Winter Shoes

djhermer

I suffer from cold feet. As soon as the temperature dropped over the weekend, my S-Works slippers didn't cut it and I have numb feet for 2 hours - that's at c.16 degrees!

It's always been a problem for me - not just when cycling - but obviously it's pronounced on the bike in the winter months. Over the years i've experimented with everything - expensive socks, thermal socks, waterproof socks, lots of socks in layers, varying thicknesses of overshoes and 2 x little toasties foot warmers on each foot.

I still suffer and it's just something i've dealt with. However, as i commute (28 miles each way) on 2-3 days a week, i need to try something else. One thing i've never done, due to cost and the concern it won't make any difference, is buy a specific pair of winter shoes.

I've done some research online and there are various options from the usual suspects (Mavic, Specialized, NW etc).

My question is whether anyone has bothered with these? If so, what's your feedback? All opinions, suggestions, recommendations welcomed.

Cheers

giant_man

Whatever you get, make sure it's one size larger than you normally take, together with decent winter socks such as Woolie Boolies, and you won't get cold feet!

bobones

I've got NW Farenheits, but on their own they're not sufficient for keeping my feet warm on really cold days. What worked for me last year was Woolie Boolies and Gore Race Power Thermo overshoes on top of the winter boots. Chemical toe warmers from Decathlon were also added to the mix if it was particularly bad.

djhermer

bobones wrote:

I've got NW Farenheits, but on their own they're not sufficient for keeping my feet warm on really cold days. What worked for me last year was Woolie Boolies and Gore Race Power Thermo overshoes on top of the winter boots. Chemical toe warmers from Decathlon were also added to the mix if it was particularly bad.

NW Fahrenheits are the ones i've been looking at. Woolie Boolies - always! With Assos thermals underneath and toe warmers beneath that. I'm thinking it can only help. My normal shoes are no more than slippers. Could probably try splashing out a bit more on overshoes too.

Cheers

Monty Dog

Lake and 45 Nrth are where you need to be looking for winter boots. I've been using a pair of Sidi Diablos for the last 5 winters and they're holding up well, but I still put overshoes over the top for when it gets more than a couple of degrees below - it stops the water coming over the top when you step into a slushy puddle. Go a half size bigger than your regular shoes size to give your toes wriggle room - tight shoes is the fatest way to cold feet.

djhermer

Monty Dog wrote:

Lake and 45 Nrth are where you need to be looking for winter boots. I've been using a pair of Sidi Diablos for the last 5 winters and they're holding up well, but I still put overshoes over the top for when it gets more than a couple of degrees below - it stops the water coming over the top when you step into a slushy puddle. Go a half size bigger than your regular shoes size to give your toes wriggle room - tight shoes is the fatest way to cold feet.

Good stuff, thanks Monty. Not heard of either of those. The new Lake winter shoes look ideal.

DrDavros

Gaerne Polar boots are another option: http://www.bike24.com/p25371.html (VERY small sizes - you need two sizes larger than normal to accommodate a thicker sock). They do me to near-zero on their own. Below that (!) I wear overshoes as well. If you have wide feet, look elsewhere.

djhermer

DrDavros wrote:

Gaerne Polar boots are another option: http://www.bike24.com/p25371.html (VERY small sizes - you need two sizes larger than normal to accommodate a thicker sock). They do me to near-zero on their own. Below that (!) I wear overshoes as well. If you have wide feet, look elsewhere.

Thanks DrD. Looks good - and very reasonable prices and good availability, which Lake don't seem to have right now.

slow bloke

I've got fareheits for the road and these;

http://www.rosebikes.co.uk/article/rose ... aid:589868

for mtb'ing and comuting. The rose bike ones are very good, I find them warmer than the Northwaves

Monty Dog

Myself and my buddies all resort to MTB boots for winter - you tend to do a bit more trudging around in winter and the last thing you need when encountering ice is footwear with no grip.

johnmiosh

Shimano RW80s for me, now 3 year old. (I think these are discontinued, but the MTB version is still available MW81. Northwave fahrenheit or Sidi hydro gore are the only other road ones I know of, but much more expensive.)

Waterproof, Goretex and Fleece lined. Used them last week with cheap walking socks for rain protection, but I use them through the winter with Brasher Merino walking socks (same as woolie boolies) for warmth. I have to use them with longs that go over the shoe, otherwise rain drips in.

luv2ride

+1 for the NW Fahrenheits, they work well for me with defeet Woolie Boolie socks, and sometimes paired with overshoes if really cold. Have some Spesh defrosters for the MTB and crosser, but these are no way as warm as the Fahrenheits....

trek_dan

Speciailized Defrosters and a decent pair of socks and are more than enough for me in winter, I run SPD's on my winter bike anyway incase I have to walk over ice or unclip in a hurry. I don't think the 2014 models have been released yet and a few places have the 2013 model on for £70-80ish. Bargain IMO considering what a decent set of overshoes cost.

cougie

I dont bother with road shoes in winter - they're just too lightweight.
I go with stout mountain bike shoes then - but the winter boots look like an excellent idea. I'm sure they'd last you years.

Bordersroadie

I recently got some Northwave Celcius GTX Arctic (MTB) boots. After years of combinations of two pairs of socks plus road shoes plus plastic bags plus overshoes plus neoprene overshoes (imagine all this at each end of a commute) these new boots have liberated me!

They seem to be completely waterproof (as long as you have some sort of gaitor/overtrouser over the big 'ole where you foot goes in!) and cosy warm. Only used them down to about 5 degrees so far and they're fine with a thick pair of socks. I bought a size big enough to allow undersocks and wool over socks and still have toe wiggle room - this seems to be key to keeping feet warm.

My buddy has a pair and wears them down to minus 10 on his ice bike. It was his raving about them that pursuaded me to get a pair.

They are just so much more convenient and timesaving thanthe overshoe (plus other layers) option and it's great to be able to walk around without worrying about damaging overshoes. First ride out I punctured and had to fix it on a muddy, wet verge. Brilliant, I may as well have had wellies on, no leaking through the underside of the shoe unlike before.

djhermer

Bordersroadie wrote:

I recently got some Northwave Celcius GTX Arctic (MTB) boots. After years of combinations of two pairs of socks plus road shoes plus plastic bags plus overshoes plus neoprene overshoes (imagine all this at each end of a commute) these new boots have liberated me!

They seem to be completely waterproof (as long as you have some sort of gaitor/overtrouser over the big 'ole where you foot goes in!) and cosy warm. Only used them down to about 5 degrees so far and they're fine with a thick pair of socks. I bought a size big enough to allow undersocks and wool over socks and still have toe wiggle room - this seems to be key to keeping feet warm.

My buddy has a pair and wears them down to minus 10 on his ice bike. It was his raving about them that pursuaded me to get a pair.

They are just so much more convenient and timesaving thanthe overshoe (plus other layers) option and it's great to be able to walk around without worrying about damaging overshoes. First ride out I punctured and had to fix it on a muddy, wet verge. Brilliant, I may as well have had wellies on, no leaking through the underside of the shoe unlike before.

After much deliberation and lots of good advice on this thread (thanks all), i too have purchased these. Not used below 7 degrees yet, but on at this temperature i deliberately wore just a thin pair of socks....result was pleasant. No cold feet, no pins and needles. The drop from 7 degrees to zero which will no doubt hit us in the coming weeks will test them properly. I too am hoping to reduce the ballache factor for commuting (layers of socks, chemical toe warmers, overshoes etc...).