Commuting - more waterproof shoes

i have a pair of gaerne mtb shoes that i like a lot. however now that the oregon rainy season is here i am realizing that they are great at collecting water. actually its like pedalling with buckets on my peddles. they are also made of leather (where there isnt mesh) and dry very slowly (2 days after a downpour!). i think booties look dorky when i commute to school and work. what to do?

are there any more waterproof, or i guess what i mean is more water-resistant and faster drying, mtb-style shoes that people here recommend? i dont want high-top 'winter' shoes either. ideally id like to have shoes that i dont mind wearing with my casual attire that dont accomodate the 'bucket-effect' and 'the dmap rotting leather feature' either.

so far im looking at the sidi line. any experience with their mtb shoes and the rain?

I have a pair of Pearl Izumi MTB shoes that I use they dry out quicker, but with the rain in our region I have never found a shoe that dries out completly between comutes with out some way to dry them out (run them in the dryer, put them next to a heater etc). Personally I do not waterproof my shoes but there are waterproofing sprays you can get for your shoes and if you decide to go that route just go to your local Fred Myers or Target and find the inexpensive camping style water proofing. As for booties there a a couple different types of waterproof socks that you can wear the company I work for carries Seal Skinz (not made from seal by the way) socks that work very well to keep your feet dry, but you will need to wear socks under them to keep your feet warm.

The problem that I see, is that no matter how water proof the shoes are, the water will just run down your leg and collect in the shoe, unless you are wearing a full rain suit, then the sweat will more then compensate for it. :rolleyes:

The problem that I see, is that no matter how water proof the shoes are, the water will just run down your leg and collect in the shoe, unless you are wearing a full rain suit, then the sweat will more then compensate for it. :rolleyes:


no it wont, a full rain suit wouldn't help if it did just lace your shoes tightly (like you do when hiking or jogging) and wear waterproof socks I know what I speak of for this paticular climate. Booties will help but like me he won't wear them, I tried booties twice and they last maybe one season I still have my first pair of Seal Skinz I bought 3 years ago. The booties tend to get torn up on the cleats of as a commuter I walk in them a lot and they don't hold up to that.

There is no such thing as "waterproot" unless you are going to hermetically seal your entire lower body each time you ride.

Have you tried stuffing your wet shoes with newspaper? When my shoes get wet, not just cycling, but any leather shoe, I stuff them full of newspaper, and replace it after about a few hours. They always dry overnight.

Take ngate's advice and go with the water"resistant" socks. It is the best solution, in my opinion.

Trek your right (shudder) I used the wrong term water resistence is more correct :D

In terms of drying your shoes, get a dehumidifyer and put your wet stuff in front of it. It will dry anything overnight. I put my helmet and shoes and any other wet stuff in front of it as soon as I get home.

I tend to agree with bhchdh. A waterproof shoe is only waterproof up to the ankle. Yes if you have a full rain suit you are lucky, but uncomfortable if it's like most rain suits. Just let your shoes dry and like Nic said a dehumidifier will help in the drying process.

good stuff. thanks all. i was already leaning towards getting the waterproof socks. im mostly trying to decide if i should get another pair of rain season bike shoes as well. im worried that the water will rot the leather on my gaernes. i have some leather waterproofing spray that i will try on them. it wont keep my feet dry considering all the mesh the shoes have but it will help preserve the leather parts. does anyone have experience with the sidi mtb shoes? they have less beathable parts to them, im curious if they are more comfortable (if not waterproof) in the rain. after riding in even the slightest rain my gaerne shoes are full of water - when i get home i can turn them upside down and water splashes out.

You could always use a lightweight, low-cut hiking boot or tratil shoe, and toe clips. This is probably a more practical system for wet winters around town than clipless. I use some timberland leather shoes and have no problem with them.
Can you succressfully seal the cleat into the sole, I always seem to be standing in puddles of water, so need a totally sealed sole.

My Portland commute gear for the past few years has been a pair of plain old Shimano MTB shoes (mesh top) and Goretex socks. The shoes get wet, my feet stay dry (and warm). I stuff newspaper in the shoes after a wet ride (and pull out the insole) and they are dry for the trip the other way.

i think booties look dorky when i commute to school and work. what to do?

One of the prime decisions to be made in cycling in general and commuting specifically. Look dorky or get wet/cold/uncomfortable.
In my winter commutes I have found that old fashioned overshoes (galoshes?) work great at keeping feet dry from outside sources and at lower temperatures do a reasonable job of keeping feet warm. But I'm not sure what looks dorkier - overshoes or booties?

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Originally Posted by pinerider

I'm not sure what looks dorkier - overshoes or booties?
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booties. i would wear galoshes if i didnt have clipless pedals.

i bought a pair of goretex socks. it should rain today or tomorrow so ill see how good they work. if that isnt enough i might buy another pair of shoes w/ less mesh. like the sidi dominators.

I wear Shimano shoes that have a rubbery material on the outside. The only thing that absorbs H2O is the padding.

well i realized that the goretex socks dont fit quite right. they are to tight when i am standing and my foot bones stretch out. apparently i only tried them on at the shop while sitting :rolleyes: but it rained on my way home tonight and my feet did *a lot* better! even without the rain socks my feet are only now slightly damp (i havent changed yet and the rain is slowly soaking in). quite an improvement over the bucket-shoes from last week. the only thing i did betwwen rides was waterproof the leather parts of the shoes and put on a front sks fender (no rear). its crazy how much doing these two things seemed to help. my shoes are about 75% mesh so maybe the leather stuff coated the mesh too? probably just the fender was a huge improvement. anyway i think i will exchange for a larger pair of goretex socks and i will be all set. until the hail stones, that is. :o