Winter Riding Footwear

Man, I miss those boots… Wore them into the ground.

I have owned three generations of the Shimano MW winter boots and they are good. Definitely better then any sock/cover I have tried for commuting or nasty winter MtB-ing.

Did not like the Defroster (Specialized); both awkward fit (normally I find their shoes a very good/neutral fit for most people) and awkward to walk in.

I am one season in on a pair of North Waves and I would recommend them above anything else (assuming good fit) with the Shimanos a distant second.

The North Waves dual Boa system makes it possible to get the shoes tight enough for out of the saddle efforts (Shimano all Velcro is sloppy) they expand//contract better to fit well with different sock thicknesses so you can further adapt for cold//less cold rain, and the soles are WAY stiffer for pedaling while still being fine to hike in.

Keeping in mind I'm more sensitive to soft/flexy shoes then most people I know.

http://www.northwave.com/it/product/_extreme_winter_gtx

D

My first pair defrosters fit well and worked pretty well, but my puppy chewed them a bit. I had the Velcro straps reattached but punctured neoprene collars got the lumpy shoe goo fix which wasn't ideal. So I got a new pair but the fit is bad. I had to get one size larger than normal and even then it's not quite right. I can't wear the Shimano's because they don't come down to my size, 39. I wore a 40 for a season so I know the grip and warmth is good but that was a touch too large.

I have a pair of Mavic Scree goretex spd shoes. I Not cheap but really comfortable and dry.
I use them in conjunction with these short mec gaiters
http://www.mec.ca/product/5014-264/mec-ferrata-3-outdoor-athletic-gaiters-unisex/?q=gaiter
Along with with some winter thermal tights under my baggies I stay very warm and dry.I use tthin merino liner socks with woolie boolie socks over themI bought my screes form ebay 140$ well worth it. . Bomber:):clap::clap::clap:

http://bspbikes.com/product/mavic-scree-188841-1.htm

Primarily it's that they don't really fit. I have really low volume feet and even with super thick socks I can't get them snug enough. After the Terraduros they feel big and clumsy. As far as waterproofness and warmth they work fine.

Yup, I have narrow heel/low vol foot and I also find the fit around the fore foot/ankle is just not very snug on shimano shoes

BUT have you tried specialized I find they fit great!

the sealskinz sock are water proof but they sure have gone up in price

I used to have a pair of those red dh boots! They were awesome.

had 2 or 3 pairs back in the day myself , problem i had with them was the rubber sole peeling away from the plastic they used for the spd mount . once that happened rocks and such would get in the shoes while hiking up the trails while pushing the dh bike.

So there are gore tex socks like the ones from MEC. And there are these:

http://www.sealskinz.com/CA/socks/trekking-sock

Which seem too good to be true, albeit for $70. Has anyone tried these?

How timely!
http://nsmb.com/sealskinz-waterproof-socks/

I think that the Sealskinz socks are much improved from previous versions, the ones I tested stretched like a normal sock and didn't loose their waterproof features and I have pretty much worn them exclusively for riding since I got them (and run them through the washer and dryer). I will say that I would probably get the medium size but the larges are okay size wise.

My first pair defrosters fit well and worked pretty well, but my puppy chewed them a bit. I had the Velcro straps reattached but punctured neoprene collars got the lumpy shoe goo fix which wasn't ideal. So I got a new pair but the fit is bad. I had to get one size larger than normal and even then it's not quite right. I can't wear the Shimano's because they don't come down to my size, 39. I wore a 40 for a season so I know the grip and warmth is good but that was a touch too large.

I'm pretty sure you would really like the NorthWaves Andy -- your only concern may be that the cleat pocket is pretty-euro (but not super-euro) so you may not be able to get the cleats quite as far back as you like.

Fit and features blow everything else I have tried away.

Oh yeah, and they start at size 38! Cycles Lambert is the distributor so whatever shop you like to deal with can bring them in for you.

How timely!
http://nsmb.com/sealskinz-waterproof-socks/

Buying a pair of waterproof cycling shoes is expensive.

Faffing about with a bunch of cheaper "alternatives" and then buying a pair of waterproof cycling shoes is REALLY expensive.

I haven't tried the newer generation SealSkinz products, but I read a lot of, consumer, reviews when I was working in the shop and thinking of bringing them in -- the reviews are either really positive, or really negative, and there are lots of both.

D

***Edit: See comments on NSMB.com FaceBook post.

Ordered some 39's Drew. If they turn out to be crappy, I know where you work!

Ordered some 39's Drew. If they turn out to be crappy, I know where you work!

And that's why I only recommend products I know are awesome…

D

And that's why I only recommend products I know are awesome…

D

Which is why I'm a big fan of the Rocky Gore socks from MEC. $65 and every shoe you have is winterized. Road, clipless MTB, flats, and winter hiking/snowshoe. I find the fit is good enough to slide into the shoe without adding much bulk and I don't get any pinch points or bunching. But I don't have fussy (or cold) feet.

Which is why I'm a big fan of the Rocky Gore socks from MEC. $65 and every shoe you have is winterized. Road, clipless MTB, flats, and winter hiking/snowshoe. I find the fit is good enough to slide into the shoe without adding much bulk and I don't get any pinch points or bunching. But I don't have fussy (or cold) feet.

This is the first positive, presumably long term, review I have ever heard of the MEC socks. I have heard lots of negative reviews from people who purchased/liked the Gore version comparatively (which I would, personally, put in the "much better than nothing" water proof product category: definitely not comparable to a dedicated water proof hiking or riding shoe/boot).

D

Which is why I'm a big fan of the Rocky Gore socks from MEC. $65 and every shoe you have is winterized. Road, clipless MTB, flats, and winter hiking/snowshoe. I find the fit is good enough to slide into the shoe without adding much bulk and I don't get any pinch points or bunching. But I don't have fussy (or cold) feet.

I tried those and found them pretty awful. My problem I think is that my feet have heels and a arch plus and ankle above all that so they are a fucking bitch to get on and not shred. And they are stiff and lumpy once installed. Now I kinda know how my wife feels about panty hose.

This is the first positive, presumably long term, review I have ever heard of the MEC socks. I have heard lots of negative reviews from people who purchased/liked the Gore version comparatively (which I would, personally, put in the "much better than nothing" water proof product category: definitely not comparable to a dedicated water proof hiking or riding shoe/boot).

D

I use them as daily commuters and have had about 3 different iterations/improvements over the years. Road and dirt. I find they last 1.5 seasons, maybe 2 before I wear through the big toe usually. For me, that's satisfactory for the $ and I find a dedicated winter shoe typically too bulky, hot, and expensive. But your mileage and preference may vary, which is why I typically stay away from footwear and chamois discussions… as fit and tolerance if very personal.

How timely!
http://nsmb.com/sealskinz-waterproof-socks/

How well do they stop water from leaking in the top.

Gore socks are great, but leak at the top when wearing knickers.