Chris L

Quick question. How do those of you who actually get winters keep your feet warm? The question's been bugging me since Mt Wellington in Tasmania last January.

cyclezealot

When the morning is in the 40's, ( about 5 C.?) I have some neopreme booties.They work well...Shoe covers for about 10 C. Colder than that , I would have to move elsewhere.

Juha

I stop using clipless at around 0C. Below that it is platforms and GoreTex hiking boots for me. I've got two pairs, lighter version by Salomon and heavier by Halti. The latter will keep my feet nice and warm down to 25C-30C below (without wind chill) which is about all I need.

--J

bac

A pair of Lake MXZ300 shoes, AND toe warmers. I have cycled @ below zero Fahrenheit with this set-up, and my feet have never been even the least bit cold. The shoes are warm, but are also great for keeping the snow/slush out.

mirona

I use some neoprene covers to keep out the wind and wet and wear wool socks wrapped in aluminum foil to keep in the warm. If it's especially cold I use neoprene insoles that I made.

DanFromDetroit

Big Ugly Green (BUG) boots. These are made out of green rubber and have Thinsulate linings. I use toe-clips with them.

If you wanted to keep your cycling shoes, you could try something like this from www.campmor.com. You might have to make a cut-out to accomodate the clips though.

Dan

MichaelW

It makes a big difference if you are talking dry or wet cold.
You need winter footwear, bigger than your summer shoes, for extra sock space.
Some people like to let the water inside their shoes, and use gortex socks, or neoprene overshoes. Personally I like to keep water outside.
Woolen hiking socks work well. Lightweight trail shoes/boots are good, but often I just wear running shoes with extra socks. The ideal cold/wet boot is fairly high to fit underneath rain pants, but it doesnt need thick padding around your ankles. Im still looking for it.
If I get caught in cold rain sometimes I just wear the plastic bags that I carry in my pannier, inbetween socks and shoes.

Applehead57

Neoprene booties when I think about what I'm doing.
Plastic bags between shoes & socks, when I don't.

Gojohnnygo.

Don't forget to wiggle your toes when they start to feel cold (Keeps the blood moving to them) If it's really cold uncilp one foot and shake your leg in a downward movement to force blood into them. This helps.

capsicum

Good full grain leather workboots with about 9" tops with wool/acrilic blend boot socks.
If oiled/greased once a week, or month - depends on conditions, they are very waterproof and the tops are high enough to go under pants, they also breathe quite well(the original goretex but much more durable). Around $200-$300 american but I have got 9 years out of my current pair including many miles of hiking and several hundred days of digging, mowing, and generally slogging around in the mud, dust and snow, not to mention motorcycling in all wether.
I am very bad about greasing regularly so they get stiff and now the seems are just starting to let go because of it.(a cobbler could easly fix em but I'd like a slightly different style anyway[lower heel, maybe steel toe])

Daily Commute

Neopreme booties + wool socks can get me to somewhere between 7-10 degrees F, even with normal, summer bike shoes. I haven't had to deal with worse. Get the kind of wool socks you can use without having to put cotton socks on underneath.

Rowan

My current set-up, in what has been a very chilly winter, is a pair of woven wool sox* with another thin pair of polypro socks over the top. Good for down to Mt Wellington weather -- 0 deg or thereabouts. If its looks like getting below that and/or rainy, on go a recent purchase -- neoprene booties (BBB brand).

I can't remember the type of shoes you wear, but one of the problems with choosing suitable winter shoes in Oz is that many have open weave fabric panels that allow the cool air in. I've had three pairs of Shimanos like that. And because your feet inevitably sweat, your feet get colder and colder because of the evaporation as the air flows through. Hence the usefulness of the neoprene booties.

The system was really tested out on a recent ride from Strahan to Hobart in a day. There was one spot prior to Mt Arrowsmith that was deadly cold with fog. Toes were fine. Fingers aches like hell.

I've sometimes wondered about waterproof leather hiking boots (Blunnies) with a bit of work done to get the clipless cleat in there, but it just seems like too much trouble. Much easier to change clipless pedals for strapped ones.

