GORE-TEX Socks vs. Booties?

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orbojeff

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Walkafire

I tried a pair of "Super Socks" (2-mm neoprene construction)
Not worth the money... my feet froze!

Gator Booties work great on my Summer Shoes. http://aebike.com/site/images/library/catalogs/soc/p350X350m/CL2065.jpg
Size XL worked well on my size 48 (14 US) Answer Shoe.

I went all out and bought Lake's Winter 301 Shoe/Boot. Nice and Toastie now!

ghettocruiser

Goretex socks aren't particularly warm. Dry yes, warm no. Go for overboots to keep your feet warm. When it's real cold I sometimes wear both, or switch to platforms.

zac

I live in Boston and lately been riding in 30 Degree weather.
Currently all I have is a pair of Pearl Izumi toe covers.
My feat are freezing so I'm looking for a little more protection.

Initially I was thinking of booties, but then saw these GORE-TEX Socks
https://www.gorebikewear.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?productId=11363&catalogId=10001&storeId=10001&categoryId=10254&langId=-1&firstLevelCatId=10254&secondLevelCatId=10264&pageNum=1

Has anyone tried them?
How well do they fit under tight shoes?

If not what booties would you recommend?
I was thinking of the PI Toester

Thanks
Jeff

Greetings Jeff I am a bit north of you in Lowell...

I use the Toester neoprene booties from Pearl Izumi and they work great with my Sidis and regular cycle socks. I would buy them from your LBS, bring in your shoes, and fit them. They should be snug but not tight.

However there is a guy in one of the groups I ride with who has suffered cold feet. He has tried everything (and I mean everything...it was a running joke as to what he was going to try next) In any event he settled on the goretex socks and neoprene booties and he reports that the experiment is over and that he is comfortably warm. We have ridden iinto the high 20s so far this year, including rain and a couple of light flurries. I hope that helps in your decision.

I actually may drop the $30/pair and pick up a set myself.

EDIT: Jeff the most important thing to remember is that you dont want to have a tight fit between your socks and your shoes. You have to allow air flow, or trapped air, as that actually provides the insulation. If the fit is too thight, then circulation (blood flow) is reduced and this leads to cold/crampy feet.

HTH
zac

Guest

I've used both.

In the winter months of Chicago, I wore my shimano sandals. They're too comfortable for me to give up!

For the socks, in the winter months, I wear wool socks or thick socks under the gore tex socks, and I was always toasty warm. From time to time, I would throw on the boots, but I really didn't care for them as much, since my feet sweat. Mostly, I wore the socks. If I knew it was going to be an especially cold day, I threw in some toesies over the socks. It can be done.

Koffee

GreyGoat

the trouble is fitting all the extra heavy socks under in your normal shoes.. the booties allow you to trap heat around the shoes instead of trying to fit more inside them.. they really are worth the money if you have to deal with cold..

Guest

Very true. Luckily, sandal straps are totally adjustable, so all I had to do is loosen the straps to get the extra socks on.

Koffee

GreyGoat

Koffee, I like sandal idea... I always wondered if the cleat was really recessed enough to walk without them hitting the pavement.. can't be as bad as a look cleat tho anyway... do you use SPD or look type cleats with these?... I used looks last season but will move to the lake mxz301s with spd this year.. I wonder which will be more susecptible to snow packing up and fouling.. there was only one snow last year where that was much of an issue with the looks, but it was a pain.. I couldn't get the cleats to clip in because of packed snow.. and once i knocked enough out to get them in they pulled out easily.. I had to clean it some more etc... extreme case tho, 90% of my winter riding is on dry roads...

Guest

I didn't have problems with my sandals and snow, but I didn't spend time walking through snowdrifts either! I have the Lake sandals and the shimano spd sandals. Both worked well in the wintertime. I never accidentally slipped out of my clipless after I clipped in.

Koffee

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