GripGrab Hammerhead Winter Overshoe

The GripGrab Hammerhead Winter Overshoes have been rock solid in winter weather with their coated neoprene construction doing an unbelievable job of keeping the weather on the outside, and not in my shoes where it usually ends up after a couple of hours in the wind and rain.

GripGrab is a relatively new brand to these shores, with online retailer Wiggle picking up the UK distribution rights late last year. Good job they did, because what they have on their hands is one of the best glove and overshoe manufacturers. I was highly impressed with the Urban Softshell gloves recently and I've been similarly impressed with these overshoes.

They're made from a thick polyurethane coated neoprene that is 100% windproof and waterproof. I usually treat such claims with a high level of suspicion, based on years of testing overshoes that don't deliver in the depths of the winter. These do, and do so very well indeed.

I've been out in horrid weather, the sort that makes you question your sanity at choosing to go out on a bicycle, and the Hammerheads have done exactly what their product description promises. They've kept water out and they've kept the wind out. I've even gone out of my way to splash through puddles and haven't managed to find their limit.

Construction is top notch. The two holes on the sole, for the cleat and heel, are lined with reinforcing material and double stitched. There's a small patch of tougher material on the very front, which prevents damage when you put a foot down at the traffic lights. There's a similar bit of material at the heel too, for the same reason.

At the back is a full height chunky zipper that permits easy foot entry. The zip tab has a short section of material to make operation with thick gloves on easy. A Velcro tab keeps the top of the overshoe snug in place.

The zip is flanked by two sections of reflective material that serve to give a very high visibility to other road users. I'm still surprised that some winter overshoes have such stingy reflective details, so kudos to GripGrab for this small, but important, detail.

Some may not like the huge logo sprawled along the side and the Hammerhead shark detail around the top, but I kind of like it. It certainly grows on you. Unless you're particularly vain, I don't think an overshoes aesthetic is such an important consideration. How well they work is far more important, and judged on this criteria alone the Hammerheads are among the best overshoes I've yet tested.

Verdict

Top performance in the most horrid winter conditions. Highly recommended.