Concensus on winter boots.

iPete

Every new winter is an opportunity to add some better kit to the collection and this year I want to go 100% waterproof.

Now I can pick up some Specialized BG Defrosters for £59.99 + postage, not bad when Shimano MW80s are £110!

What do people think of them?

If you ride in them + waterproof full length bibs are you essentially watertight?

Overshoes are faff and don't work for long on a 21 mile commute.

On a side note how similar is Shimano/Specialized sizing?

UndercoverElephant

Not used either of those, but I love my Diadora Chili Extreme's, very waterproof and warm. Especially waterproof due to the draw-string around the top of the boot. Very small sizing, though and quite narrow. I agree about overshoes, they aren't much cop.

bails87

It absolutely pished it down on the way home last night, my feet were soaked despite my overshoes. It wasn't too much of a problem because the overshoes kept the wind off, so my feet weren't cold, but obviously when it's properly wintery outside it'll be a different story.

I've been buying more than a sensible amount of stuff lately.......just one more thing is okay though? Right? Right?

tgotb

iPete wrote:

Now I can pick up some Specialized BG Defrosters for £59.99 + postage, not bad when Shimano MW80s are £110!

I love my Defrosters (for which I paid twice your price!) Toasty warm in the winter, especially as mine are slightly larger than my Summer shoes, to accomodate thicker socks. Fit is wider than some other shoes, which may or may not suit you (I have wide feet).

I've never tried them with waterproof trousers; with bib tights you get water coming in though the leg hole, as you might expect. However, because the boot itself is windproof, your feet tend to end up warm and wet rather than cold and wet. When it's cold and dry (I've used them down to about -5) they're great.

There are three velcro straps, but because the top one is on the ankle cuff, the shoe part effectively only has two. This means my feet aren't held quite as firmly as in my Summer shoes. Whether that's an issue to you I don't know.

Kieran_Burns

Wow. I got my MW80s for £70!

How the heck did I manage that???? :shock:

iPete

Not sure but damn you! Hopefully Specialized sizing is similar but if too big I'll probably be wearing winter socks with them anywhoo!

Clever Pun

I've a pair of size 11 Northwave ones (red and black) that I'm looking to offload since I bought some new sidi ones.

They did me proud, comfy and solid, completly waterproof except for the whole where your foot goes in

lost_in_thought

+1 for the northwaves. Damn that hole in the top, but stretching water-resistant tights over the shoes seems to work like a gaiter.

It's all well and good having wet-but-warm shoes until you take them off and need to put them back on again.

/shudder

iPete

Drying Cabinet = win, infact we now have two

jonginge

iPete wrote:

Drying Cabinet = win, infact we now have two

Ooh! Intriguing. We're about to move offices and the new place has no separate hanging space... will investigate

MrBlond

OP, out of interest, where can you get the defrosters for 59??

Cheers

lost_in_thought

Oddly, waterproof shoes are just as good at keeping water in as they are at keeping it out.

Bear that in mind!

Drying cabinet? Pah! I just have lots of pairs of shoes and work from home.

(Cool though! ETA: Wait, is that heated? On second look it just resembles an empty file cupboard...)

iPete

http://www.edinburghbicycle.com/ebwPNLq ... 722c003726

They sold like hot cakes though and only 45s are left! p.s. You have to order over the phone as the price is wrong.

Yup, you can't see the top of the cabinet and oh yes its heated!

JG, can dig out the model number if you want, not cheap, not exactly well made but does the job!

Clever Pun

lost_in_thought wrote:

Oddly, waterproof shoes are just as good at keeping water in as they are at keeping it out.

Bear that in mind!

Drying cabinet? Pah! I just have lots of pairs of shoes and work from home.

(Cool though! ETA: Wait, is that heated? On second look it just resembles an empty file cupboard...)

yeah I've had the wetsuit effect a number of times

jonginge

Clever Pun wrote:

lost_in_thought wrote:

Oddly, waterproof shoes are just as good at keeping water in as they are at keeping it out.

Bear that in mind!

Drying cabinet? Pah! I just have lots of pairs of shoes and work from home.

(Cool though! ETA: Wait, is that heated? On second look it just resembles an empty file cupboard...)

yeah I've had the wetsuit effect a number of times

Ditto when I tried sealskinz.

prawny

I had some MW80s they were ok, not better than over shoes really just more conveinient (sp).

I came to the conclusion that if it's really cold nothing is going to work after about an hour other than heated sock/footbeds.