Lightweight overshoes for summer

[bikenerd]

Hello.  Does anyone know of any lightweight overshoes that are available?  I'd like some for a summer tour where my DHB full waterproof with a fleece lining shoes will be too warm.  Something small and packable and showerproof would be good.  Something made from the same material as my Montane Featherlite jacket, which I think is Pertex, would be ideal.  Cheers.

[Chris S]

These?

I have a size 12 pair I don't use if you're interested.

[Charlotte]

My advice would be to think outside the box.

If it's the summertime, wear sandals and let your feet get wet.  It's liberating 

[Chris S]

If it's the summertime, wear sandals and let your feet get wet.  It's liberating 

I hope there won't be a moment, half way up a Welsh mountain in the lashing rain, when you come to regret that

[mrcharly-YHT]

If it's the summertime, wear sandals and let your feet get wet.  It's liberating 

I hope there won't be a moment, half way up a Welsh mountain in the lashing rain, when you come to regret that

Oh no, it's great.

I bought sandals last summer to cope with the lashing rain and floods. Shoes just never dried out. The sandals just let it all run through, and dried out overnight.

Having said that, I would quite like some pertex overshoes (or something similar). Not waterproof, but wind and shower-resistant.

[Charlotte]

If it's the summertime, wear sandals and let your feet get wet.  It's liberating 

I hope there won't be a moment, half way up a Welsh mountain in the lashing rain, when you come to regret that

1200k of French precipitation last summer gives me the confidence to say I shan't 

[mattc]

You might consider toe cosies (e.g. Adidas are wot I have). These are NOT the same as what you asked about, but I've found them really useful in "in-betweeny" conditions, and they're smaller and much quicker on-off than full overshoes.

(Even this clumsy oaf managed to get a pair from his feet to his back pocket without stopping.)

Oh, and some people wear them INSIDE their shoes in the winter!

[bobmick]

My advice would be to think outside the box.

If it's the summertime, wear sandals and let your feet get wet.  It's liberating 

How supportive are those SPD sandals?  I'm considering getting some for a weeks cycling tour in the summer.

[Charlotte]

Very.  As good, if not better than MTB shoes for climbing.

Look at the number of fixers that use them.

[mrcharly-YHT]

Yup, very. Almost as stiff as some road shoes, and surprisingly comfortable to walk in.

[Chris N]

But, by damn, the Shimano SPD sandals are ugly.  The new (read: not available in the UK until autumn ) Keen Commuters are a much better looking shoe.

+1 for toe covers BTW, mine are Pearl Izumi - a fleece-backed lycra material - and while they're not waterproof, they make all the difference when it's not quite cold enough for neoprene over shoes.

[mattc]

+1 for toe covers BTW, mine are Pearl Izumi - a fleece-backed lycra material - and while they're not waterproof, they make all the difference when it's not quite cold enough for neoprene over shoes.

Hmmm. PI seem to make half of the shoe covers in the world! They have 2 "toe covers":
CALIENTOES (the piccie looks longer than the other sort)
$14.99 #9027
CalienToes provide protection on those days when it’s just cool enough to need a bit of extra warmth on...

CYCLONE TOE COVER
$19.99 #9125
Cyclone Toe Covers are the perfect solution for cold morning riding. Always versatile, toe covers are ideal when the weather is not cold enough for shoe covers.

Can you comment Chris? The Cyclones look like they may wear out quickly - the sole area looks pretty flimsy to walk on.

[bobmick]

Ta.  Those Keen Commuters look nice but I'll need a pair of sandals for early July.

[Chris N]

Can you comment Chris? The Cyclones look like they may wear out quickly - the sole area looks pretty flimsy to walk on.

Mine are the Calientoes - less than a tenner from Wiggle, IIRC.  They are about 4 inches long covering from the tip of the toes to just behind the balls of my feet.  The bit that goes under your shoe isn't very robust - I've worn the stitching and a couple of holes in it from wandering around, but if used with either MTB shoes or road shoes with Look-style cleats they should last a while longer.  The Cyclones certainly look like they'll be a bit more weather proof.

Ta.  Those Keen Commuters look nice but I'll need a pair of sandals for early July.

And me - which muppet decided to introduce a pair of sandals in autumn.

[mrcharly-YHT]

But, by damn, the Shimano SPD sandals are ugly.  The new (read: not available in the UK until autumn ) Keen Commuters are a much better looking shoe.

