The number one reason why I don’t ride more in the winter is because I have a problem with keeping my feet warm.  The Smartwool, MTB shoes, toe warmers, and crappy Pearl Izumi AmFib shoe covers (Soft Microfleece lining for added warmth my ass) just don’t work. Therefore, I had set this arbitrary threshold of 15 degrees or warmer for me to venture out on the bike and even that was at a price.  Not anymore.
I am a pretty aesthetic person so I had been reluctant to invest in the Lake winter boots because they’re just plain ugly.  They’ve got a certain Herman Munster quality to them. But after suffering this winter with numb toes and hearing guys I ride with say their feet were sweating in their Lakes I threw looks out the window in favor of comfort.  My surly friend Larry at The Bicycle Chain hooked me up with some Lake MXZ302 winter MTB shoes and I gave them a field test this past Sunday.Â
The Test
This was the first time I wore these on a ride and the temperature at the start was 2 degrees F with a NW wind of 5-10 mph.  I wore one pair of medium weight Smartwool socks and chose to experiment with a chemical toe warmer in my right shoe and none in the left. I’ll admit that I was completely overdressed for the elements and began sweating shortly into my ride.  Despite my best efforts to cool down a bit I was already sweating too much and knew I would pay for it later in the ride. A little past an hour into the ride I hit my turn around point and things were going pretty well.  The foot with the toe warmer was feeling great despite my hatred of having the toe warmer on the ball of my foot – never again! The foot without was cool but still comfortable.  With just about an hour of light remaining I could tell the air temp was dropping along with my body temp.
I continued to cool down more and more including my feet. At the two hour mark my foot without was getting uncomfortably cold and I decided that the two-hour test was over and stopped to insert the other toe warmer.  By this point the original foot warmer had lost some of its effectiveness and was now an uncomfortable presence which I felt was actually making my foot colder.  I left it in and forged on and soon my left foot was feeling better. I was looking for a bank thermometer the whole time to take the obligatory picture of the temp to prove what it was but I guess those are a thing of the past.  In any event the temp at the end of my adventure was -5 F.
The Verdict
The Lakes were much better than anything else I’ve ever tried. I got them a size larger than I would normally and the fit was surprisingly snug.  I had plenty of room at the toe but if you have wide feet I would definitely recommend the wide version available. Despite testing them in the cruelest conditions I will probably ever subject them and myself to I’d have to say that my feet felt the same as they would with my best alternative methods on a day that was 15 to 20 warmer.  My feet were cold and slightly uncomfortable at the end and I was happy to be home. My base layers including my socks were very damp which led to me getting colder and colder as I went.  I think it’s safe to say that I could wear the Lakes with one pair of socks and be quite comfortable on a 15 degree day. Any colder and I would definitely still go with the toe warmer (on top of my foot).  The Lakes are definitely worth the investment ($269.99) if you ride outside in the winter a lot. I wish I would have got them sooner.  Now I’ll have to find another excuse not to ride in the winter. These will make a hard man or woman out of anyone.
Comments 16
Dude just dont wear warm cloths, you go numb and its much more comfortable. When I walked in to the house I only felt pain for about 20 min as I thawed out. After that you get this awsome exhilerating blood flow into your toes thats really a trip!!!!
Posted 23 Jan 2008 at 8:34 pm ¶Dude, just get them bigger. the whole key to warm bike feet in cold is not tight, or even snug. Many folks get by way below zero all day with standard touring bike shoes about 5 euro sizes too big and stuff them with socks according to temp. Keep your ankles warm with short gaitors if you need also. Even the fancy Lakes and Sidis are crap in cold if they are tight.
Posted 24 Jan 2008 at 2:06 am ¶Dave’s right. It may feel a bit odd, but larger shoes do make a difference. I am a huge proponent of the Lakes because you don’t need to hassle with booties. They are warm enough by themselves.
Frostbite/frostnip is a serious injury (ask any mountaineer). I’ve done permanent damage to the circulation system in my feet/toes, making it very difficult to keep them warm during rides in colder weather. My Lakes are 2 Euro sizes larger than my normal size, and they definitely work better than anything else I have tried.
Posted 24 Jan 2008 at 7:51 am ¶Dave,
I’ve tried the bigger shoe thing with many socks and warmers. I’ve heard all the suggestions including, “I just wear sandals with really heavy wool socks.” Sure! I’m in the same boat with Jimmer in that I’ve always struggled with cold feet. One of the best attributes of the Lake boot is the near total elimination of air infiltration.
The snugness I referred to is merely the form fitting quality of the shoe design. With only one ride in them I’d say that the wide size would probably be the way to go.
Posted 24 Jan 2008 at 9:39 am ¶Not aesthetic, but one of the best ways to stay warm is to insulate the outside of the shoe, just as insulating the outside of your basement is better than inside. Buy the super thick poly work socks from Fleet Farm (3/$5), and snip a tiny hole at the cleat position. Cauterize the hole edges with Hollywoods pipe lighter and slip them over the shoes. Add a baggie layer under the sock for wind protection if necessary. It’s ugly but it works. Over Lakes you could go way below zero.
Posted 24 Jan 2008 at 12:01 pm ¶and If forced ta use “cemical waemers”,
Posted 24 Jan 2008 at 12:34 pm ¶remember they need air ta work and the last place is the ball of the foot, Wright on top of yer toes were the vents are on yer shoes, it was 8 degrees at Nats this year and I used a nice wicking sock, with a “Cemical warmer over the tops of my toes than shoes, granted I was racing but its all about strategery.
Layers are always the best, and as Survivor Man says, “You sweat…You’ll die!”
Oh yah, Old socks corterized with my lighter is a great base layer, not only does it add a layer of warmth but it saves the life of yer outer bootie by not stretching and hooking up on yer shoe all wierd, it works GREAT.
Posted 24 Jan 2008 at 12:37 pm ¶Can’t I just use flat pedals and real winter boots? Yes, I can… but I’m only the lowly commuter.
Posted 24 Jan 2008 at 1:14 pm ¶Vaseline. Heard that from the bike shop owner.
Posted 24 Jan 2008 at 3:37 pm ¶here’s an idea that worked for me..move to Austin, TX. No gloves, no booties.
Posted 24 Jan 2008 at 5:25 pm ¶Great site Homme.
Thanks Jim. We still love the house.
Posted 24 Jan 2008 at 7:48 pm ¶Biggins! How are you and the family?
I thought of you and your wife over Christmas. Those snowshoes are great! Back in December, Minnesota and Wisconsin had a nice dumping of snow (20+ inches). Thanks for adding a lot of fun to my woodland hikes. Hi to Renee!
Excellent site Homme!
Keep riding!
Posted 25 Jan 2008 at 1:06 pm ¶Yeah, great site Homme! Blah, blah, blah! (Insert unwanted Rookie smiley emoticon here)
Posted 25 Jan 2008 at 1:47 pm ¶BIGGINS!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted 25 Jan 2008 at 2:23 pm ¶Life is F’n awsome
on Dupont as well.
Posted 25 Jan 2008 at 2:28 pm ¶Isn’t Biggin’s a magazine?
Posted 25 Jan 2008 at 4:32 pm ¶Post a Comment