# Winter = cold feet — toe covers, maybe?



## Slim Again Soon (Oct 25, 2005)

I plan on commuting through the winter, which is not all that hard to do where I live.

But in winters previous, my feet got uncomfortably cold on some rides. So I'm now thinking of using an outer cover of some sort to keep the tooties warm.

Booties seem to be overkill for my temps -- upper 30s common, low 30s sometimes, rare rides in upper 20s.

So I'm considering toe covers. But ... I'm skeptical. Though they might be lless hassle than full booties, and less likely to bake the dogs, I wonder if they get the job done. 

Anyone have experience with toe covers they could share? And recommendations?


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## zpl (May 7, 2007)

I use toe covers occasionally, but I find the neoprene gets chewed up pretty quickly. I'm on my second set of Performance toe covers.

My advice for temps in the upper 30s is to wear wool socks (I'm a smartwool fan) and put sandwich bags over them. Also, don't cinch up your shoes as tight as you would during the summer - the wool works best when it isn't compressed tightly and has air pockets to insulate your feet with.


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## bsaunder (Oct 27, 2004)

I'm a big fan of the luis garneau (spelled wrong I'm sure) covers that nashbar usually sells. They are not neoprene, but rather a laminated nylon with a reinforced toe and an elastic strap that goes behind the heal. It doesn't add much in the way of insulation, but does block the air from coming in the vents of the shoes. From about this time of the year on, those covers pretty much live on my shoes. I actually rarely use booties.


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## terry b (Jan 29, 2004)

I've gone to winter cycling shoes for temps below 35. I have a little circulation problem on my tiny toe-ees and found a couple of years ago it was causing a condition that looked a lot like frostbite.

Toe covers are fine for me in the 40s, and booties in the higher 30s, but I hate them and the way they work. Winter shoes - everyone who rides in the cold stuff should consider them. They are just so toasty and dry.


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## bigbill (Feb 15, 2005)

I commute in winter shoes and candy pedals. My shoes are Specialized Defroster and I wore them all last winter and so far this fall without cold feet. I wear regular cycling socks. On wet days, I wear short socks that stay below the neoprene cuff and my feet stay dry. MTB shoes are good for commutes.


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## Slim Again Soon (Oct 25, 2005)

*What the heck ...*

... are winter shoes?

I've never heard of them.


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## llama31 (Jan 13, 2006)

*winter shoes*



Slim Again said:


> ... are winter shoes?
> 
> I've never heard of them.


for example:

http://www.coloradocyclist.com/product/item/NORZARQP

http://www.coloradocyclist.com/product/item/SIDZFWYE

shimano and specialized have winter shoes as well


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## xxl (Mar 19, 2002)

Slim Again said:


> ... are winter shoes?
> 
> I've never heard of them.


Just like regular shoes, only cut higher, insulated, etc., like these: 

http://www.sidiusa.com/winter.html

Other makers are out there, notably Lake, Specialized, and Gaerne. They're spendy, but they're a lot easier to deal with than booties, if you ask me. Buy them one, or even two, sizes too big, as you'll be wearing a couple of pairs of socks underneath.


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## Kerry Irons (Feb 25, 2002)

*Bootie comfort*



Slim Again said:


> Booties seem to be overkill for my temps -- upper 30s common, low 30s sometimes, rare rides in upper 20s.


At those temps booties would be required equipment for me. Everyone has different cold tolerance and different patterns of heat generation, so you are the only one who can really say if this statement is true for you. However, the "seem to be overkill" comment makes one question whether you have ridden booties at these temps and really know what you need. Also, you should recognize that not all booties are the thick neoprene rubber type. The ones we use are thin fleece lined and somewhat breathable.

Winter shoes are bike shoes without any significant ventilation and with insulation, along with typically a higher cuff around the ankle. Do a little digging on the web and you surely will find some. Whether they are worth the extra $$ compared to the other solutions offered in this thread is a question only you can answer.


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## bigbill (Feb 15, 2005)

Booties make sense if you are wearing road shoes. This is the commuting forum. I think the common assuption is that people are seeking advice for commuting. For me, MTB shoes are necessary for walking and climbing stairs after I arrive at work. Booties don't work well with MTB shoes and the bootie/road shoe combo is not good for walking.


