Cold/Wet Feet

tferino

Hi,
I realise this subject has been discussed before and have looked through some of the previous threads - looks like you're always going to get wet feet regardless.

However I'm not sure I'm helping myself, even with overshoes on today my feet were quickly soaking and subsequently freezing. My shoes have small vents in the sole and because the overshoes don't really cover much of the sole I'm guessing the water is coming through these pretty easily.

So my question is - are all shoes like this or are mine effectively summer shoes (if you get such a thing) ? What are my options to keep my feet drier or at least warmer - winter road boots, waterproof socks, clingfilm, anything else?

Thanks in advance.

fortyone

Generally works if you have winter road boots and overshoes.

sungod

use tape to seal the sole vents (electrical tape works fine, lasts for months)

which overshoes? some are way better than others, things to try...

are the seams sealed? if not, water will seep through, black witch wetsuit repair is good for sealing

with decent overshoes and the sole vents sealed, unless you stand in a deep puddle (yep, done it), the only way water really comes in is via the ankle cuff

the cuff needs to be snug to the skin, make sure socks end below the cuff of the overshoe

presumably you're wearing tights in this weather, zip up the tights over the top of the overshoes, less water will get in

Bordersroadie

An effective option is to put plastic food bags (those very thin cheap ones on a roll) over your road shoes then overshoes on top. The cleats just push through no problem, and you will be amazed how effective it is.

Works for very cold temps and for very wet conditions alike. Yes, there's no breathability but sweaty feet aren't exactly an issue in the sorts of conditions we're talkng about.

Also make thick aluminium foil "insoles" and place them beneath the existing shoe insoles, to reflect heat and provide and extra layer for your sole.

tferino

Thanks for the replies and suggestions. I'm using BBB SpeedFlex overshoes, think they should be sealed ok as they're pretty new. I think most of the water is coming through the vents in the bottom of the shoes so will try the tape and plastics bag tricks but also need to wear my tights over the overshoes. I'm sure sweaty feet must be preferable to the soaking cold feet I had yesterday.

thegibdog

You are using mudguards, right?

IShaggy

Get yourself some merino wool socks. They won't keep the water out, but they help keep your feet warm even when wet.

slowbike

Mudguards and don't ride through deep puddles. My bbb heavyouty ones are fine unless you soak them. The water flex ones are as good.

If you want to keep your toes dry then wear a dry suit! Or plastic bags over your socks and inside your shoes will work fine

chrisaonabike

I suffered terribly with cold feet last winter. I tried all the suggestions above about overshoes and plastic bags, but even without getting my feet wet, they were agonisingly painful as they warmed back up when I got home.

Last year cycling was new to me, so I managed to ignore the pain; this year, I dreaded the cold as the winter approached.

However, all is now well.

Santa brought me a pair of these winter boots, and these overshoes. He cunningly figured that by getting me a size 46 rather than my usual 44, that would leave plenty of wiggle room for toes, and two pairs of socks.

Feet now toasty. Looking for suitably warm gloves now, haven't quite solved that problem yet.

kingderham

Sea Skin socks keep your feet dry.

Mikey23

Except when the water runs down your legs into your sealskinz and can't get out...

peat

I've found that you'll never keep your feet fully dry. If you seal them up too much they just get sweaty. So it's wet either way.

The important thing is to keep them warm, so that's why i use waterproof socks. No complaints.

mpatts

I have the worlds coldest feet.

The routine:

Cover feet with deep heat
Thin baselayer sock (merino)
Layer of tin foil
Thicker sock (merino)
Shoe
Winter overshoes

Toasty feet guaranteed.

ai_1

+1 for mudguards, tape over any sole vents and merino wool socks

neilo23

After years of experimenting I've finally found a combination that keeps my feet warm:

Merino socks
Seal Skins
Overshoes

But, if it's really cold I use either that foil stuff that they give marathon runners after the race between my socks and Seal Skinz. Those thick plastic envelopes that they send jerseys in also works a treat

AND: Castelli Nanoflex legwarmers. They're water repellent. The trick is to do them up OVER your overshoes. Doesn't look too daft either. The water runs down your legs and over the overshoes and takes longer to seep into your shoes.

http://www.pezcyclingnews.com/photos/te ... tucked.jpg
http://road.cc/content/review/97860-cas ... eg-warmers

lostboysaint

IShaggy wrote:

Get yourself some merino wool socks. They won't keep the water out, but they help keep your feet warm even when wet.

That. Rarely find my feet cold even on MTB rides when they get plenty wet! Defeet Woolie Boolies

For the road I have, for the first time this winter, teamed them with Planet X windproof overshoes and that is positively toasty.

Cygnus

I used to have that problem until I got overshoes that were a size bigger than my shoes.

neilo23

Another tip: don't fasten your shoes too tight. This allows a bit more air to be trapped and you can move your toes around a bit to keep them a bit warmer.

ai_1

neilo23 wrote:

Another tip: don't fasten your shoes too tight. This allows a bit more air to be trapped and you can move your toes around a bit to keep them a bit warmer.

