Non-bulky Winter Gear Recs Needed

[thegunner]

I know, we've done this ad nauseam before, but hey - it's winter time, what better to discuss than winter gear! plus new crap might be out or wahtever.

I need recs on shoe covers that would be good down to the 30's... would love for them to double on race duty for wet days, so something non-bulky is ideal

Same goes for gloves, good down to 30's / waterproof would be nice.

Since this is about personal comfort, price is... er... less of a factor.

[rando]

Since you weren't overly specific on your cold tolerance or type of shoe cover I'll recommend the LG Neo Protect for neoprene or Specialized Squadra (still available but not made anymore) rain covers for a lower profile but no insulation.

[professerr]

...

[notsew]

+1 LG Neo Protect. Cheap and warm.

[NateM]

I have been using these for 5 yrs now and think they are one of the best solutions for cold feet,they are also fairly waterproof. I use them when it drops into the 40's and down to the single digits.I use chem pack toe warmers with wool socks below 15 degrees.They are not bulky at all and close up on your shoe and ankle with velcro on the back, better than zippers which don't last through salt and snowy conditions.I get about 2 yrs out of a pair, wearing them every day,from Nov-Mar 150 miles per week commuting.The kevlar fabric on the bottom gets fairly ratty at that point.I've tried many other shoe covers and these are by far the best investment.
http://www.goreapparel.com/gore-bike-wear-road-thermo-gore-tex-overshoes/4017912591928,default,pd.html?cm_mmc=Google-_-Gore%20US%20GS%20PLA-_-All%20Products-_-Feed%20US

[merlincustom1]

^+1

[merckx]

^ +2

[lhuerta]

Booties: Capo Piemonte or Castelli Narcicista, both have good wind proof material...avoid full neoprene as it does not breath and it is bulkier then the wind proof fabrics.

Gloves: Assos early winter gloves, use alone down to about 35, with a liner down to about 25, after that, you need to pull to the bulky ones.

lou

[Gummee]

I have been using these for 5 yrs now and think they are one of the best solutions for cold feet,they are also fairly waterproof. I use them when it drops into the 40's and down to the single digits.I use chem pack toe warmers with wool socks below 15 degrees.They are not bulky at all and close up on your shoe and ankle with velcro on the back, better than zippers which don't last through salt and snowy conditions.I get about 2 yrs out of a pair, wearing them every day,from Nov-Mar 150 miles per week commuting.The kevlar fabric on the bottom gets fairly ratty at that point.I've tried many other shoe covers and these are by far the best investment.
http://www.goreapparel.com/gore-bike-wear-road-thermo-gore-tex-overshoes/4017912591928,default,pd.html?cm_mmc=Google-_-Gore%20US%20GS%20PLA-_-All%20Products-_-Feed%20USI've got a pair of these and love em. VERY waterproof (till the water starts running down yer shin) and very warm.

...but like anything, you need different booties for different temp ranges. Last nite I was wearing some LG T-Booties. Ride started in the mid-40s. Yeah, my feet got cold in spots, but they worked.

Then there's the Pearl Barrier Lites for days when its chilly but not cold enough for the 'big' covers. Wind proof but in no way waterproof.

Then there's the sock-style shoe covers for those days in the 50s.

M

[Ahneida Ride]

Call Lou at www.foxwear.net

Fully custom, highest quality, American made and priced right.

[gmonster]

The title of the thread reminded me of this email I got last week from Road Holland:

http://roadholland.com/blogs/features/9989849-an-introduction-the-noordwijk-cycling-vest

The new vest (and I have it now) packs down to next to nothing and breaks the wind as promised.... looks nice with my black RH jersey as well.

