Shoe Covers for Rain???
 

Do use Shoe Covers for Rain to keep your feet and SPD Shoes Dry on your bike touring trips???

for non-SPD users do you use Gore-Tex Boot/Shoes on Platform Pedals???

Shoe Covers are on my list to buy!

Bellwether aqua-no shoe covers and right now I am using Gore Tex Boots on platform pedals

I use the "Bagtex" trick--bread bags over the socks, inside the shoes. My shoes dry quickly and my feet stay warm, if sweaty sometimes. Zero cost, negligible mass.

I've got a pair of water proof hiking boots for my trip. I figure if worse comes to worse a pair of grocery bags over socks would provide some extra dryness/warmth. In my experience from working outdoors, boots do not get filled up with water from direct rain. Rather, once your pants soak through, the water runs down your legs where it soaks into the top of your socks and then downwards.

Living in Seattle I am a huge fan of shoe covers. I always use them when it rains here (so pretty much all the time from September 21 through July 4). If it is really pouring, though adding the bread bags is a good idea.

I use Shower Pass covers. Normally $40, they're on sale for $27.99 at REI.com right now.

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=496406

You can make your own rain shoe covers out of 2 plastic water bottles, some nylon sewn into a garter and some Velcro that work well, in my experience.

if it's a warm rain, i prefer not to use covers.
feet get wet regardless....mine do, anyway.
so i must choose....

A) wet feet/socks/shoes from pure, clean rainwater

or

B) wet feet/socks/shoes soaking in sweat, wrapped in
plastic for eight hours, fermenting and stiiiiiiiiiiiinky.

I try to choose shoes with plenty of mesh that are made of materials that don't soak up much water and socks that feel OK when wet and dry fast. That way I don't need to use shoe covers in the conditions that I tour in. For me that means a lower end shoe from the Sidi line and poly socks.

I have used shoe covers around home, but never taken them on tour. For me they are more for temperatures in the teens, single digits, and below and I don't see temperatures that low very often on tour. The rare times that it gets that cold I hang around in camp until the sun comes up for a while and it warms up a bit. I guess that I could do the bread bag trick but never have on tour even when I did the ST in winter.

I've typically just taken plastic shopping bags and wrapped them around the shoe, cut out the hole for the cleat and then duct taped over the whole thing to help it hold its shape and for helping them last more than one usage as well. I add some velcro to the back so I can put them on and take them off easily enough.

After watching the video below I want to see if I can find some socks big enough and try this idea for waterproof socks. I wear sized 13 shoes so that might be a real problem.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WRCXy_UHPVc

I figure cut out the hole for the cleat and then you should be able to fairly easily put the sock on and take it back off. I think I would have to do it part way up the leg as well to help keep the full area up around the top of the shoe dry. Naturally I would do both the bottom of shoe and the top of the shoe as well. Dirt cheap way of having the waterproofness that you can take off so your feet don't want to bake when it's not raining.

Baggies over the toes trick is better than nothing, but once you try shoe covers, you won't go back. Your feet will probably still get damp if it's really pouring, but they won't be as cold. They're also immensely helpful during frosty weather.

I use Gore Bike booties, and SPD pedals.

I tour only in warmer months, so just sandals for me.

contrary to others, I have used rain booties for years, and really like them. I don't like getting wet shoes, keeps mud and guck off my shoes when roads are really wet, and the ones I have used for decades arent too hot either.

In cooler days, I really appreciate not having wet shoes the next day, plus I figure my bike shoes last longer not getting soaded often.

I actually use them much much more in fall and spring as a wind protection so my feet arent cold.
In really cold temps (around 5c or whatever that is in F, maybe 40?) I stick some cut out pieces of fleece on top of my shoes under the booties as extra insulation, simple but it works.

the problem, or reality, is that there are tons of rain booties out there, and all fit differently, have diff tightnesses, go up farther or lower on your leg, and some can be rather expensive--I find looking at them on a web page is hard to know really how they are, and how they will fit over your specific shoes. Mine fit well, but Im hesitant to buy new ones without trying them on in person.

the showers pass ones look nice, but unfortunately, I cant physically get to REI stores, and dont want to order them over the border to find that they are too baggy, or too tight (depending on what size you order) and not be able to return them easily.

mine are no longer sold at the REI equivelant here in Canada, MEC. but were similar to the showers pass ones. (ish)

I recommend trying them on in person if you do look at getting a pair.

I understand your concern about sizing. Usually I would always try something on as well and I did with these at my local REI store. I found the sizing to be rather accurate. US sizes followed by the EU sizes.

XS 7-8 (39-41) SM 8.5-10.5 (42-44) MD 10.5-12 (44-46) LG 12.5-14.5 (47-49) XLG 14.5+ (49+)

I too find them very useful.

Rivendell Splats. They are pieces of waxed canvas wrapped around the foot with velcro straps. They fit around any shoe, work with or without clips or cleats and keep your feet dry and clean. The absolute bottom of the fashion barrel, they make a handy saddle cover when you stop for a break also.

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=496731http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=496732

Marc

thanks for the note about sizing. I recall on the page for them, it seems that they come in s, m and L, so that was my concern, but will check it out again.

I can't speak for all items but REI routinely deletes sizes when they're out of stock instead of listing them as "out of stock" next to the size. If that makes sense...

This is the same idea as using a slit water bottle over the shoe. However, without something between the "shoe" and the leg of your rain pant, your socks and part/all of your shoe will still get wet from water dripping off the rain pant leg.

It's never proven a problem. I usually leave the pant leg out over the splat.

Marc