Thanks everyone for their suggestions. I think I'm going to try the following combination. Use a waterproof sock and Velotoze makes a latex band that wraps around your calf and seals the top of the sock against rain. The bands are relatively inexpensive, so worth an attempt. I'll let you know how it goes this spring.
Two different pairs of the Lake MX winter boots depending on the cold/wet ratio. I literally haven't had a cold or wet foot winter riding in 20 years. MN, OR, CO. Yes the boots to cost more, but I'll never go back to shoe covers or any other kind of cheap hack. They do work too, but only to a point.
Agreed. I have a pair of Lake MX303s that I use when the temp gets into the mid 30s or lower. Combined with the vapor barrier/sock system I use, they're warm to at least 10 degrees, but I haven't tried them in colder weather. The only quibble I have with them is that there's a fair amount of extra room on the inside of the arch, which tends to rub on the crankarms.
I also have a pair of MX241s that I bought primarily for summer, but I find that they're quite warm with shoe covers over them and are good down to 35-40 degrees. On he road, the CX241s are perfect with shoe covers down to the same range, which is about as cold as I generally go on the road. The construction of these shoes actually traps warm air quite well when you add covers, but they're well-ventilated without them.
bnystrom wrote:Agreed. I have a pair of Lake MX303s that I use when the temp gets into the mid 30s or lower. Combined with the vapor barrier/sock system I use, they're warm to at least 10 degrees, but I haven't tried them in colder weather. The only quibble I have with them is that there's a fair amount of extra room on the inside of the arch, which tends to rub on the crankarms.
I also have a pair of MX241s that I bought primarily for summer, but I find that they're quite warm with shoe covers over them and are good down to 35-40 degrees. On he road, the CX241s are perfect with shoe covers down to the same range, which is about as cold as I generally go on the road. The construction of these shoes actually traps warm air quite well when you add covers, but they're well-ventilated without them.
I have the MX303 also and use it mostly for cool winter riding (but generally dry). They are a nice boot. I have a similar issue that the area to the inside from the ball of my foot also touches the crank arms.
Full fenders all the way for wet winter riding. Not only do they keep ur feet dry, but the rest of you also, and therefore warmer. They also keep your drivetrain clean. On my feet i wear merino wool socks and waterproof shoe covers.
Good point about the vents. I also wear wool sock exclusively, but my feet sweat enough that I wool socks and covers are not sufficient once the temp gets down around 40 degrees.
I rarely ride any longer than that when it's cold, but I typically find that my feet get progressively colder as my socks get damp. That's why I started doing the vapor barrier thing and now my feet are as warm after a couple of hours as they were at the start. An added benefit is that my socks are dry and I can wear them again without having to wash them.
I hear ya. Its a good system, though one of the benefits of wearing wool is it retains its insulating properties when wet. Like we used to say in the Boy Scouts, Wool's warm when wet, but cotton kills.
While that's true, it's only to a point. Wool does absorb water and it does lose a significant amount of it's insulating ability when it's wet. In the case of my feet, there's simply not enough margin for me to stay warm if my socks get damp.
So I tried out a combination of waterproof socks and a latex cuff made by Velotoze, which seals the sock tight to the leg. Worked really well in the shower. Next experiment will be out of doors.
bnystrom wrote:I rarely ride any longer than that when it's cold, but I typically find that my feet get progressively colder as my socks get damp. That's why I started doing the vapor barrier thing and now my feet are as warm after a couple of hours as they were at the start. An added benefit is that my socks are dry and I can wear them again without having to wash them.
Can you explain the vapor barrier system bynstrom?
The concept is pretty simple; you use a waterproof barrier between your feet and your insulating socks, so that perspiration doesn't dampen your insulation and reduce its effectiveness. I use a 3-layer system for improved comfort.
I start with a pair of very thin liner socks. Mine are wool, but the material really doesn't matter much.
The vapor barrier goes over the liners. There are commercial vapor barrier socks and you could even use latex if you want, but I go low-tech and cheap, opting to use the thin plastic bags that newspapers are delivered in. What you use doesn't matter much, as long as it's thin (so it doesn't bunch up) and waterproof.
Over that, I put my insulating socks. Again, the material is not critical, as they're not being asked to wick or absorb moisture. I use wool because in warmer conditions I'll use the same socks without the vapor barriers and I prefer wool for that.
That is the entire vapor barrier sock system. Nothing fancy, really.
Next comes the shoes. For really cold temps, I have a pair of Lake MX303s that are impermeable leather and insulated, and don't require anything over them. I don't generally use them unless the temp is below 40 degrees and I've worn them in 10-degree temps, though only for about 30 minutes. I don't generally ride when it's that cold and this was a case where a front came through in the middle of a ride and dropped the temp 20 degrees.
If I'm wearing my regular shoes (I recently got some Lake MX241s), I'll add shoe covers to reduce air and moisture intrusion from the outside, as they're well ventilated and that's not what I need in cold conditions. Once temps get above 45 degree, I don't generally need anything more than wool socks with my regular shoes and covers. Above 50 degrees, I don't use covers unless it's wet.
The logic behind these glove liners is simple: Multiple thin layers minimize bulkiness while increasing insulation in cold weather. This layering method works since different layers of fabric will trap air between, thus, making it harder for the cold to get through. And think about it, when it becomes too hot, you can just take off the glove liners and handle tasks with the protective pair only, how convenient!
For my hands, most of the time I use a thin pair of either wool or synthetic liners under a windproof shell glove like Gore's Windstopper. It's amazing how effective it is! If it warms up a bit, I'll remove the liners and use just the shells. If it warms up a lot, I'll use just the liners without the shells.