[thegunner]

thanks for all the suggestions thus far! i'm going to do some research into all of them (although i'm leaning towards a neoprene bootie since i don't really care if my foot gets sweaty... just cold)

[lhuerta]

(although i'm leaning towards a neoprene bootie since i don't really care if my foot gets sweaty... just cold)

...the very reason why neoprene is a poor choice for cold conditions....the more u sweat using a non-breathing fabric, the colder u will get. Lou

[Likes2ridefar]

...the very reason why neoprene is a poor choice for cold conditions....the more u sweat using a non-breathing fabric, the colder u will get. Lou

sorry, but you are very wrong, in a way. Neoprene is an excellent choice since it retains heat and acts as a vapor barrier layer. if you add insulation outside of the neoprene it will be even warmer, and it never gets wet allowing it to perform at maximum efficiency.

[christian]

acts as a vapor barrier layer.
This would argue for neoprene socks, not neoprene overshoes. Of course, VBL socks, ragg wool socks isn't exactly a new idea.

[lhuerta]

sorry, but you are very wrong, in a way. Neoprene is an excellent choice since it retains heat and acts as a vapor barrier layer. if you add insulation outside of the neoprene it will be even warmer, and it never gets wet allowing it to perform at maximum efficiency.

actually...yes, we all know that neoprene acts as a vapor layer but different uses (i.e. cycling v. scuba diving) make it ideal for one activity but not the other. The vapor layer you are speaking of is ideal when there is nothing between your skin and the neoprene, which is where your body heat/sweat will create the vapor layer that retains heat and keeps you warm. However, when you are cycling you are presumably wearing a thin layer fabric (wool sock in my case) between your skin and the neoprene, which results in sweat not being able to evaporate efficiently and create the vapor layer, instead a soaked sock will result in one being colder. If you wear a thick enough sock with high absorption it may sufficiently wick the wetness away from your skin and more efficiently activate the vapor layer, but why wear a thick sock and bulky neoprene, when you can simply wear a thin windstopper fabric that breathes together with your thin cycling sock.Lou

PS-there is a reason that high quality booties today are made mostly from wind stopper-like material. The ones that still contain neoprene use it as a trim, only to allow more stretch and a fitted bootie.

[Likes2ridefar]

actually...yes, we all know that neoprene acts as a vapor layer but different uses (i.e. cycling v. scuba diving) make it ideal for one activity but not the other. The vapor layer you are speaking of is ideal when there is nothing between your skin and the neoprene, which is where your body heat/sweat will create the vapor layer that retains heat and keeps you warm. However, when you are cycling you are presumably wearing a thin layer fabric (wool sock in my case) between your skin and the neoprene, which results in sweat not being able to evaporate efficiently and create the vapor layer, instead a soaked sock will result in one being colder. If you wear a thick enough sock with high absorption it may sufficiently wick the wetness away from your skin and more efficiently activate the vapor layer, but why wear a thick sock and bulky neoprene, when you can simply wear a thin windstopper fabric that breathes together with your thin cycling sock.Lou

PS-there is a reason that high quality booties today are made mostly from wind stopper-like material. The ones that still contain neoprene use it as a trim, only to allow more stretch and a fitted bootie.

sorry for the confusion. I was referring to the over the foot bootie not a shoe cover.

anyways, a fabric that blocks wind tends to block water as well. it may not be totally waterproof, but it's effective enough to block most of it. in other words, the windstopper fabrics, goretex, etc are barely more breathable compared to something like a trash bag which does not breathe at all. they do cost a lot more though. On another forum for backpacking that obsesses over the details, I recall tests showing goretex to be 3% better than a trash bag. a windstopper material is hardly better.

[Likes2ridefar]

PS-there is a reason that high quality booties today are made mostly from wind stopper-like material. The ones that still contain neoprene use it as a trim, only to allow more stretch and a fitted bootie.

yes, it's so they can charge even more money for essentially the same thing:)

[gmcampy]

sorry, but you are very wrong, in a way. Neoprene is an excellent choice since it retains heat and acts as a vapor barrier layer. if you add insulation outside of the neoprene it will be even warmer, and it never gets wet allowing it to perform at maximum efficiency.

I wear a wool sock OVER my shoe then put the neoprene booties over them if its too cold. The wool sock over the shoe will wick the moisture and still keep my foot warm. I am experimenting this winter with a base layer sock first followed by wool sock, shoe and then the next 2 layers IF needed....

