DHB Toe Cover Overshoe Review

Dave has asked for a review of my latest weapon against that old adversary - the British weather. He's asked because on Sunday I was sporting some fetching DHB neoprene toe covers. Everyone else on the ride was kitted out in full overshoes, so it would be interesting to see how these little numbers withstood the elements during 4 hours riding around the lanes of Sussex in mid November.

 

I originally bought these from Wiggle to keep my feet warm during the winter. They quickly and simply slip on over the toes of your shoes and I haven't noticed with them moving or sliding around. Quick fitment and removal is such an advantage over Neoprene overshoes, which let’s be honest, can be a bit of a pig. I can fight with slippery, muddy overshoes for several minutes, spreading mud around the kitchen floor. All this wrestling stresses the seams which ultimately fail, along with the zip. None of these problems here.

 

Another issue I have with full overshoes is the inability to adjust your shoes once they are on. The DHB toe warmers allow finger access to tweak ratchets or straps. Full overshoes also give you huge clown feet, which can rub on expensive cranks and frames.

 

My reason for choosing the DHB option, apart from the very reasonable £7 asking price, was that they covered the entire front of the shoe up to the top of the tongue, unlike some competitors that really do just focus on the toes.

 

So do they work? Well they definitely keep out the chill on a fresh Autumn morning, although we're not into proper winter yet I'm optimistic they'll be up to the job for everything but the coldest days. Where I have found them particularly useful so far, is on days when the roads or trails are wet, but it isn't raining. In these conditions they do an excellent job of keeping water and muck thrown up by the front tyre, off your shoes and your feet therefore nice and dry. In proper monsoon conditions full overshoes will do a better job of preventing water ingress to your tootsies, but it is relative. Even with full booties the water eventually runs down your legs, soaking into your socks and filling your shoes. So you are only delaying the inevitable.

 

Back to Sunday's ride and to respond to Dave's initial request. It wasn't cold so the primary purpose of these little black numbers wasn't tested. It also started dry but the roads were wet after showers overnight. The DHB's did an excellent job of keeping the road spray off my shoes perfectly. At this point full overshoes were overkill and perhaps a bit toasty in the hazy sunshine. Towards the end of the ride we did run into some rain, not heavy, but the puddles got progressively deeper. Although the top of my socks started to get damp, when I got home the insides of my shoes were still dry and dandy. So probably the DHB toe shields were the perfect compromise for these mixed conditions.

 

In summary I'd highly recommend these little slippers. They are so easy to pull on, take off and even store in a jersey pocket if not needed any longer. They keep wind chill off your feet and in many situations provide all the water protection you'll need, with only a fraction of the hassle associated with  full overshoes. They are already an essential part of my Autumn wardrobe.