Best cycling overshoes 2023 — protect your feet from cold, wet and windy weather while riding

Riding in cold weather is challenging, and wet and frozen feet don't make it any easier. Your feet, right in the line of spray generated by the front wheel (especially without mudguards), can suffer more than any other body part. The best cycling overshoes, designed to protect your feet from the weather, are a top investment if you're aiming to ride in all weathers, whether you’re a racer or commuter.

The best cycling overshoes

• Spatz Roadman 3 overshoes 
• GripGrab RaceThermo Waterproof Winter Shoe Covers
• Spatz GravlR overshoes
• Castelli Diluvio UL Shoecovers
• Castelli Pioggia 3 Shoecovers
• Lusso Thermal Toe Covers
• Sportful Speed Skin Silicone Booties
• Spatz Legalz GLO UCI Legal Race Overshoes
• ​Castelli Diluvio Pro Shoe Covers
• Caratti Neoprene Windproof Toe Warmers
• Lusso Windtex Stealth Over Boots
• Galibier Mistral Toe Covers
• Madison Sportive PU Thermal Overshoes
• SealSkinz Sealskinz All Weather LED Overshoes
• Sportful Reflex 2 Windstopper Booties
• GripGrab Arctic Overshoes
• Velotoze

If you're after your first pair after finding out the hard way that you need some by going out in the cold without any, or you're just after some replacements, you're in luck! Check out our top-rated overshoes below, and if you need some more advice before choosing then keep scrolling for everything you need to know about overshoes... 

The best cycling overshoes

Spatz Roadman 3 overshoes — £94.00

They might look like "Optimus Prime Cosplay" as our reviewer suggested, but Spatz overshoes have such great function that we've forgiven them for their looks whenever we've reviewed a pair! To put it simply, if you ride in wet and cold conditions typical of UK winters, Spatz take warmth and comfort to new levels.

The protection and effectiveness that the Roadman 3 Kevlar-reinforced overshoes offer mean most cyclists won't be concerned about the unusual looks. Improvements on the third iteration include easier fitting, increased toughness and more warmth, according to Spatz. 

They are not cheap at all, but our reviewer said that the Roadman 3 overshoes are hard to fault. The high-visibility elements and extra reinforcement of the toebox area over the previous versions are welcome upgrades too. 

Read our review of the Spatz Roadman 3 overshoes

GripGrab RaceThermo Waterproof Winter Shoe Covers — from £36.68

Made from 4mm-thick waterproof neoprene with a close fit to keep the water and wind out, these overshoes from Gripgrab will keep your feet toasty without looking quite so out-there as our first option from Spatz.

Our reviewer did say toes started to get cold in temperatures just below freezing, but anything above and you won't need to dig out extra layers of socks underneath them. The fully open sole is fastened with a Velcro strap, and you need to put them on before you put your shoes on, then roll them down over the shoes and fasten the Velcro. 

While thye lack extra, extra warmth for the coldest of days, the RaceThermo provide great protection against the wind and rain, fit well and have lots of great reflectives.

Read our review of the GripGrab RaceThermo Waterproof Winter Shoe Covers 

Spatz GravlR overshoes — £87.49

Another entry from Spatz, and yep, once again like something pulled from a sci-fi convention wardrobe! We'll say it again though: multiple road.cc reviewers have foud that Spatz overshoes offer quite possible the best winter protection going, and the GravlR is just as good as the road-specific version.

The hydrophobic neoprene repels water, while inside there's a thermal layer for extra warmth. Whereas most overshoes are ankle height, Spatz takes things higher, finishing at the top of the calf. They certainly look, erm, different, but then we cyclists are hardly the height of fashion at the best of times, whatever we like to believe.

Our reviewer said: “The GravlRs give the best protection of any overshoe I've used – or any winter boot, for that matter. On extremely wet days water can still seep in (you can never stop it completely), but what sets them apart from anything else is their warmth, even damp. With temperatures close to freezing and my socks wet, the GravlRs still kept my feet warm."

