Velotoze Road 2.0 Tall shoe covers review: Foul weather protection with aero benefits

Velotoze was founded in California back in 2014 by a group of cyclists who wanted an improvement on the available overshoes at the time and ride in the rain and cold and keep their feet dry. One of the inventors was a medical doctor who used latex gloves in his work and thought the material would work well in an overshoe. As a result, the latex Velotoze overshoes were born. 

To give the latest iteration their full name, the 'Velotoze Tall shoe covers - Road 2.0' are a tight-fitting pair of latex rubber overshoes. They are thin and lightweight but also due to their material, they're water and windproof too. Velotoze says they are rated for use between 5C/40F to 16C/60F.

They are an interesting product in that they are really popular amongst racers for being a tight, fitting aero overshoe that offers some aero gains but also does a good job of protecting you from rain, spray and wind. Here in the UK, you are as likely to see them at a sunny summer time trial as you are on a wet and windy early-season club run.

Velotoze has a range of five overshoes and a pair of add-on waterproof ankle cuffs in the range. The Road 2.0 shoe covers are really competitively priced at £17 / $21 / €19 which makes them cheaper than an awful lot of their competitors. The simple construction and material must undoubtedly help keep costs down. 

We included them in our best cycling overshoes buyers guide this year off the back of extensive testing. 

Design and Aesthetics 

The design chat in this review will be a little briefer owing to the simplistic design and single material, but there are still some interesting points to go over here. 

The original Velotoze overshoes have been updated since their inception and are now the 2.0 version. I still own a rather tired version of the originals which has helped me understand how the 2.0 differs, and see the changes that have been made by the brand. 

As mentioned, the Road 2.0 are constructed from 100% latex rubber in a one-piece design. They are tight fitting - easily the tightest fitting overshoes I've worn - and are designed to sit against the skin to prevent water ingress, so you will want them under leg warmers or tights ideally, though they do a good job if worn on the outside too. The tight fit is compressive and feels supportive, certainly not cut-off-your-circulation tight so don't worry on this front if you're in the market for a pair. 

The overshoes have also been to the wind tunnel, the Silverstone Sports Engineering Hub which is the same venue we used to conduct our road wheel aero testing. Velotoze claims the road 2.0 overshoes give 4.7 watts of power savings at 40kph with a +5˚ yaw angle from a baseline established with regular short cycling socks. 

The waterproof nature of the material means they are pretty impervious to water and the tight, stretchy fit means it is hard for lots of spray or rain to work their way in. When worn against the skin, the idea is that they create a waterproof seal.

I dug out my original pair of Velotoze for something of a comparison and the 2.0 updated versions are indeed a little bit thicker. I did find I had to be very careful with the originals and have ripped through pairs through repetitive use. Velotoze has obviously looked to remedy this by beefing the overshoes up slightly and revising the cleat opening area and the updated version does seem sturdier all round. Cleaning is simply a matter of rinsing them off or wiping them down with a damp cloth. 

As per the 'long' in the model name, the 2.0's extend a good few centimetres up the leg, and into aero sock height territory. There are eight colours to choose from including bright pink and yellow if you want to stand out and there is a simple Velotoze logo down the outside of each foot (you can wear them inside out for a more subtle look). There is also an 'L' on the left overshoe to help you identify which foot to put them on. 

Performance 

I've used the Road 2.0 overshoes through the winter, but I think my most recent ride was a pretty perfect spring test for them. A three-and-a-half-hour ride including a fast club run with a couple of light showers, some standing water and mucky lanes and plenty of 'summer bikes' now that it's April, which meant road spray as everyone's road bike mudguards have been put away. 

First things first, the Velotoze will take a little bit longer to put on compared to other overshoes out there. But with practice and if you are careful with them the procedure is fine. You'll come unstuck if you are rushing to head out of the house and try and bully them on or use brute force (like I may have done once or twice this winter). Allow a little more time to get them on, especially if you're new to the design and you'll be fine. There is a useful guide on the Velotoze website, but like the Spatz overshoes, these are an overshoe on first then move into place over your cycling shoe fit procedure. I should probably mention here Velotoze has an alternate model that fastens with poppers - or 'snaps' as they call them - underneath to allow for easier fitting. 

The fit is compressive and feels supportive, not too tight as mentioned and the overshoes extend a good way up the calf. Straight away, they create a protective yet aerodynamic feeling. In the wet or rain, they are pretty impervious to water and the tight feeling and lack of zips or seams mean they do repel water and keep it out of your shoes. 

You will probably still get wet feet though, as they tend to 'sweat out' in use due to a lack of breathability. When I got home after over three hours, the insides of the overshoes were wet as were my tights and shoes. It wasn't a drenching or uncomfortable and the overshoes dried pretty much instantly once off, but it's something to note. This will contribute to feet being wet but warm in inclement weather and should be expected with this design. 

For riding hard in cold or cooler conditions where there are showers or road spray the aero fit of the Velotoze does an excellent job. You will see them being worn at plenty of road and circuit races because they offer good protection and are still aero. They will also be a really good option for time trials or on the track. For this time of year, I naturally reach for them for a faster ride where I still want protection but less weight and bulk, not to mention the added aero benefit.

For the depths of winter or longer, slower miles I would still choose a thicker heavier weight overshoe to keep my feet that little bit warmer. I think the minimum claimed temperature rating of 5C/40F from Velotoze is about spot on. 

Verdict 

For the money, the Velotoze Road 2.0 overshoes are a useful addition to your overshoe collection. For a race or a sportive where you're going for a long time, they offer great protection and aero benefits in a lightweight and frankly great-value package. They are also perfect for spring club rides or chaingangs where the pace is starting to lift and you want less bulk. 

I would probably invest in two pairs for the price, one for training and general riding and one to keep for 'best' or race only to ensure they stay in top condition as it still would be relatively easy to rip or wear the overshoes if you were hard on them. They come folded up in a useful zip lock pouch which takes up very little room in the kit bag or even a rear jersey pocket if you wanted to carry them for insurance. 

They aren't a miracle do-it-all overshoe, and for easier or colder miles, there are warmer options out there but that isn't really what the Velotoze Road 2.0 overshoes are about for me. Once you understand where they are best deployed, they really come into their own and prove their worth.