Fifty Plus (50+) - What to wear inside your winter boots ... and what not to wear?

There appears to be mixed sentiment on recommended footwear to be worn between your feet and your winter cycling boots.

On the one hand is the camp that says at least two pair of socks, with variations such as using chemical packets called "toe warmers" ... to be worn between the first and second pair of socks.

On the other hand is the camp that says if the winter cycling boots are truly insulated winter boots, then only one pair of socks is needed between your feet and the winter cyclying boots.

The reason I ask is that it would make a difference on what size of winter boots to get ... as far as wearing one pair of socks versus two pair (and possibly additional warming accessories).

Personally, for January Michigan winters, I would probably join the first camp, but then I've never used winter boots under any brutal winter temperatures yet.

It would help us to know what the gang wears on their feet ... with their winter boots ... so I can get an idea of the different insulating styles. Also ... what temperatures they ride at ... that determines what they use with their winter boots.

It really depends on the weather, your circulation, what's comfortable for you, and how tight the boots are. And how hard you're pedaling too, I guess.

I used to have horrible circulation in the extremities until I started cycling. Now my fingers and toes stay a nice, healthy pink in temps well below what would have sent me running indoors before.

Now as for what I wear inside my Lakes, plain old cotton crew socks--a single pair--gets me down to the mid-teens. Below that I have something called Lava Socks, which is basically fleece for your feet. I haven't found a lower limit yet, but we haven't had any below-zero temps this season. In the other thread I already explained that by going two sizes big, I have plenty of space to keep warm air inside my boots.

And I keep my cadence up in the 90s.

On cold days (between 25 and 0 degrees F.) I wear a heavy pair of wool socks under regular cycling shoes, and then pull on a pair of neoprene booties that go up past the ankle. On moderately cold days (above 25 degrees) I wear the same heavy wool socks but use a pair of neoprene toe warmers that only cover the front half of my cycling shoes.

I have had problems with cold feet and this has mainly been down to wet getting through the shoes. Cured it by double socks with a plastic bag between the socks. Then I got a pair of Sealskinz socks- thicker than most socks and waterproof- Keep the feet dry and they stay warm. I do feel that for road use it will be wind that gets feet cold so a pair of Overshoes to keep them out of the wind would work better.

I'm a real wimp when it comes to riding in the cold:o

When it's hovering around the freezing mark I wear a medium weight wool sock with my Lakes. If it's in the mid 20's I'll add a regular pair of cycling socks under the wool and slip the chemical toe warmers between. My feet have never been cold since buying the Lakes:)

I also bought the boots one size larger than my regular shoes. If you're thinking about buying another pair you might want to check Alfred E Bike (http://aebike.com/index.cfm)for prices.

If you're thinking about buying another pair you might want to check Alfred E Bike (http://aebike.com/index.cfm)for prices.

AEBike doesn't seem to carry the wide model. Chances are they order from QBP like any other LBS does, but for some reason, you can't get the wide ones through QBP. If they buy directly from Lake, then it's just a matter of of a special order. (I went through this with my LBS. I felt bad that they turned me on to the Lakes, then they couldn't order the wide sizes, so I had to order them online.)

Hey fellow Michigander. I usually wear polyester base socks and a pair of cotton socks and then a pair of thick insulated socks under a pair of boots that I like that aren't supper insulated but they are water proof rubber and leather and one size too big for me.

As a 56 year old geezer who's had frostbite, I wear cotton socks w neoprene toe covers below 45F, neoprene full shoe to ankle covers to 32, REI poly/wool socks with shoes covers to 25 and below 25 the same but add thin wool socks to start. This keeps me OK for 2 hours. If I'm tuckered out with a longer ride every thing backs up a notch or I get cold toes the 3rd or 4th hour. I bought Shimano wide shoes with tons of room for socks, no-pinching and cover the cooling vent in the sole.

Gosh I dislike difficult to pull on/take off shoe covers!


I tried Sidi self contained electric insoles but they failed. Below 20 I ride rollers or my Tacx trainer virtual reality of Majorca.

[QUOTE=tsl;6228517]Now as for what I wear inside my Lakes, plain old cotton crew socks--a single pair--gets me down to the mid-teens. Below that I have something called Lava Socks, which is basically fleece for your feet. I haven't found a lower limit yet, but we haven't had any below-zero temps this season. In the other thread I already explained that by going two sizes big, I have plenty of space to keep warm air inside my boots.QUOTE]

tsl, are these fleece socks like the Lava Socks you use?

< http://www.llbean.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CategoryDisplay?page=fleece-socks&categoryId=32492&storeId=1&catalogId=1&langId=-1&parentCategory=503513&cat4=503512&shop_method=pp&feat=503513-tn >

http://www.bikeforums.net//cdn.llbean.com/images/sorry_prod.gif (javascript:pageControllerObject.launchZoom(zmUrl);)
Stay warm on cold, wet days in soft, quick-drying, 200-weight polyester fleece socks. Fit of a midweight sock. Flatlock seams won't chafe. Height 10". Imported. Machine wash and dry.
Men's sizes: Small 4-5, Medium 6-8, Large 8½-10½, X-Large 11-13.