The best cycling overshoes 2024: toasty toe covers for fall and winter riding
The best cycling overshoes will keep your feet warm so you can stay riding in the worst of the winter weather
As the temperatures start to drop it’s important to keep your extremities warm. By keeping your hands and feet protected against the elements you can ride outdoors during winter for longer and in far more comfort. And when it comes to those feet, overshoes are an essential piece of kit.
Apart from those designed to improve your aerodynamics, the best cycling overshoes are created to add warmth. Some do this in a straightforward fashion and are better suited to cool autumn days. Others are designed for deep winter and combine an internal fleece material with a durable outer that is waterproof or at least resistant to rain.
Other variations include neoprene options that focus on keeping your feet dry as well as those that offer a hi-vis colourway - a great choice for commuters or low-light conditions.
We’ve reviewed many pairs and have selected those that impressed us most for this guide. If you’re unsure of the right pair for you, you’ll find a variety of options here as well as a guide to what to look for in the best overshoes.
If you’re looking to complete your cold-season wardrobe then why not also check out our guides to the best winter cycling gloves and the best winter cycling jackets.
The quick list
Best overall
Best overall
This offering from Dexshell ticks all the boxes - warm, windproof and water resistant, with a full-length waterproof zipper that makes them easy to get on and off.
Best low-bulk warmth
Best low-bulk warmth
Without any zippers or velcro straps the Assos booties are minimal and lacking the bulk of some overshoes while still being warm and weather resistant.
Best waterproof
Best waterproof
The neoprene outer complete with a waterproof coating keeps even heavy rain at bay while the fleece lining adds plenty of warmth.
Best hi-vis warmth
Best hi-vis warmth
Not only are the Shield Thermo overshoes highly visible they are also adept at repelling the wind and the rain while keeping your feet warm in the process.
Best value
Best value
These neoprene overshoes offer plenty of features despite the price. There's a full zipper, a reinforced underside and plenty of reflective details.
Best zippless
Best zipless
By eschewing the zipper Rapha have lightweight, low-bulk overshoe that keeps your feet warm and dry. Can be a little tricky to get on however.
Best overall
Specifications
Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
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
Best for low bulk warmth
Specifications
Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
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, we found them to be 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
Best waterproof
Specifications
Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
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, we 'stress-tested' these overshoes in a five-minute shower, expecting the heavy flow to overwhelm them. Instead, we were surprised to find that our shoes were only slightly damp while our 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
Best hi-vis warmth
Specifications
Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
The Gorewear Thermo overshoes are a really great pair of winter overshoes. During our testing, they rebuffed the wind, repelled water and vitally they kept 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. We did find the overshoes quite difficult to put on and off, although this does result in a nice snug fit .
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
Best value
Specifications
Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
Made of 2.5mm neoprene, we found that the Altura Thermostretch Windproof overshoes did a good job of keeping the cold winds out while also handling the 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
Best zipless
Specifications
Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
While most overshoes follow a tried-and-tested pattern, Rapha has opted to do something a little different with its version. By removing the rear zip on the Winter Overshoe, Rapha have certainly made things a little more streamlined than the standard offering.
We found that 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
Best for visibility
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Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
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
Most breathable
Specifications
Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
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
Best for milder weather
Specifications
Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
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, we found they provided an excellent snug fit, and were 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
Best for low bulk protection
Specifications
Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
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.
We found they did a good job at protecting our feet. What's more 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
You can trust Cycling Weekly.
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 or sneakers?
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.
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Hannah is Cycling Weekly’s longest-serving tech writer, having started with the magazine back in 2011. She has covered all things technical for both print and digital over multiple seasons representing CW at spring Classics, and Grand Tours and all races in between.
Hannah was a successful road and track racer herself, competing in UCI races all over Europe as well as in China, Pakistan and New Zealand.
For fun, she's ridden LEJOG unaided, a lap of Majorca in a day, won a 24-hour mountain bike race and tackled famous mountain passes in the French Alps, Pyrenees, Dolomites and Himalayas.
She lives just outside the Peak District National Park near Manchester UK with her partner, daughter and a small but beautifully formed bike collection.
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