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Cold/rain gear for ankles/feet

Didn't want to derail the other thread re: rain gear. What do you guys do for ankles/feet for rain/cold conditions? I'm good on how to deal with layering up top, but for socks/feet, have resorted to plastic bags over tech/wool socks when necessary. Better solution? What do you guys do/use?
ka_jun
2013-11-01 12:50:10
I use these Endura shoe covers in the rain http://www.endurasport.com/Product.aspx?dept_id=107&prod_id=213 They're a little clunky to put on (a lot of stiff velcro), but the waterproofing is good and my feet stay pretty dry. Once it's cold I wear Shimano winter spd boots http://www.amazon.com/Shimano-SH-MW81-Shoes-Mens/dp/B005VF3NG2 I like them a lot, and they're really waterproof as long as your rain paints cover the neoprene ankle cuff (and even then it takes a lot of water to soak through)
willb
2013-11-01 13:25:38
I also have the shimano winter boots, They keep out the water very well. They are good down to about freezing or a bit below, but then they get cold due to the breathable material in the toes. I wear shoe covers over them to keep in more heat and that works well down to about 10-15 degrees. Combine that with some leg warmers or rain pants to keep water from running down in to the tops of the shoes and you'll stay nice and dry. If I had the cash to throw around, I'd get some 45nrth fasterkatt boots for commuting and mountain biking. They are pretty hard to find at this point though.
benzo
2013-11-01 13:47:56
Boots are the way to go for keeping your feet warm, but I've never found a good way to keep them dry. I don't like fenders,and the spray on my legs always works its way down to the socks, and wicks in that way. I've tried shoe covers, rain pants, those spats from Rivendell, which maybe work best -- nothing works for me for more than a few miles. If I got fenders I think everything down there would stay dry enough, thanks to my rain cape, but without them I've not found a solution.
jonawebb
2013-11-01 14:20:32
I have a few different neoprene winter shoe covers which work fairly well in the cold, but for warmer weather I put plastic bags OVER my shoes then use lycra wind covers over the bags. This keeps your shoes from getting wet and I don’t think your feet sweat as much as when you put the bag inside your shoe. I save those real thin bags grocery stores put out for putting your veggies in and the bag doesn’t interfere with my SPD clips at all. The only negative is that the bags get torn up from the clip so are single use, so carry a few spares if you plan on rain on the evening trip home.
marko82
2013-11-01 15:30:51
do the shimano winter shoes fit the same as their regular shoes?
headloss
2013-11-01 16:07:08
@jonawebb I have nice fenders and splash still gets on my shoes on long rides The problem is that wherever the struts are that hold the fender in place also act as a place for otherwise streamlined water to splash over
sgtjonson
2013-11-03 20:20:22
@Pierce, thanks, that makes me feel better about my anti-fenders bias.
jonawebb
2013-11-04 08:50:10
Drewbacca wrote:do the shimano winter shoes fit the same as their regular shoes?
I think I went a size up for the shimano boots so that I could wear thick socks, and that seems to work pretty well.
willb
2013-11-04 09:13:43
Drewbacca wrote:do the shimano winter shoes fit the same as their regular shoes?
I also went one size up so I could wear big socks in the winter.
benzo
2013-11-04 12:44:24
Thanks for the input, looks like boots might be the route to go. 1 set of big thick socks adequate? Down to what temp? Previously I was layering 2 sets of socks, wool & synthetic, worked but a PITA to deploy and get out of at the office.
ka_jun
2013-11-04 22:38:18
I'm good to about 15 in my Shimano winter boots, for an hour ride.
jonawebb
2013-11-05 08:18:52
Just my 2-cents on keeping feet warm - but the most important thing is to maintain wiggle room inside your shoes. If you put too thick of socks in too small of shoe you will cut off your blood circulation and have cold feet no matter how good the shoes are. Thick socks are great, but not in your normal shoe size. I can spend ten hours or more out fishing on a frozen lake without my feet getting cold. Some of this is because I have some awesome boots, but they are also almost sloppy loose too. That, and you got to keep the rest of you warm too.