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## Slim Again Soon (Oct 25, 2005)

*Commuting forum -- Who knew?*

As noted,_ I plan on commuting through the winter..._

I use MTB shoes, so I don't ice skate from the bike to the office.

I've never used booties or toe covers -- thus the question.


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## MB1 (Jan 27, 2004)

Another good choice is Duct Tape over the front of your shoes. A little work with an exacto knife and it will look like a pro job. 

Cheap and easy to remove if the day warms up.

MB1
One cheap [email protected]
Although I learned this one from Miss M.


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## tarwheel2 (Jul 7, 2005)

I've used Pearl Izumi toe covers (Calientoes) for years, and they keep my feet plenty warm down to the upper 20s F. I also use wool socks, which make a big difference. For colder temperatures, I use shoe covers (PI Cyclone). There are tons of different makes of shoe covers. I know people who wear shoe covers for riding in the 40s F, but to me that is overkill. I don't break out the shoe covers unless temps are well below freezing.


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## bigbill (Feb 15, 2005)

Slim Again said:


> As noted,_ I plan on commuting through the winter..._
> 
> I use MTB shoes, so I don't ice skate from the bike to the office.
> 
> I've never used booties or toe covers -- thus the question.


It wasn't intended as a slight. People jump on here and make recommendations based on their experiences in cold weather riding without considering the practicalities of a commuter. Kerry made the statement about wearing booties in the temps you mention. I wanted to point out that booties are not practical for commuters who wear MTB shoes (like me). I wear Specialized Defrosters that run around $170. I bought them last year and they still look new. They are waterproof and insulated with a nice lugged sole that is not too clunky. Even in 60 degree temps, my feet don't get too hot so they work well for those 34/55 degree days.


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## Slim Again Soon (Oct 25, 2005)

*Duct tape*

I use Smartwool socks on the cold days -- and good advice on keeping things loose, not tight. I learned that the hard way.

Duct tape -- that's an excellent idea. It is the wind that chills my tootsies.


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## saf-t (Sep 24, 2008)

bigbill said:


> Booties don't work well with MTB shoes.....


As a guy whose feet get cold easily, I've been using booties with MTB shoes during the winter (here in Bahston) for ~15 years now. You just have to get them a size bigger than you would for road shoes.

What I've been thinking about for a while now, but haven't had the spare time to play with, is the idea of converting a pair of winter boots into SPD-compatible shoes- saw that idea on Icebike, and it seemed pretty interesting...


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## KWL (Jan 31, 2005)

I'm even cheaper than MB1, whose duct tape probably cost him 0.0003¢. I cut the corners off of newspaper plastic bags and place these over my toes after putting on wool socks, but before putting on shoes. Being on just the forward part of the foot, It blocks the wind, but doesn't create sweating problems.


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## llama31 (Jan 13, 2006)

*I think booties work ok with MTB shoes*



bigbill said:


> It wasn't intended as a slight. People jump on here and make recommendations based on their experiences in cold weather riding without considering the practicalities of a commuter. Kerry made the statement about wearing booties in the temps you mention. I wanted to point out that booties are not practical for commuters who wear MTB shoes (like me). I wear Specialized Defrosters that run around $170. I bought them last year and they still look new. They are waterproof and insulated with a nice lugged sole that is not too clunky. Even in 60 degree temps, my feet don't get too hot so they work well for those 34/55 degree days.


I use booties with MTB shoes and they work fine. The footing is not as good as it is without the booties, but better than road shoes. Some of the sole comes through. That said, I bought Lake winter bike shoes last year. They're ok--big and clunky but reasonably warm. 

These booties look interesting because they are open on the bottom, but that would limit their warmth.
http://www.rei.com/product/725342


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## Becky (Jun 15, 2004)

What about Storm Socks: http://www.rei.com/product/729121? Yeah, your toes get a little sweaty, but because the socks are windproof, your feet stay warm. I wear these MTBing during the winter.


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## Fixed (May 12, 2005)

*get winter shoes*

I love my Lake winter bike shoes:

http://www.lakecycling.com/Departments/Mens-Cycling-Shoes/Mens-Winter-Cycling-Shoes.aspx I have the 301. Never get cold feet, down to about 22 degrees. 

