|
Pearl Izumi Barrier
MTB Shoe Covers
 
www.pearlizumi.com
Price:
$60
Source:
website, bike
shops
Made in:
China
Sizes:
S-XXL
Color:
black with
reflective logos
Features:
3-mm-thick neoprene with microfleece lining;
polyurethane coating
for durability, water resistance; cleat
cutout; hook-and-loop rear
closure
How obtained:
cold
cash
RBR advertiser:
no
Tested:
25 hours
Temperature range tested:
18-50F degrees (-8 to 10C)
HOT!
not!
-
sizing runs small
-
upper can
wrinkle
|
Gore Race Power
Thermo
Overshoes
www.gorebikewear.com
Price:
$100
Source:
website, bike shops
Made in:
China
Sizes:
S-XL
Color:
black with reflective logos
Features: Gore-Tex shell and stretch inserts; stretch neoprene
cuff;
abrasion-resistant sole; sole cutout for cleat and heel;
hook-and-loop
rear closure
How
obtained: sample from company
RBR
advertiser: no
Tested:
32 hours
Temperature range tested: 18-52F degrees (-8 to 11C)
HOT!
-
warm to
teens (-6C)
-
durable
materials
-
water
repellent
-
sizing
is true
not!
-
expensive
-
not
waterproof
-
bulky
to stow
|
By Fred
Matheny
After riding through 38
winters,
I have some definite guidelines for shoe covers.
I realize
they can’t keep feet dry even if they’re made of completely impermeable
material. Water always seeps in the top or under the cleat cutout. But
good booties should keep feet warm even when there's moisture inside. In
wintry cold, feet are the first thing to get frigid for many riders but
good shoe covers should keep feet bearable in temps into the 20s (-3C or
so).
I road tested the $100 Gore Race Power Thermo and
$60 Pearl Izumi Barrier MTB shoe covers for many hours in western
Colorado's winter and in the January rain of Seattle. Temperatures
ranged from a low of 18 (-8C) to the mid 40s (7C).
Snow banks often lined the road and a cold north
wind accompanied many rides, making the actual temperature seem even
colder. Snowmelt spattered the shoe covers in Colorado; Seattle's
precipitation ranged from mist to downpours.
Construction
The Gore
booties are made of stout cordura nylon with a quilted liner for
additional insulation. They are black with reflective logos on the side
and back. A neoprene cuff seals out wind. They look extremely well made
and held up impressively throughout the testing, although for 100 clams
they should last through the end of the century.
Nice touch
by Gore: microfleece in the V-shape where the ankle flexes above the
shoe’s tongue. Excessive tightness or roughness in this area can easily
abrade skin, so having soft material here shows a laudable attention to
detail.
The Pearl
Izumi booties retail for $60 -- 40% less than Gore's version. They’re
made of 3-mm neoprene with an equally thin microfleece lining. Also
black and with a shiny polyurethane coating and reflective logos, they
look and feel less durable than the Gore covers, despite being marketed
for mountain bike shoes. But they stood up to 25 hours of road riding
with only minor scuffs.
Fit
The Gore
booties were easy to put on. They are rear-entry with a Velcro strip
running up the entire back. This strip is wide enough to adjust the
sizing while still snugging the neoprene cuff tightly enough to keep out
most moisture. The Pearl covers also are rear-entry with hook-and-loop
material, but they were a bit harder to get into because of their
snugger overall fit.
I tested
size XL in the Gores, made for cycling shoe sizes 45-47 (street shoe
sizes 11-13). They fit fine over my size 46 Sidi Dragon MTB shoes, even
with their lugged outsole. However the fit was fairly tight with my size
45 Specialized BG MTB shoes because they have a boxier profile. There
was plenty of room for size 45 Specialized Body Geometry road shoes.
The Pearls
are badly undersized. I used size XXL, designated for size 46.5 and
larger mountain bike shoes. They barely fit over my Specialized road
shoes. I managed to get them over the Sidi MTB shoes because the
material stretches slightly, but I was afraid they would rip.
The Pearls'
tight fit also compressed my forefoot and cut off circulation, making my
feet colder than expected for the conditions. However, this problem has
decreased because the booties seem to have loosened with use.
Undersizing has been a recurrent theme with many Pearl Izumi products
over the years. Be sure to try on before you buy, and expect to need at
least size larger than your usual.
Soles
Both brands
have a sole hole for cleats, unlike some shoe covers that make you
scissor out your own. The cutouts were plenty large enough for Shimano
SPD or Look Keo road cleats. Shimano PD7750 (“Lance” pedal) cleats were
a tight fit through the Gores but worked fine as long as I aligned them
carefully. If I didn't, the cutout could bind on the pedals. The larger
Pearl cut-out worked well with all 3 pedal systems.
The Gore
sole is made of heavy, reinforced nylon and didn’t abrade during the
usual walking into convenience stores and on gravel by the roadside. I
don’t know how the soles will hold up over several winters’ use, but
they look quite durable in this highly stressed area. The Pearl sole
seems less hefty but showed minimal wear during my use. Of course,
they’re designed for mountain bike shoes with the accompanying walking,
so you'd expect them to be tough.
Bulk is a
drawback to the Gore’s quilted liner and sturdy outer fabric. The
booties are relatively sleek on the foot, but if you want to remove them
when the temperature rises, they're a tight fit in a jersey pocket no
matter how compactly you roll them. The Pearls are slightly less bulky.
The Pearls
fit the forefoot snugly so material doesn’t brush the crankarm during
pedaling. The Gores are a bit looser here but it isn't a problem, and
they're snugger at the ankle. The Pearl uppers, which lack the
polyurethane coating, developed a wrinkle or bulge -- more of an
appearance flaw than a functional one, although if your ankle barely
clears the crankarm it might rub on the pooched-out material and wear a
hole.
Wet Performance
Gore’s
Gore-Tex material repelled water splashed up from snow melt. I was
surprised that these covers didn’t make my feet sweat in warmer
temperatures. My experience with “waterproof but breathable” material
hasn’t been good. Either the material breathes well and leaks like a
sieve or it’s completely waterproof -- and seals in heat and
condensation for a sweaty sauna effect. But the Gore booties didn't
cause this problem.
They were
less successful in steady rain, letting my shoes and socks become wet in
an hour of riding. However, in temperatures in the high 40s (9C) my
soaked feet stayed warm. I’m not sure that would have been the case in
the mid 30s (2C).
The Pearl
booties eventually let in water too, but my feet stayed toasty. I credit
the thin neoprene that acted like a wet suit. It looks like the poly
coating would stop all water penetration and perhaps it did, but the
inside eventually got wet from seepage at the cuff and cleat cutout. In
warm temps they were slightly hotter than the Gore covers but not
uncomfortable at 50 degrees (10C).
I carried
both pairs of shoe covers on rides and alternated them. I started with
one brand on the right foot and the other on the left, then I reversed
them. In cold temperatures the Pearls were slightly warmer, and the same
was true in rainy conditions. In addition, they didn’t soak up water
like the Gores with their quilted liner.
Which
booties would I buy after numerous rides in both brands? My choice is
the Pearl Izumi Barrier MTB because they perform better in cold and wet
conditions and do it for a reasonable price.
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