The best cycling overshoes 2023: toasty toe covers for fall and winter riding

There's no one set of best cycling overshoes, as different overshoes are designed to do different things.

There are several different kinds of overshoe, ones to keep you warm, dry, or both. There are even go faster options, which aren't covered here, but you can read more about aero clothing in Aero optimisation: you or the bike?

We've had the pleasure of fully reviewing quite a few pairs of cycling overshoes - there are more full overshoe reviews here.

If like us you do the majority of your riding under the constant threat of rain, a fair threat of snow and likely freezing temperatures, then a set of cycling overshoes to keep out the elements and keep you riding is essential.

Here's our pick of the best cycling overshoes we've reviewed. You can read more about what to look for in our buyer's guide below.

Best cycling overshoes reviewed and rated

We were very impressed with these overshoes. They were warm, easy to put on, well-fitting, windproof and water resistant—basically all the points you want in an overshoe. Not only that, but the price is extremely competitive. With no discernible negatives, it was easy to give these a full 10/10.

A full-length waterproof zip at the back made getting them on and off a breeze. The zipper is secured by a tab at the top to stop it from slipping down at an inopportune moment. Another nice touch is the elasticated cuff with an internal silicone gripper, which helps to secure the overshoes in place.

Read more: Dexshell Heavy Duty overshoes full review

The Assos Winter Booties don't have zips or velcro straps to help you get them on - a negative as they are a bit more time-consuming to put on, but a positive as these are the parts of most overshoes that break most easily. Despite their lack of bulk, they're warm and water resistant and also breathable.

A mix of thermal softshell fabric which includes a membrane and a Cordura toe make for good waterproofing and Assos claims that its overshoes are also aero. Despite raw edged hems on the underside, we didn't have any issues with wear.

As usual, Assos doesn't size in any recognisable measures, with sizes numbered from 0 to III, which you need to translate to make sure you've got the correct size, although we didn't actually find any issue with getting this right.

Read more: Assos Winter Booties full review

The Endura Freezing Point II overshoes are constructed with a neoprene outer – which has been given a waterproof coating – and is fleece lined on the inside all the way down to where the upper of your shoe meets the sole. The upshot of this is a warm overshoe that will keep you dry in the toughest conditions.

In addition to the testing out on the roads, our reviewer 'stress-tested' these overshoes in a five-minute shower, expecting the heavy flow to overwhelm them. Instead, he was surprised to find that his shoes were only slightly damp and feet were completely dry – most impressive, as this was far more water than the shoes experienced in more typical rainy conditions. In all, these overshoes are excellent, the only slight issue is that the ankle cuff is cut slightly low.

Read more: Endura Freezing Point II overshoes full review

The Gorewear Thermo overshoes are a really great pair of winter overshoes. They rebuff the wind, they repel water excellently and they keep the intense cold at bay. What's more, if the mercury rises and the thermal layers aren't a necessity, the feet do not overheat. 

They are incredibly visible thanks to the bright neon yellow colourway, although there is a lack of reflective strips. In addition, the overshoes are quite difficult to put on and off, although this lack of breathability points to the snug properties of the overshoes.

Roughly the same price as its competitors, these are brilliant winter overshoes for those riding in at or near to freezing conditions where the heavens might open at any moment.

Read more: Gorewear Shield Thermo overshoes full review

Made of 2.5mm neoprene, the Altura Thermostretch Windproof overshoes do a good job keeping cold winds out and handle damp roads well, although they're not waterproof enough to fend off a deluge.

There's a full zip that's off centre, so it won't interfere with the tendons in the back of your heels and a full length baffle behind it helps prevent water and air ingress. The underside features a sturdy fabric with a reinforced toe segment, although we'd have liked to see the mid-sole fabric bridge positioned a bit further backwards, where it would be less likely to interfere with clipping in.

Like much of Altura's kit, its overshoes have plenty of reflectives, which wrap around the outside and the rear of the overshoes to help up your visibilty.

Read more: Altura Thermostretch Windproof Overshoe full review

What possesses a style brand like Rapha to take on an overshoe, the most unstylish of all cycling gear? Perhaps it's the challenge of doing something a little bit different and injecting a little form into an essentially functional bit of kit. 

By removing the rear zip on the Winter Overshoe, Rapha have certainly made things a little more streamlined than the standard offering. The overshoe does a great job of keeping your feet dry and warm even as the temperatures reach freezing. As you'd expect from Rapha, the quality of materials and finishing is really high too. But doing away with the zip does make the overshoe more of an effort to get on and off which isn't going to suit the traditionalist. 