*Obviously your shoes need to be big enough to take the extra layer. In addition, I avoid the Explorer type socks that have the loop pile in the soles. Try to get woollen socks that look the same whether they are right side or inside out. I think they retain their warmth efficiency wash after wash after wash...

By the way, I think I warned you about Wellington...

Chris L

I think you warned me about a lot of things, Wellington, the "roads" in the North-East, and possibly even the "water" at Queenstown (although I took your advice on that one and stuck to the bottled stuff). About the only thing you didn't warn me about was the thieving possum!


Thanks for the advice everyone. The Neoprene booties seem to be popular, but I think I'll also look into some spankily warm socks as well.

Dusk

I'm in Minnesota and ride all year. The clipless pedal and shoe combo an be a problem. The Road spds don’t chill my feet like the larger MTB SDPs I have must be surface area. I will cycle down to about 0 F. At about 50 - 40 I will put a light wind cover over the shoe. In the 30's to the teens I put a cotton or light wool sock over the wicking sock and move to a light weight Neoprenes hoe cover. Last year below 15 I just didn't ride for more that 45 minutes. So this year I bought a heavier Neoprene set of shoe covers that should help a lot. I also came across an ad for an insulating insole that is suppose to add warmth. Now if I could just remember where I stuck that ad…

Cheers

Michel Gagnon

I don'T have cold feet, but regular cycling shoes with 2 pairs of socks keep me warm down to 0 to -5 C. Below that, or in sleet, Lake MXZ300 footwear has been great down to -15 C (almost indefinitely) or -25 (for 30-60 minutes)

temp1

Wool socks and summer shoes down to freezing, below that I add neoprene shoe covers. That and lots of toe wiggling.

norssseman

Either two or three pair of socks, combined with neoprene booties, and battery
operated sock warmers(D cell), and you can't use rechargeable batteries...they
just don't warm like alkaline batt's.

Swiss Hoser

Quick question. How do those of you who actually get winters keep your feet warm?


Chris, the solution for me was to leave Canada and move to Europe. Haven't had cold feet since.

Juha

Actually, you moved to Central Europe (where it's all warm and cozy for most of the time) .

--J

Baz

My tricks:
To about -4 Celcius I just put on warm socks and duct tape over the vents in my bike shoes. I leave the duct tape on all winter.

To about -15 I use SPD compatible rain cover and an extra pair of socks (thin polypro liners under my wool socks)

To about -23 I add extra neoprene insoles to my shoes, sometimes I stuff the rain covers with extra insulation.

Any colder and I swap to platforms and wear big Sorrel snowboots.

It's a process...

Balance

This is for Ottawa: I tried the neoprene covers with my clipless shoes/pedals setup, but found that, like neoprene gloves, the comfort range was too small. Early in the winter I switch to flats with clips and wear running shoes with warm socks. Eventually I take the clips and straps off and wear -75c rated sorrel boots. They weigh a ton and I walk like sasquatch, but I never ever get cold feet

-=solewheelin

smartwool socks (or thick acrylic socks)
your normal decent weather bike shoes
and yes..
Totes rubbers

surprising that noone has brought this up, their very durable!
just slice a hole to expose the cleats and you should be toasty in the 30F zone

just leave the toes some wiggle space

-=steve

mguisado

I live in a rainy climate. So I've been considering the neoprene booties. Went to a local store and tried on a pair that matched my shoe size, couldn't even get them over my toes. How do these fit? Larger than the shoe size? Or are they just very tight?

vrkelley

Neoprene booties tend to run small but they do stretch.

I myself still need help. At 40F + a fast pace, the ride is cold with numb feet within 5mi! But usually after 10mi, they're warm for the reminder of the commute and I arrive pretty sweaty.

At 40F
Showerspass Century jacket
Baraclavia (neck)
Winter Gloves
Rain pants
SealSkin sock
Microfiber sock
Shoe 2 sizes too big

I don't have alot of body fat. Is an base layer needed under the windbreaker (even though At 40F my ears, hands, + torso seem comfortable)??

RiPHRaPH

i go to the fishing and hunting dept's of any store. the prices are much more reasonable than for the cycling-specific neoprene. and those little credit-card sized chemical heat cakes work great in shoes and gloves.