After a biblically wet ride yesterday in Dalby wearing my trusty old Shimano boots, merino wool socks and even trying plastic bags sealed at the top with tape to prevent water getting inside the sock we ended up piss wet through.
One mate had North Wave boots on, I’ve sold some Extreme versions because they gaped at the top & just filled up, the other mate had lake MX145s on & we were all suffering with cold sodden feet.

Surely there is someone out there in winter MTB wonderland who’s come up with a way of keep the water at bay bar sitting front of the fire!

That’s said the new MT500 jacket was superb as was the Mavic water proof shorts.

I’m hoping there is a Gator / washing up glove device some one has perfected?? I’ve tried several boots and over shoes combo’s to no avail.

Cheers

Trousers that go over the top so it can’t run down your leg into the boots ?

Yup, waterproof trousers, anything else and itll just wick in. Even then with enough dunkings you’ll get wet

I go merino socks inside waterproof socks. Water will get in eventually, but at least when it does your feet stay warm. Saying that yesterday I went out in very wet conditions, only for 90 minutes or so, and no water got in my Dexshell socks at all, they seem a bit tighter at the top than my Seakskinz.

The only working solution for MTB: Crudcatcher on downtube, Mudhugger on the fork (or some motocross-type front mudguard mounted under the crownrace) and Sealskinz knee-length socks – I tried it yesterday at Haldon, where most of the blue trail was an ankle-deep stream. Great results!

Get small Gators. I’ve got a of Montanes. Works well.

Otherwise the big Lakes (MXZ303), never had water in over the top with them.

I use knee high waterproof socks then slide my knee pads over the top. The bottom of the knee pad sits over the top of the sock keeping it tight to my leg and stopping water getting in. Then shorts run the water over the knee pads =dry, toasty feet. And always wash waterproof socks gently by hand.

just spent a wet weekend in the lakes on flooded lanes.

northface redux leather boots, knee length sealskin merino socks, and karrimor deluge waterproof overtrousers.

warm as toast and bone dry.

good quality walking clothing is far better than fashionable cycling clothing.

i’ve had 3 very wet and cold rides this weekend, northwave ordered on CRC, as my shimano gtx didnt perform.

that said i rode along quite a few 3-4 inch deep rivers, where my usual trails would be and alot of half foot deep puddles.

I’m considering some wetsuit booty socks from lomo £8
https://www.ewetsuits.com/acatalog/neoprene-socks-wetsuit.html

has anyone done this, if my toes have room to move would wetsuit socks keep the feet warm albeit wet.

I have the shimano boots with the neoprene cuff – they work well but as others have said you need mudguards and waterproof trousers as well

i’ve had 3 very wet and cold rides this weekend, northwave ordered on CRC, as my shimano gtx didnt perform.

My Northwave boots fill up with water when it’s properly wet. As others have said, unless you stop water running down your leg and inside the top of your boot, no boot will keep your feet dry.

@ransos yeah i guess that would be the main issue, my main problem with the shimano boots is the straps, get full of moor peat/ grit and a hassle to open up and clean with cold hands, i’ve ordered the northwave as they are easy to hose clean and put away.

I use knee high waterproof socks then slide my knee pads over the top.

^ This.

Knee length seal skinz is where it’s at. Maybe not on the fashion front, but definitely for toastiness.

Winter boots
Waterproof trousers, cycling specific cut with stretchy bits.

Done and done.

However if my boots do fill up, it’s not the end of the world because the water gets nice and warm.

You know, you could always cut the cuff off some rubber gloves and stretch them over the boot cuff and use them like dry-suit cuffs.

Was out for several hours yesterday in the snow, slush and sludge including that Yorkshire Dales specialty: “let’s put the deepest puddle round the gate” 🙄 I was wearing some fabric walking boots that must have a Goretex or similar liner as I had virtually dry feet. No gaiters. Some damp had got in from the snowballs that my wife threw my way.

Other than that: tiling your kit as indicated above

I’m considering some wetsuit booty socks from lomo £8
https://www.ewetsuits.com/acatalog/neoprene-socks-wetsuit.html

These, but cut up to make a neoprene gaiter to seal the top of the boot … works a treat for me

Any feedback on those wetsuit booty socks – hadn’t seen them before and intrigued as to whether they actually work on a bike.

Hey Mark,

These are the gaitors I was trying to remember the other week in th Lakes. Not sure how well they’d work, but thy look smart and certainly cover the ankle/boot cuff interface. Maybe with knee or even calf length Sealskins for added waterproofness

http://www.outdoorgear.co.uk/Berghaus-Glacier-Gaiter-sku44907001.asp?gclid=CNSe2-HX5NACFUFmGwodxQ0AJA

Cheers

Carlos

You can buy the rubber cuffs used for drysuits etc separately. Try ebay, i recall them being about £10.
You can then use them on legs to prevent water running into boots.
Alteratively it is shoes, overshoes (long up leg) and waterproof trousers that overlap the the overshoes.

If you wear waterproof trousers how does water get into your waterproof boots?

Anyway I got a pair of lake mxz303’s a few weeks ago and had a very wet ride home on Tuesday, feet were dry as a bone when I got home. You do need to do the cuff strap up nice and tight though.

Surely the gator thing is just moving the water entry point up your leg a bit but I guess if you go high enough then water won’t reach that far.

I’m considering some wetsuit booty socks from lomo £8
https://www.ewetsuits.com/acatalog/neoprene-socks-wetsuit.html

I’ll be testing them for the first time this weekend. I tried them on in store and the size was very small. They are like very rigid, thick socks

I use knee length gaiters over the top of Lake books. Works well on deep puddles, but you can still get some splash forced up under the gaiter when you hit a deep puddle at speed.

I think I’d have to agree that without waterproof trousers going outside the boots, you’re going to get wet feet. Not pleasant, but a tradeoff between the inconvenience of waterproofs and however cold your feet have been. I’ve generally found that even when soaked through my feet haven’t been numbingly cold, and so I’ve not bothered with the trousers – I’d probably overheat in them unless it was too cold to rain.

Sealskinz, shorts, and just deal with it 😛 . Warm feet, wet shoes but no faffing hassle of soggy waterproofs.

Just ordered some of the latest sealskinz but the dexshell waterproofs are way better than the older sealskinz.

You know, you could always cut the cuff off some rubber gloves and stretch them over the boot cuff and use them like dry-suit cuffs.

This is what I do,I even have a spare pair at work in case it turns torrential for the return trip.

Surely the gator thing is just moving the water entry point up your leg a bit but I guess if you go high enough then water won’t reach that far.

My Northwaves have a fair old gap at the top – I reckon some small gaiters would keep a lot more water out.