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Overshoes
GripGrab Orca All Season OvershoesGripGrab Orca All Season Overshoes

GripGrab Orca All Season Overshoes

7
by John Whittington
UPDATED Thu, Oct 15, 2015 04:24

First Published Mar 25, 2013

0
£32.95

VERDICT:

7
10
A great option for the spring showers, as a halfway point from winter kit
Weight: 
131g
Contact: 
www.wiggle.co.uk
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New to the grimy world of shoe coverings are the GripGrab Orca All Season Overshoes, a lightweight offering to complement their deep winter Hammerhead overshoe. It aims to be a covering for the spring rain and spray - perfecting timing for a review.

With so many options to cover your feet, picking the best one for you can present a challenge. The Orca is a thin neoprene shoe covering for when the weather is fresh but not freezing; too cold or wet for a oversock. A slick finish to the overshoe - like a wetsuit - means it is wind and waterproof.

As an overshoe, it isn't bulky, almost like an aero cover thanks to the tight fit. An open bottom section is used with a Velcro band across the mid-section, making the covering a little easier to get on and off. YYK zippers close the full rear length with handy tags to help pull them up. An extra section of neoprene at the zip close prevents any chafing and a Velcro cover stops it becoming loose. They come in all black with a reflective strip along the zip and GripGrab text.

I found the overshoes to provide excellent weatherproofing and have found them particularly useful in early season races, where full winter overshoes are too bulky/warm but oversocks won't cut it. I was able to glide through puddles with no wet toes and spray presented no problem. They aren't going to keep your feet bone dry in constant rain, mainly because water will run down the legs into the shoe - something that ails all waterproofing.

Reinforced toe and heel guards make for what seems to be an overshoe that should last. On one foot, the heat sealing around the middle stitch has slightly detached. It hasn't impacted the functioning of the bootie but looks a bit tatty and could get worse. By the position of it, it looks like it's been caused by taking the cover off (it's at the apex).

Although lightweight, they provide a surprising amount of warmth too - I'd go down to 5 degrees with them. They look racy thanks to tight fit and sleek finish, whilst feeling it too. At £32.95 they seem a little pricey compared to other similar rain coverings and is more a par with a full winter overshoe. Worth it if you can get hold of them a little cheaper.

Verdict

A great option for the spring showers, as a halfway point from winter kit.

road.cc test report

Make and model: GripGrab Orca All Season Overshoes

Size tested: 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?

A lightweight water and wind proof overshoe for spring/autumn.

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

Windproof

Waterproof

Neoprene construction

Reflector for safety

Kevlar reinforced front

YKK® Zipper

Adjustable velcro strap

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
8/10

Good tight fit, heal and toe reinforcement.

Rate the product for performance:
 
9/10
Rate the product for durability:
 
4/10

Heal and toe reinforcement is good but the heat stitching has started to come away a bit on mine.

Rate the product for weight, if applicable:
 
9/10
Rate the product for comfort, if applicable:
 
8/10
Rate the product for value:
 
5/10

Seems to be a little overpriced. Craft have a similar offering at around £15.

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

Perfectly for wind and spray protection. I found them great for racing.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

A good tall fit.

Did you enjoy using the product? Yes.

Would you consider buying the product? Yes - a little cheaper.

Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes.

Anything further to say about the product in conclusion?

A solid spring overshoe if a bit pricey.

Overall rating: 7/10

About the tester

Age: 23  Height: 184cm  Weight: 66kg

I usually ride: Orbea Onix (Carbon) - Summer, Orbea Asphalt (Alu) - Winter  My best bike is: Orbea Alma G10

I've been riding for: Under 5 years  I ride: Every day  I would class myself as: Semi pro

I regularly do the following types of riding: road racing, time trialling, cyclo cross, club rides, mtb,

 

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GripGrab Orca All Season Overshoes
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