Tourist shoe covers

For several years now, I can’t imagine winter hiking without shoe covers. Tourist shoe covers have proven to be an incredibly effective remedy against cold, moisture and snow. Where can I buy these shoe covers? The shoe covers sold in stores are far from perfect and, frankly, a little expensive. Better ask, how to make shoe covers? And I will be happy to share my experience.

What are shoe covers?

Shoe covers are a kind of fabric cover worn over shoes. They protect shoes from snow, getting wet, freezing and damage (on the snow edge and ice). Unlike "flashlights", shoe covers cover the shoe completely (along with the sole).

What are the benefits of shoe covers?

A man's foot evaporates water. It seeps through the shoe (do you have breathable shoes?) which is already saturated with moisture. If it’s warm around, the water simply evaporates from the surface of the shoe. But if there is a deep minus overboard, then the water will inevitably freeze. The only question is where she will do it.
Possible options:

• On the surface of your socks. Brrrrr..
• In the thickness of the walls of the boot. It will stop bending and will feel slightly icy to the touch
• On the surface of the boot
• On the shoe cover

As you understand, the last option is the most attractive. The shoe cover, in contact with the external cold environment, becomes a point of condensation and crystallization of “your” water vapor and saves your shoes from this fate. As a result, the foot inside the boot is much warmer.

In addition, the galosh, from which the lower part of the shoe cover is made, “holds” perfectly on wet stones and ice. I would even say that sometimes it does it better than the famous Vibram sole.

How to make shoe covers?

There are a great variety of models of tourist shoe covers: insulated, sew-on, ski, swamp, etc. We will consider only one - a single-layer fabric based on galoshes. It is, in my opinion, the most relevant.

Okay, enough introductions, let's move on to needlework. The idea is simple - sew a fabric boot to an ordinary rubber galosh.

The galosh should be chosen according to the size of the boot, so that it is easy to put on, but does not dangle on the leg. In stores I came across two types of galoshes: with thin (2-3mm) and thick (more than 5mm) soles. It is easy to distinguish them - thick galoshes have a semblance of a heel, the toe is flattened and elegant. Thin-walled galoshes look slightly shapeless, the toe is swollen, and the entrance hole is large. For our purposes, such a galosh is preferable. It weighs less, is easier to put on and is more flexible to the shape of the shoe being inserted.

Now, the galosh chosen with such difficulty will have to be cut. It is necessary to get rid of the top part of the galosh so that only a side 3-4 cm high remains. This can be done with a knife or ordinary scissors. The main thing is to cut both galoshes equally.

We are preparing for the next stage - making the boot. Measure the circumference of the formed side (in other words, its perimeter) and the distance from your own heel to the popliteal cavity. Throw on 5 centimeters of reserve and get the size of the blank for the boot. For example, I got 75 by 55 centimeters. You need 2... or 3 such blanks (according to the number of legs).

Now you can go to the fabric store to buy fabric. Thick backpack cordura (Cordura 1000), preferably without a waterproof layer of film, is best suited for making shoe covers. This fabric breathes well and is durable enough to live near climbing crampons, icy edges and other aggressive environments. It is desirable that the fabric is smooth, and not rough and fleecy (like the shoe covers in the photo). This will make it difficult for snow to stick.

If you are from Kyiv, then look for cordura (and other “tourist” fabrics) in the Zlagoda basement (Borshchagovskaya St., 129 Tel. 457-26-95).

It is better not to sew cordura to galoshes yourself, but with the help of an experienced shoemaker and his magic sewing machine. Just bring him “spare parts” and popularly explain what to do. The seam on the boot should be in the front, near the toe. It is stitched last. Why?

The fabric must be sewn to the galosh in a clever way. Look at the picture. The fabric (marked in blue) covers the upper edge of the side of the galosh (black) on both sides, is stitched (red) and only after that rises and takes the shape of the boot. It turns out that the stitching is hidden under a layer of whole fabric, which will protect the threads from abrasion.

The upper part of the boot is turned up and stitched. A thick rubber band (2-3mm) is passed into the resulting “tunnel”. The ends of the elastic band are brought out and are equipped with a common tip and clamp. With this device, the top of the boot will be tightened somewhere under your knee. However, practice has shown that under load the elastic quickly and uncontrollably stretches and you have to twist it around your leg several times. Therefore, it makes sense to put not an elastic band or a sling with a three-slot under the knee, but an ordinary lace and knit a bow there.

Important! When hiking, make sure that the elastic bands of shoe covers and socks do not pinch your leg too much. This can impede blood circulation and lead to hypothermia and frostbite on the feet.

We could stop there, but it would be better to spend a little more time and bring the shoe covers to perfection. Elegant lacing will give the product a finished look and at the same time prevent the shoe cover from sliding down.

If you have any questions about making shoe covers, ask - I will try to answer.

Kirill Yasko, 2007