If you want to keep your toes warm while cycling on a chilly morning you need to buy a pair of toe covers. While there are many good toe covers for cycling shoes on the market, the Performance Toesties covers are probably the least expensive. Sadly, they are also an example of getting what you pay for.
Performance Toesties Toe Covers
Performance Toesties are made of neoprene fabric and are both windproof and waterproof. These covers fit over the end of your cycling shoes, even if you are wearing cleats, and actually do a decent job of blocking the wind and keeping your toes warm. Because the covers are thin you can easily put them in your jersey pocket when you don’t need them. I’ve used them with both Look Keo and Shimano SPD cleats.
Performance Toesties lack any form of reinforcement on the bottom
The major downside of Performance Toesties is that there is no reinforcement on the bottom of the covers. If you walk very much at all in these covers the neoprene will start to shred. Not only that, but every time you clip in you will probably do a bit of damage to the covers—it doesn’t take long for them to wear out completely. I look at these covers as being disposable after a dozen or so rides.
Performance Toasties retail for $15 and are available at Performance Bicycle (both online and in their brick and mortar stores). The covers are available in four sizes: S (6.5-8.5), M (8.5-10), L (10-11.5), and XL (11.5+). I have found these covers run a bit on the small size, so you might want to order one size larger than your shoe size.
In my opinion the best toe covers on the market are the Planet Bike Dasher Toe Covers. These covers are a bit more expensive, but I think you will get a lot more use out of them.
Michael Fioretti
March 16, 2012 at 5:45 PM
Hmmm…I have ALWAYS had numb toes in the winter despite wearing toe covers (I have Peal Izumis). I might consider the Dashers for next year. I’ve always loved Planet Bike stuff. Plus, they’re from right down the street from me here in Madison, so that’s a plus! Thanks for the review🙂
Michael Fioretti
March 16, 2012 at 5:45 PM
*PEARL Izumi
All Seasons Cyclist
March 16, 2012 at 10:36 PM
Does Planet Bike have a storefront/showroom open to the public? I knew they were in Madison, but wasn’t sure if it would be worth the trip there.
Michael Fioretti
March 17, 2012 at 8:17 AM
I actually don’t know. I know where they’re located, and I’ve driven by many times, but haven’t stopped inside. They’re in a sort of business park area so it doesn’t look like they have a storefront…but it would be REALLY cool if they did!
Dave
March 17, 2012 at 10:54 AM
I am simultaneously embarrased and proud to say that I once covered my Mt.Bike shoes (toes only) with duct tape pre-race (Chequemagon Fat tire festival) Wet course, large puddles, 50 degrees. It was perfect except for the disrespect I got from snobs at the finish line. Now I would use my Pearl Izumi neoprene covers which suffer from the same problem as your toe covers: they shred when you walk in them. Or maybe I would try duct tape again since neoprene can get soaked.
Thanks for your work and for keeping biking accessible to the masses.
All Seasons Cyclist
March 17, 2012 at 10:09 PM
When I’m mountain biking I carry one of those compact rolls of duct tape — about the size of a tube of Chapstick — I never thought of using it for toe covers!
walktrotcycle
March 17, 2012 at 4:31 PM
Fantastic blog! I am an aspiring all-season cyclist so I look forward to browsing through your reviews and other posts🙂
All Seasons Cyclist
March 18, 2012 at 8:40 PM
walktrotcycle, cycling year-round is really not that difficult if you have the right clothing. Just remember, in the winter the hardest part of your ride is the first 500 feet!
Cherry
March 18, 2012 at 3:55 PM
It’s hard to find toe covers that fit my shoes. I’m a roadie that prefers mountain bike cycling shoes. So the treading on the bottom makes them hard to fit into any shoe covers. I have a pair of pearl iZumi cover and they just would not slip in!!
All Seasons Cyclist
March 18, 2012 at 8:42 PM
Cherry, try the Planet Bike Dasher toe covers — they even come in XXL and will easily fit over MTB shoes (I wear 11.5 EEE shoes and the XL fits my MTB shoes fine)