How I Stand the Rain, Part 1: the feet

One of the laws of economics is that the minute you find the perfect product, they quit making it. Such is the case with the perfect rainproof shoe covers I finally found last fall. Now listen, no fair scrolling ahead to the photo because when you see what I’m calling 'perfect' I’m going to lose all credibility and you’re going to stop reading immediately. I’m telling you right up front that these are the oogliest items ever to be listed under the category of clothing; and now, before you prejudice yourself against them forever by seeing them, I’m going to tell you what’s perfect about them.

One, they fit over my clunky gym shoes, which are regular “running” shoes, or kick-around shoes and not some kind of high-falutin bike shoes. Like everything “bicycle,” biking shoes are slim and trim and sleek and streamlined and aerodynamic. All the shoe covers on the market except these are made to fit over those kinds of shoes and no other.

My gym shoes are the clunkiest shoes I own, so if these things fit over my gym shoes they’ll fit over any other shoes I may wear. Since they zip all the way down to the sole, they’re super easy to put on – I can do it while standing on one leg in the middle of the street if there's no nearby signpost or tree to lean on. They’re very waterproof, though in an absolutely diluvian downpour a little leaking will happen around the zipper but who cares. The zips are on the “out” side of the leg, which keeps them and the little closing straps at the top away from getting caught in or dirtied up by the chain.

They don’t get too hot or make my feet sweaty. I even forget I have them on, which isn’t ideal since I sometimes walk into a place of business without preparing myself for the possible reactions to my abominable appearance. (Wait! I said no looking!). They also serve to keep my feet plenty warm when it’s not even raining but really really cold out.

The soles of them are made of some type of cordura or something that is of course much thicker than the rest of them. But walking over blocks and blocks of pavement isn’t what they’re made for, so if you do that, they’re going to wear out a lot faster. I’m trying not to do that, because when I bought them they were among the only three pair left in the world. I should have bought all three pairs, but I didn’t feel like shelling out sixty more dollars on something I might not wear till two or three years down the road.

They were made by Burley, those inventors and builders of the amazing Burley bike carts located right in our back yard down in Eugene. They also made bike apparel –until recently, when they decided to pare down to making only the carts. Bummer. Here they are, you can look now. Was I lying? Are they not hideous? But know this: the other kinds of cycling shoe covers are equally weird looking.

They look much better with the rain pants down over them. Tomorrow I’ll discuss the pants, which are the most perfect biking pants in the known world.

PS: I know you looked ahead. I saw you.