Wellington Boots
 

I hate wet feet!
When it rains at home I wear wellies, but have never taken them on tour. Sealskinz socks help somewhat but eventually get soaked. They keep the heat - wet and warm is better than wet and cold.
Whilst riding, it doesn't matter , but getting into camp, squishing around in wet mud, trying to dry my shoes out with newspaper overnight etc, then putting on cold wet socks and shoes in the morning is one of the less enjoyable parts of touring I find.

Anyhow, I think I'll take my wellies with me to ride in in downpours or to change into in camp at least. Oh I'm still toe-clipped, guess there aren't so many wellies with cleats! ;)

Anyone else have wellies with them?

Wear mine to cycle in all the time. I hate wet feet. One of the reasons I prefer BMX style pedals.

Imi, look into a pair of rain booties, they really work and no drying out of shoes anymore. Mine are tough ones that have lasted for years, but there are many diff ones made, some very expensive, some not.
I hate squishy wet shoes also.

You ever thought how much wellies weigh?

Sandals and wool socks.

For me choosing shoes that don't absorb much water and have plenty of mesh to drain and dry well and pairing them with socks that feel OK when wet is the way to go. In my case that means Sidi MTB shoes and inexpensive under armor poly socks or sometimes merino wool ones.

I find that my Sidis hold little enough moisture that if I change socks when I get to camp my feet are totally dry with the same shoes I rode in.

I do use cycling booties to keep warm when riding around home when it gets really cold (like singles digits F or lower), but have never used them on tour.

Not sure if the term "wellington boots" means something else in different countries, but I can't imagine riding any distance in what I think of when I hear that term.

I think you camp in different places than I do. I can't imagine squishing around in mud at a campsite, so I don't carry the footwear needed for that.

I agree with using a properly fit, light weight, quick-drying shoe and good socks (Smartwools work for me). I encountered some fellow cyclists on a particularly wet tour of the North Cascades in Washington State and some were miserable, while some were comfortable. The miserable ones seemed to be favoring the more "weatherproof" footwear, ironically. I think it was experience, not the gear, that made the difference.

For limited use, the "bagtex" trick works pretty well. I carry a few empty bread bags to line my shoes if it gets dangerously wet and cold, say a late spring snow storm on a mountain pass. They make acceptable temporary mitts, too.

I've found a way to mostly dry out wet socks overnight. Rinse them in clean water if you can, wring them dry, then lay them under your sleeping pad. Some heat will conduct and there's just enough ventilation under my Ridgerest pad that I get warm, maybe slightly damp socks in the morning and that can make all the difference to start the day. This also works for whatever other clothing you can fit under there. I've noticed dry spots on the tent floor often enough under my sleeping pad after pitching on wet earth, I thought I'd give that a try and it works pretty well. Wet shoes I'll put in an open plastic grocery bag under my knees overnight, outside the bag. This will also keep them thawed if it gets frosty outside.

Happened to me in September. Township campsite next to the Allegheny River in PA. It had poor earlier in the day. The grass and dirt were wet and there were some deep puddles. It sucked. My off-bike sandals and wool socks got pretty wet and temps got down into the 40s.

OP: Look into waterproof booties or "overshoes."

I like waterproof hiking boots. YRMV

Wellington Boots
 

Thanks for the tips guys! MTB shoes would be a good solution as Staehpj1 says, but up to now I've only had one pair of "running" shoes for everything on and off bike, not wanting to carry another pair of off-bike shoes, but this reasoning is obviously negated by the idea of carrying wellies - and yes I do mean those heavy cumbersome rubber Paddington Bear things ;)

I'll look into booties. Any recommendations? I have heavy duty neoprene overshoes for winter riding but this isn't what I need for relatively warm multiple rainy days riding and camping. Maybe a second pair of Sealskinz socks to change into at camp would be good enough ...

Now on my 2 nd Winter with LL Bean rubber Moccasins . they are step ins .. If you anticipate over ankle muck then boots may be required.
Perhaps you can find folding 'Galoshes' , thin rubber overshoes for street shoes.

Wellies were flared on top to leave room for the Ewe. :lol:

Ewww

Wellingtons are wonderful on the boat on a rainy day but I would never think to bring them on tour. Way to heavy and bulky. Overkill to the extreme.

Way too heavy. I bring crocs along. There are some without holes in the top, though hard to find at times. They are water proof, they are light, they are surprisingly warm, but people find them comfortable for summer. I can wear them in a shower to keep my feet from getting fungus, then dry them off with a towel, and they are ready to go again.

They are not wellingtons, but if you choose your socks or gaiters carefully, you should be fine.

Wellington Boots
 

Yeah, I've thought it through again, and ordered a pair of Sealskinz lightweight overshoes for riding in. Then in camp I can change to waterproof socks. I think this might be a better solution, even if not 100% waterproof as the wellies would be, though ten times lighter and easier to pack... yer never know, there should be sunshine after rain... :)