    Wolfsbane2k wrote:
    Cheers for that review, I was looking at those as an alternative to the Lake 303's I've ordered if they don't fit.

    I might not go that way...

    Honestly they aren't the worst shoes I've worn. They are quite warm (when dry) but it baffles me that there are sooo many hole in the bottom of the shoe. Maybe this is common? I couldn't be bothered to shop around for a different pair. Nowadays I just wear some roubaix overshoes on my last years summer shoes. Since it rarely snows in Britain, this tends to be enough. Then in the spring the summer shoes go on eBay for a pittance to be replaced by something new and shiny. Rinse and repeat.

    The NW boots are in the back of a closet somewhere.
    2014 Planet X RT-57
    2015 Genesis Flyer
    2018 Canyon Endurace CF SLX Disc 8.0 Di2
  • drhaggis
    drhaggis Posts: 1,150
    First got some Endura Road II overshoes. Lasted OK a commuting winter in Edinburgh, but showed some damage on the left sole. I guess these could be stiched back.

    Then I got some BBB Hardwear overshoes. Utter POS. Wore a lot quicker than the enduras, a lot worse and, to make matters worse, the cleat & sole holes are so big that if your shoes have any ventilation, water will ingress that way. Were in a deplorable state after only a couple of months.

    This year I got dhb neoprene overshoes. The jury is still out, but these are clearly better than the BBB. Mind you, the sole holes are still big, but since my current shoes only have two ventilation points, it's not so critical.

    TL;DR: I've already spent ~£60 on overshoes, and still not happy. Would winters shoes be better from the start?
  • asprilla
    asprilla Posts: 8,440
    Wore my cheap Chinese neoprene toe warmers this morning. Thinner than I expected, but they did the job.

    I've got BBB Arctic Conditions which I find to be excellent. They have thick rubber toe section and heel and have lasted me about 4 years so far, but I don't wear them that often because they get too hot.

    This year I've finally got some Spatz. Legalz IIs to be precise. So far so good, but I do have concerns about the kevlar toes lasting too long with regular traffic light stops. I'm only going to wear them when it's raining heavily in order to preserve them. I might see if I can cut the toe protection from the BBBs and sew it onto the Spatz. When I say me I mean my eldest daughter since she's heavily into sewing at the moment and I should really take advantage.
    Mud - Genesis Vapour CCX
    Race - Fuji Norcom Straight
    Sun - Cervelo R3
    Winter / Commute - Dolan ADX
  • mpdouglas
    mpdouglas Posts: 220
    My Northwave Arctics (2 bolt with MTB style sole) have seen me through 4 or 5 winters of daily, 35 mile round trip commuting. I'd go so far as to say they are the best £150 I've ever spent on cycling gadgetry. I really mean it. No more messing around with overshoes. If it really chucks it down, my feet do get wet but that's because the water makes its way in through the socks. Even when this happens, however, they still stay warm. I like them so much, I bought the 3 bolt version for Sunday club runs and all my other non-commute cycling. Evans have the Raptors for £130 right now:

    Northwave Raptor at Evans
    "The Flying Scot"
    Commute - Boardman CXR 9.4 Di2
    Sunday Best - Canyon Ultimate SLX Disc w/ DuraAce Di2
  • kingstonian
    kingstonian Posts: 2,847
    Bought a pair of neoprene Endura overshoes in October, have used them a fair bit and they are approx 3 million times better than the old pair I had. Keep my toes warm, seem to be pretty bloody good at keeping water out too, now need to see how robust they are.
  • kingstongraham
    kingstongraham Posts: 28,152
    I was coming here to ask if anyone had experience of the Northwave Flash GTX - the non-Arctic version. If it means it can work year round rather than just when it is freezing cold, I'd go for them.

    The two reviews for the Northwave Arctic GTX above are perfect internet. One says best money I've ever spent, the other says you'd be better off in flip flops.
  • cjcp
    cjcp Posts: 13,345
    Despite what I said about spending more than £10 last year, I have spent more than £10 this year.

    Bought the dhb neoprene overshoes for £22. Will try to keep the zip free of salt in the hope it prolongs their life a little. Have kept my feet warm so far this week, but we're not yet at the business end of the winter.
    FCN 2-4.

    "What happens when the hammer goes down, kids?"
    "It stays down, Daddy."
    "Exactly."
  • bompington
    bompington Posts: 7,674
    FWIW I subscribe to the "warm and wet" principle, as I've never found anything waterproof that is breathable enough not to be soaked by sweat as soon as I get going.
    I have a pair of Sealskinz Halos - built-in lights in the heels - that look like they'll just about make it through this winter, which will be their third: toes flap a bit loose now but still effective - a lot of the damage was caused on one occasion (if you do ever decide to take a shortcut over the hills on your commute home, don't do it via a path you've never been on before on a dark winter's evening. That was a quite long walk, in the dark, across thick snow and heather covered moorland.)

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