Product Review: Oxford Rain Seal Over Boots

I own a pair of very worn out TCX goretex boots, which although have served me well for about 5 years, are no longer waterproof. Rather than getting rid of them I decided to try out Oxford's rain seal over boots for £19.99 to continue using my TCX boots at work - nobody wants to spend £200 on a new pair of boots only to get worn out running around training motorcycle students.

First thing to note is that my TCX boots are EUR size 44, so I ordered Oxford size L - which are good for sizes 44 - 47. The size that turned up was XL but according to the over boots are for sizes 44 - 47 - a false item description somewhere. However, they do fit, with a fair bit of wiggle room. You just pop your boot in, put it on, do your boot up and then zip the over boot up too. There's a clip at the top for a closed fit and a strap that goes across the front of the over boot to tighten it in place. One of the drawbacks to this strap is that it tends to unclip easily when riding, which loosens the grip on the boot.

So what about there main job - to be waterproof? I haven't been out in a torrential downpour yet, but they've not leaked at all in any wet weather I've found myself in. The main issue I had with my TCX boots is that they leak through the sole, but these over boots seem to have solved the problem.

One thing I did notice is that changing gears or using the rear brake became a little more cumbersome. Due to the extra height, you need to remember to lift your foot higher than usual or it tends to get caught. Due to my boots being on the smaller side of the 44 - 47 fitting, the over boots do have a little bit of excess that can also get in the way. A snugger fit may have avoided that problem.

All in all they do what they are meant to - will post back after more testing weather conditions. They do have a couple of niggles and foot controls are a little awkward but for just shy of £20 it means I can continue using my old boots for that little bit longer.