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review

Northwave H2O Winter Shoecover Reflective

8
£29.99

VERDICT:

8
10
Good, tough, near-waterproof shoe covers – great quality from Northwave
Weight: 
102g

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Great for showery weather in milder winter conditions, Northwave's H2O winter shoe covers are a good option for keeping your feet dry, and your shoes protected.

The H2Os are essentially a liner for your shoes and are, as the name suggests, designed for wet weather. They perform largely as you'd hope – keeping water and road muck off your shoes, and therefore your feet dry. On several rides that I'd definitely describe as wet, I found them extremely effective.

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The downside to the H2Os is the thickness – or rather, thinness. They're quite thin, lacking a neoprene layer, which means that they don't help keep your feet warm when the temperature drops below double figures. If you do suffer with cold extremities then these shoe covers probably won't be for you on cold days, despite the thin internal fleece layer.

This isn't a reason to ignore the H2Os, though, because sweaty, hot feet are also an issue – so if your primary concern is to keep rain and dirt off your shoes and you've got a pair of thicker thermal shoe covers for the really cold days, these are definitely worth a punt. They also feature a high cut on the leg, granting additional protection too.

Northwave H20 Winter Shoecover Reflective - instep.jpg

As well as all this, the shoe covers come with reflective sections, which are a snazzy and effective method of keeping you visible in dim and wet weather. I found this was great when the shoe covers were relatively clean, but when covered in dirt from the road it was less good. Of course, the reflective panels can't reflect light when they're blocked – but it's something to be aware of if your commute or rides take you on less-than-clean paths and roads. For the record, they also come in a fluoro yellow or orange colourway without reflective panels if that's your preference – but I'd note that these won't overcome the mud issue either.

Fitting them onto your shoes isn't the easiest job in the world – you have to pull the shoe covers up onto your calves, then put your shoes on before fitting the H2Os over the top. They're then secured using strong Velcro tabs around the base of your shoe and at the back (in tandem with a zip up the ankle). It's a snug fit, with the reinforced underside of the toe area fitting flush with your shoe.

The reason for this fitting method is, presumably, the lack of flexibility in the H2Os' polyurethane, polyamide and polyester fabric makeup. It does stretch, but only a tiny bit. This makes the fit important, and thankfully they're true to size. XL was perfect for my size 11.5 shoes, and getting them on and off is made easier by a large and sturdy tab at the heel of each foot.

> Check out our guide to the best essential wet weather gear

The great thing about the fabric mix is also that they wash easily – in fact, you needn't use detergent; a simply rinse off with a hose when still wet from your ride will suffice in most instances. It's testament to their toughness that you don't need to treat them delicately to look after them.

Finally, at £30 these 'water resistant' (but I'd call them nigh-waterproof) shoe covers aren't too bad in terms of value for money in my view, considering the quality of the fit, fastening and features. The H2Os, as far as I can see, will last for more than one winter season – making them a sensible option for everything but the coldest of winter days.

Verdict

Good, tough, near-waterproof shoe covers – great quality from Northwave

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road.cc test report

Make and model: Northwave H2O Winter Shoecover Reflective

Size tested: XL, Black/Silver

Tell us what the product is for, and who it's aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about it? How does that compare to your own feelings about it?

Northwave says: "Be safe under low visibility conditions! Wearing Northwave's high visibility apparel is a smart and wise choice whether you move in the chaotic city traffic or in the low light extra-urban roads. This way, car and truck drivers can easily recognize the cyclist's presence and maintain the right safety distance. Northwave's high visibility line stands as the perfect recipe to get the ideal mix between road safety and a catchy item."

Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?

Features:

- Materials: Coated Polyurethane with internal fleece and rubber

- Closing system: Rear reversed zip with camlock puller, velcro adjustment on calf and sole

- Reinforcements: Rubber on tip and heel

- Tech: Rear reflective zip, full garage zip, velcro on sole, fully taped inside, rear eyelet for esy fit-in

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
8/10

These are tough and sturdy, with extra rubber pads for reinforcement. Zips and velcro also live up to the fabric's resilience.

