Alé Nordik Shoecovers

The Alé Nordik Shoecovers are really strongly performing overshoes that keep most of the water out and the warmth in. However, sizing really is an issue that Alé need to sort out.

Testing happened over a freezing few weeks when most of my rides saw temperatures drop below freezing. It was therefore lucky that the Alé Nordik Shoecovers are warm, thanks to to the neoprene exterior and fleecy inner. I found that even when I was riding in temperatures as low as zero Celsius, I could easily get away with just a single pair of Merino socks.

This warmth is helped by decent windproofing, which kept all but the coldest air on the fastest descents. It was only really in temperatures under 3°C and at speeds over 30km/h that I really felt anything at all.

Waterproofing is pretty good, although as with all overshoes, they're not 100% water resistant. They kept out most of the water, but in sustained downpours they would let in some, especially around the seams. However, in regular weather and showers, they were fine.

One aspect that isn't so good is the fit. It's clearly designed to be aero, but this makes the overshoes difficult to put on if your shoes have any other fastening system than laces or velcro. I used them on shoes with buckles, single Boa systems and double Boa systems. Either I couldn't get the overshoes on at all or could only do so with a five-minute struggle followed by a worry about the zip breaking. If you use buckle or Boa shoes, go up a size or two.

Despite these fit issues, the zip survived, which is testament to the really good quality of construction. They also have a really robust, almost-tarpaulin-like material on the bottom which didn't show any signs of tearing or ripping despite me being forced to walk on them for about 1/2 mile.

Elsewhere Alé have included a fair amount of reflective material, with dots running from the top of the foot up to the top of the overshoes, a stripe down the back of the ankle and another on the ball of the foot. All of this material makes them light up like a bulb when hit by a headlight which is a really nice touch.

They have also put the zip on the inside of the ankle, which is normally an issue as this is traditionally where a lot of water sprays up. However, unlike the rest of the seams, Alé have fully taped this area, so there wasn't any noticeable water getting in there. The zip positioning was well thought out; it didn't cause any kind of irritation, which I often find an issue when the zips on the back of the ankle.

Nordik Shoecovers have an RRP of £45, which is certainly expensive. However, they are incredibly well made and have some strong features that go some way to justifying the price.

Overall I was impressed with these overshoes but Alé need to work out the sizing for them to be truly great. They have strong construction, and some really well thought out features, which makes the odd sizing such a shame. That said, these were close, and when I wore them with lace-up shoes they were really good, but ithe sizing slightly lets them down.

Verdict

Really good overshoes, but size up for buckle-closure or Boa shoes