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review

Galibier Mistral Toe Covers

9
£8.90

VERDICT:

9
10
A high quality set of toe covers that come remarkably cheap
Weight: 
34g
Contact: 

At road.cc every product is thoroughly tested for as long as it takes to get a proper insight into how well it works. Our reviewers are experienced cyclists that we trust to be objective. While we strive to ensure that opinions expressed are backed up by facts, reviews are by their nature an informed opinion, not a definitive verdict. We don't intentionally try to break anything (except locks) but we do try to look for weak points in any design. The overall score is not just an average of the other scores: it reflects both a product's function and value – with value determined by how a product compares with items of similar spec, quality, and price.

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The Galibier Mistral Toe Covers bring together strong protection, warmth and water resistance. They also come with an impressively low price.

I used to be a huge advocate of overshoes when the temperature drops, but I haven't regularly worn any for a year, instead using toe covers in all but the coldest conditions. They have one big advantage: you can just leave them on your shoes, so you don't need to constantly struggle into a set of thick overshoes because it's a bit cold outside.

> Buy these online here

The Mistrals are made from a ripstop upper and neoprene base. The uppers keep off all but the worst rain and are also impressively windproof. The neoprene base also helps to maintain insulation and is rugged too, which will help with longevity. During the review all I got was a few scuffs on the bottom, but nothing went through.

Galibier Mistral toe covers.jpg

Inside, a micro fleece lining adds a considerable amount of warmth, helped by the windproof ripstop upper. They kept my feet warm on all but the coldest days, but even then they can be used underneath an overshoe to add an extra layer of insulation. They are also small enough to easily fit into a jersey pocket if the weather warms up mid-ride.

Putting them on is easy, and the cutout in the bottom worked fine for every cleat I used with them (pretty much all major brands minus Speedplay, although I am fairly sure they would work with those too). Once they're on you can just leave them there without any kind of issue. The openings are reinforced so even if they did rip, it wouldn't make them unusable. They are also longer than other toe covers I've used, meaning a larger proportion of your shoes are protected.

The fit around the shoe is nice and tight without any kind of bunching or creasing. The foot opening is also elasticated, which meant they didn't slide up or down, which was good.

> Read our guide to clothing for this tricky time of year…

Their £8.90 RRP is a fantastic price – the ones I normally wear cost double that and don't do as good a job, so these really are a great price, helped by Galibier's direct-to-consumer model, cutting out the profit margins normally added by distributors and retailers.

Overall, I really liked these toe covers. They're warm, easy to put on, and cheap, which is essentially all you need them to be.

Verdict

A high quality set of toe covers that come remarkably cheap

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road.cc test report

Make and model: Galibier Mistral Toe Covers

Size tested: Medium

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?

A set of toe covers designed to keep your feet warm and dry without needing to wear a set of full overshoes.

Galibier says: 'The durable, Windproof material will keep out road spray and your feet warm on spring mornings or autumn evenings.'

They fit this idea, being warm, dry and easy to put on – and leave on – your shoes.

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

Contoured construction for a sleek, snug fit

Super-compact toe covers – will fit easily into a jersey pocket if the temp warms up.

Elasticated cuff

Ripstop upper.

2.3mm high stretch Neoprene base

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
8/10

Well made with strong stitching, reinforced cutout on the bottom and decent material choice throughout.

Rate the product for performance:
 
8/10

They kept my feet warm and dry, even in some soaking and cold conditions.

Rate the product for durability:
 
8/10

Well made, likely to last a long time.

Rate the product for fit:
 
9/10

The longer design works really well, protecting a larger proportion of the foot, and the elasticated opening helps to keep everything in place.

Rate the product for sizing:
 
8/10

The medium fitted as expected and the extra long design means there is additional leeway.

Rate the product for weight:
 
6/10

Not too heavy, not too light, a good balance.

Rate the product for comfort:
 
8/10

Warm and fleecy inner helped to keep my feet comfortable on cold mornings.

Rate the product for value:
 
9/10

£8.90 is a great price for something of this quality.

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

Easy to care for. I put them through several washes without incident.

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

Very well, they kept my feet warm and my toes dry, while also being comfortable to wear and easy to leave on the shoes.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

The extra long design, really nice to be able to protect a larger proportion of my feet.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

Not a lot to dislike to be honest.

Did you enjoy using the product? Yes

Would you consider buying the product? Yes

Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes

Use this box to explain your score

These give a very strong performance. They're cheap, keep you dry (well, your toes) and comfortable, which all adds up to an exceptional set of toe protectors.

Overall rating: 9/10

About the tester

Age: 27  Height: 6 ft  Weight:

I usually ride: Cannondale Supersix Evo 6  My best bike is:

I've been riding for: 5-10 years  I ride: Every day  I would class myself as: Experienced

I regularly do the following types of riding: commuting, club rides, sportives, general fitness riding, fixed/singlespeed, mountain biking

George is the host of the road.cc podcast and has been writing for road.cc since 2014. He has reviewed everything from a saddle with a shark fin through to a set of glasses with a HUD and everything in between. 

Although, ironically, spending more time writing and talking about cycling than on the bike nowadays, he still manages to do a couple of decent rides every week on his ever changing number of bikes.

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2 comments

Avatar
Freddy56 | 7 years ago
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Have these since March and love them. They sit neater over a road shoe, didn't know they could even fit a MTB shoe. Agree with the review totally!

Avatar
Toon Army replied to Freddy56 | 7 years ago
0 likes
Freddy56 wrote:

Have these since March and love them. They sit neater over a road shoe, didn't know they could even fit a MTB shoe. Agree with the review totally!

Just ordered a pair as my old dhbs have seen better days. Ordered on the basis of this review and Freddy56's thoughts.  

 

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