Read more: Rapha Winter Overshoes full review

There’s little to moan about with these overshoes. The Ride Waterproofs offer excellent visibility, protect the rider from moderate rain conditions and are easy to slip on and off, as well as being light enough to pop in a back pocket.

We would question the breathability of the shoes, especially when the weather is not so cold, and we were also a little disappointed at how quickly marks showed up that we could not get scrub rid of, but an overshoe is never going to stay in perfect condition. 

Its sole job is to protect the more expensive shoes from becoming wet, and these GripGrab overshoes achieve that with aplomb - providing it's not a torrential downpour.

Read more: GripGrab Ride Waterproof Shoe Covers full review

We were very impressed with these overshoes. They were warm, easy to put on, well-fitting, windproof and water resistant—basically all the points you want in an overshoe. Not only that, but the price is extremely competitive. With no discernible negatives, it was easy to give these a full 10/10.

A full-length waterproof zip at the back made getting them on and off a breeze. The zipper is secured by a tab at the top to stop it from slipping down at an inopportune moment. Another nice touch is the elasticated cuff with an internal silicone gripper, which helps to secure the overshoes in place.

Read more: Sportful WS Reflex 2 Bootie full review

Very useful for those days when it's not quite warm enough to leave home without some sort of toe protection, Sportful's sleek half-overshoes are designed with practicality in mind and are well made. 

Supplying extra insulation by plugging the vents at the front of your shoes, these provide an excellent snug fit, and are great for use in temperatures of 5 degrees and above. And then if it does heat up on your ride, they can easily be stashed in a jersey pocket.

Read more: Sportful Pro Race Toe Covers full review

Another lighter option for those who don't want a full overshoe is a toe cover, or a "Toe Thingy" as Castelli affectionally call it.

This windproof construction slips over the front of the shoe, with a rugged underside to provide grip and a silicone print to help keeps rips at bay.

Our tester found they do a good jub at protecting your feet, they're easy to use and are small enough to pop away into a jersey pocket if it warms up. 

Providing useful foot protection for spring and fall, you could also wear a set of these underneath full overshoes if you get really cold toes.

Read more: Castelli Toe Thingy 2 full review

Buyer's guide to the best cycling overshoes

The best cycling overshoes for cold, wet weather are generally made from thick neoprene or lighter, windproof, fleece-backed fabric. Designed to keep the cold, the wet, or wind out they come with holes at the bottom to allow your cleats to connect with the best clipless pedals.

In cold, dry weather a traditional neoprene overshoe will work as an excellent insulator, but will get waterlogged in persistent, heavy rain.

For rainy days, you can opt for a more waterproof fabric, which, similar to the Best waterproof cycling jackets , uses a DWR (durable water resistant) fabric. It's likely to be thinner, so you might take a hit on the warmth. There is much debate as to overshoes inside out outside legwear, but suffice to say, even if the overshoe itself doesn’t leak, water will eventually find its way in through the openings - top or bottom (or both).

Lighter, Windstopper-type technical fabric is designed to be windproof, and will often provide water resistance and be breathable. As with neoprene, you only have a limited time before the water gets in, but unless if it's a showery day, it may be better to accept this as it will dry quickly.

The undersides of even the best cycling overshoes are prone to wear. Depending on your riding style, you may want to look for a tough, seam-free base with reinforcements at the heel and toe box, especially if you're often having to dab in gravel or stop at traffic lights.

Some of the best cycling overshoes will have reflective or hi-vis elements, essential when riding in the poor light conditions of the cooler seasons. You'll often find that any reflective detailing on bib tights or leg warmers is covered up by overshoes, so it's important that the overshoe adds this detail, particularly at the rear.

Are cycling overshoes worth it?

Keeping feet warm and dry in winter is difficult for cyclists. Wind chill is the enemy for the extremities, add spray from the front wheel and unless your feet are appropriately insulated it won’t be long before you can’t feel them any more.

Can you wear cycling overshoes with trainers?

Technically cycling overshoes aren't designed for trainers or other non-cycling specific footwear. There will no doubt be some options for shoe protection on a bike, but even with a rain cover, your feet will get pretty cold in standard trainers or office shoes. It's certainly worth considering giving a clipless pedal system a try for keeping your feet warm throughout the year, you'll also be very surprised by the difference it makes to your riding.

If new shoes and pedals aren't an option, you could give a standard overshoe a whirl, but you'll need to pick a size or so bigger to take account for the larger sole on a trainer, as well as a more robust underneath. Alternatively, it might be worth investing in the best cycling socks which are thermal and wind and waterproof.