Prendas Ciclismo Cordura Oversocks

At the time of writing this review, it would appear spring has sprung. Undoubtedly, by the time you read this, it'll be raining. Or worse, snowing. For sure, spring is on the way though and when it arrives, these new Prendas Ciclismo oversocks are going to make you stand out on the roads while keeping the spring chill, and road muck, off your shoes.

Oversocks are traditionally worn in spring and autumn when it's warm enough to leave the heavy duty overshoes in the drawer, but too chilly to wear shoes without any protection. There's another reason too, outside of the summer the roads are usually much grittier, dirtier and muckier, and you don't want all that crap being deposited on your expensive shoes by the front wheel.

The practice of wearing overshoes seems to have emerged in the late 1970s when continental pros began pulling socks over their shoes for the spring classics. Invariably run in grotty conditions, these took a heavy toll of lightweight racing shoes made of thin, fine leather and the pros must have found that socks, while doing nothing to keep out water, kept off the grit that actually does the damage.

So oversocks serve two purposes, and these Prendas oversocks fit the bill nicely. Pulling them on to the shoes reveals they're well shaped and provide a snug fit. There's two holes, one for the cleat and the other at the heel, stitched at the edges for durability. The length of the ankle is judged just right, neither too low or too high.

We tested the previous version of these oversocks, when they were made from a Meraklon 100% knitted polyester. They've since been updated and are now made from Cordura. My single complaint about the previous version was that they didn't last all that long, and could start looking tatty far too soon. The material change appears to have remedied that, and they've so far proven to be far more durable.

The Cordura material provides just the right level of insulation on chilly mornings with decent breathability for the midday highs. You can wear them in the summer, or what passes for summer in the UK, without fear of overheating. Another benefit of the material is the increased colour options now available, as demonstrated by these new bright yellow ones. 2013 will be remembered as the year when fluoro yellow was all the rage, so get them while they're still cool. They're also available in black and my favourite white (you're weird - ed).

They're sold in three sizes covering shoes from 37 to 47, with each size of sock covering three sizes of shoe. Plenty of stretch ensures they accommodate all shoes. My trick is to order a size down so you get a tighter fit over the shoe.

Verdict

Very reasonably priced oversocks ideal for the spring and available in on-trend bright yellow. Black and white also available.