[Likes2ridefar]

I wear a wool sock OVER my shoe then put the neoprene booties over them if its too cold. The wool sock over the shoe will wick the moisture and still keep my foot warm. I am experimenting this winter with a base layer sock first followed by wool sock, shoe and then the next 2 layers IF needed....

interesting! creating windproof layers with insulation between seems to be the ticket to a happy, warm foot. i've found multiple thin windproof shoe covers with the outer having a thin insulating layer, or even a toe cover with a shoe cover over it works much better than just one shoe cover alone.

the best setup I've found so far is a base layer or no sock at all, RBH sock, gore-tex shoe (cheap shimano commuter/mtb shoe) and then a windproof lightly fleece lined shoe cover. i've been fine in subfreezing temps for 4 hours with that setup. and i'm long and lean and get very cold easy.

[OldCrank]

I've been making do with toe covers, but for $15 (+ S&H, ~ $7) I'm gettin' me some
NEE - OH -PREEN! (use Lou Gossett voice)

http://www.westernbikeworks.com/product/louis-garneau-neo-protect-shoe-cover

I'm not expecting miraculous life or performance. But I can go one sock thickness up without totally squashing my foot, so I should be OK to 10F. Hopefully.

[gmcampy]

For the REALLY cold places on earth......great thread

http://www.bikepacking.net/forum/index.php/topic,2661.0.html

[gmcampy]

interesting! creating windproof layers with insulation between seems to be the ticket to a happy, warm foot. i've found multiple thin windproof shoe covers with the outer having a thin insulating layer, or even a toe cover with a shoe cover over it works much better than just one shoe cover alone.

the best setup I've found so far is a base layer or no sock at all, RBH sock, gore-tex shoe (cheap shimano commuter/mtb shoe) and then a windproof lightly fleece lined shoe cover. i've been fine in subfreezing temps for 4 hours with that setup. and i'm long and lean and get very cold easy.

For expended rides I may add chemical warmers between the layers too.....

[Likes2ridefar]

For expended rides I may add chemical warmers between the layers too.....

I've done that as well but with the current setup I listed they are no longer needed.

For me, they worked best opening about 30 to 45 minutes before the ride and letting them sit out, shaking them and loosening them up, then stashing them under the toe cover on the outside of the shoe. then a shoe cover over that.

[gmcampy]

I've done that as well but with the current setup I listed they are no longer needed.

For me, they worked best opening about 30 to 45 minutes before the ride and letting them sit out, shaking them and loosening them up, then stashing them under the toe cover on the outside of the shoe. then a shoe cover over that.

:)

[thegunner]

in case anyone is curious what i ended up doing -

for more context, my body never really gets cold. my extremities get destroyed though. i ended up getting neoprene booties and neoprene / polyester gloves:

http://www.bikeradar.com/us/news/article/just-in-castelli-winter-clothing-23804/

my hands get uber sweaty, but they don't get cold anymore. my feet do still lose their warmth after 60ish minutes, but they're okay for longer commuting days.

neoprene works :)

[Mikej]

I use sandwich bags over my socks. I have the gore race booties and they are really warm and fit over my sidi 6.6 and my drakos mtb shoes.

[rando]

Wiggle those piggies and you move moisture as well as keeping the blood flowing.

[rwsaunders]

I use sandwich bags over my socks. I have the gore race booties and they are really warm and fit over my sidi 6.6 and my drakos mtb shoes.

+1...I too employed my old grade school trick on Sunday when it was 22 degrees and windy. Wool socks, bread loaf wrappers and Northwave Winter boots. Good for a couple of hours of riding.

[gmcampy]

I changed up a little and tried this combo: Base layer sock, medium weight merino wool sock, shoe, wool sock over shoe and toe covers. Temps wer about 37 and my feet were warmer than they have ever been. I will be adding neoprene covers and possible warmers for Turkeyday 50 mile ride in the low 30's.

[gmcampy]

Cool link...pun intended, LOL

http://www.bicycling.com/whattowear