Caratti Lightweight Waterproof Overshoes

Caratti's Lightweight Waterproof Overshoes are a bit of a mixed bag. The main water resistant material is very good at keeping water out, but the taping on the seams is incredibly delicate, and then there are fit issues that make the zip difficult to do up, even on thin legs.

• Pros: Breathable, good water resistance
• Cons: Very tight on the leg, delicate seam taping

Getting a pair of overshoes that are waterproof, offer good movement and also breathe well isn't easy, but if you can get two of these features then you've got a pretty good pair. Caratti has tried to get all three features into this £40 pair of overshoes and it's a great attempt – these are very good in some areas – but there are also some fundamental flaws.

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Let's start with the good stuff. The lightweight material used for the majority of the overshoe is great at keeping out the water. Having used them in heavy rain, this material isn't letting anything through. It also breathes very well, allowing you to use these in milder spring conditions when the rain can be heavy and come in bursts.

I also found that the overshoes protected my feet down to 5°C, a much colder temperature than I was expecting from such a lightweight pair of overshoes.

Durability is good, too: the heel, toe and underside of the overshoes are protected very well by a material that shows no sign of wear despite quite a bit of walking on gravel.

My first problem came when putting these on. The fit is close thanks to the stretch in the material, which is great around the top of the foot and heel. But the taped seams don't have the same stretch, and my pair have developed several rips along with the tape peeling nearly everywhere. This compromises the overshoe's waterproofness, allowing water to seep in via the main seam that runs right where water is going to hit.

The second main drawback is the tight fit around the leg. To prevent water from running down the leg and into your socks, the fit has to be close, but this is just too tight – even on my spindly legs. It makes the zip really hard to do up, and very uncomfortable when you do manage to.

That's not to say the fit is so close elsewhere, though. The toe has quite a bit of excess material, which doesn't look good, with the same problem at the ankle. All things considered, the fit just isn't good. Okay, we're all different, but if anything I'm skinnier in the leg than most/many – and here I'm still not skinny enough. Sizing therefore also becomes an issue, as I'd need to go up to the 44-46 size for comfort at the cuff, which would compromise fit around the actual shoe...

> Buyer's Guide: Essential wet weather cycle clothing and gear

As for value, even though these are currently down to £20 on Caratti's website, they can't compete with plenty of much better rivals. Altura's Etape II (£29.99) and GripGrab's RaceAqua (£36) are both brilliant options for less money, and if you've got a bit more cash to splash, dhb's new Aeron Lab Neoshell overshoes (£50) offer better performance and build quality with similar durability and are worth the extra tenner.

Overall, I like the lightweight feel and the amount of stretch in the very water resistant outer, but it's not backed up by taped seams or the fit at the cuff, toe or ankle, which makes comfort an issue too.

Verdict

Good main material let down by a bad fit and poorly taped seams