Pearl Izumi makes several different shoe covers to keep your feet warm in winter, from the purely aerodynamic models for roadie time-triallists, to full winter-weight booties. As useful as they are, none are what you might call flash — except for this one.
Structurally, the Shine isn’t much different to many other models from many other brands; thick neoprene, a good close fit with no bits of ‘spare’ material, a rubberised sole with cleat and heel cut-outs, a zip back and Velcro zip cover.
But the real trick feature is on the back — a panel lit up by LEDs. This can be switched on and off by simply pressing on the panel, and toggled to give either a constant or flashing light. The light is orange and the panel is three inches long by an inch wide.
If your winter rides take in unlit stretches of road, then simple products such as this one provide extra help to stay visible. Each bootie comes with a CR2032 battery installed, and changing them is a two-minute job. The Shines cost twice as much as other shoe covers on the market, but for extra peace-of-mind, we reckon they’re worth it.
