Looking for footwear recommendation good to double digits below 0 F
#26
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Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Twin Cities, MN
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Thanks, here in the Twin Cities it is normal to see 0*-20* on the norm and obviously with some wind chill. The coldest I have commuted was this past Tuesday which I believe was a wind chill of -26*. When I used to live in Bemidji,MN the norm was -20* to -35* with wind chill and that was pretty darn cold. Everyone has different tolerable cold weather level. My commute is 8mi one way and takes me anywhere from 45min to an hour depending on the weather. I should also mention that I'm on a fixed gear bike with studded tires. I'm sure if I go slow enough I could probably ride longer with these boots but after riding a ssfg for a while you learn to be quick and riding slow is just uncomfortable.
#27
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In winter it's the LL Bean snow sneaker for me. Very light and pretty warm (with double socks) down to 10F.
#28
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Location: Minneapolis MN USA
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I use boots by Columbia called, I think, the Bugaboot (I just looked at them and saw no particular style name). I wear regular cotton socks and the heavy Smartwool hiking socks over those. In really cold weather I add those thin white "wicking" socks next to the skin. The boots are one size too big to accomodate the socks. I have used this or an equivalent setup at -20F for about an hour and was getting cold toes near the end. Unfortunately, as you know, the winters here are getting milder, so I have had just one chance in recent years to ride at that low temperature, and I forget exactly when it was. All I remember is that it was the Thursday before I got my kidney stone.