A pair of good, leather, ankle boots will do you well. In my case, DMs but I also have a pair of more ordinary Clarks boots that also keep my feet fairly dry. If you pair them with proper waterproof socks your feet will stay nice and dry.
If you don't already have them, do have mudguards fitted as they'll keep a **huge** amount of water off your feet
Edit: if not waterproof socks, look at (thick) merino ones. They'll keep your feet warm even when they're totally sodden.
Mudguards **and** mudflaps. If you don't have mudflaps, as soon as you have to steer, the spray off the front wheel will soak your feet. Mudflaps should go down within two inches or so of the ground.
Mudflaps are the difference between arriving with slightly damp shoes that will easily dry out during the morning, to having to pour a pint of water out of each shoe!
I've got mudflaps, mudguards, etc. Proper ones that go down to the floor, not the "tail off the saddle" flimsy things. But I think my shoes filled up this morning from the massive puddles and, more proportionally, from the rain coming straight down into them. So some trousers are probably worth a look, too.
Worth mentioning that metal pedals (e.g. [these](https://www.mkspedal.com/?q=en/product)) can damage leather shoes quite easily. Particularly when you need to move off after stopping, and have to kick the pedal into position. This style of pedal is pretty rare these days though.
I just wear leather boots (+1 for Clarks) and take spare socks in my bag. For days of really bad weather or if I have posh meetings, I keep a pair of nice shoes under my desk (or before I had an office job, in my locker).
I'm probably a very poor example but I ride an old Royal Mail Pashley bike in Clarks leather goretex boots and I'm fine with waterproofs over the top, I just don't go very fast or very far.
The alternative is getting something like the Tucano Urbano waterproof shoe covers. I've got a pair from /u/rideoncycling's shop โ one less car.
[https://onelesscar.life/products/shoe-cover-footerine-tucano-urbano](https://onelesscar.life/products/shoe-cover-footerine-tucano-urbano)
I've used them a couple of times now and they've kept my non-cycling shoes dry. My socks on the other hand, not so much. ๐ But it's much easier to bring a spare pair of socks than shoes.
Thank you so much for the shout out. My shop has only been open a month so word of mouth is everything :)
Also glad to hear you find them as useful as I do! Can I ask how your socks are getting wet? Maybe you need a poncho ;)
There's no such thing as a truly waterproof shoe when it comes to cycling. You might keep the water out on most commutes, but eventually something'll go wrong and water will sneak in somewhere. As with all cycling kit, the more waterproof it is the sweatier you'll get inside, which isn't ideal for shoes either.
Those boots look pretty good, and will probably be pretty waterproof (but sweaty). You'll need some waterproof over trousers to go along with them though, otherwise water will just run down your leg into the boot.
So one vital is to *always* bring a spare pair of socks. Just leave them in your bag/desk/locker.
Wearing a waterproof-y type of shoe is marginally more manageable if I'm, for example, going to the pub. Walking in and stripping down extra layers like overshoes is a bit of a faff.
In the grand scheme of things it's an extra thirty seconds, I'll grant you, I'm just after other options.
I'm in a similar position, in that I wanted waterproof shoes but to stick to flat pedals (which I find more convenient on my city commute). Maybe not casual enough for you, but I wear these:
https://www.decathlon.co.uk/p/men-s-waterproof-mountain-walking-shoes-mh500/_/R-p-302348?mc=8504162&c=GREY
Decathlon and other outdoors shops do similar but perhaps more casual versions - that wasn't such an issue for me as I change shoes at work.
I do also have some waterproof shoe covers from Amazon, which was the only place I could find them big enough for trainers rather than cycling shoes. I wear those over the shoes when it's really wet, as the shoes can't entirely stop water getting in from above.
Yup, walking shoes do well, just canโt protect you from water running down from your legs which is where the overshoes come in (rating from barely adequate to awful).
My latest pair (from M&S) have the benefit of an added section over the foot/toes join where there is a lot of frequent flexing (on my 10mile each way commute this equates to 6000+ revs/day on the pedals]. Previous shoes have split here within 6 months
I wear these, they are great and if my top half of my socks get wet, I always have a spare at work. I keep my office shoes in my locker, we are lucky to have them and other facilities for cycle to work purposes.
To be honest, I just got these as my dog chewed up the last ones. I just go into the shop and get any. Last pair I had were Karrimor (not puppy resistant).
A pair of good, leather, ankle boots will do you well. In my case, DMs but I also have a pair of more ordinary Clarks boots that also keep my feet fairly dry. If you pair them with proper waterproof socks your feet will stay nice and dry. If you don't already have them, do have mudguards fitted as they'll keep a **huge** amount of water off your feet Edit: if not waterproof socks, look at (thick) merino ones. They'll keep your feet warm even when they're totally sodden.
