Winter boots

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Shewie
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Winter boots

Post by Shewie »

I think I want to give clipless a try so I’ve been eyeing up footwear options. I’m leaning towards a higher boot rather than a shoe, NW Raptor types

Are GTX lined riding boots as crap as GTX hiking boots or are they worth the spend?

Recent outings have made it clear that I’m going to get wet and muddy fairly often so a low cut shoe would be pretty pointless if I want dry feet.

Or, are dry feet just a fantasy for winter riding anyway?

If you are a boot wearer, any suggestions?
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Charliecres
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Re: Winter boots

Post by Charliecres »

Boots or shoes, water gets in the top. Waterproof boots are excellent at keeping the water in once it’s in. Your best hope of dry feet IME is knee-length Sealskinz socks and past-the-knee waterproof shorts, or just full-length waterproof trousers. But eventually you’ll get wet feet.

The Northwave cold weather boots are nice and warm, though. Best advice for warmth is to size up and get a decent thick sock on.
Lazarus
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Re: Winter boots

Post by Lazarus »

My experience is the more you spend the longer you will be dry
I have had Lakes and now use Japanther - both pretty good but the japanther are better.[ they are newer dsoperhaps latest lakes are as good no idea]
The only sure firewire way to stay dry is waterproof trousres and then gaitors or some such[ overboots ] to cover the hole your foot goes in though you will eventually get wet anyway Good for 6-8 hours for me even in serious rain.

Mutli days better off just accepting your feet will get wet or go when its not wet in winter.
They are impossible to dry when wet without a day and heating.
Both are plenty warm enough for most of the UK though I would want more were I lucky enough to live in the highlands
Asposium
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Re: Winter boots

Post by Asposium »

Have Shimano XM9 boots
A cycling / hiking boot
I was extremely skeptical about the boots before buying them given cycling requires ankle flexibility whereas hiking boots offer ankle support.
However, these have proven bl00dy amazing.

Worn on various hike-a-bike rides, to work, and general rides. Easy to ride and walk in. Warm, and keep feet dry (unless entering over the top)
On a recent hike a bike in the north York’s moors kept feet warm and dry.

The original laces were utter rubbish
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fatbikephil
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Re: Winter boots

Post by fatbikephil »

Northwave arctic gtx things are good on the bike in the cold but a bit iffy for rocky hike a bike. Warm though and the cuff keeps the worst of the mud out. XM9's if its not so cold but wetter. With gaiters they keep everything out short of rivers.....
redefined_cycles
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Re: Winter boots

Post by redefined_cycles »

Shewie... (my 2 pence) is to either use yer normal hiking boots that are goretex and get some decent pedals... summer will be round soon enough and you'll not be out of pocket...

Or, grab the excellent MW7 by shimano. The goretex ankle high ones I mean. They are very well thought out and feel nice on the foot...

For the past 3 years I've managed to get by with some goretex Fiveten Guide tennie approach boots but they eventually wore through the sole. Plan was to grab some of the Shimano MW7 but money couldnt stretch and managed to grab some hiking Arcteryx for less than a hundred and seem to be going well with flst pedals (but not as grippy as my Fiveten approach shoes of old).

Key to a warm dry foot (IMe) is (firstly to obviously not wade through rivers higher than ankle deep) is to ensure your waterproof pants go on before the drenching comes on... the waterproofs should be designed such that the ankle sits around the boots and doesn't become a channel funneling water into yer shoes. Hard to believe but it is possible to actually have dry feet in a pouring entended downpour of the british winter*

*can't say about Scottish or Welsh though soz :-bd
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Jurassic
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Re: Winter boots

Post by Jurassic »

Rich, I recently bought a pair of Shimano MW7 boots for using on my gravel bike in winter. I'm not hugely impressed tbh, they ain't cheap and water seems to wick back down the neoprene cuff section (which isn't lined with goretex) causing damp feet. I knew that they wouldn't keep out prolonged rain (which will obviously run down your leg into the boot) but I expected them to keep puddle splashes at bay and they don't. They also take ages to dry out inside once wet.
For mountain biking I'll continue to use my FiveTens and flat pedals for technical riding or a pair of Shimano MT3 shoes with SPDs for non-techy endurance type riding. The MT3s are pretty cheap, comfy for HAB and riding, drain water pretty well (so dry okay) and combined with a suitably warm sock (Sealskinz or Dexshell) work pretty well. I bought the MT3s a size larger to accommodate a thicker sock and if my socks get wet on a multi day trip I either put up with it or take a spare pair if it's going to be really cold.
lune ranger
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Re: Winter boots

Post by lune ranger »

If I were to have only one MTB SPD for winter riding that included HAB in British conditions it would hands down be Shimano XM9’s.
They are not perfect. They are heavy, even heavier when wet and take till spring to dry out once the insides have taken a soaking.
They are however comfy on the bike, great for walking and will take walking or running gaiters with ease. The Vibram sole is grippy and they have standard laces. As much as Boa systems are quick and easy to use i’ve Had a number fail in use - not a desirable trait imo.
Use them with waterproof socks, gaiters and waterproof trousers and you have as waterproof a system as you can get. You won’t stay dry forever but cycling in very wet conditions means that is inevitable.
If you are going through hell, keep going.
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composite
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Re: Winter boots

Post by composite »

Going to do a video on this soon as I think I have finally found a solution that works for me, but as a quick description:

Northwave winter boots, neoprene ankle gaiters to seal your leg over the boot cuff so water doesn't run down your leg into the top.
Then Overshoes.
3/4 length bibs so the wet leg material doesn't soak into the top of the cuff and onto your sock.
Leg warmers over the top of the bibs and over the top of the overshoes so again they don't go into the top of the boot.

