Really like my MW7s – Comfortable, good sole, roomy, easy to clean (no laces/good flap). They’re not super insulated but have space for warm socks (and that means you can happily wear them through the mud seasons of autumn and spring, and even in summer if somewhere with a lot of splashing water)

old man winter again

Sadly, like the Spesh Defrosters, the Old Man Winter boots are no longer available. Which, given our climate, is just weird.

Are they not? Jeepers. Why the heck not? They are amazing.

MW7’s. Same sort of problems as OP. Damaged nerves in right big toe area. Nice wide toe box. I sized up 1 size. Never any problems with cold feet now. Only problem is like any boot the big hole in the top lets on water which has nowhere to go. If it’s really soaking wet I’ll wear cheap gaiters.
If you want some really warm boots the Northwave Himalayas are brilliant. I’ve only ever had the need to wear mine once or twice a year. Heavy and probably overkill for around here though.

Shimano XM9, basically a Gore-tex hiking boot with a slot for cleats. Paired with long Sealskin socks your feet should be warm and dry, riding all through winter.

I have a pair of 10-yr old Shimano MW501s.
Have finally fallen apart (and the cleats need drilling out) and so have bought another pair.

Also have a pair of Specialized Defrosters but they are too big (size 44 like the Shimano boots but they feel a size or so bigger).

About to punt the Defrosters on the classifieds if anyone wants to make an offer. Used just once in the street.

My Shimano boots (mw91 I think) lasted only a few years.

Northwave ones seem to be doing better, though the boa suffers in peak grit (gets jammed so I can’t get the boots off with cold hands). Mine are really roomy around the toes, and in fact just generally quite roomy – I don’t quite understand why others seem to have the exact opposite experience.

Mine are really roomy around the toes, and in fact just generally quite roomy – I don’t quite understand why others seem to have the exact opposite experience.

my thoughts too. like i said,my Northwave enduro’s are the widest fitting cycle shoe available.
as were the Himalaya winter boots my mate has.

Thanks everyone, but the problem is now solved. Just waiting for STW to send me the MW7s I’m bound to win in todays comp.

Oi, I need a second pair of MW7’s. Old ones for the commute, don’t you know.

And recommendations for non-SPD boots – or just use walking boots?
It’s for MTB use

Five Ten Trailcross GTX Gore-Tex.
Wear with waterproof trousers and no water gets in. They are great and the soles stick to the pedals extremely well. Trousers are obviously essential to stop water getting in over the cuff.
Last winter my feet never got wet once. Size up and add a good pair of winter socks and thats your feet staying warm and dry. In really cold temps I wore a sealskinz merino liner sock with a waterproof sock over that and my feet were borderline too warm even in the snow.

You can usually find a adidas 20% off voucher online for the adidas store too.

I suffer from cold feet terribly & find the NW Artic GTX absolutely bang on – expensive yes but they work a treat.

Bit of thread closure… I ordered some Troika shoes from CRC for £40 based on them being described as wider on another thread. The telly has packed up today, Xmas is coming and these, as great as the Lakes looked, plus some thick socks and overshoes has got to be worth a punt before spending £300 on winter only boots at the moment and I might have bought some thicker gloves with some of the difference. 🙂

I bought some of those Troika shoes for the same reason. They arrived today and are a very odd shape in size 47. Sort of rectangular, so same width for most of the length but with a pointy toe.

@painey mine also arrived today. They are going back for exactly the reasons you describe. A 45 is generally a generous fit for me. Foot felt instantly cramped with regular socks and properly squashed in anything thicker. My size 45 office shoes will take a thickish walking sock with toe wriggle room.

Having discovered my specialized defroster boots are now too narrow for my runner toes, I bought 3 pairs to try, Lake mx146 did the correct measuring technique, found they are still ridiculously narrow, I pretty sure i don’t need the wide fit as its only my toes i struggled with, and my feet are low volume. Also ordered Northwave x-magna from merlin but due to royal mail strike is been 2 weeks and they havent arrived yet. Ordered 2 pairs of shimano MW7 boots, and fortunately the 47 fit well with room for toes to wiggle and warm socks, seem close to five ten/new specialized fitment

I’ve got a pair of Scott Heater GTX from 2018. Seemed like a lot of money at the time but still going strong. Keep me really warm in the cold, in heavy rain my feet get wet by water running into them from my tights but they still stay warm. A quick wipe down every now again, gave them a proper treatment of fabsil gold at the start of winter this year. The soles and outer look like they will keep going forever, the issue will probably be the tabs holding the plastic lace fastener. I would happily buy again.

Shame PX stopped stocking Das Boots, my pair have been great for the last few winters.

There’s a Shimano pair of boots that look awfully similar.

Another vote for Bontrager OMW here – having used a variety of Lake and Northwave, the Bonts are way better.  They are similar to a snowboard boot in construction, with a separate soft insulated liner, and a more rigid outer boot.  This morning in -6 my feet were toasty.  A shame they aren’t available widely any more, but a few places have limited sizes in stock online https://www.candncycles.co.uk/product/115307/bontrager-omw-winter-bike-shoe/option/ for example

I had Shimano MW5 for a couple of years & then last week the cover flap tore right across just below the joint to the neoprene cuff.
Big discounts on Northwave Raptor & Celsius from Wiggle & Merlin at the moment.

-8.5 on the way to work this morning on the CX bike and wearing my Northwave Arctic GTX XC and they were fine with a pair of thin merino socks. Not hot, not cold just right.

Another vote for Northwave Himalaya’s