I hate botties and toe covers. They are a real pain getting over thicker mtb shoes, and move around and interfere with clipping in. I'd much rather just wear shoes designed for cold. Plus, they are better than booties for keeping out moisture, too.

I also have Northwave cold weather shoes for road cleats. Not near as toastie, but a big improvement.

PS: $194 here: http://www.lickbike.com/productpage.aspx?PART_NUM_SUB='2976-07'


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## crank it (Nov 5, 2004)

I use a layered approach. I start with cheapo performance toe covers then at about 30 degrees I add a pair of Sugoi rain booties. This combo with wool socks works down to about 10 degrees. It works for me. I get cold feet easily.


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## Slim Again Soon (Oct 25, 2005)

*"down to about 10 degrees"*

10 degrees?

You're kidding, right? That's kinda on the cold side.

Your feet must be made of iron.


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## crank it (Nov 5, 2004)

No I'm not kidding. At 10-15 degrees. The wool defeet socks, Sidi mtb shoes covered with the performance neoprene toe covers and the sugoi water proof lined booties are good for about an hour of warmth ,2 hrs of tolerable and a third hour of cold but not numb feet. After that, no way. It only gets cold like that for about a week where I live. If I had to ride in the cold all the time, I would buy some insulated winter riding boots, or just wear hiking boots and use flat pedals.


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## wooglin (Feb 22, 2002)

Even mtb shoes are ventilated; usually the more expensive the more so. I use cheap mtb shoes with poor ventilation. I buy them a size big so I can fit a thick wool sock (or two) in them without cutting off circulation. Booties can go on over that if its really cold.


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## WrongBikeFred (Oct 19, 2005)

zpl said:


> I use toe covers occasionally, but I find the neoprene gets chewed up pretty quickly. I'm on my second set of Performance toe covers.
> 
> My advice for temps in the upper 30s is to wear wool socks (I'm a smartwool fan) and put sandwich bags over them. Also, don't cinch up your shoes as tight as you would during the summer - the wool works best when it isn't compressed tightly and has air pockets to insulate your feet with.


What he said, I only use the plastic bags when it is raining. If you keep the blood going to the feet warm, it helps a ton in keeping the feet warm. I use the woll socks and toe covers down to about freezing if it is dry and not too windy. The same applies to the hands and face/head also.

I would like to get winter shoes, but the temps can change alot here and I don't want to ride in with the temps in the 30's and my feet all tosty, have the temps rise 30 degrees during the day, and have my feet grow mushrooms on the way home.


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## Slim Again Soon (Oct 25, 2005)

*Cold this a.m. -- here's what I did*

First cold day of the year -- about 39 degrees.

I put on thin socks under Smartwool socks -- and discovered that over the summer something ate a Little Debbie-sized hole in one of them -- then put plastic (newspaper bags, two layers) over the toes of the bike shoes.

Bags held on with Scotch tape, because I need to take them off for the ride home, when temps will be in the 60s.

Feet were very comfortable -- I'm guessing that this will work fine for tomorrow, when we expect a temp drop to freezing.

I need to loosen up the front velcro on my shoes -- I discovered this morning they were a bit tight but for the wool socks. But I had already wrapped up the plastic bags the night before.

Putting the plastic on the outside of the shoe seemed to make a big difference. I had tried slipping plastic bags over my socks in the past, and while it worked, it was uncomfortable.

I may get some toe covers if these cool temperatures keep up, but for now, I've got a system. Torture test will be the freezing mornings the rest of the week.


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## gutfiddle (Apr 27, 2006)

bsaunder said:


> I'm a big fan of the luis garneau (spelled wrong I'm sure) covers that nashbar usually sells. They are not neoprene, but rather a laminated nylon with a reinforced toe and an elastic strap that goes behind the heal. It doesn't add much in the way of insulation, but does block the air from coming in the vents of the shoes. From about this time of the year on, those covers pretty much live on my shoes. I actually rarely use booties.


+1 i like the LG toe covers too.


