Any strong opinions on MTB winter boots?

[Cudzoziemiec]

I have one pair of cycling shoes with boa fastening. It works but I think the only advantage it offers over laces is the lack of ends to flap around. In other ways I'd say it's actually inferior. It can be a bit difficult to loosen, for example. And the ratchet on one of mine failed on about its third use. Simply cracked inside and came to pieces. Replaced under guarantee obviously, and has been fine for a couple of years since, but I wouldn't choose the system again if I had the option. However, I haven't heard of other people's breaking in this way, so maybe I was just unlucky.

[L CC]

You can get replacements for the boa fittings quite easily and usually under guarantee.

When I last regularly commuted I worked at two sites, one of which I left a pair of shoes in my locker- mostly because the office dress code was quite formal and I often had supplier meetings there. At the other I just wore my cycling shoes all day.

I've never felt the need for winter cycling boots. What do you think the advantages are for a relatively short commuting ride? Genuine question, I'm not being facetious.

[Oscar's dad]

I love THESE.  I've had mine a while and they are well worth the money in my view.

[salar55]

I love THESE.  I've had mine a while and they are well worth the money in my view.

Have a pair of them, bike packing use not very waterproof. Other half has the previous version,  think it's a better boot. 😩

[Oscar's dad]

I love THESE.  I've had mine a while and they are well worth the money in my view.

Have a pair of them, bike packing use not very waterproof. Other half has the previous version,  think it's a better boot. 😩

Can't remember I got mine, 4ish years ago maybe.  I have not had water ingress problems.

[fd3]

I've never felt the need for winter cycling boots. What do you think the advantages are for a relatively short commuting ride? Genuine question, I'm not being facetious.

My current shoes take on water and are not warm enough for day to day walking use, so I reckon my cycling shoes need to do better for winter.  My last cycling specific shoes were lovely in summer with their vents, but not something I would wear in winter.

[Karla]

Merlin currently have about 40% off pretty much all Northwave boots, and seemingly lots of stock.

[Lightning Phil]

My winter boots are now 18 years old, having got them winter 2003/4. Old enough to drink I suppose.  I ummd and ahhhd at the time at the price. I think I’ve got my moneys worth.

[chopstick]

. . . The Lake MXZ200 Karla mentioned look like they are the same sort of thing, does anyone here have a pair? There are no reviews on that site.

I have a pair and really like them.  I find that I don't wear them as much as I thought I might on account of the weather rarely getting too cold for my cycling shoes but I do like to wear them when I expect to be off the bike at times and not always on nice clean pavements or roads.  I've also worn them for winter pub rides - imho, they don't look out of place in a pub.

Very comfy on or off the bike, they've never let water in but they do come a bit on the small side - I measured my foot as per instructions on the website before ordering but they're still not big enough to wear my regular boot socks with them - I should have gone up a size.  Saying that, they fit ok with my 1000 Mile Combat socks (but not my 1000 Mile Fusion socks) and I've never suffered cold feet in them.  The fit is good with my Aldi cycling socks too.
EDIT: I bought mine from Salt Dog Cycling but in my review there, I got the name of the sock wrong, oops!

[Duckfoot1606]

I took the plunge and bought a pair of Northwave Celsius GTX winter boots in the Merlin cycles sale, my Christmas present to me. Bought a size larger than my normal shoes and went out this morning in wet weather to debut them. What a revelation, feet dry and warm after a wet ride for the first time ever. They are a bit of a challenge to get on and feel very different to my normal shoes, so much so that I was slightly concerned they were too small but on the bike they are fine.

A

[Flite]

It's that time of year - Thread revival
I have totally worn out my second pair of Shimano winter boots, after years of hard use, so I need to buy new boots.

I need a wide and high toe-box due to increasingly arthritic toes.
They need to be waterproof and well insulated as I have Reynaulds which causes my feet to get very cold very quickly and they do not heat up again even when I exercise hard.
Good grip for walking in mud/snow/ice, but hopefully not too much!
For use with SPD cleats.
Not too worried if they are fairly heavy.
I actually wear them most of the year, not just in winter.

What's in the market and what do folks recommend?
Thanks.

[vorsprung]

See my recent thread on my old Sidi boots https://yacf.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=126939.msg2841327#msg2841327

Got some replacement Sidi Frost Gore 2 MTB Shoes

https://www.sidi.com/en/mtb/142-scarpe-mtb-frost-gore-2.html

Only had them a month seem good so far

[rafletcher]

Lake do some. I have these…


https://www.saltdogcycling.com/lake-mxz304-winter-cycling-boots/?sku=3018661&cmp_id=19166187247&adg_id=&kwd=&device=t&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI19SBs_6JggMVgv_tCh1XDgF-EAQYAiABEgLa5_D_BwE

But there are other variants.

[Pickled Onion]

My trusty MT91s are finally falling apart and need replacing. The new version - XM900 - has a stretchy thing at the ankle to help with the issue of water running down your legs and filling the boots, though from the pictures it doesn't look very robust. From the reviews it seems they've changed the sizing which is a pain: "These boots are true to size, order them in your usual Euro shoe size, still plenty of room for winter socks." I had to go up many sizes from my normal boot size to get MT91s that fit with boot socks, and was hoping that now I know my Shimano-size I could just order the same again... are there any real-life shops that stock these things to save the rigmarole of delivery-return?