marko82
2013-11-05 09:13:06
Another thing to think about - switch to platform pedals for the "winter" and use light waterproof hiking boots. Then if the weather seriously goes to hell, leave the bike and walk or jump the bus and you're in the shoes for it. Also platforms allow you to bail off if need be.
edmonds59
2013-11-05 09:34:37
To Marko's point, I always loosen up the shoe laces a lot when it starts getting colder to allow for thicker socks.
sgtjonson
2013-11-05 15:37:22
+1 on not-too-thick socks. I wear smartwool hiking socks (medium thickness, basically) with the shimano boots, and as long as my feet are warm when I start out, I'm good for my 25-30 minute commute in all but the coldest Pittsburgh weather.
willb
2013-11-06 10:12:58
I have a pair of these. Your shoes will still get wet, but your feet will stay dry. They're thick -- so I just use a very thin pair of wool socks under them.
jeffinpgh
2013-11-07 08:49:55
Anyone Nikwax their cycling shoes?
ka_jun
2013-11-07 09:17:32
@ohiojeff - Do you find that the neoprene socks are more comfortable with thin wools underneath? Do your feet breath at all in there?
benzo
2013-11-07 10:45:00
After reading this thread, I realized that I didn't have to suffer all winter like the last few winters. Why I never thought of shoe covers I'll never know. so I bought a real cheap pair of Peal Izumi shoe covers. figure that they have to be better than nothing (literally nothing) and are cheap enough to experiment with, and are much cheaper than winter shoes/boots that work with my SPD type pedals.
edronline
2013-11-07 17:51:23
The 45NRTH boots from Thick are gone...I purchased them this week, and have ridden with them twice. They are the best winter riding investment I've ever made, and will hopefully make it less likely for me to say "It's too cold" this winter.
ajbooth
2013-11-09 13:44:20
I don't know what counts as a "snow fall," but we already had flurries a couple of weeks ago :P On the note of Thick and cold weather stuff, last week they had a decent amount of stuff in a sale pile like cold weather gloves, head and feet stuff that was 50% off
sgtjonson
2013-11-11 21:26:48
Benzo wrote:@ohiojeff – Do you find that the neoprene socks are more comfortable with thin wools underneath? Do your feet breath at all in there?
Sorry, I lurk in and out there and missed this. They have some kind of gore-tex like membrane which is supposedly breathable, but your feet will get sweaty. The good news is that you don't get much evaporative cooling, and thus your feet stay pretty warm even if your shoes are soaking wet. These are essentially windproof so I tend to use them alone inside my shoes even when it's sunny but cold. When temps are under 30 degrees I'll put booties on over my shoes too. The thin wool socks do help by wicking some of the moisture away, and providing a slight extra layer of insulation. The pair I have are branded SealSkinz but they only seem to be called that in the UK now..not sure why.
jeffinpgh
2013-11-14 11:11:54
@willb @marko82 how sturdy have you found the neoprene shoe covers/booties? I just picked up a pair and they fit strangely and are a bit clunky over my mountain shoes. Have others found that toe covers are enough?
ka_jun
2013-11-21 13:16:30
@jz, nope, they're not enough. I agree with you about the sturdiness of the shoe covers, BTW. The design covers the bottom of the sole with the material, which just isn't going to last. They seems to be meant for riding, not walking to your bike, and I don't know why the bottom of the shoe, which is waterproof, needs protection. That's why I switched to the Rivendell spats. They are clunky and obviously sturdier.
jonawebb
2013-11-21 13:29:38
J Z wrote:@willb @marko82 how sturdy have you found the neoprene shoe covers/booties? I just picked up a pair and they fit strangely and are a bit clunky over my mountain shoes. Have others found that toe covers are enough?
I use my neoprene covers over my regular summer road shoes. I can sustain about 2-3 hour ride in about 29-32 if I combine them with smart wool socks. And about 1-1.5 hour if temperature is about 15-17. But I almost don't commute, I ride for the sake of mostly getting in shape (90% of the time). PS I have them for 2 years.
mikhail
2013-11-21 14:40:37
J Z wrote:how sturdy have you found the neoprene shoe covers/booties?