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## Slim Again Soon (Oct 25, 2005)

*More cold -- more comfort*

OK, it was cold again the last two days -- 29 degrees yesterday, 31 degrees this morning. This is record-setting stuff for October down here. 

Loosened up the shoes before putting on the homemade plastic-bag toe covers this time. Big difference.

Folks at work think I'm Superman for braving these temps, but I was very comfortable. The only hard part was getting out the door. I didn't want to go! But once I got on the bike, I was not cold the entire ride both days.

Hey, I'm moving to Michigan! Well, let's hope not ...


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## Keeping up with Junior (Feb 27, 2003)

*Insoles*



Slim Again said:


> Loosened up the shoes before putting on the homemade plastic-bag toe covers this time. Big difference.


You can also pull out the insoles as you layer on socks to give your feet a little more wiggle room. 

If you are going to do this all winter look at Winter Shoes. No booties to screw around with, just slide your feet in and ride. Love my Sidi's although you have to ride a lot to justify the price.


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## rugger (Mar 1, 2005)

For some who have posted, I have Reynaud's syndrome, a condition where extemities are extremely susceptible to cold. That's usually what limits when I can ride outside. When I get in bed my gf shrieks if my feet touch her. 

Over the years, the system I have found that that works for me in sub freezing is wool socks and booties, and liners and winter gloves for the hands. 

Sounds like most of you don't have the same problems I do, just posting here for other intrepid souls who have circulation issues.


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## Slim Again Soon (Oct 25, 2005)

*Hey, Rugger...*

What's that sig? Interesting look.

Hey, I'd be careful mentioning "my girlfriend" in a post that finishes off with commentary on "fat-bottomed girls."

She might be reading.


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## JohnnyTooBad (Apr 5, 2004)

Slim - it's song from Queen. a very popular song in the 80s.

I have Perf. neoprene toe covers as well as full booties. Should have worn the toe covers today. It was 28 when I left the house. Toes were cold when I got to work. I'll use the toe covers from mid 30s down to low 20s. Below that I go with the booties. The booties can be pretty hot if it's not really cold out. If the OP has normal circulation, the toe covers would be fine.


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## rugger (Mar 1, 2005)

Slim Again said:


> What's that sig? Interesting look.
> 
> Hey, I'd be careful mentioning "my girlfriend" in a post that finishes off with commentary on "fat-bottomed girls."
> 
> She might be reading.


Haha!

One of my all time favorite songs,even before I started cycling in earnest.

I was bummed I couldn't get the sig to come out clearer, but it is in asian lettering (japanese I guess) and shows a car, a bike on its side, and the bike rider, with his head under the wheel of the car, with blood on the ground. Sorta morbid, but you ahve to credit the japanese for creativity in making universal signage!


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## Argentius (Aug 26, 2004)

*I love winter shoes*

and it's not even THAT cold here, but my goretex and well-insulated Northwave Celsius shoes. 

Best coldweather cycling investment I've made.

I haven't read all the details of your thread yet, but they rock. No point in the non-MTB ones IMHO -- the point is nasty weather.


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## Slim Again Soon (Oct 25, 2005)

A cold tootsies update -- In the upper 20s today. No problem.

I now have three or four layers of newspaper-bag plastic covering the forward end of the MTB shoes I use for commuting. I've been surprised how well this has worked.

And the plastic, attached only with Scotch tape, is hanging in there. I had thought it would have ripped off after the first ride.

Fat-bottomed girls -- Not heard the song, but I've seen the album cover many times -- you can't hang out on RBR forums without running across it.

I never was a Queen fan, however.


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## roadscrape (Apr 22, 2008)

Becky said:


> What about Storm Socks: http://www.rei.com/product/729121? Yeah, your toes get a little sweaty, but because the socks are windproof, your feet stay warm. I wear these MTBing during the winter.


I use a similar product, the Sealskins Waterproof Sock. It uses material much like Goretex that is breathable and waterproof. I wear a thin pair of liner socks (typically used for hiking with heavier socks) and my feet have stayed warm into the low 40s. 

I very much agree about keeping your shoes a bit on the loose side to aid blood circulation. My old shoes were too tight in the toes with thick socks and my toes would go numb. My newer shoes (Northwave Lizzard) have plenty of wiggle room and are thus toasty.


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