Cyclingnews Verdict

Game-changing overshoes that keep your feet warmer and drier for longer than nearly all other overshoes. Tricky to fit, odd looks and high price counts against them though

Pros

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Dry feet
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Warm feet
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Durable

Cons

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Expensive
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Tricky to fit
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Unique look won't appeal to everyone

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Spatz is the work of ex-professional Tom Barras who was fed up with getting soaking wet feet on long training rides, so set out to develop a solution. The resulting overshoes, of which the Pro 2 is the range-topper, are unlike any other overshoes on the market. The insulated neoprene material extends almost to the knee and with no zips or Velcro straps, provides almost complete protection from road spray, torrential rain and frozen toes, allowing you to continue riding when other overshoes would have you cutting rides short. They also come in a reflective version which is ideal for commuting, and now a gravel-specific version too.

Best cycling overshoes: full coverage shoe covers to see you through winter

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Distinctive. Ugly. Radical. You'll cause some raised eyebrows when you arrive for a group ride wearing the Spatz Pro 2 Overshoes, that's for sure. In all my years of testing cycling products, I've never seen anything quite like this before. Where most overshoes are ankle-high at best, these extend almost to the knee, which prevents the issue of water running down the front of tights into the overshoe, and helps to keep it out for much longer. Carefully shaped and placed panels, with heat-welded and taped seams, also help avoid reliance on zipped openings. This removes some of the potential weakness in a typical overshoe, whether for weather ingress or durability, with just a short velcro strap across the bottom of the shoe.

The Spatz overshoes are designed for the most challenging conditions. They feature an 'Aero-Armour' neoprene throughout, as well as a thin, wicking Thermo insulation liner material. The outer has a hydrophobic layer, all the seams are carefully placed to ensure a snug fit with no creases or wrinkles, and they're heat welded and taped for good measure. The entire ankle area is covered with a tough Kevlar material to prevent against wear and tear, while the toe box is equally beefed up to ensure durability.

Game-changing is an oft-overused phrase but it really applies here. If you're prepared to put up with the odd looks and get over the high price tag, these are remarkably good overshoes that work better than most others on the market. The extra length copes with road spray so well you almost don't need a front mudguard and addresses the common flaw in most overshoes that water eventually runs down your tights and legs into the top of them. I've ridden through torrential rain and continued past the point of saturated feet with lesser overshoes, confirming the unique design does indeed work well.

They're also adept at providing very good insulation as well, being fully lined with a thermal material, and because they wrap most of your lower leg, the calf muscles are kept warmer in a way that shorter overshoes just can't match. This is especially noticeable when riding through freezing cold puddles with spray hitting your lower legs, and contributes to much happiness on the bike on long winter rides in atrocious conditions.

Hands down these are probably the best overshoes you can buy right now. They keep you drier and warmer for far longer than most other overshoes, allowing you to extend your winter training rides or simply ride with less fear of frozen and saturated feet. The performance, once you've experienced it, makes it easier to live with the odd looks. Cycling in the winter isn't a fashion parade, after all.