Read our review of the Spatz GravlR overshoes

Castelli Diluvio UL Shoecovers — £40.00

The Castelli Diluvio UL Shoecovers are made from waterproof neoprene to keep your feet dry, they extend high to make sure your ankles stay warm in most conditions, and they're very stretchy for a close and comfortable fit.

Whereas the Diluvio Pros, below, are made from 4mm-thick neoprene, the Diluvio ULs are 3mm thick, as are the Diluvio C (£45) and the Diluvio 2 All-Roads (£45).

First things first: do the Diluvio ULs keep the water out? This might make or break the deal, particularly for UK readers. The good news is that water doesn't get through the neoprene at all and the seams are sealed. Fabulous; we're up and running!

Read our review of the Castelli Diluvio UL Shoecovers

Castelli Pioggia 3 Shoecovers — 44.19

'Pioggia' is the Italian word for 'rain' and that tells you what these overshoes are all about. They're made from a polyurethane-coated fabric that won't let water through. And when we say that it won't let water through, it really won't. Believe us, water doesn't soak through here.

The waterproofing extends to the front seam which is internally taped to prevent leaks and the zip is waterproof too. Well, it's about as waterproof as zips get; virtually nothing gets past it.

The polyurethane-coated fabric used for the main body is very stretchy so you can get a close fit all round and it moves easily with your ankle as you pedal. It's lined with a thin fleece layer to provide extra warmth.

Read our review of the Castelli Pioggia 3 Shoecovers

Lusso Thermal Toe Covers — £12.00

These Lusso Thermal Toe Covers offer impressive warmth, are really well made, and are small enough to easy fit in a jersey pocket when the day heats up. The price is great, too.

Toe covers themselves aren't that complex a product, most are just a piece of neoprene with a hole for your cleat, but that hasn't stopped Lusso spending a lot of time on the details.

The upper part of the cover is a Windtex thermal material, which for its lack of bulk is surprisingly warm. Riding in near freezing temperatures with the Lussos covering the vents at the front of your shoes, your toes are noticeably warmer than parts of you that are exposed to the wind.

Read our review of the Lusso Thermal Toe Covers

Spatz Legalz GLO UCI Legal Race Overshoes — £69.90

Another entry for Spatz, and these ones are not only UCI-legal but also just ankle-high, so don't look quite so out-there as Spatz' other offerings. 

Our reviewer found them to be excellent as did our reviewers of other Spatz overshoes, praising the durability and warmth great down to about freezing temperatures. 

They're not cheap, but these overshoes really are an investment and should last you years so long as you're careful not to catch the neoprene on anything. They're also dead easy to clean, too. 

Read our review of the Spatz Legalz GLO UCI Legal Race Overshoes 

Sportful Speed Skin Silicone Booties — £29.16

Sportful's Speedskin Silicone Booties — overshoes to you and me — keep the wind and water out brilliantly but only really work on milder days because of their lack of insulation.

The Speedskins started life as a time trial overshoe, developed more for controlling airflow over the bumps and buckles of your shoes, but with the addition of taped seams and a silicone coating over the Lycra they are some of the most weatherproof overshoes around.

The material is near-impenetrable by both wind and water – riding on wet roads caused them no issue at all. They finish quite high up your calf so that cuts down on a lot of the spray hitting your tights and soaking down in through to your socks that way. That's something that inevitably happens when you are riding in persistent heavy rain, but no overshoe is immune to this.

Read our review of the Sportful Speed Skin Silicone Booties

Castelli Diluvio Pro Shoe Covers — £32.00

Castelli's Diluvio Pro Shoe Covers are full-on winter-ready booties – warm, waterproof and with a svelte-yet-thick fit around the shoe that very likely come from input from Team Ineos; Castelli credits the team with asking for a warmer overshoe for training in cold and wet conditions. They're expensive, though, and for such a high-wear product that might be an issue.