The Lake MXZ200 Karla mentioned look like they are the same sort of thing, does anyone here have a pair? There are no reviews on that site.

Answering my own question here, but I managed to get a couple more years out of the MT91s and replaced them a few weeks ago.

It turns out the ankle thingy is not stretchy, it's actually pretty sturdy. It looks like these will be slightly better in a downpour than the old version. Other than the higher ankle they are very similar to the old ones with a bit more toecap.

The old ones lasted over ten years with daily use and a great many tours, several sets of cleats and laces the kicking straps only broke in the last year. Very comfortable both cycling and walking. But they are not insulated - I use socks for that so I can vary the insulation by season.

Oh and I never found an answer to the size question and had to order several and return: they are larger than the previous ones by exactly one size (new 44 matches old 45).

[mike]

It's that time of year - Thread revival
I have totally worn out my second pair of Shimano winter boots, after years of hard use, so I need to buy new boots.

I need a wide and high toe-box due to increasingly arthritic toes.
They need to be waterproof and well insulated as I have Reynaulds which causes my feet to get very cold very quickly and they do not heat up again even when I exercise hard.
Good grip for walking in mud/snow/ice, but hopefully not too much!
For use with SPD cleats.
Not too worried if they are fairly heavy.
I actually wear them most of the year, not just in winter.

What's in the market and what do folks recommend?
Thanks.

Lake.  I bought a pair that look very similar to https://www.saltdogcycling.com/lake-mx146-wide-fit-winter-cycling-boots/ about 15 years ago and they're fantastic.

[Flite]

Thanks folks. Pleased to hear Lake still being recommended - I'll check out their wide fittings.
Karen

[ElyDave]

Yes

[Flite]

Another question about Lake winter boots.
Did you go through the foot measuring process shown on the website, or did you just rely on your usual size + 1 or 2 for thick socks? I don't think there is much chance of trying any on around here. Normally when shopping online, I would order 2 sizes and send back any that didn't fit, but in this case, that would leave a big hole in the bank account until I got the refund!
Thanks

Ely Dave - would you care to expand on that comment?

[freeflow]

I have Northwave boots but find that it's better with normal shoes and decent pairs of socks and overshoes.

[mike]

I went for the same size as my hiking boots & running shoes, so a size bigger than my 'smart' leather shoes.

[chopstick]

Another question about Lake winter boots.
Did you go through the foot measuring process shown on the website, or did you just rely on your usual size + 1 or 2 for thick socks? I don't think there is much chance of trying any on around here. Normally when shopping online, I would order 2 sizes and send back any that didn't fit, but in this case, that would leave a big hole in the bank account until I got the refund!
Thanks

Ely Dave - would you care to expand on that comment?

I went through the website foot measuring process and ended up with a  pair that I can wear with thin socks but not with thick socks.  Please note that my usual outdoor footwear is worn with thick socks (double layer walking socks).  My Lake boots can be worn comfortably with my years-old Aldi cycling socks, any "dress shoe" sock that I have and also my 1000 Mile "Combat" (double layer) socks but not my regular walking shoe/boot socks (including 1000 Mile Fusion socks and Trespass Mens Hitched Hiking Socks) - they're a bit too tight.  Saying that, my feet are perfectly warm and comfortable in the Lake boots with the thin socks.  I've just come back today from a two-night camping trip that was very wet and muddy (the riverside campsite was flooded last week but I managed to get a pitch on a patch that escaped the flood) - and I was most grateful for the Lake boots.  From experience, any warmer and they would have got a bit "moist" but with night-time temperatures of 8°C to 12°C, I was just inside comfort zone (would have been too toasty if the temps any warmer).  If you want to wear thick socks, definitely go a size or two up.  If you follow the guide, you will be limited to thin socks.

I would like to take this opportunity to (yet again) endorse the Lake MXZ200 - they really are a capable boot on and off the bike.

I told you it was muddy:

[Flite]

Thanks Mike, useful to know.

Freeflow - I do quite a lot of Mountain Bike Orienteering. I'm not a particularly strong or technically skilled rider, which means I'm off the bike plodging through mud or undergrowth rather a lot. So I find boots are more suitable for that.
But thanks for your comments.

Chopstick - also thanks for your reply. I will need to go up at least one size as I like thick woolyboolie socks.
And that is what my boots look like after most events. Last time I fell off was because my cleats were so clogged up I couldn't get out of the pedals in time!

[chopstick]

Chopstick - also thanks for your reply. I will need to go up at least one size as I like thick woolyboolie socks.
And that is what my boots look like after most events. Last time I fell off was because my cleats were so clogged up I couldn't get out of the pedals in time!

That was just walking from the tent to the toilet block and back 

[ElyDave]

Another question about Lake winter boots.
Did you go through the foot measuring process shown on the website, or did you just rely on your usual size + 1 or 2 for thick socks? I don't think there is much chance of trying any on around here. Normally when shopping online, I would order 2 sizes and send back any that didn't fit, but in this case, that would leave a big hole in the bank account until I got the refund!
Thanks

Ely Dave - would you care to expand on that comment?

Louis Garneau, size 44 vs my usual 42.  Generally worn with one pair of thick Injinji toe socks, or a pair of silk liner socks with a midweight merino sock over that.

[ElyDave]

no longer in the UK it seems, so I've been looking at the Shimano MW7, Northwave Himalaya, and Lake MX146.  The Northwaves seem unobtanium at the moment in useful sizing