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What's a good cheap way to warm my toes on spring rides? (its still sub zero here for the most part)
Don't want new winter boots, but wonder what's a good cheap warm and dry sock, or do overshoes make more sense? Are sealskins as good as they'd suggest?
Thanks
thicker socks?
merino socks work for me.
You can't go too far wrong with a good pair of thick woollen socks, they're warm when wet. Sealskins aren't bad, but they don't keep the warmth from being drawn out your feet if you have wet shoes (riding through large puddles to test them not recommended). I havent tried overshoes but hear they give the best in terms of keeping your entire foot warm, just don't get off very often.
thicker socks will only work if your shoes will accommodate the extra thickness or else all it'll do is prevent good circulation to the feet and hence compounding the coldness..
Overshoes. People will point and laugh, but you'll be the one with warm, dry feet 😉
Not thicker socks, better thinner socks.
Merino works for me too.
Neoprene or aqua therm socks. No idea if anybody ever listens to me but I swear by these [url= http://nookie.co.uk/tisox/index.htm ]nookie socks[/url] or you could get some gimp socks from www.chillcheater.com.
The work when I paddle in winter so the bike should be no issue. I don't recall an occasion when I've had cold feet cycling when I've been wearing the nookie sock (and I only wear normal trainers with them).
Get a light or mid sealskin and combine it with merino base layer sock. Sealskin do their own branded ones but any will work well it seems. I've used this combo for all day hike a bike sessions in the snow, I've also trudged across freezing rivers and streams etc and had my feet totally submerged in ice water, sometimes for a minute or so, my feet have been completely waterlogged and when I've taken off my shoes and sealskinz the base layer has been more or less bone dry (save a tiny bit of sweat). Never ceases to amaze me.
The visual effect on a cold day can be quite funny - the steam pours off your feet for a good few minutes after removing the sealskinz. Added bonus of not needing new boots or looking like a spacker in overshoes which can and will get ripped.
during the winter I have been wearing 2 pairs of endura coolmax on dry rides or a pair of endura coolmax and some sealskins. worked for me.
suck it up and get the overshoes on. toastie feet
simples!
Good points.. any experience on the Endura 500 overshoes? (cheap at CRC) They'd go over mtb shoes for road sessions.. but i'll probably follow the suggestions of merino under sealskins for trail use.
I think a lot of the problem is heat escaping via the metal cleat, it seems to be the area of my foot that gets cold first, whereas people who use flatties tend not to have as cold feet.
Nobeer - I think thats true, the cleat conducts heat out. I've tried thermal insoles that seem to help
Don't wear summer racing shoes.
What are you using on your feet? shoes n' socks?
My feet get warm-normal socks but DX shoes on mtb today. Maybe sealskinz socks on colder days.
On road I use my summer road shoes with Nike overshoes. Endura are good too but the orange inner on the cheaper ones can brake and ruin the water proofing.