Re: Warm Biking Shoes for Cold Winter Commute ?

For winter cycling, the Lake MXZ-300's are likely the best shoe
available. They have good insulation in the sole and are well protected
from water. I am comfortable for extended rides down to 20F with just a
polypro liner and an acrylic winter sock (I hate wool). For colder
temperatures I use a footbed I found at Wal-mart that accepts chemical
hand warmer packets. With the warmers I have ridden down to -5F in
comfort although you do notice the heat being sucked out of the shoe at
those temperatures. I only did this temperature once for a 5 mile
commute so I don't know how long they will work for longer rides in
such extreme cold. Being leather they aren't completely waterproof (no
stream wading) but I haven't had any problems with leaks and you can
confidently walk through puddles. They come with a packet of Nik-Wax
which is a very effective treatment for leather. For best fit you
should go one size up from your normal shoes. This preserves
circulation when wearing layers of socks and the straps can still take
up the extra space for warmer days. The unique heel strap on the Lake
shoes is particularly useful for tuning the fit. The sole has good
traction but it is narrower than a usual winter boot so it still pays
to walk judiciously. The toe spike attachments come with filler bolts
installed so you won't rust out the inserts if you chose to go without
them.

I ruled out the Gaerne polars because they are reported to have
durability issues. The Sidi winter storms have had flaws in the past
with leaks and lack of insulation. The current storm 3's may be
improved. Answer has a new winter shoe with leather uppers
(http://www.answerproducts.com/items.asp?deptid=10&itemid=140) that
might be worth a look. It doesn't appear to have as much coverage of
the upper flap than the Lakes do though.

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