Try these and your speedplay cleats will last for years.

http://www.keeponkovers.com/Product.html

That works ok? As in, this one? http://www.probikekit.com/uk/northwave-speedplay-adaptor-kit.html?utm_source=google&utm_medium=base&utm_campaign=google_base_gbp

I'll be trying that out...

You must be aching to try the Bebop pedals

To be fair, I have several friends who ride Speedplay and they said the same thing.

It wasn't usually pulling up and I don't twist my feet a lot. I even tried adjusting the cleats a bit to allow my feet to spin more before release and it didn't matter. At least a handful of times I came unclipped were just regular pedaling - a couple times through a turn almost ended in tears.

How heavy are you?

aarw, that's the correct northwave product from pbk.

Overall it works fine, but the fit is not perfect. Undersides of Bont my size 39 shoes obviously not exactly same as the Northwave shoes (I didn't shim but you may have to), plus I cut up the triangular plastic pieces, drilled new holes etc.

Worth the effort to get rid of the otherwise obligatory Speedplay-supplied 3-hole to 4-hole adapter, for less stack.

Those Speedplay covers protect the outside of the cleats (including the fixing screws). The parts that engage cleat and pedal are actually well protected by design. Personally I don't use such covers, finding that it's time to replace cleats (too much play) before the outsides wear out badly enough (eg screw heads gone!). However if it makes any significant difference, I'm a small fella.