What shoe booties do you recommend?

[pfunkallstar]

I unfortunately got these guys a while back – http://www.amazon.com/Michelin-89-neo-Neoprene-Bicycle-Booties/dp/B003CGLHUQ – avoid at all costs! In the end I just gave up and got some Lake Winter Boots when they went on sale on Nashbar.

[PotomacCyclist]

I’ve used Descente neoprene shoe covers in previous winters with my Shimano MTB shoes. But I just can’t find a way to keep my toes warm on longer rides (on cold days). Chemical foot warmers don’t seem to help that much when it gets below 25-30F. (Above 30-35F, I don’t really need the chemical warmers.)

I think I’m going to give up trying to ride with clipless pedals during the winter and go with regular winter boots/shoes and platform pedals. The cleat and the holes in the sole of bike shoes just makes it too difficult to keep my feet warm on those long cold rides.

This may not matter as much if your rides are shorter than 30-45 minutes, or when the temperature is in the upper 30s and 40s. The Descente shoe covers have held up relatively well. They are scuffed up a bit and there’s a small hole in one of them. But I’ve had them for a few years, so some wear and tear is to be expected. I bought them on sale at the Capitol Hill bike shop, during their going-out-of-business sale. (I think the store came back the next year in a different location.)

[PotomacCyclist]

Has anyone tried these?

http://trekbicyclestores.com/product/bontrager-rxl-waterproof-thermal-shoe-covers-76719-1.htm

[ATTACH=CONFIG]3826[/ATTACH]

[hozn]

The cheap performance bike neoprene covers are some of the warmest I have tried (material is very thick). That said, I agree it is tough to keep toes warm below 30F for longer rides (longer than 1-1.5 hours for me). I have used chemical warmers between shoe and cover with moderate success. I have winter cycling boots now which are nice, though not a whole lot warmer than good covers.

Those Bonty covers look worth trying …

[Drewdane]

I just get wet. Wool socks insulate nicely even when wet. Maybe I’ll stuff an extra pair in my jersey pocket for the ride home if I don’t think the ones I’ve got will dry in time.

If it’s cold (below 40 deg. f) as well as wet, I might wear some neoprene socks I got from Performance years ago. If it’s below about 30, I wear Lake winter boots.

But basically, I just get wet. It’s only water, after all.

[jhr]

@PotomacCyclist 66428 wrote:

Chemical foot warmers don’t seem to help that much when it gets below 25-30F. (Above 30-35F, I don’t really need the chemical warmers.)

I wonder if the problem is that inside shoes under shoe covers they don’t get enough oxygen?

I have cheap sugoi shoe covers for rain that don’t really work that well in terms of ensuring water doesn’t get in but at least keep my feet warm enough while wet in fall weather (it also seems like the part on the bottom isn’t that durable, but I’m careful to avoid walking on them whenever possible so they’re holding up for now). For winter I just bought a pair of Pearl Izumi neoprene covers that I haven’t tried yet.

It doesn’t seem like shoe covers are typically good for extreme cold, and my feet get cold really easily, so if this winter turns out to be really bad and we get more 20 degree temperatures I may be tempted to try to experiment with something like taking a pair of down slippers and cutting out the sole to turn them into shoe covers.

[KLizotte]

For winter and cool, wet days I wear Shimano MW81 Gore-Tex Winter SPD Boots. I couldn’t find any cold weather spd shoes for women so went with men’s. I got them a size larger so I can wear SmartWool’s PhD knee length socks. Unless it’s really freezing and I’m on a long ride my feet do not get cold and I don’t recall them ever getting wet. The neoprene enclosure around the ankle works well at keeping out the elements (does make them a bit of a pain to get into though).

[ATTACH=CONFIG]3828[/ATTACH]

•Waterproof Gore-Tex® Insulated Comfort Footwear liner
•High visibility reflectors on rear and side of shoes
•Triple offset straps prevent pressure points
•Fleece liner insole for added insulation and heat retention
•Volume performance last accommodates fit with thick socks
•Fibreglass reinforced polyamide sole with optional spike mount
•Best matched with PD-M540, PD-M520 pedals
•Pedal System: SPD

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/us/en/shimano-mw81-gore-tex-winter-spd-boots-2014/rp-prod66829?utm_source=Google&utm_medium=Shopping&utm_name=UnitedStates&gclid=CIa9ouiIj7oCFdSd4AodySQAXw

[jnva]

I just rode for an hour with plastic grocery bags over my shoes. Worked perfect.

[mstone]

@KLizotte 66463 wrote:

For winter and cool, wet days I wear Shimano MW81 Gore-Tex Winter SPD Boots.

How cold does it need to be before you can wear them?