Has worked for me twice now on 2 horrendously wet days riding some Audaxs.
Last edited by composite on Thu Dec 12, 2019 12:10 am, edited 1 time in total.
slarge
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Re: Winter boots

Post by slarge »

composite wrote: Wed Dec 11, 2019 6:19 pm Going to do a video on this soon as I think I have finally found a solution that works for me, but as a quick description:

Northwave winter boots, neoprene ankle gaiters to seal your leg over the boot cuff so water does run down your leg into the top.
Then Overshoes.
3/4 length bibs so the wet leg material doesn't soak into the top of the cuff and onto your sock.
Leg warmers over the top of the bibs and over the top of the overshoes so again they don't go into the top of the boot.

Has worked for me twice now on 2 horrendously wet days riding some Audaxs.
Also known as the sauna. Blimey - hope it's cold for those Audaxes Neil - and that you never need a poo
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composite
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Re: Winter boots

Post by composite »

slarge wrote: Wed Dec 11, 2019 7:07 pm Also known as the sauna. Blimey - hope it's cold for those Audaxes Neil - and that you never need a poo
I have real issues with getting cold feet.
I mean I have ended up with frostnip on a BB200... I actually had a bit of my big toe turn yellow and fall off. :|


In terms of dry feet though, if you drop the leg warmers, that is a layer gone that is not vital to dry feet and I guess you could drop the overshoes. The thing that I think is most vital to dryness is the ankle gaiter and the 3/4 length bibs so the fabric doesn't transfer the water to your socks.
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Shewie
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Re: Winter boots

Post by Shewie »

Thanks for all the suggestions, quite a few to look at

I've kind of gone off the NW Raptors now, after looking at different soles available they don't look that great for off the bike stuff, The wife sent me a link for some Mavic Crossmax SL Thermo which looked very swanky, I'm not sure the zip is a great idea for lots of mud and grit though?

I like the MW7's but some of the comments are putting me off, are the MW5 just the poorer cousin?

The XM9 looks like a serious boot, a lot like my Scarpa winter hiking boots, are they not a bit clunky for pedaling?

Water breaching over the top is pain with lined boots, I know that from hiking, I only really wear lined boots in winter now and embrace the wet foot thing most of the year.

On my first couple of rides I’ve been wearing my Inov-8 Roclite boots and Salomon ankle gaiters with Enduro waterproof pants over the top, they’ve worked quite well with my flats, they even kept my feet dry in soggy N Wales at the weekend. But knowing how long Goretex tends to last they won't be keeping me dry forever.

One last noob question :roll: Those of you who wear waterproof lined boots/gaiters in winter, do you carry separate footwear for river crossings?
Asposium
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Re: Winter boots

Post by Asposium »

As mentioned above, the XM9's are fine in which to cycle.
Was quite surprised how comfortable they are for cycling.

Also make very good hike-a-bike boots.

https://share.icloud.com/photos/0JZHwE- ... Y4JuBc8Y5Q
AndrewT
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Re: Winter boots

Post by AndrewT »

I've recently bought the XM9s. I concur that for cycling they are perfectly comfortable and warm. I've used them for rides up to 200km so far and temperatures down to -4, with the intention to test them out for their hike-a-bike capability soon.

One or two people have commented on them, they are not as sleek as winter road boots. But if they serve their purpose well, that's the priority.
redefined_cycles
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Re: Winter boots

Post by redefined_cycles »

Shewie wrote: Wed Dec 11, 2019 10:14 pm Thanks for all the suggestions, quite a few to look at

I've kind of gone off the NW Raptors now, after looking at different soles available they don't look that great for off the bike stuff, The wife sent me a link for some Mavic Crossmax SL Thermo which looked very swanky, I'm not sure the zip is a great idea for lots of mud and grit though?

I like the MW7's but some of the comments are putting me off, are the MW5 just the poorer cousin?

The XM9 looks like a serious boot, a lot like my Scarpa winter hiking boots, are they not a bit clunky for pedaling?

Water breaching over the top is pain with lined boots, I know that from hiking, I only really wear lined boots in winter now and embrace the wet foot thing most of the year.

On my first couple of rides I’ve been wearing my Inov-8 Roclite boots and Salomon ankle gaiters with Enduro waterproof pants over the top, they’ve worked quite well with my flats, they even kept my feet dry in soggy N Wales at the weekend. But knowing how long Goretex tends to last they won't be keeping me dry forever.

