Cube Winter Shoe Covers

Cube's Winter Shoe Covers are easily some of the quickest booties to get on and off thanks to some clever design, but they're surprisingly chilly for thick neoprene covers. Putting 'Winter' in their title may be a touch optimistic.

The fabric is 3mm deep with a fleece backing to trap heat on cold days though this only works if these overshoes are dry. Down to around four or five degrees above freezing they keep your feet warm if not exactly toasty, providing you are moving and keeping the blood pumping.

In their defence the Cuber winter overshoes aren't sold as waterproof covers having just a water-repellent upper, though they do have taped seams and a waterproof zip. Road spray in heavy rain will be sloshing around your toes within about ten minutes. Neoprene normally works well at keeping you warm when wet through, which is why wetsuits and the like are made from it. The Cubes don't seem to work like that at all though.

Even when riding in temperatures of high single figures soaked feet get cold very quickly and are reluctant to warm up until dry. That'll be a long while too.

It's a shame that the Winter Shoe Cover is let down by this as the actual construction and design is top notch.

The zip runs offset of the front of your leg, opening from the top of the six-inch cuff down to around ankle bone height. This means that they can open wider than similar rear zipped options, avoid zip rub on your Achilles and more importantly puts a lot less stress on the zip as you do them up.

Underneath you get two large cleat and heel tabs with Velcro in the middle. If like me you wear buckled shoes with huge Speedplay cleats this gives you the clearance you need to not have to fight the covers over foot. It gives you plenty of adjustment for width too.

You also have large pull tabs on the heel and top front to give that little bit of wiggle room. They are literally easy to get on or off in a matter of seconds while still maintaining a close fit.

The sole has plenty of reinforcement underneath which has resisted any form of damage from walking or daily wear and tear. Front and rear you get rubber bumpers and heavy stitching to keep things from ripping.

Overall the Cube Winter Shoe Covers are a bit of a disappointment in terms of performance when you consider the £35.99 price. There is a lot of competition at that price - and less - and some manage to keep the warmth in when wet.

The Cube overshoes redeem themselves though on fit and finish. If more overshoes were made to these designs and quality I wouldn't go through at least a pair a winter.

It's not quite enough though. How easy they were to get on is the last thing on your mind when you find yourself mid-ride with a couple of blocks of ice trying to turn the pedals.

Verdict

Great design and fit but poor insulating properties; not ideal for winter temperatures