More of a sandal than a shoe . . .  That toe box will just fill with water. They are better looking than sh sandals, tho'.

One warning about the shimano sandals. If you ride sockless in summer, they will get very stinky. Fashionistas, cover your eyes and do not read on.




Wear socks with your sandals in hot or cold weather. Bare feet are for torrential rain only.

[Biggsy]

Be warned that Shimano sandals are actually quite warm due to the thick insulating soles (which are stiff enough for decent pedalling).  Well ventilated roadie shoes can actually be cooler.

In either case, carry a spare pair of socks for (after) the rain.

SJSC also sell (or have sold) various waterproof overshoes.  I have some Carradice ones, I think they are, made of real ducks or something.  Strange flappy shape, though, that needed a bit of alteration.

[mattc]

Be warned that Shimano sandals are actually quite warm due to the thick insulating soles (which are stiff enough for decent pedalling).  Well ventilated roadie shoes can actually be cooler.

In either case, carry a spare pair of socks for (after) the rain.

Yes, my "racy shoes" are so light and holey they are cool with thin socks, and dry very quickly. Socks can take longer, so swapping to a dry pair fixes that (or wear Sealskins - very uncool with one's silver racing boots!)

[Paul Smith SRCC]

But, by damn, the Shimano SPD sandals are ugly.  The new (read: not available in the UK until autumn ) Keen Commuters are a much better looking shoe.

One warning about the shimano sandals. If you ride sockless in summer, they will get very stinky. Fashionistas, cover your eyes and do not read on.Wear socks with your sandals in hot or cold weather. Bare feet are for torrential rain only.

You can always put each sandal in a pillow case for protection, then stick them in the washing machine on a cold wash to get them smelling all rosey again. Northwave are also introducing a new sandal type shoe to their range called the ‘Shark’, so far I have only seen the Prototype though, but they will be imported into the UK, if memory serves me correct they will arrive end of May 08

Paul_Smith
www.bikeplus.co.uk

[Sergeant Pluck]

I have these:

http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/product-Shimano-Shimano-PRO-Endure-H2O-multi-fit-overshoe-14740.htm

They are extremely lightweight and would pack up small. If you choose the size well, they fit very snugly over your shoes and are pretty water resistant. They are very lightly insulated.

Personally for the summer I'd consider the sandal options. While the above overshoes are fairly water tight, the down side is that your feet sweat like very sweaty things and after a long day in the saddle the stench when you take the shoes off would kill a donkey. The bamboo charcoal is obviously a dismal attempt to tackle this little problem.

[border-rider]

I'm a sandalista too

With socks unless it's PBPwet.  Bye bye hot foot. 

I'm very impressed

I wonder how much heat loss there normally is through the sole ? My feeling is that airflow over the foot is sufficient to stop your feet overheating in sandals

[alexb]

But, by damn, the Shimano SPD sandals are ugly.  The new (read: not available in the UK until autumn ) Keen Commuters are a much better looking shoe.

I've got the regular version of those sandals. They'd be OK for pootling along, but they have elasticated laces and no real way to tighten down the body of the shoe onto your foot. You'd probably pull your foot straight out of the shoe on the first hill.

I could be wrong...

[Lonewolff]

seems they are available in the UK now, if for a rather expensive price CLICKY

[Biggsy]

I wonder how much heat loss there normally is through the sole ? My feeling is that airflow over the foot is sufficient to stop your feet overheating in sandals

The airflow does stop serious overheating, but I've been disappointed and surprised that my feet haven't felt cooler on boiling hot days when wearing Shimano sandals.  That's what I got them for.  The soles feel really warm, when the soles of my other shoes would feel cooler - indicating a difference of heat loss there.

I think Shimano's warm sole partly explains why so many people can tolerate the sandals in wintery conditions.  The other part must be that they have incredibly hairy toes.

[bikenerd]

Thanks chaps and chapesses.  I think what I want doesn't actually exist.  Which has happened before when looking for both cycling and hiking kit. 

My advice would be to think outside the box.

If it's the summertime, wear sandals and let your feet get wet.  It's liberating 

I'm happy in the box! I know that they're very functional but there are two bits of kit I can't bring myself to wear: Buffs and cycling sandals.  (I have no problem with gillets, though! )  Although I quite like the look of those Northwaves, I already have 3 pairs of cycling shoes.  I don't have room for another pair!

[mrcharly-YHT]

they have incredibly hairy toes.

Have we met somewhere? How did you know about my toes?