Among cyclists, it’s not uncommon for riders to carry a set of latex gloves as a ‘just-in-case’ when it gets cold and wet. While they won't get you through an all day epic with warm hands, they will get you home in a bind. VeloToze are essentially the same idea, but for your feet. Made from latex rubber, nothing gets in or out.
Ever tried to tie a water balloon with your teeth? We'd say that's only marginally harder than putting on veloToze
It’s a bit of a battle to get the Tall shoe covers on; you put on your sock, put the cover on and over your foot, roll it onto your leg, put your shoe on and finally stretch the cover back over your shoe. You’ll definitely want to set your alarm clock a few minutes earlier if you plan to wear veloToze and not miss your morning group ride. That said, the method of putting them on does get easier with practice.
veloToze makes toe covers too
In addition to the tall length shoe cover, we also tested the new ‘chopped’ toe cover. This is far simpler to fit on, simply stretching over the top of your shoe once you’re strapped in. And then there’s the shorter version shoe cover too (which we haven’t tested), which sits somewhere between the two.
As we mentioned, because they’re rubber shoe covers, nothing gets in or out. Though they won’t replace the über-warm covers our US testers use for riding during the winter in Colorado, these 97g shoe covers (that’s for the pair) keep your feet surprisingly warm, free from the chilling wind and certainly dry.
As wool retains its insulative properties even when wet, combining the veloToze with such a sock may even keep you comfy for the better part of a sub-freezing jaunt.
Are they aero? Probably a safe bet
We also tend to agree with the Californian brand’s claims that there’s some aero advantage to these shoe covers as they provide a smooth virtually wrinkle free area for air to pass over. Though we haven't logged any wind tunnel time to test this.
Unfortunately, the fully sealed nature can lead to a little bit of sweaty foot funk. Just make sure your remember to take the insoles out of your shoes and let them dry of sweat post ride.
Oh you're shoes are to tight? You should have thought of that before you put on your veloToze
Another major negative is that once the covers are in place, you’re pretty stuck for fine adjusting the retention of your footwear. If you’re a set-and-forget type rider, then this isn’t a concern; but those that like to reach down mid-ride to twist a dial or ratchet a buckle, you’re out of luck.
Fixing the breathability and shoe adjustment issues, the new toe covers help to block off the front part of your shoes, but leave the heel to still receive some air. We found these provided the necessary warmth on chilly, but not frozen days. Of course though, don’t expect the half-sized toe covers to keep your feet dry in a downpour – they’ll only stop your toes from becoming soaked.
The toe covers are great, but like all to covers won't do much in a downpour
Being simpler to fit and weighing just 20g a pair, the toe covers are also perfect for taking with as an emergency item when the weather is uncertain.
For only being made of a thin layer of latex rubber, veloToze are surprisingly robust. While we wouldn’t recommend them for extensive off-bike mountain or 'cross adventures, we still haven’t walked a hole through, or torn our pair while trying to wrestle them on, and yes, we have seen them used in treacherous races like the Absa Cape Epic.
In the US, the tall shoe and new toe covers sell for a good-value, if not disposable, $18 and $13 respectively. In Australia and the UK, the £15 / AU$32 price tag of the tall shoe covers (toe covers’ price TBC) forces a little more thought – although they’re certainly still cheaper than other proven waterproof and windproof cycling shoe covers.
VeloToze shoe covers are available in a choice of four sizes to fit shoe sizes from EU36 through to EU49. We normally wear a EU43 shoe and used the large veloToze tall shoe covers.The simpler toe covers are a 'one size fits all' item.