Sportful Fiandre Bootie overshoes review

Sportful's Fiandre Bootie overshoes use premium Gore fabrics for good water resistance and breathability, but they’re not insulated, so are better suited to riding in milder wet weather than in the depths of winter.

The Sportful Fiandre overshoes have the look of a quality offering, with low bulk and high-end Gore-Tex Infinium fabric. At 88g a pair, they’re lightweight, but still provide good coverage with a high cut on the leg and a long, stretchy ankle cuff with silicone grippers, which keeps the rain out well.

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There’s a sturdy waterproof zipper at the rear that’s offset from the midline. This has a wide backing strip to further increase water resistance, although unlike many overshoes, there’s no Velcro tab at the top to adjust fit and reduce stress on the top of the zip.

The midline seam up the front of the Fiandre booties is well taped to ensure waterproofing, and the sole, although thin, feels robust and abrasion resistant.

You also get a reflective pull-on tape at the heel and a reflective Sportful logo on the outer toe, while the bright orange fabric should help get you noticed. There’s a mainly-black option as well, if you prefer.

On paper, the Sportful Fiandre Booties tick all the boxes for a quality, lightweight overshoe and they are well suited to milder wet weather.

However, while the Gore-Tex fabric is lightweight and breathable, it isn’t that stretchy, making the overshoes a bit harder to get on than some, and putting stress on the zippers when trying to do them up. Once you’ve got them on, there tends to be some surplus fabric over the top of the forefoot.

The booties don't have a layer of insulation the way some overshoes do. The outwardly similar Castelli Pioggia 3s, for example, have a flocked inner surface to help retain heat (and they're stretchier too).

While my feet stayed dry on wet rides, I found my toes getting cold when the temperature was around 6°C or 7°C.

Also, the Fiandre overshoes are expensive at £75 / $90 a pair, out-pricing premium kit from Rapha and Castelli.

Ultimately, these are overshoes that are well suited to wet summer rides (or milder spring and autumn days) when the temperature is still in the mid-teens. For cold, damp conditions, however, there are better options (including some from Sportful itself) with more insulation.