Bontrager RXL Windshell overshoes review

Great overshoes that are warm, dry, and aero

Bontrager RXL Windshell overshoes

Bontrager RXL Windshell overshoes

Cycling Weekly Verdict

The Bontrager RXL Windshell overshoes are a great choice if you're after a pair of overshoes to keep your feet warm and dry in cool, damp weather, that will also save you a few seconds in a time trial too.

Reasons to buy
  • +

    Windproof

  • +

    Decent water-resistance

  • +

    Tight-fitting

  • +

    Hard-wearing

Reasons to avoid
  • -

    Tricky to get on and off

You can trust Cycling Weekly. Our team of experts put in hard miles testing cycling tech and will always share honest, unbiased advice to help you choose. Find out more about how we test.

It’s never a bad thing when you buy a piece of kit for one thing, and it turns out to be great at another thing too. That could well be the case with the Bontrager RXL Windshell overshoes.

The likelihood is that most people buying these overshoes are going to be buying them to keep their feet warm and dry through chilly spring and autumn conditions. However such is their aero fit, that the Bontrager RXL Windshell overshoes could well be called into time trial duty come the summer months

If you're wondering where to start with the foot protection like this, our buyer's guide to the best cycling overshoes will give you the full low down and includes our current favourites. 

Most importantly, these overshoes provide excellent windproof protection. The Profila Wind fabric that almost completely surrounds your foot is almost totally windproof, meaning your feet should stay nice and warm well down into single figures.

Watch our buyer's guide to overshoes

The fabric is also water-resistant. It’s not going to keep you dry for long in torrential rain, but for showers and riding on wet roads it’s more than good enough. Is obviously not as technical as something you might find on one of the best winter cycling jackets, but in terms of giving you're feet extra protection, it does a good job. 

The only problem I found with the Bontrager RXL Windshell overshoes is that they’re not the easiest to get on, partly to do with the tight fit, but also because the zip is awkwardly positioned on the inside of the leg. Ok, we’re not quite in Velotoze territory here, but they wouldn’t be the first choice if you were in a mad rush to get to a startline.

However once on, the benefits of the Bontrager RXL Windshell overshoes are obvious. Not only do they offer great protection, but they sit really tight around your shoe, ankle, and lower leg, making them a great choice of your chasing aerodynamic gains.

Finally, the cleat holes on the bottoms are nice and large so they’re easy to use with all cleat systems and the toe is made from a reinforced material to prevent wear over time.

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Henry Robertshaw began his time at Cycling Weekly working with the tech team, writing reviews, buying guides and appearing in videos advising on how to dress for the seasons. He later moved over to the news team, where his work focused on the professional peloton as well as legislation and provision for cycling. He's since moved his career in a new direction, with a role at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.