[KLizotte]

@mstone 66471 wrote:

How cold does it need to be before you can wear them?

I usually wear them mid-Nov through mid-March. I don’t bike in the snow (I only have a skinny tire bike) or heavy rain (not intentionally any way).
If I were to go out biking today, I’d wear them given the raw cold/rain.

My feet don’t get overheated and I find them as comfortable to wear as my usual mtb shoes. Note that I intentionally bought them a little big so I can wear heavy wool socks with them. One of the best investments in cycling apparel I’ve made.

Best I can remember from last year my feet were comfortable from the mid 40s up. I generally don’t bike at temps less than that.

Still not looking forward to winter though. Blech.

[mstone]

My big hesitation with boots is that I’m not sure how much use I’ll actually get out of them. With shoe covers and socks I can get down to the 20s, maybe the upper teens, but my feet get really hot & sweaty & miserable once the temp is into the 40s. With the shoe covers it’s possible to de-layer, but I’d imagine that’s harder with the boots. I’m even thinking about a pair of toe covers as an intermediate layer between the full covers & nothing. I’m sure that I can get boots that are warmer, but I’m worried that I’ll melt my feet on those days when it’s below freezing when it’s dark but then warms up (which means I’d only wear them on the coldest days).

[hozn]

Yeah, this was my main objection to buying boots too. I like that I can just throw the shoe covers in my backpack on the way home when it’s warmer. I did use my boots (Northwave Celcius) last year quite a bit, though, so I decided I do like having them. (I also got them used, which made it fairly quick/easy to justify the purchase.) But yeah, they aren’t as obvious in the shoulder seasons. I tend to have cold feet, so I find the boots (or covers) comfortable up until about 50F then they’re too hot.

[holdthebeach]

Does anyone have a good experience with shoe covers and street shoes? I would like to continue biking with my minimalist shoes but they minimally keep away the cold.

I was considering getting these because they have some rubber on the bottom and don’t like they’d get in the way too much. http://www.bikecommuters.com/2012/03/27/review-planet-bikes-blitzen-shoe-covers/

[Dickie]

Thought I would share a review I posted for a friends Bikes shop incase anyone is still shopping for booties:

When it comes to booties I turn into Goldilocks; these are not warm enough, those leak, I hate the velcro, etc. So in my search for the perfect bootie I took the recommendation of a friend and tried the Bontrager RXL’s. Before I even saw them I encountered my first surprise; the sizing is unusual. Bontrager’s sizing chart recommended an XL for my 44.5 road shoe which was a size up from my other booties, however when the XL booties arrived the fit was correct. My only qualm was the ankle opening being far too large. With the velcro strap pulled tight I still had excess material folded over. Not a huge concern since my tights cover this section, but if you plan to wear them with exposed legs in the rain don’t be surprised if water runs down into your shoes.

My first impression of the bootie was how stealthy they looked. An almost granite-matt black finish with no distracting logos. Other than the orientation of the zippers and a few reflective dots it is almost difficult to discern the right from the left. They are also quite light for a fleece lined bootie. The craftsmanship is excellent and the sealed seams are beautifully stitched and concealed. The rubber bottoms are thick and seem durable with quite a large opening that accommodates even my large Look Delta cleat with room to spare.

I have worn these most of January which included a polar vortex, Ice, snow, and a miserable day in the pouring rain. Without a doubt these are the warmest booties I have ever owned, my toes have never had it so good. However, like most booties their rain protection is limited. After an hour in a downpour my feet were wet due to the common problem of road spray entering the cleat opening. However, the upper portion of the bootie performed like a champ, repelling the rain even when the material appeared saturated. In showers and light rain I am sure your feet would stay dry, but no bootie can ever compare to a dedicated rain/winter shoe. Unfortunately there is an achilles heal; the booties are not durable, and this is a real bummer for a $70.00 premium product designed and built for the worst conditions. I have 300 miles on them and the material is ripping, peeling, and tearing. Due to the bulky nature of a winter bootie it is not uncommon for your feet to occasionally rub against a crank arm, and this appears to be where the damage is occurring. A conversation with a fellow rider revealed the exact same problem with his RXL’s. To make matters worse the integrity of the waterproof material is breached with each tear rendering these booties pretty much useless unless you intend to ride only in cold dry conditions, something not very common in my location.

All in all what seemed like such a promising product has now found it’s place at the bottom of my cycling drawer with my other failed products…. back to tasting porridge!

[americancyclo]

Those booties are on sale for $35 on the trek website now.

I’m still a fan of my Endura Luminite Covers with wool socks underneath. They’re starting to tear up a bit now, but I’ve had them for three winters now.

Have you tried the Luminite II? Looks to be had for under $50

[Author]

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