Support road.cc

Like this site? Help us to make it better.

dhb Cover Sock Overshoe

7
£19.99

VERDICT:

7
10
Good oversocks that protect your shoes and provide a little extra warmth, but for once dhb aren't the cheapest
Weight: 
50g
Contact: 
www.wiggle.co.uk

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.

What the road.cc scores mean

Good scores are more common than bad, because fortunately good products are more common than bad.

  • Exceptional
  • Excellent
  • Very Good
  • Good
  • Quite good
  • Average
  • Not so good
  • Poor
  • Bad
  • Appalling

Oversocks seem to be everywhere at the moment and these Cover Sock ones from dhb are a decent option, providing a little extra warmth and adding protection for your shoes.

The dhb oversocks are made from polypropylene (65%) with nylon (31%) and elastane (4%) making up the remainder. Polypropylene doesn't absorb water and it dries super-fast, so even if these get wet with road spray, the air blowing over them as you ride means they're soon back to normal.

The edges of the cleat and heel holes are reinforced well so they don't easily fray and the fabric is reasonably robust although, as with all oversocks, walk far in them and the soles will soon start to look ragged. Funnily enough where ours did suffer a bit of wear and tear was on the top - basically these are like a pair of very thick tights and like tights they can snag on things like buckles and ratchets. At some point that's what one of ours did with a small hole developing as a result - small mind, when you wore 'em over white shoes it looked like there was a pixel missing. You want to put them on the moment before you get on your bike and take them off immediately afterwards.

These don't add loads of warmth to your feet – again, in common with other oversocks. As an experiment, I went for a ride wearing one of these oversocks on one shoe, and nothing on the other shoe (yes, I'm quite the stylemonger some days). A little less air blew through the mesh sections of my shoe with the oversock on, but there really wasn't all that much difference. I noticed it more around my ankle, the double-thickness cuff providing considerably more insulation than just a sock. That all means that these are best for those days when the temperature is just a bit too warm for overshoes – about 10-12°C, something like that.

To me, the main purpose of oversocks is to keep gunk off your shoes. They stop mud and grit getting into the mesh, the ratchets and so on. Bung them through the washing machine after several rides and they come out looking good – and that's something you can't do with your shoes.

Shockingly, dhb aren't the cheapest when it comes to oversocks. We've reviewed Prendas's Meraklon oversocks previously and they're just £7.95 a pair while Rapha's Cordura-based ones are £15. What's going on? The world's turned upside down.

Verdict

Good oversocks that protect your shoes and provide a little extra warmth, but for once dhb aren't the cheapest

If you're thinking of buying this product using a cashback deal why not use the road.cc Top Cashback page and get some top cashback while helping to support your favourite independent cycling website

road.cc test report

Make and model: dhb Cover Sock Overshoe

Size tested: Black - L/XL

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?

Here's the full write-up from dhb:

"Protect your shoes from dust and muck and boost warmth. Polypropylene fibre is quick drying. Perfect when overshoes are too much.

- Lightweight shoe cover

- dhb ankle logo

- Quick drying polypropylene base fibre doesn't absorb water

The dhb coversocks are a lightweight polypropylene based shoe cover, which are worn over the cycling shoe. This will protect your shoe from road spray and grime, whilst also boosting warmth a degree or two. The 65% Polypropylene is a durable fibre which does not absorb moisture, and promotes quick drying. The shoe cover has two holes pre-cut and finished for your shoe cleat and heel to make contact with the floor. This means you can use them straight out of the packet - no cutting required. The cuff is close to seal against the ankle and prevent any drafts from intruding."

That's all reasonable.There's nothing to argue with there.

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

Polypropylene doesn't absorb water so these don't get or stay particularly wet from road spray.

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
7/10
Rate the product for performance:
 
7/10
Rate the product for durability:
 
7/10

It depends how you look at it. These are pretty durable as oversocks go... but no oversocks I've ever tried are particularly durable compared to overshoes and these are no exception.

Rate the product for comfort, if applicable:
 
7/10
Rate the product for value:
 
6/10

Did you enjoy using the product? Yeah, they perform well

Would you consider buying the product? I'd probably save money and go with Prendas

Would you recommend the product to a friend? As above

Overall rating: 7/10

About the tester

Age: 41  Height: 190cm  Weight: 75kg

I usually ride:   My best bike is:

I've been riding for: Over 20 years  I ride: Most days  I would class myself as: Expert

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

 

Mat has been in cycling media since 1996, on titles including BikeRadar, Total Bike, Total Mountain Bike, What Mountain Bike and Mountain Biking UK, and he has been editor of 220 Triathlon and Cycling Plus. Mat has been road.cc technical editor for over a decade, testing bikes, fettling the latest kit, and trying out the most up-to-the-minute clothing. We send him off around the world to get all the news from launches and shows too. He has won his category in Ironman UK 70.3 and finished on the podium in both marathons he has run. Mat is a Cambridge graduate who did a post-grad in magazine journalism, and he is a winner of the Cycling Media Award for Specialist Online Writer. Now over 50, he's riding road and gravel bikes most days for fun and fitness rather than training for competitions.

Add new comment

7 comments

Latest Comments