Shoe Covers

Fizik WP Winter Overshoes – review

Robust and weatherproof overshoes capable of seeing off the worst of winter

Straight from the packet I liked the look of Fizik’s WP Winter Overshoes, and after months of battering them on the lanes and roads this winter my opinion hasn’t altered. These are top-quality winter overshoes that just keep coming back for more – no matter what weather has been thrown at them.

Apparently designed in collaboration with pro cyclists, the overshoes are built to excel through the cold, wet months and haven’t disappoint in that regard. With a waterproof membrane and windproof upper, along with thermo-welded seams, the overshoes are well-made and tough, too.

A YKK waterproof zip also features, alongside a velcro tab to secure the top with a small, white Fizik “:k” logo. If we had to gripe, we’d argue this could have been reflective.

Fizik’s WP Winter Overshoes have withstood the worst winter weather thrown at them during our testing period (Pic: Jim Clarkson/Factory Media)

Back to the material. The overshoes are primarily made from two fabrics – a softer, neoprene fabric around the lower foot, ankle and lower leg; and a lighter, stretch fabric on the top. That combination ensures the overshoes offer a good fit, with a decent amount of flexibility, as well as protection from the elements. They are fairly lightweight, too.

Fizik WP Winter Overshoe
Price: £49.99
Sizes: S-XL [37-48 EU]
Website: Fizik
UK distributor: Extra

A full Fizik logo features on the sides of the WP Winter Overshoes, which this time is reflective – though, again, an extension of this around the rear would have made it even better. Nevertheless, the look is purposeful and clean.

The overshoes feel super-robust and have worked well over a number of different shoes – including one pair with a side ratchet, adding width. The Fizik overshoes stretched and sat effectively.

One small thing to note, however, is that while there is flex, the thickness of the fabric does inhibit this a little – they can be tricky to master initially, but once you find a good method for pulling them on you should be fine. Realistically, of course, given the range of weather they are built to handle, they are unlikely to be off and on too often through the winter months anyway.

On the bike, and out riding in cold and clear weather, I had no complaints about comfort. My feet were warm, the wind was kept out with excellent efficiency and there was no sweaty compromise to deal with – though, with temperatures low, I didn’t expect there to be anyway.

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They have also handled spray and road filth as well as you would expect waterproof and windproof overshoes to, and they continued to excel as conditions worsened. On one particularly wet two-hour ride, in heavy rain and wind, they stayed leak-free – it was ultimately my tights that let me down as they soaked through and the water ran down into my shoe, rather than the overshoes themselves leaking.

An excellent fit, and brilliant windproof and waterproof protection combines to help justify the £49.99 outlay (Pic: Jim Clarkson/Factory Media)

The fit is spot on too; as with any overshoe, the sizing is crucial to its performance, with a close fit keeping things snug and stopping any baggy areas of fabric or, worse, the shoe becoming exposed.

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Coverage also extends low enough to minimise the amount of shoe showing, and even with recessed cleats they still work effectively. With road-style cleats, meanwhile, they really wrap around them and seal against the elements.

The overshoes have proved durable through a winter of testing (Pic: Jim Clarkson/Factory Media)

Verdict

The Fizik WP Winter Overshoes are durable and offer excellent protection in all weather. They aren’t cheap, at £49.99, but offer top winter performance to help justify the price tag.