BIKEPGH MESSAGE BOARD ARCHIVE

sorry to dredge up an old thread, but I'm looking in to galoshes/overshoes/rainboots. Not strictly for biking purposes, but I figure if it's water proof it will be wind proof too, so I could potentially kill a whole bunch of birds with one stone (not literally).

If an overshoe, I'd like it to fit over all my existing shoes, and basically become my winter boot (replacing the steel toes I use now). I'm eyeing these: http://www.treds.com/products/waterproof-motorcycle-rain-boot/ or something similar from their site (the combat boot overshoe is made in USA, which appeals to me, but is perhaps overkill). Protecting my cuffs is also a requirement (on bike and off). I'm also eyeballing the "Executive" style on this site: http://www.tingleyrubber.com/product/3/0/dress-rubber-overshoes.html but am questioning how waterproof a zipper can be.

I'm thinking rainboots would not be the way to go, because I really like the fun crazy colored ones that just wouldn't go over well at work (I swear there's a clause in our dress code mandating boring, colorless shoes).

Anybody have any experience or advice to share?

You can always go the other direction...cycling sandals, wool socks, and (if cold and windy) neoprene booties. Yeah, your feet will get wet, but they'll be reasonably comfy, and the sandals and socks will dry very, very quickly if left in open air.

Of course, I'm not sure how ye olde corporate dresse code will withstand such an invasion of hippy-dippy multi-layered practicality.

I'm trying to limit specialness in my wardrobe, so that what I wear to work, I can also wear for fun and for biking. I was thinking overshoes would be the way to go, because I'd be more likely to wear real shoes inside them (and thus not get to work and find out I forgot my real shoes, something I do often enough that it's an issue).

I do like the neoprene booties idea, though. Do they make swamp-foot inevitable?

*You can always go the other direction...*

what about a nice pair of leather boots and some gaiters?

those motorcycle overshoes look awfully awkward.

I wear water "proof" low-cut hiking shoes in damp weather, and put neoprene booties over them in wet weather.

Just in case, I keep a spare pair of socks at work.

The only time my socks have gotten wet was the time a truck drove through a giant puddle next to me and sent a wave of water over me. Even then the dampness was minimal.

I'm not sure what I'll do when it gets warmer - probably just wear sport sandals.

yeah, that's what i'd been doing while biking. Won't protect the shoe, though. This came up today because I wanted to walk at lunch at work, but couldn't, because I wore some cute boots that are useless in the rain. Granted, i'll never buy these shoes again for pretty much exactly that reason, but in the mean time (and for winter in general, including biking), I figured I might be able to solve the problem in an adaptable/generalized way.

These look nice:

http://www.bicycleclothing.com/Rain-Bootie-Shoe-Cover.html

The only problem I have with the neoprene is that they are clearly made to go over cycling shoes, so I have to really tug and work at them to get them over my hiking shoes.

The ones at the link look a little more forgiving of shoe style.

let me know if you find the perfect footwear. my partner has been looking for the do-everything shoe but hasn't found it.

p.s. I have a love hate relationship with my neoprene booties. they're great for shorter trips to keep the wind off and keeping the toes from numbing up. but after 4 hours or so my feet are pretty miserably wet and cold, but I guess they haven't fallen off so there's a plus.

I'd like to get one of the galoshes that you linked. The executive looks good for riding and keeping cuffs in check, but I really like some of the more dressy ones for just walking.

Showers Pass is clearing out their "touring" shoe covers. They're designed to go over street shoes.

http://www.showerspass.com/catalog/closeout/touring-shoe-cover

@john do the showers pass covers have a hole for cleats?

The touring ones do not have holes for cleats.

I just keep a set of dress shoes at work, and hope I can get my traveling shoes dry (enough) before heading home. Having a set of dry socks at work helps, too.

Since I got the motorcycle I've also owned a set of raingear, including shoe covers, but they're definitely not meant for pedaling.

Neoprene biking booties are just a huge PITA to pull on, as Pinky implied. Once I get them on I need to rest for 10 or 15 minutes.

I've tried things like Totes overshoes, but if you walk any distance in them they last like a mile.