Shoe covers are an essential piece of winter cycling kit, no question. You need them to do their job, and you need them to do it well. Happily, the Diluvio Pros are brilliant performers for the cold and wet winter months, featuring a 4mm-thick neoprene fabric that is as adept at insulating your feet as it is protecting them (and your shoes) from water ingress, from road spray and rain.

Read our review of the Castelli Diluvio Pro Shoe Covers

Caratti Neoprene Windproof Toe Warmers — £5.00

Caratti's Neoprene Windproof Toe Covers are the perfect riding companions as the transition between seasons takes place. They cover the vents of your summer shoes first thing in the chilly morning and slip easily into your jersey pocket if things warm up a little.

Toe warmers have quite a few uses. This time of year, they are a nifty solution for those early morning rides when you know that the temperature is going to warm up while you are out, or when things are really brutal – think snow and freezing temperatures – they can be an extra layer above or beneath a pair of traditional overshoes.

The 3mm neoprene construction offers some impressive windproofing and even if you do get wet feet they hold in a lot of heat to stop you getting cold toes.

Read our review of the Caratti Neoprene Windproof Toe Warmers

Lusso Windtex Stealth Over Boots — £35.00

The Lusso Windtex Stealth overboots offer a large working temperature range across a myriad of different weather conditions. And don't let that Windtex name fool you – these booties will also keep the rain at bay for way longer than you'd expect of a fabric this light and thin.

Read our review of the Lusso Windtex Stealth Over Boots

Galibier Mistral Toe Covers — £9.60

The Galibier Mistral Toe Covers bring together strong protection, warmth and water resistance. They also come with an impressively low price.

I used to be a huge advocate of overshoes when the temperature drops, but I haven't regularly worn any for a year, instead using toe covers in all but the coldest conditions. They have one big advantage: you can just leave them on your shoes, so you don't need to constantly struggle into a set of thick overshoes because it's a bit cold outside.

Read our review of the Galibier Mistral Toe Covers

Madison Sportive PU Thermal Overshoes — £19.99

Madison's Sportive PU Thermal overshoes are a great option for wet weather riding, with the added thermal benefits providing some much-appreciated insulation at times.

Although described as a mid-weight overshoe by Madison, they don't struggle when the temperature gets down to low single figures.

Featuring a fleece lining that fits snugly to your shoes in tandem with an unvented, taped waterproof top layer, these overshoes are surprisingly warm in all conditions bar freezing or below.

Read our review of the Madison Sportive PU Thermal Overshoes

SealSkinz Sealskinz All Weather LED Overshoes — £43.99

SealSkinz LED Overshoes incorporate a powerful LED light in the heel, a clever idea that I'm surprised has never been done before. Don't discount them as being a gimmick, they really do work well and are ideal for regular after dark cyclists.

Read our review of the SealSkinz LED Overshoes

Sportful Reflex 2 Windstopper Booties — £23.60

These Sportful WS Bootie Reflex overshoes employ Gore's Windstopper fabric and serve to keep your feet warm and keep out most of the rain and cold out.

They're not 100% waterproof, but on typically showery days they'll keep most of the rain out and it needs a decent spell of prolonged rain before saturation occurs. They cope just fine when it's not raining but the roads are slick with water.

Read our review of the Sportful Reflex Windstopper Booties

GripGrab Arctic Overshoes — from £45.98

The Grip Grab Arctic Overshoes are great for those properly cold days we sometimes get in January and February. They provide excellent insulation and very effective waterproofing. With 80% neoprene, these were always going to be warm, but we're also impressed by their ease of fit and adjustability.

Read our review of the GripGrab Arctic Overshoes

Velotoze — £14.99 - £16.99

Like a swimming cap for your feet, these divide opinion and can make your feet very sweaty indeed. These are, however, very, very waterproof.

When placed directly onto the shin, they prevent water from seeping down into your socks and also offer complete windproofing. When worn on top of oversocks, they form possibly the ultimate deep winter combination.

They're also surprisingly robust for what is essentially a thick balloon. They are the most fragile covers in this list though.

Read our review of the Velotoze shoe covers