Winter Booties

[Ti-Boy]

Looking for a winter bootie with maximum warmth and water resistance, but with minimal bulk. Recommendations/experiences?

[pdxmech13]

sugoi resistor
boys in portland say its great

I bought new PI amfibs and hate, hate, hate them.

[Kevan]

you can't have it all.

Oh, sure... you can come close, but I've never seen or heard all-the-above happening.

Me? I bought a cheap pair of Trek neoprene booties with the zipper running up the front and these puppies won't give up the ghost. I've never needed any better.

[bironi]

These ones are the best, and come with great reflective highlights. Available at mec.ca

[Zard]

[QUOTE=Kevan]you can't have it all.

Oh, sure... you can come close, but I've never seen or heard all-the-above happening.

This is in the category of "They can send a man to the moon but they can't... fill in the blank" So frustrating!

[bostondrunk]

I hate the bulky booties as well.
If you have the money, hotronics insoles might be a solution for you.

[chrisroph]

Still haven't found the perfect bootie but I like my BBB's with some really old and funky brancale booties under them on cold and wet days.

[Tom]

I got a $20 pair of Performance neoprene booties with the zipper on the back. I liked them because they have a full sole and you have to cut out around your cleats when you get them, so if you do it right they don't let any cold air or water in that way.

[DRZRM]

The description says that the Sugoi Resistor's bottom is open with Velcro straps? Does that mean you can use them with a MTB shoe as well as a road shoe. I usually commute in a Sidi Dominator, and I'd like a bootie that can fit over the tread, as well as working with my road shoe (and bulky Speedplay X-2 cleats). Any recommendations?

sugoi resistor
boys in portland say its great

I bought new PI amfibs and hate, hate, hate them.

[znfdl]

I hate the bulky booties as well.
If you have the money, hotronics insoles might be a solution for you.

+1, I have the Hotronics and love them. At 20F, my feet are toasty with the hotronics insole, thin pair of wool socks and PI amfib booties.

PS I hate the booties, but it is what I have.

[bironi]

The description says that the Sugoi Resistor's bottom is open with Velcro straps? Does that mean you can use them with a MTB shoe as well as a road shoe. I usually commute in a Sidi Dominator, and I'd like a bootie that can fit over the tread, as well as working with my road shoe (and bulky Speedplay X-2 cleats). Any recommendations?

I use the MEC booties over my Carnac MTB shoes, and will also work with my Speedplay x2's.
Byron

[MarinRider]

I have tried many, many different types of booties through out the years. Like gloves, you will need to have different pairs for different needs. To be honest, all of them are less than ideal until got these for Christmas:

http://www.excelsports.com/new.asp?page=8&description=Hydro+GTX+Winter+Road+Shoe&vendorCode=SIDI&major=5&minor=1

Sure they are an investment. But I ride in the pre-dawn hours in below freezing temps. These are great.

[pdxmech13]

I would call them open bottoms
there is a small elastic strap in the middle
sooo most mtb shoes should work.

[Louis]

I agree with MR. The best permanent solution is to go to winter shoes. If you really want "Maximum Warmth" then winter shoes will easily outperform booties.

I have tried many, many different types of booties through out the years. Like gloves, you will need to have different pairs for different needs. To be honest, all of them are less than ideal until got these for Christmas:

http://www.excelsports.com/new.asp?page=8&description=Hydro+GTX+Winter+Road+Shoe&vendorCode=SIDI&major=5&minor=1

Sure they are an investment. But I ride in the pre-dawn hours in below freezing temps. These are great.

[mike p]

I have tried many, many different types of booties through out the years. Like gloves, you will need to have different pairs for different needs. To be honest, all of them are less than ideal until got these for Christmas:

http://www.excelsports.com/new.asp?page=8&description=Hydro+GTX+Winter+Road+Shoe&vendorCode=SIDI&major=5&minor=1

Sure they are an investment. But I ride in the pre-dawn hours in below freezing temps. These are great.

+1 and get winter shoes a size or size and a half big so you can wear thicker socks and not cut off circulation.

Mike

[stevep]

i use the winter sidis also.
taste great..less filling.
wrong ad.
i like 'em

[93legendti]

I agree with MR. The best permanent solution is to go to winter shoes. If you really want "Maximum Warmth" then winter shoes will easily outperform booties.

Yup, nice pair of wool socks, Sidi Freeze shoes and toe covers are all I need into the 20's.

[Ginger]

I just had to chime in on any thread with grown men talking about booties...

Winter specific cycling shoes are excellent. Unfortunately, I have a cheap pair of shimanos that required caulk in the sole to keep the water out and aren't terribly insulated....

Or rather are terribly insulated. Plenty of room for heat packs above and below the toes and my feet still freeze.
I tried to rationalize the Lakes or Sidis and I just don't ride outside in winter enough.

