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review
Rapha Reflective Oversocks.jpg£25.00
VERDICT:
High-vis and durable while keeping your feet warm – a good winter investment
Weight:
73g
Contact:
At road.cc every product is thoroughly tested for as long as it takes to get a proper insight into how well it works. Our reviewers are experienced cyclists that we trust to be objective. While we strive to ensure that opinions expressed are backed up by facts, reviews are by their nature an informed opinion, not a definitive verdict. We don't intentionally try to break anything (except locks) but we do try to look for weak points in any design. The overall score is not just an average of the other scores: it reflects both a product's function and value – with value determined by how a product compares with items of similar spec, quality, and price.
What the road.cc scores meanGood scores are more common than bad, because fortunately good products are more common than bad.
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Clearly visible and wind resistant, Rapha's Reflective Oversock is a simple product that works well and looks good.
Rapha has become synonymous with quality and innovative designs. Even in what could be perceived as a relatively simple item, the company has sourced strong materials for its Reflective Oversocks and constructed them well.
Rapha has taken the Cordura material used in its collection of luggage and applied it to these oversocks to add durability. The result is a rugged layer that will withstand plenty of abuse.
This ruggedness does mean they can be quite difficult to put on, which is perhaps the only drawback, but that said, I'd rather spend a little longer putting them on than needing to go and buy a new pair.
When they are on, they provide a certain level of windproofing (although not completely windproof) and take some of the edge off a quick shower. They have certainly helped keep my feet warm in the recent cold snap, despite me wearing very well-ventilated shoes.
The fit is also good, with the socks staying in place even on rides over bumpy roads and many miles. It is especially impressive given that many others I have used tend to need pulling up after a while; I never found that with these.
> Check out our guide to keeping your feet warm on winter rides
Another key element to these, of course, is the high-vis aspect. Rapha has sewn in a reflective yarn strip at the top of the sock and this, combined with the fluorescent green colour tested, meant they were very visible and light clearly reflected well off the surface. (They also come in bright 'coral', black and white.)
These being Rapha, they come with a higher rrp than most other brands, but with the quality that these have, I think they can justify it – and at the time of writing the green and coral options have been reduced to £15.
Overall, I was impressed with these oversocks. They provide a good level of protection and warmth and the fit is good – once you get them on. It would be nice if they were easier to put on, but this is a small price to pay for the extra ruggedness that the material provides.
Verdict
High-vis and durable while keeping your feet warm – a good winter investment
road.cc test report
Make and model: Rapha Reflective Oversocks
Size tested: Large, Green
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?
Rapha says: "Robust and wind-resistant oversocks, introducing a pioneering reflective yarn for increased visibility."
Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?
Reflective yarn strip
Hardwearing and durable
High-stretch material
Highly breathable
With pre-cut, toughened cleat holes
Rate the product for quality of construction:
9/10
Tough and durable material plus reinforced cleat holes and strong reflective elements all add up to a strong oversock.
Rate the product for performance:
8/10
Kept my feet warm, although they aren't completely windproof.
Rate the product for durability:
9/10
The Cordura material works very well and creates a strong, durable oversock.
Rate the product for fit:
8/10
No slipping even after a long, bumpy ride. Perhaps they could be easier to put on, but still quicker than a full overshoe.
Rate the product for sizing:
8/10
Fitted well over several sets of shoes I tried them with.
Rate the product for weight:
8/10
Rate the product for comfort:
8/10
Warm and largely windproof.
Rate the product for value:
7/10
Expensive for an oversock, but durable and well made – and currently reduced to £15.
How easy is the product to care for? How did it respond to being washed?
Washed just like a regular set of socks, easy.
Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose
Performed well, largely windproof, kept my feet warm and increased my visibility on the road.
Tell us what you particularly liked about the product
The reflective elements, at this time of year being seen is essential and these work well.
Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product
Perhaps that they take a bit longer to put on... but given that this is due to them being more durable it is a minor gripe.
Did you enjoy using the product? Yes
Would you consider buying the product? Yes
Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes
About the tester
Age: 27
I usually ride: Cannondale Supersix Evo 6 My best bike is:
I've been riding for: 5-10 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, mountain biking
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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7 comments
I've got the old version of these in Chartreuse (OK, yellow/green) and I love them - if it's not raining then they are my go-to oversock. Combined with some thick merino Woolie Boolies, they're good in most conditions down to about 5 degrees. They do get dirty quickly when road crap is flinging up, but thankfully you can easily hand wash them with regular soap in a sink and they come out looking new.
Very visible too and easy to put on - but I think they're more sock-like than these new ones.
My only gripe is that they didn't make a cutout for the heel - this has quickly worn through and looks messy compared to the front, which has provision to make a neat hole.
Overall - big thumbs up! They are worth the extra price, IMO.
Thanks
http://road.cc/content/blog/153949-london-paris-24hrs
pic is in the gallery - im the guy on the right
sounds good martin. Which blog please?
Made in China ?
Was v.disappointed with the stuff I recently ordered to find out it was.
please please please when reviewing hi-viz products, can you show some photos/videos taken in the dark? that way we can 'see' how they look from a distance. all manufactrors & websites should do this as standard
a blog I've got on here has a picture of them (albeit the black ones) in the dark
they light up like a frickin Christmas tree!