The Endura covers do have material that goes under the sole of the shoe, and after a while they have definitely started to come apart a bit. For that reason, I only wear them for rainy days when it's too cold for sandals and too warm for the winter boots. In the end, I went with the winter boots because I could tell the covers weren't going to last, and I just got sick of having to put them on over my shoes everyday.
willb
2013-11-21 16:45:24
The booties are not very walking-friendly and I've had to repair mine a few times, but they are nice on the bike. I like the looks of the spats that jonaweb linked to above. They look easier to get on and off too so maybe they would last longer since you wont be tempted to walk in them.
marko82
2013-11-21 17:56:37
I'd love to find a pattern for making my own. I have a lot of material that once was an old billboard, a pair of scissors, and know how to sew on some velcro or snaps. I was in REI a couple nights ago, and those Pearl Izumi covers are $70. Geez, really?
stuinmccandless
2013-11-22 10:13:28
@stu, here's a photo of one of my Rivendell spats. I think it would be a pretty easy design to duplicate.
jonawebb
2013-11-22 10:42:48
About a year ago I bought neoprene at JoeAnn. It was for 19.99/yard and is 54" wide and 3 mm thick. This is on bright side. On a dark side -- I took last yard and a half and they told me that they are not sure if it's going to be ordered/carried again since it was not exactly "a hot item".
mikhail
2013-11-22 15:06:58
@jonawebb ah, shoot. you can hope (re: toe covers). @Mikhail those Pearl Izumi's look better than the ones I have (look like they have velcro to customize the fit on the bottom a bit). I'll give the bootleg booties I have (they're Performance house brand) a go and see how they work. There have only been around 3-8 days so far in the season where I felt like it was "too cold" on my feet and it really hasn't been wet enough to go to the trouble. I switched back to clipless, the platform pedals were irritating me.
ka_jun
2013-11-22 15:28:17
J Z wrote: @Mikhail those Pearl Izumi’s look better than the ones I have (look like they have velcro to customize the fit on the bottom a bit).
Well, they look nice and they are pretty warm. But I half a problem with almost all shoe sovers -- my calfs are two wide and none of XL covers are wide enough to close. So i bought neoprene from JoeAnn and made inserts (and I ended up with different brand -- much cheaper since I tried to experiment with tem). I would wear those show covers for today light up ride. You can take a look at "my final product" if you want. :)
mikhail
2013-11-22 15:34:30
neoprene at JoeAnn ... they told me that they are not sure if it’s going to be ordered/carried again since it was not exactly “a hot item”. Odd. One can't help but wonder...
ahlir
2013-11-22 17:32:23
Somehow, even though I appeared to be seemless, I still had wet ankles this morning. Looks like booties are the way to go.
faunaviolet
2013-11-22 20:22:22
While perusing the internets for some reflective tweed spats, which I suddenly felt like I needed to have, I came across this site, with "leggits" which seem absolutely ideal. A lot of other cool stuff, for ideas, if nothing else. From England, whereof they know rain: https://www.cyclechic.co.uk/shop/gifts/her/georgia-dublin-leggits-3-colours I have not yet found a source for reflective tweed spats.
edmonds59
2013-11-23 07:31:18
@ed, you need a tailor.
jonawebb
2013-11-23 08:33:37
Ha! I need to get off my butt and start making stuff - again. Winter projects! When I was 15, I sewed my own panniers and handlebar bag for the Transamerica tour. Even made bike shirts. That has somehow fallen by the wayside.
edmonds59
2013-11-23 08:48:37
^Oh yeah.
edmonds59
2013-11-23 10:18:28
^ in case you want to try making your own. http://www.wikihow.com/Make-Spats Also, I find it amazing that you cant find reflective tweed spats online, what with the global economy and all. But I turned up nothing.
marko82
2013-11-23 12:30:19
jonawebb
2013-11-23 12:42:42
I have Endura neoprene booties (MT500) and my feet were quite cozy this morning.
neilmd
2013-11-25 17:36:52
I just wear my snow boots with wool socks underneath :) LL Bean makes a great boot, very warm and waterproof.
littleyellow
2013-12-03 10:19:50
This Saturday my feet ended up being wet from like 12pm until I got home around 7pm. First time I can recall that I actually changed my plans due to weather/condition of my clothes Only my feet were wet though That slush/water mixture is the worst Ordered the Rivendell splats, hope they'll help Anybody with the Shimano boots have any experience stepping in puddles? I think with the splats I would have still be screwed with my current shoe if I put my foot down in some spots on the trail that seemed to have a couple of inches of watery slush
sgtjonson
2013-12-16 19:42:57
Anybody with the Shimano boots have any experience stepping in puddles?
