Sportful Windstopper Reflex overshoes £43
It’s that time of year when overshoes are a necessary part of your cycle outfit, and these Windstopper overshoes from Italian company Sportful provide great protection from the elements with an exceptional fit.
The design of these overshoes is exceptional. Firstly they make use of the excellent Gore WS Pursuit Windstopper material, so there’s no chance of the cold wind progressing through to your feet.
Fit, critical for overshoes, is right up there with the best I’ve ever tried. They’re easy to pull on over my size 45 shoes, and slip into place nicely with absolutely no resistance (no wrestling like some overshoes require).
A section of Neoprene runs around the lower section, and extends up the back to end with a 1in collar. The lined zipper is covered with a reflective strip, and this along with a couple of other reflective details means they score high on night time visibility.
Neoprene goes a long way to keep spray from the road, but challenge them in a heavy and sustained downpour and they’ll soon wave a white flag. For all but the wettest rides though they’re just fine. They’re reasonably insulated, but I found them a little lacking in temperatures nudging towards zero degrees.
All openings, around the cleat and heel, are reinforced, and the toe section especially so – they’ve clearly listened to feedback from cycle commuters who have to dab a foot at traffic lights regularly.
In use I found them ideal for typical winter conditions, with the Windstopper fabric doing a sterling job of keeping the cold out. Only when the temperature dropped below 5 degrees did their lack of insulation make itself known, with increasingly cold toes on a typical 3-4 hour ride suggesting they’re best kept for slightly warmer rides.
Verdict
All things considered, they’re a quality overshoe and justify the price with excellent design, fit and features.
