Castelli Pioggia Shoecover

Castelli Overshoes £45

Pioggia, for the non-Italian speaking amongst us, is Italian for rain. It's also the name for Castelli's wet weather overshoes. A waterproof coating on the polyester fabric protects from the damp, and is fleece-lined too to provide some warmth. The degree of stretchiness in the material helps with getting them over the shoes, and keeps them snug when in place.

Underneath, the sole is made of a thicker and tougher material than the upper, and is double-stitched in place. The material, which extends to the toe area, helps ensure the overshoes remain in good condition during regular riding and prevents them becoming tatty and hole-ridden.

A side-mounted zip makes slipping the Pioggia's on easier than most, and a large diagonally-aligned Velcro tab (why diagonal we're not sure) looks odd but does keep them snug and the elements out. Grip+ silicone gripper tape prevents them slipping down.