Showers Pass

This is my second pair Showers Pass Crosspoint waterproof wool crew socks (my first pair lasted 4 years - not bad at all). I use these socks for cold and wet rides, and they perfectly fit the role. The waterproofness is due to a plastic (I assume) layer. In practice, these socks keep me warm and dry on cold/wet days. If you do winter riding, consider buying a pair. I also wear these socks off the bike with boots and running shoes in the winter. Lastly, the socks are thicker than most, so keep that in mind.

I am a life-long cyclist, but I always had a car to drive when the weather turned foul; a common practice for many cyclists in suburban North America. Last year, however, I sold my car, and I now bike everywhere I need to go in my region. So, when the weather here in the Raleigh, North Carolina (U.S.) area turns cold, rainy, or both, I need good gear to maintain an adequate level of comfort. These gloves protect my hands against the rain; I have ridden 45-50 minutes in steady rain in 38-45 degree (F) temperatures (3-7 celsius), with these gloves plus a fleece liner glove - my hands remained dry and warm. Primarily, I commute within 5 miles (8K) of my home for work, shopping, or volunteering. But, I do have Raynaud's Syndrome, so my hands are quite prone to becoming cold and losing blood circulation. These Showers Pass gloves protect my hands significantly better than a few types of Gore brand gloves I have tried (even T5), and are on par with Columbia ski gloves I have used in very cold weather. These Crosspoint gloves, though, provide more dexterity for shifting and braking, so they are far better suited for cycling. I do, also, have heated glove liners for use when temperatures dip below freezing temps. The Crosspoint gloves pair perfectly with these to protect my hands when temperatures have gone down to 20 degrees (F)/(-6 celsius).

The fit of these gloves is very good, and I like the closure strap; overall, they are very comfortable to wear for long periods on the bike, even though they have just a thin layer of palm padding. Consider this, when using these Crosspoint gloves, glove liners will likely be necessary, too, and will provide additional padding. And, I look more to high quality grips for overall hand comfort. So, even without glove liners, the Crosspoints have been very comfortable to wear alone while pedaling for an hour or more. I have not done long distance touring yet with these gloves, but I predict they will be comfortable and very protective over many hours of riding, based on my current experience with them.

The people at Showers Pass have designed and constructed an excellent pair of cycling gloves here - thank you! So, I am very confident in recommending these gloves to people who are important to me (spouse; good friends; my boss), and I hope this translates well to recommending the Crosspoints to any of you who have read my review.

I'm having foot problems, so for the time being, I prefer wearing sandals to shoes. I bought these socks to see if I could wear them with sandals in the winter. Never mind that it's a fashion blunder to wear socks with sandals. Well, I'm happy to say that I'm comfortable wearing these with sandals in low temperatures. My toes are not toasty warm; they're slightly cool but not very cold. This product is quite an innovation.

One trouble is that even though I got the large size, they are a bit tight on me in the toes. And of course they are thick so you may need a larger size shoe.

I am a long time commuter turned long distance touring rider. This is my third Shower Pass rain jacket. I use this jacket on both training and touring rides. Except for the reflective sections, it is all yellow rather than yellow and black as the prior two jackets were. The fold down rear flap is reflective and a good improvement as are the Velcro spots that hold the flap in place when not needed. The sleeves are a bit shorter than the earlier two jackets of the same size but still sized appropriately for me. (My dress shirt size is 16.5 x 37.) I also have Transit rain pants and a Shower Pass hood.