Cyclingnews Awards: Three outstanding pairs of overshoes

The hours of cold, wet, and on occasion snowy riding I put in during testing for our best cycling overshoes guide are but a distant memory currently as I enjoy the British summertime. I know before long though sure enough like so many of my fellow riders I'll be reaching for them again.

Good overshoes can make or break a cold or wet ride and be the difference between being able to complete your ride or training session or turning for home prematurely with frozen feet. Fortunately, this never happened during testing and all of the overshoes I used worked well, but I did add to my knowledge of what works well in certain temperature ranges and when to use certain overshoes.

If you've ever ended up with seriously cold feet on a ride you'll know it's no joke, fear not though as a decent pair of overshoes will mean all that unpleasantness can be avoided. Here are my picks of the top overshoes I tested and why I chose them.

The Winners

Best Overall

Spatz Pro 2

Waterproof: Yes | Temperature range: Sub Zero to +10 C | Material: Neoprene, kevlar

Insulated inners add warmth

4.5mm thick neoprene

Full-calf coverage

The open bottom will take in water over long periods

Can tear if you're not careful

The Spatz Pro 2 overshoes take the best overall top spot for me. Spatz made waves from the beginning after launching its version of the neoprene overshoe and has built on its original overshoe offering over the last few years.

The Pro 2 is about as good as it gets right now for a neoprene winter overshoe. They are warm and comfortable, and really help keep your lower legs, not just your feet warm and dry due to their added height and internal insulation, finishing mid-way up the calf (depending on how long your legs are). Pulling them on before a cold ride helps me feel ready to face the elements.

I don't believe any overshoe is completely waterproof right now, and the Spatz will succumb to water if they are exposed to sustained spray or heavy rain for hours on end due to the open sole design. The overshoes also fasten at this under sole area with a tough velcro strap. However, I really believe Spatz has raised the overshoe bar to a new level, moving ever closer to making cold and wet feet a thing of the past even on long, wet rides. If you haven't used a pair they will provide a significant increase in performance from an average neoprene overshoe and you'll quickly realise your money has been well spent.

Best Value

Endura Road Overshoe - Hi Viz Yellow

Waterproof : Yes | Temperature range : Down to freezing | Material : Neoprene 90% / Nylon 10%

Highly Visible

Good value

Quality construction

Softer neoprene seems prone to tearing

Ankle height, not the tallest

The Best Value winners in our overshoe category are the Endura road overshoe. For under £40 / $50, you're getting a thick, quality neoprene overshoe which shares all the finishing and design features of far more expensive overshoes.

If I'm honest it was a difficult choice to make between the Galibier Arctic overshoes in our buyer's guide and the Endura's. In the end, the Endura's won out due to their fit and finish which I found to be excellent.

The Enduras have a snug fit and will offer good waterproofing and warmth on cold wet rides. There's also reflective detailing and the Hi-Viz option helps you feel a bit more visible. All contributing to the strong overall case for them to be our best value overshoe.

Honorable Mention

Velotoze Road 2.0

Waterproof: Yes | Temperature range: 5-16C / 40-60F | Material: Latex

Aerodynamic

Fully waterproof material

Versatile option for time trials and racing

Take a bit longer to get on

The  Velotoze Road 2.0 overshoes take our honourable mention due to the versatility they provide for the very reasonable price a pair costs.

For a small investment having a pair of Velotoze in your kit bag is a really good idea. They can deal with a range of conditions well and fill a gap you may have never appreciated existed.

The tight, form-fitting nature of the overshoes makes them a solid choice for competition. Anything where you want to go fast, whether that be a time trial, circuit or road race or chaingang. The latex material however means they are water resistant and are an excellent, lightweight and fast choice for wet weather. Keeping feet warmer and dryer but without a weight penalty or added bulk.

They do tend to sweat out due to a lack of breathability but it's a wet and warm scenario not a letting water in issue, this is to be expected. For the money, invest in a pair and you'll be surprised at how often you can benefit from using them.