Shoe covers for rain?
 

After my rainy ride the other day and having my feet SOAKED and FREEZING, I need some shoe covers.

Suggestions? I have about $40 or so to spend.

These work well

http://www.rei.com/product/776696

Don't get them, they don't work. I bought some $60 Specialized ones that said waterproof on them, and my feet still ended up soaked and freezing.

The general suggestion is to put a plastic bag over your shoes, duct tape the opening, then put shoe covers over that. If you do this, it really doesn't matter which covers you get, just find the cheapest ones

True use regular thin booties and wash them well after since everything is going to get wet and cold anyway.

Fenders, fenders, fenders.

And waterproof winter shoes.

No shoe cover is going to stop water coming up through the bottom via the cleat holes, so to really keep water out you need waterproof shoes, not your normal cycling shoes. And without fenders the spray from your front wheel on your lower legs will run down and into your shoes, soaking your feet anyway.

And even after all that, on a long ride in hard rain (say 3+ hours) you'll be soaked through and through anyway, so you'd better have good wool socks.

If all you have is $40, just get some GOOD wool socks and HTFU.

+ 1. I use a similar approach.

Good wool socks, shoes, toe covers, saran wrap around shoe then around the ankle, shoe covers (put on in that order :) ). Use a utility knife to then cut a hole through the saran warp for your cleats.

Whether or not you have fenders, water is going to go down your legs into your shoes. Fenders only prolong the inevitable in this department.

Well, yeah, which is why I said after long rides you're feet are going to be soaked anyway. As you say say, at least a good pair of fenders with a spray flap puts off the inevitable. For maybe even two or three hours, which might be long enough to complete your ride before your feet are travelling in their own little portable pools.

I have those Descente Covers(and were cheaper on PBK, now out of stock). They are nice, I used them yesterday for 3 hours at 35 degrees, but I wouldn't use them in the rain and expect not to get wet. They aren't even designed to be waterproof... they are neoprene.

Speaking of PBK, every other week it seems they have a deal on shoe covers(not always waterproof). This week.

Your feet are going to get wet, but they don't have to get cold: Neoprene socks.

I think this is all a question of expectations. I don't expect shoe covers to leave my feet completely dry, even if you manage to water proof your feet with plastic bags, you'll end up soaked in your own sweat. The descente covers work "OK" for multi hour rides in the wet. They kept my feet from that soggy stage for a good 3h, but it comes to us all in the end. Wool socks help. I have bigger problems with numb hands after long rides in the rain, but YMMV.

Is there best brand shoe covers?

These are relatively expensive, but hard to beat:

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/M...?ModelID=43173

But water is still going to get in through the cleat holes if you don't have waterproof shoes, or run down your legs.

http://www.mec.ca/Products/product_d...34374302692723

have used these for over 15 years, work great with rain pants, but then you roadies wouldnt use rain pants would you ;-)

Those are pretty hardcore!

Fail. Those are winter booties. He needs rain booties like these. I have a couple of pairs made by Specialized, they were like $30.

http://www.performancebike.com/image...3-BLK-FORM.jpg

Neoprene socks don't work for me. If it's under 60ºF, booties. I have lighter rain booties down to about 40ºF and heavier booties for colder temps.

If you have to dismount at all due to places too icy to ride through, booties like those will last about two rides.

There is no such place in the Phoenix area that is "too icy to ride through"

ftfy

Tell that to my cold feet! :)

1 1/2 weeks later someone in AZ is still handwringing over what booties to get? I can see how this is a monumental problem, it rains what, once every other month?

I just use wool socks. How thick depends on the conditions. I'll eventually get wet, but I'm not sure if there's a good way to avoid that in bike shoes.

Personally, I'd sweat to death in neoprene shoes, or in plastic bags.

December & January are our rainiest & coldest months. We also get rain in late July/early August, but it's considerably warmer.

Weather patterns aside, I'm just asking what shoe covers work best for people...

Your sarcasm would be better off kept to self. :rolleyes: