Who has insulated winter shoes?

[malkin]

What shoes do you have?
How cold is it where you ride?
How much more time can you spend riding in that temp. because of your shoes?
How do they fit (relative to anything, like Sidis, like Birkenstocks, like other cycle shoes, or other street shoes)?
Do you also have extra insoles or booties or other tricks up your sleeve (or your sock)?
Anything else?

I'm looking for SPD compatables.
Now that my hands and cheeks are warm, my thoughts turn to my feet.

[Blueberry]

I don't have any - yet. But I'm eying the Sidi winter boots - with the TE 20% coupon.... Would love to hear experiences!

[Eden]

I ride a lot in cold wet weather. I have an older pair of Sidi winter boots. I LOVE them... even though they are too big. I take a 37 in Sidis and the smallest I could find in the boots was a 39.

I wear them with a thick pair of socks and an extra pair of insoles. I still wear booties over the top to keep the water from coming down through my socks. They make my feet very, very happy.

[lph]

I have Shimano winter shoes, SH W101. They have a solid waterproof sole, a neoprene cuff and a roomy foot box for my short fat feet . They aren't superwarm, but I got them on sale and they're quite adequate. I've replaced the insole with one in wool felt, and wear medium-weight wool socks in them.

I use them for commuting, 45-90 min each ride. They're fine on their own down to about -4 C (25F), below that or if it's raining I add Gore-tex booties over. With booties they're good down to -8-10 C (14-18F). I'll ride down to about -15 C (5F) but then just short rides, 45-50 min.

I'm lusting for a pair of Lake winter shoes, so I'm saving up for when these die

eta: I think I mean shoe covers, not booties. Full Gore-tex covering, but with an open sole with just a band to keep them in place.

[Selkie]

What shoes do you have? Lake Winter Cycling Boots (MTB version)
How cold is it where you ride? I have used them when temps were in the 20s.
How much more time can you spend riding in that temp. because of your shoes? Significantly more (2+ hours)
How do they fit (relative to anything, like Sidis, like Birkenstocks, like other cycle shoes, or other street shoes)? I sized up because I wear them w/Smartwool snowboarding socks, which are thicker, and chemical toe warmers. Plus, having extra room is good for circulating the air -- keeps your feet warmer. They are clunky (Herman Munster shoes, not stylish but who cares?)
Do you also have extra insoles or booties or other tricks up your sleeve (or your sock)? The smartwool snowboarding socks are wonderful. In addition to keeping my feet warm, they keep my calves warm.
Anything else? Booties/toe covers, etc. can't compare. If you are serious about riding through the winter, good quality winter cycling boots are an excellent investment. I've had my original pair of Lakes, which I bought on sale, since 2005 or 2006, and they are still going strong, despite being worn in some cold, rainy conditions.

FYI that I also have the Sidi Diablo winter boots. Those do not come anywhere close to keeping my feet as warm as the Lakes. I had to put both toe and shoe covers over them, and they still didn't keep out the cold (remember, I'm an endurance rider, so I'm out ~2-3+ hours/ride).

I'm looking for SPD compatables. Both the Sidis and the Lakes are SPD compatible.

[Becky]

I have the Sidis. They're nicely made and I love that I can wear them in moderate temps when it's wet outside because they're not super-insulated, but they are Gore Tex. That said, if I were doing it all over again, I think I'd buy the Lakes or Pearl Izumis for the extra warmth.

I found that I didn't need to size up. They're cut roomy, so my normal size allows enough room for thicker socks.

[tulip]

I have Sidi winter boots. I think they are fantastic. I ride into the upper 20sF with no problems. I do not , however ride in rain or snow so I cannot comment on those conditions.

I wear smartwool socks and my feet are toasty. I have not needed booties with them. When it's really cold, I wear silk socks and real wool socks. Mine are a side larger than my summer shoes to accommodate the socks. I bought mine from a fellow TE mate, and they were nearly new.

I would buy them again. I have not tried any other cycling boots, so I cannot make a comparison.

[Crankin]

I bought the PI X-Alp mid winter shoe last year, at the end of the season. They are awesome; basically a Gore-Tex hiking shoe with cleats/stiffness of a bike shoe. They come with a special neoprene gaiter, too. You can wear thick socks and don't need anything else. They are expensive, but I got them havily discounted last January, at Backcountry.
I have to switch the pedals on my road bike for these. I used them on my hybrid last winter, but I am getting sick of the toe warmers, booties, socks, etc to use with my Speedplays.

[Jaclyn]

Who has insulated winter shoes? I have insulated winter road shoes.
What shoes do you have? Gaerne Eskimo - they are SPD compatible
How cold is it where you ride? Northwest Ohio - temperatures in winter are often in the teens - and windy
How much more time can you spend riding in that temp. because of your shoes? My rides get shorter in the winter - but I'm still doing 40+ mile rides
How do they fit (relative to anything, like Sidis, like Birkenstocks, like other cycle shoes, or other street shoes)? They fit like cycling shoes - I went up one size from my normal road bike size
Do you also have extra insoles or booties or other tricks up your sleeve (or your sock)? Yes, I removed the regular insole and put one of those orange "can stand on dry ice" insoles that are sold by lots of people
Anything else? When it's below 25 or so, I may add neoprene shoe covers. I wear either wool ski socks or neoprene socks.

I also use bar mitts to keep my hands warm.

And the rest of my clothes are what you'd expect - winter tights, base layer, several layers (one of which may be wool), and an insulated jacket that is made for cross country skiing but works great for cycling. Oh, and a hat / neckwarmer combination.

Finally, I try to plan my route with the wind / cold in mind.

[Becky]

Jaclyn, do those orange insoles actually work? I've been thinking about a pair...

[SpeedyChix]

What shoes do you have? Lake winter boots
How cold is it where you ride? ends up in the single digits during winter
How much more time can you spend riding in that temp. because of your shoes? 2 hours
How do they fit (relative to anything, like Sidis, like Birkenstocks, like other cycle shoes, or other street shoes)? Mostly even with Sidis though I run a half size larger for room inside
Do you also have extra insoles or booties or other tricks up your sleeve (or your sock)? Charcoal heaters on the outside of a liner sock or on the smartwool sock inside
Anything else? Keep your head warm to help keep your feet warm

[malkin]

Thanks everyone!

[Susan Otcenas]

What shoes do you have? I wear the Sidi Winter Boots.

How cold is it where you ride? Winter temps are 30s and 40s, pretty much always wet wet wet.

How much more time can you spend riding in that temp. because of your shoes? Lots. I couldn't ride in the winter if I didn't have waterproof shoes. I have Raynaud's Syndrome very badly, and it's imperative that I keep my feet dry.

How do they fit (relative to anything, like Sidis, like Birkenstocks, like other cycle shoes, or other street shoes)? The Winter boots are men's only. SO, while you still buy the same size for length, the VOLUME is greater. This actually turned out to be a really good thing. Although they feel really big if you try them on with regular socks, in practive I never wear them with regular socks. (see next question)

Do you also have extra insoles or booties or other tricks up your sleeve (or your sock)? I swapped out the thin liners for a pair of Australian Shearling insoles (sooooooo warm), and I wear wool socks with chemical toe warmers on TOP of my feet. With all that in there, the volume is totally filled up (even a tad snug), but my feet stay much warmer.


Anything else? The boots are fully waterproof. BUT your feet will only stay dry if you prevent the water from getting in the top, by wicking down your tights to your socks. In real rain, I wear fully waterproof Goretex rain pants, with the tops of the pants firmly secured OVER the top of the shoes to keep the rain out. In light mist, or wet road conditions, I wear backpacking gaiters. This protects my calves and prevents the road spray from getting my tights and socks wet.

If you DO get caught out in a big rainstorm without pants or gaiters, the water will wick down your tights straight into the boots. Then the boots act like buckets, and will keep the water inside fully. You'll be able to dump them out when you are done. Remember, Goretex is not directional. If you fill up the shoe with water, it won't "leak" out! :-)

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[Selkie]

Hmmm, Susan, shearling insoles. Now you got me thinking. Any chance TE will carry them?

[ridebikeme]

I have an older pair of Diadora winter shoes and have used them a great deal. They are SPD compatible, and generally are about a size larger than my regular shoes. Temps here can generally get VERY cold, anwywhere from 30 down to negative temps and windy. If it gets consistently below "zero" I will put regular pedals on my bike and ride with my hiking boots on, otherwise these shoes are pretty good. I put thin wool insoles in mine years ago, like most people in New England do and that definitely helped quite a bit! I also tend to wear Smartwool or similar socks with them. If I'm riding when there is lots of snow, I'll also put gaitors on top... keeps the snow/wind from going down inside the boot.

If you should find that the shoes are not warm enough, you could always buy an extra pair shoe/toe covers. Or as others have recommended, use chemical toe heaters. Although the future is showing us that boots with heating elements (like ski boots) are available as well... although pretty expensive. These same heaters are something that you could purchase and install yourself... so something to think about.

Next pair around, I would more than likely buy either Louis Garneau or Gaerne... both great shoes as well.