Gorewear Sleet Insulated Overshoes

The Gorewear Sleet Insulated Overshoes achieve really impressive warmth thanks to a layer of Primaloft insulation and a design that offers enough breathability to make them perfect for rides across a range of temperatures.

For other options – lighter, heavier, less waterproof, more aero – check out our guide to the best cycling overshoes.

I've managed to miss three genuine sleet showers in the time I've been testing these overshoes – listening to ice rattling on the rooftops doesn't really inspire you to get out on the bike. Thankfully, this winter has pretty much guaranteed a sufficiently biblical downpour would be along soon. And so it was that I set out on a 400km ride to York in the early hours of the morning, with the Met Office promising a mixture of rain and gusting wind interspersed with bouts of intense sunshine.

I am pleased to report that these overshoes performed well through some really mixed weather, and delivered my toes to the north of England feeling dry, warm and surprisingly comfortable. So if you want the short review... these deserve a really big thumbs-up.

Sizing up the competition

I take a size 45 shoe and had to work to ease my shoes into these XXL overshoes – the largest on offer, which should fit a suggested range of 46-48EU. My hunch is that if you take a size 48 shoe you're going to really struggle (and online customer reviews certainly suggest that might be the case). Also, while the packaging suggests a size range of 46-48, the website suggests the range is 47-49. A little consistency would be good, but either way I would suggest buying a size up if you can.

There is a bit of give at the back, and with the zip offset to one side it makes it easier to fasten these up without putting too much stress on this part of the overshoe, which all too often is the weak link in the design.

Once you've got these shoes on, the first thing that hits you is the neon-yellow. That surely has to be good for visibility on the road. And then there is their soft, squidgy nature. Unlike more typical neoprene covers, these feel like putting a miniature duvet jacket on each foot.

The Gore-Tex outer provides the waterproof and breathable qualities, while the Primaloft filling gives you added insulation. And it is an impressive combination when the temperatures drop. The final 160km through the night from Grantham via Lincoln and Goole on to York saw the temperature plummet. But despite wearing just a pair of light cycling socks, my toes stayed really warm.

Earlier in the day, spring sunshine had seen the mercury climb to a balmy 14°C, and good breathability ensured my feet stayed dry and comfortable. The previous week I'd taken them out on a warmer 200km ride with some big ascents; I did finally take them off when I got too hot and found that they can be easily stashed in a rear pocket.

If you struggle with keeping your extremities warm I think you would really benefit from using these through the year.

Water palaver

We saw some of the worst flooding of winter as my riding buddies and I rode across the Cotswolds. And riding fixed meant there was no option to freewheel through deep puddles. But whether dipping my toes as we navigated standing water, riding through some heavy downpours or dealing with the splash from water on the roads, these overshoes proved remarkably good at keeping the water out.

I think these would handle sleet and hail far better than they might a full day of downpours, but these overshoes are as good as any that I have tried out. And that is helped significantly by the design.

No matter how good the overshoe, water tends to come in either underneath or through the tops, often soaking down through long cycling bibs. These overshoes come with a durable water repellent (DWR) cuff to minimise ingress here. It worked on my rides, but I think it would struggle in a real deluge.

Underneath there is enough coverage to minimise water getting in, but just how well this works depends on the type of shoe you match it with. It's worth covering spare cleat holes with waterproof tape on the inside of your shoe if this is a problem for you.

Testing them further in the garden with a hose on full they remained impressively waterproof to a direct jet of water. So both on the road in mixed conditions and in a slightly more artificial test, they really do seem to do the job.

Designed for life?

I usually prefer a more streamlined pair of neoprene overshoes. I'm not a massive fan of this bulkier (and luminous yellow) design from a purely aesthetic standpoint, but I did appreciate the extra visibility they offered and the reflective detailing that lights up from a long way back, according to fellow riders.

Movement at the feet is much more likely to be registered by an approaching motorist at night than a full reflective jacket that is likely to be far more static. So small reflective elements on overshoes pay very big dividends if you are doing a lot of night riding.

The fact that these overshoes scrunch up and pack down far smaller than other models is also a big bonus. They slip easily into the rear pocket of a cycling jersey, although I'm not sure I'd want to stash them there if they were soaking wet.

A little tab on the inside makes them easy to hang out to dry; it's a small touch but nice attention to detail.

You can throw them in the wash at 40 degrees and they will come out cleaner – if not as good as new. This pair are already boasting the mud and oil medals of almost 800km of riding and I am very happy with that.

The question of how long these are going to last isn't one I can answer yet. You might think that neoprene is a more intuitively durable material, but (as triathletes and wetsuit users will know) it is all too easy to put a hole in. These covers could well last longer, as long as you buy the right size and take it easy with the zip.

The stitching all looks really durable, but I have noticed one small area of abrasion on the sole of the left overshoe. It's nothing major but I will be keeping my eye on it. I do tend to spend a lot of time walking between bikes and control points on rides, and when I'm on a fixed gear bike there is often a point when the incline gets too much and I have to get off and walk. I can't imagine any overshoe really being able to deal with that kind of treatment.

Value for money

The rrp of £99 seems a lot to spend on a pair of overshoes, but if you struggle with cold feet then it could be worth it (and Gorewear currently has them at 30% off).

That said, they're a tenner more than the Spatz Roadman 3 Super-Thermo Hi-Viz Reflective Overshoes with Kevlar, which scored an impressive nine stars in our recent review. George reckoned they were bombproof with impressive warmth, even when water did seep in. The design is a little whacky but they seem to deliver more durability, although they do weigh more than twice as much at 312g.

If you want a bit of stylish Italian design then the Castelli Diluvio UL Shoecovers that Mat tested in 2021 offer enough warmth and rain protection for everything but the depths of winter, though they've gone up to £80.

If you want to spend less on winter overshoes then the GripGrab Race Thermo Waterproof Winter Shoes Covers also scored well when Ben reviewed them. They cost £52 and he reckoned they offered good rain protection but needed a little more insulation for winter days.

Conclusion

Putting mini-padded jackets on each foot does feel a little strange. It won't meet the requirements of racing snakes who want a more streamlined aesthetic, but these are great if you struggle with cold extremities or plan to do a lot of cold winter and night riding. I really value them on longer rides that I've used them on.

They were impressively waterproof and breathable on all the test rides I did, and the fact they are light and easy to stash makes them a great option for rides that promise unpredictable weather conditions.

Verdict

Waterproof, warm and breathable as well as light and easy to roll up, an excellent and very flexible piece of kit