robfreudenthal

Hello,

I went for a ~40 mile cycle ride yesterday in North Wales, and it was heavy rain for most of the way. I had just bought these new overshoes:

https://www.altura.eu/products/men/ov...-overshoe.aspx

But they completely failed! My feet were soaked through, and then once it stopped raining the overshoes just kept them damp.
Is this just a bad product?
Anyone else got good tips to keep your feet dry in heavy rain?

Thanks,

Rob

Machka 

Booties (overshoes) aren't supposed to keep your feet dry ... they are supposed to keep the wind off your feet so that your feet will remain warm, even if they are wet.

There aren't many things available which will actually keep your feet dry.

raybo

Keeping one's feet dry in the rain seems to be an unsolved problem. Sealskinz socks are waterproof, so they will keep your feet dry (but sweaty) but not your shoes.

Booties might work, but they have other problems, like getting worn while walking and/or exposing bike cleats through them.

I came up with a homemade solution involving a plastic water bottle sliced up the side, a waterproof gaiter, and some velcro. They sorta worked the only time I tested them, but it was humid and the water in my shoe was probably sweat, not rain. YMMV.

This article tells you how to make them and has photos.

MassiveD

Plastic shopping bags inside my sandals, toasty warm and dry.

robfreudenthal

Thanks for your tips. Apologies, I realised I posted the wrong overshoes.
Its this one that I bought:

https://www.evanscycles.com/products/...011695#reviews

And it is supposed to be waterproof!

antokelly

i think the only way is as already said plastic bags inside shoes ,never tried it myself i have the altura overshoes which is a right pain to get on and sealskinz socks.but i think northwave do a winter cycling bootie might be some help.

vwhammer

I Have the same over shoes and I think the issue lies in the cloth material on the bottom.
It gets soaked and is in direct contact with the insulation on the inside of the over shoe.
The moisture is then wicked up into that insulation and then soaks your shoe.

I bought a new pair of shoes that have a large portion of the rubber sole that comes up over the toe in an attempt to keep the wicking water from soaking into my shoe a little longer.
I don't know that it will solve the problem completely but it should keep the feet dry for a little longer.

I almost bought a pair of lightweight, waterproof, tactical style boot that I was going to try out for riding in the rain but they are all pretty pricey and I didn't want to spend the dough at this time.
The boots I was looking at---> https://www.bellevilleboot.com/shop/i...ct_detail&p=79
Of course will need some proper platform pedals for this.

As mentioned before wet feet are not too bad as long as you can keep the wind off of them and the overshoes certainly helps with that.

Tourist in MSN

I have used waterproof shoe covers but I find them to only slow down how long it takes for my feet to get soaked. One problem I have in rain is stopping and standing in puddles at stop lights and stop signs. Since the bottoms of cycle shoes have holes for the cleat attachments, if you stand in a shallow puddle your foot will be soaked in a second or two. I also wonder how much of the water that gets in my shoes is splashed up off of the road and onto the sole of my shoe, then working its way into the shoe through the cutouts for the cleats.

antokelly

https://www.chainreactioncycles.com/M...?ModelID=31743
might work but expensive to find out for sure

Bekologist

a front mudflap large as a gideon bible does wonders.

Using a honking large mud flap, I've always been happy with just using toe covers, and I've lived in Seattle and toured the northwest in the off season quite extensively.

andrewclaus

I agree with the others that wet and warm is the goal.

In the hiking world, we call the plastic bags over the socks "Bagtex". It works wonders when you're caught in wet snow with light trail shoes. On my recent Northern Tier tour, when my first eight days in WA and ID were in rain, I kept some bread bags in my pocket but it was never cold enough to need them except one pass descent in snow. It's a fine balancing act between rain and sweat. If you wear plastic bags on your feet all day, bad things can happen.

In my commuting days in Seattle, I made some Goretex booties from scraps and they worked pretty well as long as I didn't have to walk anywhere.

Cyclebum

Wet and warm is probably about as good as you'll do in heavy rain. I've taken to double bagging my shoes with grocery sacks and wrapping strategic spots in narrow strips of duct tape. Cheap and ugly, but does work for a while. I don't commute, so only need protection when touring.

stevepusser

Another vote for Sealskinz socks and sandals, though I also use bread sacks over ordinary socks for short commutes. Use thin cycling socks inside the sealskinz for a wicking layer.

robfreudenthal

Thanks again for all the advice. I think I'll go for the sealskinz socks. The only problem there is that the socks are quite thick and won't fit into the shoes I normally use for cycling. Seems like a shame to have to have one pair of shoes for sealskinz and another for when you wear normal thin socks ...

staehpj1

For bicycling, trail running, and hiking I find that the best approach for temps much above freezing is to use a shoe that drains well and socks that remain comfortable when wet and dry fairly quickly.

Even below freezing I don't try too hard to keep dry, but do add a wind barrier and maybe some extra insulation. For me that has most often been neoprene shoe covers. I have never needed to take shoe covers on tour but have used them if very cold temperatures at home whether it was wet or not.

bradtx

Trying to waterproof is a hit or miss and sometimes just one foot is effected. I'm with staehpj1, I use sweat wicking socks and cloth shoes.

Brad

MichaelW

It is better to have some larger shoes for winter.
Sealskins are very good but you have to cover the top or water drains down inside them. I use rainpants so the socks are tucked safely inside.

Booger1

If you really want your feet dry.....regular pedals,boots and gators......your feet will be dry and warm as toast.

Otherwise plastic bags are your friend,sort of.

Bekologist

come on, nearly 20 posts and on one else is endorsing an extra large front mudflap?

Heavens, whatever has happened in the sport of cycling.

Western Flyer 

I do the same.

fietsbob

I have a cycle rain cape. it drapes over my hands, and so forms an awning
over my feet.
yea, mudguards are required.


years back i got some nice shoe covers,
2 layers of nylon fabric+ 1 of fleece.

worked nicely on my 97 Irish tour, but the home sewing shop,
that made them went away,
was "mountain minded" on Lopez Isle, WA..

antokelly

beko, yes 100% correct but another trick is to put a viser on the front tip on the front mudguard ,i done this piece of strond but light plastic glued on sits about quarter of an inch from top of tire.
sorry cant post photos.
not great for keeping your feet dry but no splash back either.

jwbnyc

That's what I use.



They are lightly insulated, so if you have a problem with hot feet..

Keep in mind, if you do not have something waterproof on your legs, water will just run in the tops of the shoes rendering them just as soaked. I like the Endura Venturi pants:

Doug64

Not much, unless it is pretty cold. I generally wear wool socks which helps, but I'm also looking for a good method of keeping my feet dry.

A couple of weeks ago, while touring northern Michigan, we experienced some really wet and cold weather. We stopped at a park and got some of the "doggy poop" bags that we found in a handy dispenser by the park entrance. Not very elegant, but functional

If the rain pants don't cover the booties, the water funnels right into the tops. I wear shoe covers for winter riding, and also have a pair of waterproof insulated winter shoes for real cold weather. The trouble when touring is I use a shoe that fits the majority of conditions, and just put up with the discomfort on those rainy days.

Boudicca

I bought these for a charity ride in the PNW this summer, and they worked like a charm over 120km (75 miles) of more or less solid rain at temperatures just over 10C (50F). I had wool socks underneath and my feet got damp, but they stayed warm and comfortable. And you wouldn't believe the number of comments I got about the dayglo yellow effect.