I'm thinking about getting the Showers Pass things, the thing I like about them is they are packable and light enough that it increases the likeliness that you will have them when you need them. I'm pretty sure if you use cleats you can just cut an opening in the sole.

@edmonds - their club shoe covers ($40 not on closeout) talk about cutting the soles but not these ones... not sure if there's a reason for that or just an oversight.

The more I think about it and read here, the more I'm wondering if I simply need to check the weather and keep track of which shoes I have/need in which places, and actually acquire real winter boots and maybe also galoshes. Drat.

@dmtroyer - if you're looking for a good waterproof shoe cover with a cleat opening, the Endura Luminite covers are pretty good. They go on with a velcro enclosure in the back (a bit of a hassle), but they're pretty light weight and keep your feet dry, plus they've got a ton of reflective material on them. The main down side is that they are a bit fragile, so I try to keep the walking to a minimum.

I think I'm going to invent foot pogies. It's been a while since I came up with some bizarre solution to an obscure problem. To the lab.

I just keep another pair of old running shoes (my normal work shoe) and socks at work- if my feet are wet, I change into them.

I'm surprised that nobody has suggested waterproof socks. For days like this, and down to maybe 35º, SealSkinz socks work really well (as long as you have a dry pair of shoes and regular socks stashed at your destination).

@ejwme: I wonder if one of L.L. Bean's billion duck boot varieties (one of the Maine Hunting Shoes or L.L. Bean Boots) could serve as your all-around rain+winter+work-friendly solution. I guess duck boots aren't a new idea, so you might have already thought about that option, but if not, it might work. I have these: http://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/33174.

I particularly like them because of the Gore-Tex/Thinsulate liner: it's removable (you can also buy it separately), and it adds insulation plus extra waterproofness, meaning that with the liner I have winter boots, and without the liner I have boots that are great through the whole spring and fall, including in the rain. With or without the liner, my feet have never gotten wet in them at all (and I actually bought them when I was still living in Tennessee in a year when we were having a ton of epic rainstorms + flash flooding, so they've been fully vetted).

I vastly prefer them over any of the pairs of rubber rain boots that I've had because... 1. they're usually more comfortable for walking 2. they don't look as silly with work clothes 3. since they lace up, rain is prevented from getting in at the top, which is always a problem for me with rubber rain boots 4. since they're more flexible and less chunky, I find them to be more comfortable for pedaling and for use with toe straps 5. they breathe WAY better (thus avoiding what I think you meant by swamp-foot... I really hate swamp-foot)

ETA: I didn't notice the part about needing something that protects your cuff. I tuck skinny-jean-type cuffs into these all the time, and I think it would probably work fine with most other pant cuffs too

I keep a pair of shoes at work or pack them (Vivobarefoot Ra's are really light and pack well). I do also use a straight cycling shoe with covers. I would suggest the Showers Pass covers as they appear to be the best looking and best made shoe cover that will work with regular shoes.

http://www.showerspass.com/catalog/accessories/club-shoe-covers

@quizbot tell me more about the sealzskinzzz... do they work well for people with balmy feet?

I have a pair of Stormsocks - neoprene socks for kayaking. Very warm, dry, and wind-proof. However, they are a real pain to get on and off. I have not used them enough to evaluate the sweat factor.

Remember though, socks don't keep the shoe dry. Even my Vibrams take a bit to dry.

@dmtroyer - they're breathable enough that you won't end up with wrinkled toes after an hour or two (as long as you aren't wearing them with a shoe that has its own vapor barrier).

pearmask, you are psychic. Once I started to ponder the idea of needing real boots, I started investigating the 'Bean boots, and was wondering about those very boots. I think I'll visit their Ross Park storefront to check sizes and feel. I didn't realize the liner was intentionally removable, that flexibility may shift them up into the "worth it for the price" category as being able to replace several of my pairs of shoes.

When I was little, I considered them hopelessly old fashioned and ugly, since my mom had some from the 70s that lasted through the 80s. But my grandfather's galoshes, which I'm now also thinking about getting, I considered actually pre-historic. Everything old becomes new again? This is why I figure my problems are only new to me, and I just have to find the right person who's solved them before me

i like @reddan's suggestion. do you use sandals with clipless pedals? the only spd compatible sandals ive found are some shimano things (that look hideous to me) and these keen commuters (which seem ok, though they dont have as much ventilation as id expect and theyre a lil pricey).

