Assured warm feet, for $1.20 per ride. Even on the coldest of rides, with these things in between your socks and shoe insoles, you will never have cold feet again. Coupled with a neoprene shoe booty, you may even have warmer feet than you’d like. Awesome, cheap, delicious heat for the feet. I buy them by the case. Available at any outdoor store.
“Cold” weather around here includes road riding conditions regularly in the 20’s during jan and feb. Average daytime temp is about 35F in those months, average low in the 20’s.
IMO, any thread which advovates or inquires about winter should include the actual temperature and location.
Going “chemical” has pros and cons. The general problem with chemical heaters is you can’t regulate the temp. Therefore, if you using them to bypass your bad set of booties/overboots/winter shoes/etc, then you are virtually guaranteed for your ride to end around 90 mins. i.e. feet get too warm, sweat, wet attracts cold…feet are cold, but warm on a 1" section.
Here is my rough set-up.
down to 55, standard shoes/socks
45-55, wind proof booties (Pearl)
38-45, winter boots (either Sidis or Daerne), wool ski socks
30-38, winter boots with neoprene overboot, wool ski socks
22-30, winter boots, overboot, chemicals, wool ski socks or sometimes the below:
sub 22 - winter boots (5 sizes too big), overboot, 3 pair of ski socks
sub 10 - option to use Sorels with SPDs drilled into bottom
I’ve never had good luck with those - by that, I mean that they never really provided the warmth I wanted/needed. So I now wrap my feet (over socks) in saran wrap. Make sure you cover your toes. You can even follow this with a second pair of socks
Answer Kashmir winter shoe $120…much cheaper than the Lake and Sidi.
Lots of great tips here: http://www.icebike.org/Default.htm
Also think about hitting the trails when it is cold…less wind chill.
I seem to be able to wear these down to about the mid 30’s now - from time to time I may double up as I have a send pair of these . Doubleing up these bootie I can usually be pretty good into the 20’s. I like them much better than neoprene overboots since they are much thinner and do a better job at keeping my feet warm.
I also own a pair of Laxe CX300 winter boots that I’ll wear when MTBing in the cold, but I usually only wear these when the temperature is below 30 degrees - any warmer out and my feet get way too warm.
Sock, I just wear a think wicking sock and a ski type sock over - the key is to make sure your shoes are not too tight - too tight of a shoe will restrick blood corculation and no matter what you are wearing - you will end up with frozen feet. Keep an eye out on ebay for some cheap used shoes (ones with no mess or vents - old Sidis are great winter shoes), buy them a size to a size and a half larger.
Cayenne pepper in the socks. Makes the socks and your feet red, but it’s cheap and there’s no bulky package in your shoe.
I also use ziplock bags between the sock and the shoe as a vapour barrier, which has been effective. Also helps keep feet dry when it’s really messy.
just be aware that plastic bags trap moisture which turns into very cold feet shortly.
WindTex (and similiar materials) is your friend during the winter months. This goes for booties, gloves, jackets, etc. It blocks the cold wind, yet breathes.
I have a thin cycling jacket that even though I paid a good amount of $$ for it with my team kit - to be used as a lightweight fall/spring jacket - it’s a piece of crap. It does not breath and retains all moisture inside the jacket which means I’m soaken wet as soon as I start sweating and it never dries out.
I use the footbed warmer w/ some Sidi winter cycling shoes that are a size too big, smartwool socks, plus Pearl Izumi winter booties. It does the trick for me when it’s in the 20s. The heat from the footbed seems to last about 2-3 hrs.
as someone has already said, it’s the wind that causes the cold. funny, a smart mountain biker, never heard of that one before. maybe this should go on the jokes thread…
anywho, instead of bulking up with layers or using chemicals for the roadies, try taping up the vents in the tops of the shoes so no wind can get in.
or if you’re like me, just ask youself WWDBD and go out and remember that pain is irrelevent.
oh wait, i have heard of a smart mountain biker before, WWDBD. my fault.
I’ve also used these toe warmers, but I put them on top of my shoes between the shoe and a neoprene shoe cover. Smartwool socks are good too. Also, in general, dry=warm, so sweaty feet get cold easier. I’ve had some good luck using a spray anti-perspirant on my feet to keep them dry.
I’m one that has serious cold feet issues - I’ve tried pretty much everything possible to keep my feet warm. In the end here is what works for me.
…
Sock, I just wear a think wicking sock and a ski type sock over - the key is to make sure your shoes are not too tight - too tight of a shoe will restrick blood corculation and no matter what you are wearing - you will end up with frozen feet. Keep an eye out on ebay for some cheap used shoes (ones with no mess or vents - old Sidis are great winter shoes), buy them a size to a size and a half larger.
Michael
I live in a pretty cold place (northern plains of central US). I have Raynaud’s - cold fingers and toes happen real easy. The above is by far the most important thing - do not wear tight footwear (or gloves in my case). Second thing is don’t get wet. Third thing is block cold air.
So, shoes that are not too snug, socks that are not too thick (I like smartwool) and that wick well, some sort of wind block layer - I don’t like goretex and definitely not barriers that do not breath - shoe covers that go over shoes work for me - let the moisture out of the shoe, but block wind.