I used to suffer a lot with cold feet in winter despite my overshoes so I used slightly thicker socks. It took a few rides to discover that this was actually making things worse. My shoes were a bit tight with the thicker socks and restricted circulation was making me suffer sooner and worse than ever. Thinner socks of the merino variety and a better pair of overshoes (grip grab) seem to have solved the problem.
I had a similar problem with gloves. I tried liners that made the gloves too tight. Result = much colder hands. Now I wear fairly light full finger gloves. My hands are cold at first but once my core temperature comes up after 15 minutes or so of riding, my fingers warm up again and I'm fine for hours.

neilo23

Ai_1 wrote:

neilo23 wrote:

Another tip: don't fasten your shoes too tight. This allows a bit more air to be trapped and you can move your toes around a bit to keep them a bit warmer.

I used to suffer a lot with cold feet in winter despite my overshoes so I used slightly thicker socks. It took a few rides to discover that this was actually making things worse. My shoes were a bit tight with the thicker socks and restricted circulation was making me suffer sooner and worse than ever. Thinner socks of the merino variety and a better pair of overshoes (grip grab) seem to have solved the problem.
I had a similar problem with gloves. I tried liners that made the gloves too tight. Result = much colder hands. Now I wear fairly light full finger gloves. My hands are cold at first but once my core temperature comes up after 15 minutes or so of riding, my fingers warm up again and I'm fine for hours.

If only my talent matched the amount of useless information that I've collected over the years

prando

mpatts wrote:

I have the worlds coldest feet.

The routine:

Cover feet with deep heat
Thin baselayer sock (merino)
Layer of tin foil
Thicker sock (merino)
Shoe
Winter overshoes

Toasty feet guaranteed.

I'm intrigued with the deep heat suggestion. As a fellow serious cold feet sufferer, I tried pretty well everything...nothing really worked. Even used toe warmer pads...wouldn't recommend. But applying deep heat...do you put some over your toes ? It's toes that do me...remainder of feet ok.

muzzmackay

Tried various combinations of Seal Skinz, poly bags and overshoes to no avail. This is what worked:
Shoes large enough to let you wear Heat Holder socks ( insole in the summer ), a pair of overshoes. Even when I got my left foot wet stepping in a bog when mountain biking it stayed warm !

Sprool

can i assume that its a restriction of blood circulation issue being tackled?
Wearing less restrictive shoes and allowing the blood to flow naturally is such a better option than spending on new socks, tin foil and deep heat cream.

ai_1

Sprool wrote:

can i assume that its a restriction of blood circulation issue being tackled?
Wearing less restrictive shoes and allowing the blood to flow naturally is such a better option than spending on new socks, tin foil and deep heat cream.

Agreed. It's easy to overlook the possibility that your shoes are simply too tight.

prando

Sprool wrote:

can i assume that its a restriction of blood circulation issue being tackled?
Wearing less restrictive shoes and allowing the blood to flow naturally is such a better option than spending on new socks, tin foil and deep heat cream.

In my case Sprool buddy I believe it's circulation. I used to be a runner (well jogger really :? ) and my hands, almost irrespective of the temperature became cold.i would always therefore wear gloves. In fact, I visit the gym a couple of times a week and do a brisk walk on the treadmill on a step incline...I wear running gloves as again my hands get cold. "She who must be obeyed" a retired nurse, assures me it's due to poor circulation.

So I deem my freezing toes to a similar cause ?

ai_1

Prando wrote:

Sprool wrote:

can i assume that its a restriction of blood circulation issue being tackled?
Wearing less restrictive shoes and allowing the blood to flow naturally is such a better option than spending on new socks, tin foil and deep heat cream.

In my case Sprool buddy I believe it's circulation. I used to be a runner (well jogger really :? ) and my hands, almost irrespective of the temperature became cold.i would always therefore wear gloves. In fact, I visit the gym a couple of times a week and do a brisk walk on the treadmill on a step incline...I wear running gloves as again my hands get cold. "She who must be obeyed" a retired nurse, assures me it's due to poor circulation.

So I deem my freezing toes to a similar cause ?

Also a possibility. My father and brother both suffer from Reynaud's disease which I think is pretty common. As I understand it it's just an excessive restriction of bloodflow to the extremities when the temperature drops. Everyone's body does this to conserve core temperature but sometimes it's excessive leading to problems with cold hands and feet.

tferino

Thanks for all the replies/suggestions, and apologies for my shoddiness in taking so long to reply.

Looks like I've missed the obvious one - no mudguards :oops:

I have been wearing merino wool socks but once my feet get wet (pretty quickly due to the above) they quickly get cold. I wonder if the later comments might be onto something - I suspect my shoes might be slightly too tight causing circulation problems.

Anyway, I've splashed out and bought some Northwave Fahrenheit GTX road boots so between them and fitting mudguards (that I bought previously but never got round to fitting) things will hopefully improve.

Thanks again.