Cold Toes / Warm socks

jackfeeder

V.cold toes this morning - anyone recommend good warm thermal(?) socks for these chilly times. Or would overshoes be a better idea?

The Chingford Skinhead

jackfeeder wrote:

V.cold toes this morning - anyone recommend good warm thermal(?) socks for these chilly times. Or would overshoes be a better idea?

I asked a bloke at the lights how good his overshoes were. Best investment he has made came the reply. I'll be looking at wiggle dot co later today then as my toes are still refusing to talk to me apart from giving me pain!

Wrath Rob

Yup, overshoes are fantastic. I've got the Altura Night Vision ones, and while they're not aesthetically pleasing, they do the job well, keeping my feet dry and a darn sight less cold than they would otherwise be

singlespeedexplosif

Woolie Boolies

Rich158

I second the opinion on overshoes. the onl trouble is sometime when water runs down your leg you still get wet feet. I'v got thick neoprene ones, and they act like a wetsuit keeping my feet lovely and toasty even if they'er soaked.

woodyonthebeach

seal skinz socks are great I find. usually have a normal pair of socks underneath and that seems to work very well

Stevo C

I bought some neoprene overshoes from Ribble a few weeks ago after getting wet feet once too often. Suffered with cold feet on the way in yesterday morning and then remembered they were in my bag - it hadn't occurred to me to wear them when it's cold as well.

So, lovely toasty warm feet on the way home last night and on the way in this morning - definitely worth every penny. As an added bonus, it makes my 10 year old daughter laugh in the mornings, combined with the bib tights, she thinks I look hilarious. Since she's asked me to never do the school pickup dressed like that, I might just have to finish work early one day.............

cheers

Steve

fonty1978

Definitely agree with overshoes i have a pair of Endura Luminite and i find them pretty good.

This morning i put on my hiking sock of choice Thor-lo trekking socks feet were toasty all the way to work. No matter how wet your feet get they seem to keep your feet warm [Expensive though £15 pair]

gtvlusso

Still in Rugby socks....Green and White striped (it makes a difference!). Tend to only wear overshoes when it is really wet - Sidi ones (to go with my lovely Sidi race shoes)

My Diadora SPD's are waterproof anyway, makes them pretty resistant to cold - my wife thinks that I am made of asbestos as I generally do not feel the cold....Actually, it is because I am a cheapskate and won't waste good money on heating the house, just built up a tolerance over the years.....now, where is my fleece..?!

The Chingford Skinhead

Stevo C wrote:

I ..., it makes my 10 year old daughter laugh in the mornings, combined with the bib tights, she thinks I look hilarious. Since she's asked me to never do the school pickup dressed like that, I might just have to finish work early one day.............

cheers

Steve

My daughter is 16 and I'm banned from meeting or taking her anywhere in any of my cycling gear. Even the luminous jacket on its own is so "uncool" :twisted: I often threaten her with the fact that I may just finish work early one day (some chance!) and happen to pass her college at about 3:25.... you'll be surprised how fast the lines get cleared or the drying up gets done.

girv73

I've some SealSkinz waterproof socks that are nice and warm. There's also enough room in them for an extra pair of normal socks for the really cold days.

linsen

I'm just about to get some overshoes.

Even though I think they look ridiculous

Rich158

Sealskinz socks are great, but I find they suffer the same fate as the overshoes, water trickles down my legs into them, and then can't get out. it does stay warm though

Agreed overshoes do look comical with tights, I'm now known as tinkerbell in the office, although that may have something to do with the way I mince about in the cycling shoes as well

edhornby

+1 for overshoes - I have the altura smooth neoprene ones and they are great

another top tip for keeping warm - headband (yeah I know, also not cool looking) that keeps forehead and ears warm but allows ventilation from the top of the skull

ansbaradigeidfran

I don't intend to get overshoes this winter... That's probably because I'm cycling in walking boots.

Pip13

linsen wrote:

I'm just about to get some overshoes.

Even though I think they look ridiculous

I agree they do look ridiculous and my colleagues think think they are hilarious, but I could not give a monkeys cos dry/warm feet are a must!

tardington

edhornby wrote:

+1 for overshoes - I have the altura smooth neoprene ones and they are great

another top tip for keeping warm - headband (yeah I know, also not cool looking) that keeps forehead and ears warm but allows ventilation from the top of the skull

I had to get a skull cap, as my helmet is too venty for winter - I was getting cold headaches... which is pretty wussy I guess...

Feet - I wear my woolly hill socks. I got given overshoes - but will they work with toeclips?

itboffin

ansbaradigeidfran wrote:

I don't intend to get overshoes this winter... That's probably because I'm cycling in walking boots.

Keeping your options open hike/bike ..??

Overshoes are great I bought mine because my shoes we're beginning to stink, wet on the commute followed by hours on the train then sitting under my desk at work for a repeat performance on the way home.

I wear normal cycling summer socks with a good walking sock over the top, fold the top back over a couple of inches then put the overshoes on top, it keeps the heat in and stops most of the water running down into your shoes.

Seems I did learn something from the army after all.

ansbaradigeidfran

itboffin wrote:

ansbaradigeidfran wrote:

I don't intend to get overshoes this winter... That's probably because I'm cycling in walking boots.

Keeping your options open hike/bike ..??

Sort of. I've spent several years working at the National Eisteddfod of Wales, which means a week in a field, whatever the weather may be. That got me into wearing sturdy boots, and they were also useful when I got into photography and started ambling off in all sorts of odd directions. When I started biking again this autumn, my boots were the only all-weather footwear I had, and they've worked perfectly. I am considering getting some cleated shoes/pedals for my new racer next spring/summer, once it's been bought, brushed, and built.

JGS

I use Gore Race Pro overshoes, they were pretty cheap from Evans and are Gore-Tex so if they leak you can send them back to Gore for a new pair free (it's part of the Gore-Tex guarentee). They also have a good fastener that stops water trickling down into them.

If you do get overshoes that stop the wind / wet, don't think that wearing 2 pairs of socks to fill out your shoes will help. I found that having a bit of space inside my shoes with the overshoes on meant my feet were warmer than when I was wearing 3 pairs of socks!

The Chingford Skinhead

Just ordered some overshoes and a buff (oh and some bib tights) on my cycle card (I mean credit card )

linsen

I bought some before I rode home today. Endura thin ones with loads of flouro stuff on. Once I had managed to get them on, my feet were toasty warm on the bike for the first time in ages. And I must say they look far less silly than those big thick ones Mr L wears (or maybe it is just that the difference between the size of my leg and the shoe is not so great)
A good investment....

fonty1978

tardie wrote:

edhornby wrote:

+1 for overshoes - I have the altura smooth neoprene ones and they are great

another top tip for keeping warm - headband (yeah I know, also not cool looking) that keeps forehead and ears warm but allows ventilation from the top of the skull

I had to get a skull cap, as my helmet is too venty for winter - I was getting cold headaches... which is pretty wussy I guess...

Feet - I wear my woolly hill socks. I got given overshoes - but will they work with toeclips?

+1 for headwear, i recently bought a buff from Wiggle on the advice from this forum and they are ace. thin enough to fit under your helmet [oo er missus] and can be worn depending on the conditions for example last night i had it in balaclava mode tucked just under my nose.