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One
of the secrets to keeping feet warm is to keep your legs warm.
The blood flowing around in your feet has to pass through the
legs to get there. I can't believe how many people I see with
exposed legs complaining about cold feet!
I have different cycling shoes for summer and winter. The winter
shoes are larger. This way I can use thicker socks or heavy insoles
or inserts. Many people make the mistake of using the same shoes
and trying to stuff thick socks into them in the winter. A shoe
that is too tight restricts circulation and makes the feet even
colder. My summer shoes are mostly mesh - for coolness. My winter
shoes have no ventilation and often include wool-felt insoles
made by Sorel - the winter boot makers. I used a Sidi winter boot
for years with great luck, but recently discovered Lake
Winter Cycling Boots. These are the warmest cycling shoe I
have ever worn..
I use wool socks year round. Defeet,
Smartwool, Thorlo
and Bridgedale
are my current favorites.
For the outer layer, I use Goretex
or Windstopper booties.
These do a great job of keeping my feet relatively warm and dry.
I've been searching for years for overshoes that will hold up.
Most have flimsy soles that wear out quickly if walked on, but
I have found a few in my travels with thick rubber soles - which
hold up much better. One of my current favorites is the MTB bootie
made by Spokes Wear.
It has a good rubber sole with a cutout for the heel and the cleat,
and a Velcro closure in the rear to make it easy to get on and
off and adjust for different size shoes. I really like not
having a zipper to get clogged with mud.
Carradice, maker of
waxed cotton cycling apparel and saddle bags also make wax cotton
shoe covers and spats. The spats cover the shins, and theoretically
when combined with fenders and a cape should keep the legs and
feet dry. Unfortunately they don't stay up on my legs, but others
have reported better luck.
I avoid neoprene totally. Every time I have tried it, I just
end up sweaty, wet and cold. Some people tell me it works well
for shorter rides, but I have had no luck with it, and avoid it
completely. Given how much of it I see in shops, it must work
for some folks - I'm just not one of them.
But this isn't always enough. Sometime it gets downright cold!
There are various types of foot warmers available. For less than
$2 a pair, Grabber makes disposable hand and feet warmers. There
are specific ones made for toes that are small enough to fit in
a shoe comfortably. They last about 5 hours and are terrific.
I keep a couple of extras in my saddlebag throughout the winter
for emergencies. I have given them away often and recipients have
always wanted to know where to get more. REI
carries them, as do many other outdoor and sport shops. A (non-disposable)
option is the (rechargeable) battery powered heated insole made
by Hotronic. They can be
found at ski shops and other outdoor shops. I decided to spoil
myself at Christmas a few years ago and purchased a pair. These
are fabulous. They last 8 hours on the lowest setting, less on
higher settings. I purchased a second set of batteries to use
on all day rides, so I could use the higher settings at times.
I have used these a lot and definitely have gotten my money's
worth. I clip the battery pack onto my booties. It's about the
size of two c-cell batteries.
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