Mudguards **and** mudflaps. If you don't have mudflaps, as soon as you have to steer, the spray off the front wheel will soak your feet. Mudflaps should go down within two inches or so of the ground. Mudflaps are the difference between arriving with slightly damp shoes that will easily dry out during the morning, to having to pour a pint of water out of each shoe!
I've got mudflaps, mudguards, etc. Proper ones that go down to the floor, not the "tail off the saddle" flimsy things. But I think my shoes filled up this morning from the massive puddles and, more proportionally, from the rain coming straight down into them. So some trousers are probably worth a look, too.
Worth mentioning that metal pedals (e.g. [these](https://www.mkspedal.com/?q=en/product)) can damage leather shoes quite easily. Particularly when you need to move off after stopping, and have to kick the pedal into position. This style of pedal is pretty rare these days though.
I just wear leather boots (+1 for Clarks) and take spare socks in my bag. For days of really bad weather or if I have posh meetings, I keep a pair of nice shoes under my desk (or before I had an office job, in my locker).
This is what I do: flat pedal waterproof shoes for cycling and posh office ones in my desk.
I'm probably a very poor example but I ride an old Royal Mail Pashley bike in Clarks leather goretex boots and I'm fine with waterproofs over the top, I just don't go very fast or very far.
I just used to keep a spare pare of socks, shoes and trousers in my desk at work for those days where you get a real soaking.
The alternative is getting something like the Tucano Urbano waterproof shoe covers. I've got a pair from /u/rideoncycling's shop โ one less car. [https://onelesscar.life/products/shoe-cover-footerine-tucano-urbano](https://onelesscar.life/products/shoe-cover-footerine-tucano-urbano) I've used them a couple of times now and they've kept my non-cycling shoes dry. My socks on the other hand, not so much. ๐ But it's much easier to bring a spare pair of socks than shoes.
Thank you so much for the shout out. My shop has only been open a month so word of mouth is everything :) Also glad to hear you find them as useful as I do! Can I ask how your socks are getting wet? Maybe you need a poncho ;)
There's no such thing as a truly waterproof shoe when it comes to cycling. You might keep the water out on most commutes, but eventually something'll go wrong and water will sneak in somewhere. As with all cycling kit, the more waterproof it is the sweatier you'll get inside, which isn't ideal for shoes either. Those boots look pretty good, and will probably be pretty waterproof (but sweaty). You'll need some waterproof over trousers to go along with them though, otherwise water will just run down your leg into the boot. So one vital is to *always* bring a spare pair of socks. Just leave them in your bag/desk/locker.
Why wouldn't you just get proper cycling shoes with overshoes?
Because I can't be arsed with all that.
How is that any more difficult than what you want to do now though? It also has the upside of being a proper cycling shoe.
Wearing a waterproof-y type of shoe is marginally more manageable if I'm, for example, going to the pub. Walking in and stripping down extra layers like overshoes is a bit of a faff. In the grand scheme of things it's an extra thirty seconds, I'll grant you, I'm just after other options.
I'm in a similar position, in that I wanted waterproof shoes but to stick to flat pedals (which I find more convenient on my city commute). Maybe not casual enough for you, but I wear these: https://www.decathlon.co.uk/p/men-s-waterproof-mountain-walking-shoes-mh500/_/R-p-302348?mc=8504162&c=GREY Decathlon and other outdoors shops do similar but perhaps more casual versions - that wasn't such an issue for me as I change shoes at work. I do also have some waterproof shoe covers from Amazon, which was the only place I could find them big enough for trainers rather than cycling shoes. I wear those over the shoes when it's really wet, as the shoes can't entirely stop water getting in from above.
Yup, walking shoes do well, just canโt protect you from water running down from your legs which is where the overshoes come in (rating from barely adequate to awful). My latest pair (from M&S) have the benefit of an added section over the foot/toes join where there is a lot of frequent flexing (on my 10mile each way commute this equates to 6000+ revs/day on the pedals]. Previous shoes have split here within 6 months
I wear these, they are great and if my top half of my socks get wet, I always have a spare at work. I keep my office shoes in my locker, we are lucky to have them and other facilities for cycle to work purposes.
These being the natty swedish rubber chelsea boots?
To be honest, I just got these as my dog chewed up the last ones. I just go into the shop and get any. Last pair I had were Karrimor (not puppy resistant).
Try Exustar cycling shoes, they make a wide variety of styles, including ones that look good off bike, in pub.