Giro Ultralight Aero shoe cover review

It's still cold enough out there for a pair of overshoes to be useful. We've tested the Giro Ultralight Aero shoe cover

Giro Ultralight Aero Shoe Cover
(Image credit: chris catchpole)
Cycling Weekly Verdict

The Giro Ultralight Aero shoe cover is a smart take on a Belgian bootee, but it’s difficult to get on, not waterproof or windproof and wears quickly.

Reasons to buy
  • +

    Keep your shoes cleaner

  • +

    A bit of extra warmth

  • +

    Light and low bulk

  • +

    Can easily adjust shoes through fabric

  • +

    Claimed aero benefits

  • +

Reasons to avoid
  • -

    Not waterproof

  • -

    Instep prone to wear

  • -

    Hard 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.

The Ultralight Aero is a classic Belgian bootee style shoe cover rather than a full-blown overshoe, but made in something a bit more sophisticated than a knitted fabric.

It’s made from a stretchy Lycra, with an even more stretchy insert at the rear to help get it on and off. The toe is reinforced to reduce wear and tear when putting a foot down or walking.

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There’s a front cleat hole and a rear heel hole which are taped around, but the section under the instep is made from the same lightweight Lycra as the upper, so it wears quite quickly. However, the lightweight construction does mean it’s easy to adjust your shoes through the shoe covers while on the move.

Giro Ultralight Aero Shoe Cover

Despite toe reinforcement, the bases are prone to wear
(Image credit: chris catchpole)

With no zip it can be a bit of a struggle to get the shoe covers over some shoes, particularly if they have prominent buckles or dials. Once on they’re comfortable enough, but it’s a bit easier to fit them over your shoes before putting them on.

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The shoe cover’s main function is to keep your shoes a bit cleaner on dirty roads, but Giro also suggests some aero benefits.

Watch: Which aero gear gives you the most bang for your buck?

There’s a bit of extra warmth too from covering up the shoe’s vents, but not as much as you’d get from a more substantial overshoe. And they’re not waterproof, so if it rains or there’s water on the road your shoes and feet will get damp.

So apart from a slightly slicker look and their claimed aero benefits, these Giro shoe covers really offer no additional benefits over a standard oversock and are more expensive than most.

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