I believe I saw yesterday sealskin socks on clearance at REI - near the stairs.

I'd get a pair, but I have a dryer at home.

I keep a set of dry socks in my back pack. When my feet stop sloshing, I change socks.

The worst thing about reviving dead threads is that it reminds me how old and stagnant my life is

I still have wet feet for commuting. I may even have the same shoes. I would have gotten rain covers for clip in shoes, but I've yet to decide which clip-in system I want, let alone ensuring the shoes I would buy are vegan.

For now, as other do, I have a special pair of shoes at work, another at SOish's house, etc.

I also brought a little fan into work so I can dry cycling my shoes, which is pretty sweet

Waterproof and vegan: http://www.bogsfootwear.com/shop/style/52412-310.html

ctrl+f "plastic bag" not found

@ejwme: secret tip that i found somewhere on the interwebz: if you order them online (or probably by phone too), you can ask for hooks instead of regular lace holes on the top few rows. they don't advertise it as an option for some bizarre reason, but they'll do it if you ask, and it makes them way easier to put on.

i always thought my mom's duck boots were goofy as a kid too. i guess i'm fine with goofy as long as my toes aren't numb and/or swampy. i legitimately wear my maine hunting shoes all the time with skirts and dresses and stuff, and i probably look absurd, but whatever.

@melange396:do you use sandals with clipless pedals?

I've got an old pair of Shimano 2-strap SPD sandals (6 years old? at least three style revisions ago) that usually come out in the spring. A bit dorktastic, especially when paired with wool socks in the cold mornings, but they work quite nicely for rides of all lengths.

As far as SPD option go, you've got Shimano, the Keens, and I think Nashbar has a pair ("Ragster", perhaps?). I can't speak to any of the current offerings, though...no personal experience.

the keens protect the toe very well, which certainly has its benefits

the open toe of the shimano looks more 'free' but the current version sd66 has large areas of material covering the sides and it looks strange to me (especially because i can only find brown for sale). however, i would wear the older sd60 or even whatever this model was.

somehow i missed the nashbar option the first time around, but the ragster ii has mixed toe coverage and costs half as much! they remind me too much of something a gladiator would wear; id much prefer dorktastic w/ socks

I have the ragsters and love them. A positive is that they are 100% synthetic materials and water affects them not one bit. To the original point, in temperate rainy weather there is nothing that beats riding in sandals. Come to think of it, if I was minimalist touring, I would take those, some wool socks, and some light shoe covers, and that would cover any forseeable conditions.

@melange boy those are ugly. I'm guessing the large areas of material are to distribute forces over a larger surface area of your foot when pulling the pedal.

I'm a big fan of the Lake sandals. Not the Keen-style ones, but the older open-toe-with-end-wall design that they re-released last year after a few years discontinuation.

ejwme, found your rain boots. Not your grannies.

Odd the things I stumble across.

"Stumble" seems an apt choice of words.

Awesome aesthetic, though.

love them - they're perfect

ejwme: I love your philosophy of limiting 'special' clothes! I'm trying to move more in that direction, to have lower dry cleaning bills from work duds. As far as shoes for rain, my Keens with gore-tex embedded work well for me: normal looking shoes that are quite functional in various weather and for keeping feet dry despite sweating while biking. I also like Emily's idea, especially since Pittsburgh was Mr. Roger's place of work - he made the whole change-your-shoes-at-work idea famous and I like it!

My Keens Presidio: http://www.zappos.com/keen-presidio-black?zlfid=111&recoName=zap_pdp_sub

Lori, those look really comfy and practical (and cute!). Zappos is dangerous...

I've been trying to pay extra attention to people's shoes at work lately, to see what the majority consider "business casual". Since a lot of the men are running around in - I kid you not - performance golf polo shirts (some even have huge reflective swaths, I didn't think corporate visibility was literal), I think the range is... shall we say broad?