Overshoes vs Waterproof mtb boots

I’ve tried a few overshoes – Endura Dexter, Endura MT500, Grip Grab Hammerhead. And although some are good, they are not waterproof.

Are any of the mtb boots properly waterproof? Or is it just like overshoes, where they’ll protect you for a while, but ultimately give in to the elements over the course of a few hours?

I find the problem with gore-text boots is that the water runs down my legs and into the boots where it sits and gives my feet a nice cold bath

Same here, only wear mine when it isn’t raining

overshoes arent great for walking in, where as the water proof boots at least can be walked in but as said often the wet drains into the foot and stays there. both serve a purpose and both have flaws. I knew a lad who rode with gaiters on occasion but seemed a bit overkill.

I have made rubber cuffs that I pull on before putting the boots on, that create a barrier between my legs and the boot to stop the water getting in by running down my legs. Otherwise even when you are riding through lots of water, your feet get wet in winter boots.

I have made rubber cuffs that I pull on before putting the boots on

Yeh, Marigolds FTW ! 😀

Wearing boots or overshoes with shorts is a pointless exercise, you need to wear tights and have the tights over the top of the ankle opening to keep water out.

Also the blood cools down when the legs are exposed, and doesn’t miraculously reheat in the feet. If you don’t want cold feet keep the legs covered.

what MSP says.

i often wear overshoes and winterboots

the overshoes keep the windchill away in -10 😀

Overshoes on the roadbike.

Shimano MT90 gore-tex boots on the mtb, combined with Berghaus ankle-gaiters if its properly filthy weather (or deep snow), and waterproof trousers over the top of its even worse than that. Tights over the top of boots ruins the tights.

Cold has never really bothered me to be honest – it’s just the water! I hate the squelch and having to dry shoes out, it just seems to take forever!

My wet kit currently consists of GripGrab Hammerhead overshoes with Endura Stealth light tights (over the top of the overshoes) and SKS longboard mudguards – and yet I’m still getting wet feet within a 40 minute commute with heavy rain 😡

Maybe the tights aren’t doing their job well enough and letting water down the top of the overshoes.

I know I have an issue with water hitting the front upper mudguard stay causing water to drip directly onto my shins and feet. Have tried taping the inside of the guard to stop this, but with little benefit. I know I could move the stay bracket to the outside or go with thiner tyres, but I’d rather not.

Might buy a velomobile.

ah i see the issue – its crap mudguards – your front wheels firing all your water up at your feet – like wise your rear mudguards firing a heap down at your feet from the rear wheel – short of thigh high boots your going to get wet feet from that much water hitting them.

lsyoull be wanting SKS bluemels or similar

i thought SKS longboards gave extra coverage. Sounds like they’re not setup very well.

I recently bought some of the cheap Decathlon waterproof/breathable hiking shoes (with a Novadry membrane)(£29) and – after another thread on here – had the toe section resoled with 5.10 rubber for £40 at FeetFirst. The shoe is actually excellent and with the resole, as good on the flat pedals as 5.10 impacts. So that’s a waterproof, breathable shoe for less than a new pair of non-breathing, less waterproof 5.10s. Overtrousers stop the water running down the leg into the top. For normal light rain/ showers, I wear these with some £10 overtrousers from Sports direct. They are fine, although are starting to fall apart. I’ll go for Berhause Deluge next time. For really cats and dogs rainy days with deep puddles, I have some Goretex army surplus overtrousers(£25), which would work on their own, but are a bit flappy, so I wear some lightweight Trekmates GTX gaiters to keep it all together. Another advantage of the hiking shoes is that they take a gaiter strap. Once I’m wearing them, I don’t notice the gaiters at all, I’m too busy enjoying my nice, dry ride in the rain.
Mudguards simply don’t work well on an MTB. Fender Bender up front is useful to save your eyes and face, but better to have clothes you can hose down at the end than mess around with rubbish rear guards IMHO.

As ir_bandito says the longboards are an extended version of bluemels, so there shouldn’t be any problems there, but I do find the fact that the stay mounts are located on the inside of the guard to be a poor design.

The stay mounts act as a dam and send the water out from the guard at that point.

I can’t see that I can mount the guard any closer to the tyre without causing rubbing issues, so maybe the tyres are too wide for the guards? 35c tyres, 45mm longboards on a CX bike by the way.

stay mounts are located on the inside of the guard to be a poor design.

that’ll be it.

I’ve got some SKS chromoplastics (I think they are)with the stay mount on the outside of the guard, so the guard is closer to the tyre. 35mm ‘guards with 28mm tyres. Never have a problem with spray

Off-road I use Northwave waterpoof boots (the artic version with the fleace lining), 2 winters and a wet summer so far, but there was a definate damp toe in one side last spring 🙁 They’ll probably last another winter if it doesn’t get any worse.

Rarely had problems with water running down into them either wearing roubaix longs.

On the road I just use overshoes and warm socks.

i was thinking the longboard was the silly thing you stick under the crown my bad

ive got chromoplastics with the long flap on the bottom of the front guard and have very little issue with spray.

i just get cold feet – usually because it is cold.

Neoprene Endura Road overshoe, XC race shoes, merino socks and Lusso Max Repel longs here.

Can’t say I have ever had cold feet even when the freezing conditions last winter froze the mud in my brake calipers solid so I had no brakes! Never felt wet either. If water were to enter (and I’m sure a tiny, tiny amount must) the merino sock and neoprene overshoe combination ensures there is no wet or cold feeling which is ultimately what you need to stay riding comfortably.

Add to that that the shoes stay clean and dry with overshoes and you can just hose off the overshoes after a ride means they are less faff in the post ride cleanup too.

Downside to overshoes? Aesthetics only as far as I can see.