Rate the product for performance:
 
9/10

They're very, very good - my only real criticism is the relative lack of thermal performance; but that's not their raison d'être.

Rate the product for durability:
 
8/10

See construction - not much chance of these flaking out on you.

Rate the product for fit:
 
8/10

Fit is snug - so snug that they can be a slight faff to put on. But that does make your foot profile smaller in the pedals.

Rate the product for sizing:
 
7/10

True to size, but the lack of flexibility in the fabric does leave you wanting just a few more millimetres when fitting.

Rate the product for weight:
 
8/10

You don't notice them on your feet, but they are reassuringly heavy enough that you have faith they won't tear or break.

Rate the product for comfort:
 
7/10

At the ankles they're slightly tight, but not uncomfortably so.

Rate the product for value:
 
7/10

£29.99 isn't too bad - have a look in the end-of-winter sales and see if it pops up.

How easy is the product to care for? How did it respond to being washed?

Wash well with just a rinse on most occasions.

Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose

Great.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

Good fit around the shoe, great water resistance that borders on full-blown waterproof.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

Can be a faff to fit, and can even feel compressive against the body of your shoe.

Did you enjoy using the product? Yes

Would you consider buying the product? I would, but not for wrap-up-warm cold conditions.

Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes

Overall rating: 8/10

About the tester

Age: 25  Height: 188cm  Weight: 83kg

I usually ride: Specialized Allez Sport  My best bike is:

I've been riding for: Under 5 years  I ride: Most days  I would class myself as: Experienced

I regularly do the following types of riding: time trialling, club rides, sportives, general fitness riding

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5 comments

Avatar
daturaman | 4 years ago
0 likes

I've had mine two winters too, still going strong. I have two pairs, the reflective silver for commuting (as feature here) and hi vis yellow ones for weekend riding. The silver ones have developed a couple of holes which I adequately fixed with some gorilla tape. They're not completely waterproof but overall I think they're great - they have an excellent fit, great visibility and they keep most of the cold and wet off (when paired with good socks and shoes). 

Avatar
3mkru73 | 6 years ago
1 like

I've found them great. If you purchase the right size and follow the instructional video on how to put them on then there shouldn't be any problems. I managed to get through two winters with one set of the orange ones, just purchased a new set as the reflective strips on the back had started to peel away. I've reproofed using Nixwax and they came up a treat. Not the warmest in sub-zero conditions, but my go to over shoe for all of Autum and Spring and most of Winter. 

Avatar
CyclingLegend | 7 years ago
0 likes

My experience with Northwave overshoes is awful. One zip broke on first outing the other zip on second outing. To all intents and purposes overshoes immediately rendered useless.

Avatar
Ross K | 8 years ago
1 like

Just to endorse NW footwear quality, contrary to the previous posting:

Four winters now for my North Wave Celcius Arctic Goretex winter boots, used three or four times a week, long and short rides. 

They are superb and as good as the day they were new.  In all but biblical rain they keep your feet dry - the hole in the top where your foot goes in is the weak link, not surprisingly!  I wonder if critics of them use mudguards and flap in winter, both of which make a massive difference to the amount of water coming onto your feet. 

Back on topic, they are very well made and keep my feet warm down to around zero C below which I use thin overshoes over them for added insulation.

Based on this experience I would expect that these overshoes here are very good.  There are few on the market with decent reflectives which are not thick neoprene, so they've hit on a good product niche.  I will take a punt on a pair I think.

 

Avatar
s_lim | 8 years ago
0 likes

I've had a few pairs of Northwave booties, and have found them pretty crap. They'll keep the water out, but they're poorly constructed; both pairs I owned had zip failures within a month of consistent use.

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