GripGrab RaceAqua X Waterproof MTB/CX Shoe Covers

The GripGrab RaceAqua X Waterproof MTB/CX Shoe Covers are a lightweight, stretchy, waterproof and windproof alternative to the more usual clumpy off-road overshoes, though lifting off at the toe might be an issue.

If you're interested in the GripGrab RaceAqua X Waterproof MTB/CX Shoe Covers, check out our guide to the best cycling overshoes for more options.

These shoe covers are aimed at keeping your feet dry when riding in the drizzle or splashing through puddles and mud. Designed for spring and autumn rides, they're not insulated like a winter overshoe, but their windproof capabilities do a great job of keeping the chill off your toes.

They're made from a waterproof, high-stretch material that gives a second-skin fit over a shoe yet is still flexible enough to cope with whatever lumpy tightening architecture there might be. It can be a bit of a wriggle and a tug to get them fitted – there might be a bit of pre-ride fiddling to get them to fit just so, and the contours of a shoe can mean the covers drift off centre over time, but that's no big deal really.

They stretch around the heel with a satisfying pop and secure via a strong zip with a tag that's big enough to be easily yanked when wearing gloves should you need. There's a wide baffle of material behind the zip as a breeze stopper and to stop ankle and shoe scuffage, while at the top there's a large fold of material as a zip-dock to prevent achilles rubbing and annoying zip puller pedalling flappage.

Up top the shoe covers are held in place by a wide elastic cuff that's snugly comfortable, but it won't halt any determined water ingress.

They do fit snug to the shoe and ankle, and are sleek and unnoticeable in use, neither rubbing on cranks nor snagging on undergrowth. Those of a slightly sturdier ankle might find them a little too unforgiving on the front hinge of the foot and ankle, though.

They're sleek enough to not look out of place on a gravel bike or if you use a treaded SPD shoe on your road bike, though GripGrab does say that the covers are tailored toward the racier type of cross-country mountain bike shoe and are not recommended for bulkier touring shoes.

They come in six sizes for shoes from 38 to 49.

To help with on-road visibility in the conditions in which they're likely to be used, there are reflective details on the outer edge, reflective graphics on the cuff, and a large reflective panel on the heel.

Open sole design

An off-road version of the RaceAqua Shoe Covers George reviewed back in 2017, the bottom of the MTB/CX Shoe Covers has an open sole design which means they don't wrap around the bottom of the shoe as extensively as some, allowing all of the tread of the shoe to grip when off the bike. A 2in-wide elastic webbing strap that fits midsole between the treaded areas keeps the covers wrapped tight to the shoe.

The whole bottom hem of the shoe is covered in a sturdier, more durable, wear-resistant aramid fibre fabric, and it extends up the front to become a protective toe bumper and again up the rear to meet the zip, with an added reflective tab.

This design, leaving more of the sole uncovered than many off-road overshoes, has its plus and minus points.

On the positive side, the minimal wrap allows the full grip acreage of the shoes to be used, which is handy if your off-road excursions have you trudging around for a bit, especially in slippy mud, where more extensive overshoe sole coverage can result in amusingly traction-free walking. Not extending far down under the shoe also means that wear to the bottom of the covers is reduced, extending their life; overshoes with more sole enclosure do tend to suffer from off-bike wear and tear that can prematurely end their life when the bottoms get tatty and worn.

The downside to their more minimal design is that the reduced wraparound can mean they suffer from the toes lifting up, both when you're walking about or when you push off with your toe/foot. This does depend a lot on the design of the shoe they're covering, and more square-edged toe-boxes suffer far less than slender pointy disco race shoes, but it seems that once it's happened on a ride, the toe wants to keep lifting off no matter how many times you stop and fiddle it back into place.

If you trudge around a lot off the bike and it's particularly wintry, mud and stodge can eventually squish itself between the covers and the shoe, leaving a thin sandwich of mud in there. This is not a feature unique to these GripGrabs, though, nor is the fact that slopping them through endless gloopy mud can force the overshoes to lift off across the toes. Their lightweight design does suggest that this isn't the sort of thing GripGrab had in mind, though.

Waterproofing

The GripGrab RaceAqua X Waterproof MTB/CX Shoe Covers certainly live up to their name and are impressively waterproof, shrugging off the most deliberate, and enforced, muddy puddle splash-throughs, with water streaming off them to leave just a film of dirt residue.

While the fabric is fantastically waterproof and the waterproof seams don't let anything in, they're designed for spring and autumn showers and splashes so won't survive more prolonged attacks, as determined water can creep inside from both under the open sole and from seeping down through the elastic cuff.

As well as being pleasingly waterproof, their wind resistance is impressive too. I wore them on cold, dry days over summer XC shoes with a thin wool sock and they were just as effective as wearing proper winter boots down to single digit figures, even though they're not insulated and supposed to bring warmth. It took a few hours of riding for a chilly numbness to appear in the big toe.

If one of the covers does lift at the toe and you ride around with it wrinkled up, with the uncovered end of your foot facing into the breeze, it does highlight how effective the GripGrabs are at blocking the chilly air.

Despite their light weight they're showing little evidence of scuffs and tears that you might expect from off-road use. The uppers haven't succumbed to any scrapes or rips, and thanks to their open bottoms there isn't any wear to the base or toe, which is something that can quickly deteriorate other more encompassing overshoes.

Value

Mountain bike overshoes tend to be a bit more rufty-tufty than these lightweight GripGrabs, and designed for more rugged days in the hills, with a burlier construction and increased coverage.

The similarly priced (£47.99) Endura MT500 MTB Overshoes, for example, are a far chunkier neoprene offering that come with a moulded rubber toe-cap for hike-a-bike moments and a cuff that reaches higher up the ankle for more protection.

Sealskinz' All Weather Open Sole Cycle Overshoes are a similar beastie, with reinforced sections at the toe and heel, but look to be more loose fitting. They're also more expensive at £55 a pair.

If it's tight and slinky you're after, Velotoze does a mountain bike and gravel overshoe in short and tall versions that shrinkwrap to your foot. Velotoze says they're waterproof and reinforced for use on dirt and gravel trails, though they don't look like they'll last long if you're off and walking a lot. They're £15-£17, though, so a lot cheaper.

Conclusion

The GripGrabs are small and light enough to be folded into a rear pocket if your day's ride might be interrupted by showers and you don't want to wear them all the time, or are easy enough to hide in panniers/bikepacking bags for multi-day rides where the weather might be variable and not having wet shoes for some days a definite bonus, which is what I'll be doing.

Verdict

Lightweight yet effectively waterproof and windproof, with an open sole to help with off-road off-bike grip