They say there’s no such thing as bad weather, just wrong clothing choices and that can be very true!
The lovely people at ShowersPass kindly sent me some of their kit to try out and as we’ve recently been having rain, and cooler weather I have had all the opportunities to utilise these items. So heading out on my road bike on a very grey day, with moisture in the air and puddles on the road was perfect conditions for this kit.
I always find it hard to go out if it is raining but if I am out and get wet then I just think well I am wet anyway so enjoy it! And so it was quite fun to go out and splash through the puddles in the new kit – I mean if you are going to test out waterproof items you have to get wet right?
First up was the waterproof socks. I didn’t know that was even a thing and although I had heard of water resistant socks I was dubious as to whether or not they really would be waterproof. I needn’t have been worried as these socks are amazing – literally no water got in. I have done Ride London four times and the first was the year of Hurricane Bertha where they closed Box Hill and Leith Hill due to flooding for safety, but other parts of the route were so wet that all riders were pretty much soaked from head to toe and for me when my feet are wet the rest of me feels cold. These socks are amazing for training during the winter months that is for sure! I also wore these when I was hiking in the Peak District in snow and my feet were not cold or wet once, so there may even be some additional pairs added to my kit wardrobe.
Now the socks retail at £31 and whilst I originally thought this to be expensive I also wore during a night obstacle run that was extremely muddy and extremely wet and never have I been so pleased for these socks. The photo below does not do it justice but I was surprised how well they held up (and I should note they are not designed for obstacle running) and not only that but they washed up amazingly too.
Next up was a shirt. This could be used as a base layer in colder months or as a stand alone top (I have done both). When moving to winter kit it can always feel slightly odd as you may have had months since you had a need to wear either arm warmers or long sleeves and getting layering correct is key so you don’t overheat as I do tend to get hot pretty quickly but again it was pretty much perfect. Super soft and comfortable and although longer sleeved it was lightweight, or as ShowersPass describe ‘summer weight’, and also provides UPF 40 protection from the sun. Although no back pockets like a regular cycling jersey there is a cleverly concealed pocket on the side, which was perfect for me to take my phone along on the ride. I have also worn this under my cycling jacket for commuting and again no complaints at all.
The shirt retails at £73 and I will admit I have other base layers equally as good that come in at a much lower price point and are just as good.
When I transition from summer to winter riding there is generally a period where additional layers are added ie moving to thicker socks, arm warmers, gillets, long sleeved jerseys, full fingered gloves, jackets and then bib tights and so these socks and top have been ideal in recent months and as the weather has cooled. They have also been a god send for my winter commuting when the weather is always considerably lower in the earlier hours of the morning especially.
I was really impressed by both items and I am sure I will be getting more than good use of both over the coming months and through the year too.
Leave a Reply