One last noob question :roll: Those of you who wear waterproof lined boots/gaiters in winter, do you carry separate footwear for river crossings?
Shewie... there's a 'River crossing' thread somewhere which has lots of talk of such stuff. In case that might help you out a little..
Mbnut
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Re: Winter boots

Post by Mbnut »

I have a pretty beaten up pair of Gaerne boots.

I've found the boot itself isn't as important as the additions I use to make them work.

I wear the boots with a decent sock and I have neoprene collars, think the bottoms cut off the legs of a wetsuit that stop water entering from the top.

I can ride for 4 hours or so in proper wet conditions and things stay dry end warm.

For big rides with much hiking etc I have Goretex gators instead of the collars. Amazingly warm and dry set up.
Taylor
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Re: Winter boots

Post by Taylor »

For this year's winter bivi had bontrager OMW'S with gaiters which worked a treat.
Feet were lovely and warm all weekend which is more than my fingers were.
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Dave Barter
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Re: Winter boots

Post by Dave Barter »

Taylor wrote: Mon Dec 16, 2019 8:49 am For this year's winter bivi had bontrager OMW'S with gaiters which worked a treat.
Feet were lovely and warm all weekend which is more than my fingers were.
Same, apart from when the inners get wet. The problem is that they don't seem to heat up I was very cold until I managed to get them off and dry them out a bit in the pub. Had to do same at a cafe next morning. I think this is probably my feet which just do not generate enough heat.
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redefined_cycles
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Re: Winter boots

Post by redefined_cycles »

Shewie.. another thing to be aware of (if you're online shopping), somw of the mtb boots/shoes - especially Italian and/or French manufacturers - ain't really good for wide feet.. so NW and Mavic IMO might not bw best if you have proper wide feet. Obviously you could get around this by shopping at the store and checking em out before buying... or making sure any online ordering has the option of free swaps/returns
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Shewie
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Re: Winter boots

Post by Shewie »

I took a punt on a pair of Scott MTB Heater boots in the end, ordered from a German site but I’ve not had any confirmation of order yet.

Fortunately my hooves are regular width so I do okay with shoe sizes
Raggedstone
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Re: Winter boots

Post by Raggedstone »

I have been watching this thread with interest as I get very cold feet when it's around freezing point tried just about every conceivable combination of socks with Shimano MW91 boots sized up, have to get off and walk to get circulation going I am interested in the gaiter idea which ones are you folks wearing ?
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Bearlegged
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Re: Winter boots

Post by Bearlegged »

I got some Trespass softshell ones off eBay for about £10. They're pretty minimal, but leave my ankles noticeably warmer. I've not ridden with them in very rainy conditions yet, but the hope is they'll prevent the "waterproof shoes acting as buckets" effect.
lune ranger
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Re: Winter boots

Post by lune ranger »

Raggedstone wrote: Mon Dec 16, 2019 11:01 pm I have been watching this thread with interest as I get very cold feet when it's around freezing point tried just about every conceivable combination of socks with Shimano MW91 boots sized up, have to get off and walk to get circulation going I am interested in the gaiter idea which ones are you folks wearing ?
Usually some short Montane scree gaiters just to stop crud getting in and the laces getting caked. Makes dealing with shoes at a bivi more pleasant.
In proper wet I use standard Rab gore tex walking gaiters. I find them better with something like an elastic band around the ankle to stop them sagging.
If you are going through hell, keep going.
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Boab
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Re: Winter boots

Post by Boab »

Raggedstone wrote: Mon Dec 16, 2019 11:01 pm I have been watching this thread with interest as I get very cold feet when it's around freezing point tried just about every conceivable combination of socks with Shimano MW91 boots sized up, have to get off and walk to get circulation going I am interested in the gaiter idea which ones are you folks wearing ?
I've been using the Vaude Bike Gaiter long, to keep the crap off my shoes and legs. They have no insulation, they're baggy, thin and the toe area is falling to bits, this is their second winter. I've been wearing Lake MX 237 Endurance Wide, which have bolts under the toes where you can fit spikes, these have worn holes through the thin gaiter material. I'm sure a bit of gaffer tape ever now and again will extend their life a little.

I think they're really made for on-road touring, for which they do a grand job, as I've only ever had wet feet once when wearing them. As they're not spray on tight, especially around the bottom of the shoe, taking them for a hike through the mud off-road, means that mud is forced up under the material. I've found that I've had to clean my shoes quite often when I've got back from a ride off-road, but have never had to do it when on-road.
There are theories at the bottom of my jargon.
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JoseMcTavish
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Re: Winter boots

Post by JoseMcTavish »

There's definitely a gap in the market for someone to make some rugged streamlined cycling gaiters to pair with waterproof shoes. there's lots of running ones, but they are all just water resistant. I use these with my Giro Alpineduro boots for road/offroad rides and they are great: https://www.giro.co.uk/products/detail/ ... in-gaiter/

I used them last winter for a Cairngorms Loop ride in the snow, paired with some Goretex Adidas mid boots and they were a lifesaver. Unfortunately, this went a bit past their durability scope, so they now look a little the worse for wear and don't seem to be made any more for me to replace!
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