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review

MAAP Deep Winter Neo Overshoe

8
£80.00

VERDICT:

8
10
Far from cheap, but they do perform brilliantly and look like they should last well too
Very warm even when wet
Decent waterproofing
Well made
Durable
No reflectives
Weight: 
106g
Contact: 

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The price might make you wince, but these MAAP Deep Winter Neo Overshoes are great in the wet and dry, though a few reflectives would be nice.

When it comes to spending big on a pair of overshoes, these MAAP Deep Winter Neos are up there with the priciest at £80. That's the same as Assos' Assosoires Winter Booties but more than either of Castelli's Diluvio designs, the UL or Pro, both £60, and Rapha's Winter Overshoes at £55.

Are they worth it? Well, yes, I think so.

> Buy these online here

Created from Japanese neoprene (I don't know how much of a difference that makes) and with fully taped seams, they keep water at bay for a decent amount of time. I'd say an hour or so in heavy rain, but then it is always tricky to gauge where that water is coming from as most of it is running down your legs into the overshoes from the top.

That said, neoprene isn't designed to keep you bone dry – well, not without a coating at least, which is why MAAP doesn't describe these as waterproof.

What neoprene does do is keep you warm when wet, and these overshoes do that very well. On a wet ride of three hours on a chilly February morning I had no issues with cold feet, even when slogging into the northerly wind. My toes and everything else stayed properly toasty even with the temperature in low single figures, around 2°C.

The taped seams help in this respect too, stopping the cold breeze getting through.

2022 MAAP Deep Winter Neo Overshoe - logo detail.jpg

My biggest concern with overshoes is how durable they are going to be. When I was commuting five days a week, I used to go through a pair of overshoes each winter. The zips would go, or the material would break down, plus there is the issue of walking in them.

> Buyer’s Guide: 15 of the best cycling overshoes

The MAAPs have stood up very well in all kinds of conditions. I've worn them on some light gravel trails, which has seen them cutting through the undergrowth and catching twigs and brambles with no signs of damage.

2022 MAAP Deep Winter Neo Overshoe - heels.jpg

They also have rubberised heel and toe sections. It won't last forever, especially if you use shoes with very low bumpers at the front and back, but seems quite robust.

2022 MAAP Deep Winter Neo Overshoe - underside toe.jpg

The zip can't fail either, as there isn't one.

The MAAPs have a fully open sole area which is closed with a Velcro strip. It makes them a little bit of a faff to put on as you need to slide them up your leg before you put your shoes on and then lower them down, wrapping the Velcro strap around underneath the shoe.

2022 MAAP Deep Winter Neo Overshoe - underside velcro.jpg

It does mean they give a very good fit, with no interference from a zip. The cuff sits snuggly around your lower leg too.

2022 MAAP Deep Winter Neo Overshoe - cuffs.jpg

On the whole, the Italian manufacturing is to a very high standard, and while they are a big outlay they certainlly seem to be lasting. The only real downside for me is the lack of reflectives. It's often said that your feet revolving is one of the quickest things to identify you as a cyclist from a driver's headlights behind, so a couple of strips here and there would add to safety.

Other than that, though, I find very little to fault here.

Verdict

Far from cheap, but they do perform brilliantly and look like they should last well too

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road.cc test report

Make and model: MAAP Deep Winter Neo Overshoe

Size tested: Large

Tell us what the product is for

MAAP says, "Designed for cold conditions, our Deep Winter Neo Overshoe is constructed with Japanese Neoprene to provide protection from wind and rain where you need it the most. The rubberised heel and toe panels are abrasion-resistant for durability and feature fully taped seams to keep the rain at bay making them the perfect winter essential riding partner."

Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?

MAAP lists:

Japanese neoprene

Durable heel and toe panels

Fully taped seams

Zipperless construction

Made in Italy

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
9/10
Rate the product for performance:
 
8/10
Rate the product for durability:
 
8/10
Rate the product for fit:
 
8/10
Rate the product for sizing:
 
8/10

Sizing is absolutely fine, and there is enough stretch to get them over Boa systems etc.

Rate the product for weight:
 
7/10
Rate the product for comfort:
 
8/10
Rate the product for value:
 
4/10

How easy is the product to care for? How did it respond to being washed?

No issues at all. I didn't wash them that often but MAAP recommends a cool wash, and following this they always came up clean.

Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose

They keep your feet warm and make a decent fist of keeping you dry too.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

Excellent quality overall.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

No reflectives.

How does the price compare to that of similar products in the market, including ones recently tested on road.cc?

At £80 these are very much at the premium end of the market. Castelli's Diluvio ULs are pricey but still much cheaper than the MAAPs, as are others from the likes of Rapha, though they are on a par with the Assos pair mentioned in the review.

Did you enjoy using the product? Yes

Would you consider buying the product? Possibly, if I could justify the cost.

Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes

Use this box to explain your overall score

They are pricey, but they do perform very well indeed and are very well made. If you are happy to spend the money then you won't be disappointed.

Overall rating: 8/10

About the tester

Age: 42  Height: 180cm  Weight: 76kg

I usually ride: This month's test bike  My best bike is: B'Twin Ultra CF draped in the latest bling test components

I've been riding for: Over 20 years  I ride: Every day  I would class myself as: Expert

I regularly do the following types of riding: time trialling, commuting, club rides, sportives, fixed/singlespeed,

As part of the Tech Hub here at F-At Digital, our senior product reviewer Stu uses the knowledge gained from putting well over a 1,000 products through their paces (including hundreds of bikes) to write in-depth reviews of a huge range of kit. After first throwing his leg over a race bike back in 2000, Stu's ridden more than 160,000 miles on road, time-trial, track, and gravel bikes, and while he's put his racing days behind him he still likes to smash the pedals rather than take things easy. Although, as he spends a fair bit of his time reviewing ebikes these days he's becoming an expert in letting the motor take the strain. He's also waiting for 23mm race tyres to make a comeback!

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