[DRZRM]

Anyone have experience with both the Sidi Frost and the Hydro. It looks the the difference is neoprene vs. gore-tex and $179 vs. $320. Are the Hydros worth the difference?

[Steve-O]

I'm a bootie guy (no pun intended) as I have several different cycling shoes I wear throughout the winter.

Are all booties a struggle to put on? I have a couple pairs of the neoprene style booties (Performance and PI AmFIB) and both brands require some wrestling to get them on the shoe. Anyone make a bootie that zips up the front of the shoe instead of the achilles?

[MarinRider]

I have these. Wrap around the front instead the zip in the back.

http://www.coloradocyclist.com/common/products/productdisplay2_v2.cfm?PRRFNBR=37547&CGRFNBR=419&CRPCGNBR=419&CI=1,259,419&TextMode=0


I'm a bootie guy (no pun intended) as I have several different cycling shoes I wear throughout the winter.

Are all booties a struggle to put on? I have a couple pairs of the neoprene style booties (Performance and PI AmFIB) and both brands require some wrestling to get them on the shoe. Anyone make a bootie that zips up the front of the shoe instead of the achilles?

[MarinRider]

I have an old old frost model and the new Hydro. No comparison if you ride when it's wet out. Not just in the rain but also on dry days where there are melting snow or wet roads.

Gore-tex keeps you dry. Neoprene retains water and takes all the heat from you.


Anyone have experience with both the Sidi Frost and the Hydro. It looks the the difference is neoprene vs. gore-tex and $179 vs. $320. Are the Hydros worth the difference?

[Waldo]

Has anyone tried wearing something like Defeet Slipstream covers inside the shoes -- either instead of normal socks or in addition to socks -- plus booties over the shoes? It seems you'd get an extra layer of protection that way. I may give that a shot this weekend.

[bironi]

I'm a bootie guy (no pun intended) as I have several different cycling shoes I wear throughout the winter.

Are all booties a struggle to put on? I have a couple pairs of the neoprene style booties (Performance and PI AmFIB) and both brands require some wrestling to get them on the shoe. Anyone make a bootie that zips up the front of the shoe instead of the achilles?

I too hate the fight to put on most booties. The MEC booties go on nicely, just buy a size a bit bigger than your cycling shoe. BTW a buddy found the Sidi $320 model somewhere on the web for 30-40$'s less. He likes em. :beer:

[coylifut]

I have a set Louis Garneau and Side Trac booties that are both quite easy to put on.

[Lincoln]

Has anyone tried wearing something like Defeet Slipstream covers inside the shoes -- either instead of normal socks or in addition to socks -- plus booties over the shoes? It seems you'd get an extra layer of protection that way. I may give that a shot this weekend.

Yeah, I used to have a pair of gore-tex booties that were designed to go inside the shoe. On nasty days I would wear those inside and booties outside. It worked pretty well. IIRC I bought them for mtb'ing but used them as much or more on the road.

<edit> Looks like you can get 'em for about $50: GFE (http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=gore-tex+sock&btnG=Google+Search)

[Ginger]

If you live in colder climes, you can get inexpensive (compared to cycling specific) neoprene socks in the hunting and fishing clothing aisles at Meijers (or you could probably order them from Cabelas or some such). Just remember to wear something warm and wicking under them because they just hold the water in...sure they're warm, but kindof disgusting after a long sweaty ride.

[Erik.Lazdins]

I've tried and owned a few and like the ones that breathe a little as opposed to the ones that keep water out. My favorites have a semi breathable cover with a fleecy insulator. If they are rubberized - I don't like them. If temps are 28 or higher I'm good. If temps are 28 dark and a cold front wind blows, I'm not as good but feel this is my personal transition temperature. Though I can ride below these temps and do, any bootie runs out of warmth. If its 12 degrees and windy, I will get really cold if I ride as long as I normally do (about 2 hours) so I cut it shorter.

At this temp I fear flats the most!

[davids]

I got a $20 pair of Performance neoprene booties with the zipper on the back. I liked them because they have a full sole and you have to cut out around your cleats when you get them, so if you do it right they don't let any cold air or water in that way.
These work for me, better when mountain biking than on the road, where they squeeze my SPD-SL cleats enough to make clipping in difficult. But for $20...

[Ti-Boy]

Thanks all for the responses. I'm getting ready for today's ride, light coating of snow and predicted temps of 23 with a windchill high of 11 due to 20+ mph winds. Should have asked sooner, but it's been a very mild winter in the mid-atlantic thus far. I would invest in the Sidi's but my feet do not seem to get along well with the Sidi mold. Perhaps the Sugoi Resistor.

[rbtmcardle]

Lake winter shoes - bought mine this year and love them, very warm compared to booties and can be found relatively cheaply at Lickbike