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review

GripGrab Arctic overshoes

9
£59.95

VERDICT:

9
10
Expensive, but almost unrivalled warm & dry deep winter overshoes
Weight: 
155g

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The Grip Grab Arctic Overshoes are a great example of what was needed during late January and early February, when the UK saw consistent temperatures below freezing. You needed decent overshoes at that time, and I was lucky enough to have these, which provide excellent insulation and very effective waterproofing. With 80% neoprene, these were always going to be warm, but I was also impressed by their ease of fit and the adjustability.

One of the first elements of an overshoe that I always notice is the ease of fit. I often find that neoprene shoes can be difficult to put on simply because they have a much thicker material which has less flex. However, due to the lack of material at the base of these, this issue is largely avoided. They are relatively easy to put on for such thick and well insulated overshoes, but you cannot expect them to be as easy as a higher polyester percentage overshoe, which would have poorer insulation.

The overshoes are also good for adjustability around the foot. Sometimes With thicker overshoes, they suffer from not being particularly supple and thus can sometimes be baggy around your shoes. Although these could certainly be more flexible, they benefit immensely from a velcro strap around the bottom, which means you can set them up to however tight you want them. This meant that the fit itself was tight and managed to keep excess material to a minimum.

I used these through driving rain in the freezing cold and as well as keeping my feet warm, they also did a good job of keeping them dry. They manage this through taped seams and effective neoprene protection, which manages to keep out every drop of water they saw.

They are some of the best overshoes I have used in terms of insulation too. I used them down to around -4 °C and my feet stayed toasty throughout the review. They manage this through a hollow fibre technology within the material as well as a considerable amount of fleece within the lining.

In terms of looks, they are stylish, managing to keep the outline of the foot without creating the 'clubfoot' that you can sometimes get with similar deep winter overshoes. I like this as especially when training in the terrible weather, you want to have as little flapping or excess as possible. These certainly manage that.

They are also well designed with effective reflective elements, both on the side and rear of the shoes. This is especially important at this time of year, when it is dark for considerably longer.

As well as being both warm and waterproof, the shoes are very durable. The stitching is strong across the body of the shoe and the toe and rear of the shoes are fitted with rubberised and hardened grippers. These add to the already impressive durability. I also like the zip on the back, oversized, easy to pull and hard to break.

They are expensive for overshoes, coming in at £60, I managed to find them online for £48 but this is still quite a bit to pay. However, the quality means that to some extent the price is justified and could be comparable to Rapha or Castelli equivalents which come in at around the same price.

When reviewing, I need to try and find fault with anything to make a fair comparison. With these shoes, the only fault I could find was that a couple of the stitches on the flap covering the top of zip looked loose. Aside from that, it is genuinely difficult to find anything wrong with them at all.

Verdict

Expensive, but almost unrivalled warm & dry deep winter overshoes

road.cc test report

Make and model: GripGrab Arctic overshoes

Size tested: Large

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?

These are designed for very cold rides in the most hostile conditions. They are not for simply keeping your feet dry during the regular season riding.

According to Gripgrab 'The Arctic is one of the warmest shoe covers available on the market and ideal for very cold winter days', and this is true. I was lucky to be able to review these in the coldest time of the year, using them in snow and freezing conditions.

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

- 4 mm waterproof neoprene with a hollow fibre lining.

- Compatible with most types of pedal system.

- Adjustable Velcro strap under the sole for easy and tight fitting.

- Kevlar reinforcement and welded and taped seams

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
9/10

Excellent construction, the taped seams and kevlar reinforcement have made for a very strong overshoe that survived well through terrible conditions.

Rate the product for performance:
 
10/10

The best overshoes I have used in freezing conditions, very warm and waterproof.

Rate the product for durability:
 
9/10

These are hardwearing and well made, I have no doubt they would last for years.

Rate the product for comfort, if applicable:
 
9/10

The adjustable strap means that the overshoes can be set to any kind of tension needed to keep to shoes in the correct position for you. This combined with effective insulation and waterproofing means that I never felt anything except comfortable when using them.

Rate the product for value:
 
7/10

They are expensive for overshoes, at £60 they are amongst the most expensive. If you can afford them, they are worth paying for.

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

Very well, one of the best overshoes I have used.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

The strong waterproofing and insulation. Using these through some of the coldest conditions thrown at us this year, I was pleasantly surprised that these kept everything out.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

The only fault I could find was one or two loose stitches at the top of the zip cover. Other than that I could genuinely find nothing.

Did you enjoy using the product? Yes.

Would you consider buying the product? Yes.

Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes.

Anything further to say about the product in conclusion?

Very effective overshoes from Gripgrab. They may cost more than many others, but their quality is well worth the extra money.

Overall rating: 9/10

About the tester

Age: 27  Height: 6 ft  Weight:

I usually ride: Cannondale Supersix Evo 6  My best bike is:

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

I regularly do the following types of riding: commuting, club rides, sportives, general fitness riding, fixed/singlespeed,

 

George is the host of the road.cc podcast and has been writing for road.cc since 2014. He has reviewed everything from a saddle with a shark fin through to a set of glasses with a HUD and everything in between. 

Although, ironically, spending more time writing and talking about cycling than on the bike nowadays, he still manages to do a couple of decent rides every week on his ever changing number of bikes.

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2 comments

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Miles253 | 9 years ago
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How could they be fully waterproof if there is a great big hole in the bottom

Avatar
timbola | 9 years ago
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I picked up the previous year's model at a decent price before the winter started and I have to say they have been brilliant. Really warm, waterproof and easy to put on and take off. I actually bought 2 sizes bigger than normal, however, having read some reviews and that seems perfect. Obviously, I cannot vouch for the latest model, but just a word of caution on sizing. Definitely recommend them.

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