Mine haven't leaked yet. Admittedly, I haven't stood in ankle-deep water for extended periods of time, but they've done a fine job of resisting water whilst casually strolling through slush and icy puddles.
reddan
2013-12-16 21:44:24
Same here.
jonawebb
2013-12-16 21:50:32
me too. the shimano's have a waterproof barrier that goes all the way around and under the footbed, so unless the water comes in over the top, you keep dry. (this will be a huge hassle if I ever have to replace the spd plate though)
willb
2013-12-17 08:58:06
Pierce wrote:Anybody with the Shimano boots have any experience stepping in puddles?
I've put my feet in to some deep puddles and stayed dry with the shimano winter boots. They really do a good job of keeping the water out (except from the top). However, my tights tend to wrap over the outside of the cuff and keep water from getting down in that way.
benzo
2013-12-17 11:38:02
I have to agree with ajbooth with the 45Nrth's, I was very impressed with them I have a pair of BRAND NEW 45nrth fasterkatts, size 44 for sale...
kbem
2013-12-23 12:22:45
kbem wrote:I have a pair of BRAND NEW 45nrth fasterkatts, size 44 for sale…
Let me guess, they were too small and had to get a bigger size? I normally wear a 43, had to get a 45 before I could safely zip them up.
benzo
2013-12-23 18:05:09
+1 on flats. Then you can just get a pair of "outdoors" boots (I'd call them hiking boots, but that conjures a trip to REI -- all you need is something cheap; I've seen perfectly fine boots at Target). Get good pedals, something with lots of spikes a la BMX, they make a huge difference over the crappy plastic bear traps that some people have.
jkoutrouba
2013-12-24 08:37:41
I get around on spiky platform pedals and hiking boots just fine. No speed records will be broken but it works just fine. If you want extra ankle protection against wetness and grime, you could always wear a pair of gaiters.
andyc
2013-12-24 11:32:27
I got the largest pair of MUSA splats from previously mentioned website and it looks like they'll set a new dorky-look record They almost make me look like I'm wearing scuba flippers
sgtjonson
2013-12-25 22:21:50
Benzo wrote:
kbem wrote:I have a pair of BRAND NEW 45nrth fasterkatts, size 44 for sale…
Let me guess, they were too small and had to get a bigger size? I normally wear a 43, had to get a 45 before I could safely zip them up.
good guess... haha Sucks cause I really like the boots and no one has them in stock. I'm going to return the Fasterkatts this week. I have a pair of Lake MXZ303's on order
kbem
2013-12-27 09:16:41
I like the Fasterkatts, but I wish I didn't have to size up so much to get my wide feet in them. It throws off my usual system for cleat positioning and wish they could be a little more snug at times. However, they have been keeping my feet warm better than my shimano winter boots. However, unlike the shimanos, I generally won't wear them when the temp is over 40 degrees, I'm just sweating at that point.
benzo
2013-12-27 10:21:57
The getting ready for winter thread got me thinking on boots again... For people with those Shimano boots, do they fit true to size or did you get a size or two larger for socks?
sgtjonson
2014-09-08 12:23:31
Size up at least one size for socks. They do fit true to size, but if you wear bigger socks, you'll probably want bigger shoes. I had to use shoe covers when it was under 20 degrees or add a plastic bag over my socks due to the breatability of the shoes. But that also means they are better for warmer weather, I use them a lot in spring and fall rainy seasons and my feet don't get soaked from the inside or the outside.
benzo
2014-09-08 13:37:48
Yep, went a size up for socks. Also preferred to use covers on the coldest days (below 10 degrees or so)
willb
2014-09-08 13:48:32