Help, I need some advice...

[claire]

.... now we have a new bike in the family it looks like we're going to be riding all winter. Sorry but I am a wuss in the cold. I need some new boots, preferably ones that will fit nice snug woolly socks in them. I have some Gaernes at the moment they're OK just too small for the woolly socks. Have looked at a few different kinds of boots but nothing jumps out at me. What are you gals wearing and why do you like 'em.

Ta

Claire

[Liv, Norway]

Hello from a Viking!

I have electrisity in my socks, west and gloves.
And I wear wool close to my skin all over.

It's OK in +5c. I don't ride my bike when it's ice or salt on the roads, so about +1c is my limit!

Special boots for a cold winter:
I don't know, but ask those who ride snowscooters! Try to find a snowscooter club or a store on the 'net.
Yes, I live up here in Norway, but I don't live in Karasjok or Kautokeino in Finnmark. Or Alta, Vadsø, Tana; find a map and ask stores in the cold area!

If you don't need the protections in special bike boots; I remember we had ISBA when I was younger. Who knows; perhaps they still make good boots?

But I can give you one good advice:
Make sure the boots are in your size or bigger! It's the little air inside the boots that's helps! Make sure it's room for you to move your toes! And move your toes while you're riding!

Hope you find some good boots!
Regards Liv.

[Ms Piggy]

Can't help ya Claire b/c I'm a bit of a mutant & have had problems getting proper riding boots that fit my small feet & BIG calves. I use a pair of steel cap Docs. They're ok but I'd rather have a proper pair.

[KATWYN]

I wear Gaernes as well. And I wear these long black socks
that fit really well inside (I brought them from motomail
and they seem to do the job- don't know the wool mix,sorry)

Also a boat neck undergarmant (can get them in skivvy top as
well) thats REALLY warm and your skin can breath - can't think
of the name of them (sorry) at the moment I think they are in the
"long johns catagory" of clothing available in blue or black. They are designed to wear underneath your clothes. Got them from Motomail.

Also a face wind breaker that covers nose, mouth chin,neck

and jacket and pants wet weather overgear if it rains.

Well thats what I wear in the cold, theres nothing like being
out on a ride and feeling really grateful you decided to wear
warmer clothing. Sometimes,I have found riding from Auckland
to Coromandal a major temperature difference- were I thought it
was going to be stinking hot - then surpised by a really freezing cold
ride later on......so never again will I go unprepared anywhere
on the bike - at least you are sensibly sussing these things out first!

Now I have just re-read your post and see I was going on about other
stuff you weren't asking about- only the boots ! sorry

[Hitcher]

Be prepared to invest in warm feet. Go for a leather motorcycle boot with a full Gore-Tex liner. This will keep the wet out and still let your feet breathe. If you want to wear thick socks, get a bigger size boot!

I wear Daytonas with Gore-Tex and have found them absolutely brilliant. You can stand in ankle-deep water and they don't leak!

If your feet get wet, they'll get cold. While something as extreme as a gumboot keeps out the wet, it also doesn't let your feet breathe either and normal perspiration will always mean that any dampness trapped in the boot has the opportunity to be chilled by the passing winter wind.

[jrandom]

I wear Daytonas with Gore-Tex and have found them absolutely brilliant.

Daytonas rock. If they're at the right price for you, just buy a pair. Really. Hitcher is not exaggerating. With a pair of wooly or otherwise thermally efficient socks on underneath, your toes will still be toasty after a long winter ride. If I'd had an extra $100 in my pocket when I bought my boots I would have got a pair like Hitcher's.

[babyB]

i have two pairs of boots, Spidi verterbra2 (tepor) and motormail's budget fleece lined boot. dont have a prob with the spidi in the cold with thin socks but when it comes to touring i go for the bugets as they are easer for walkin around in. when doing the tour thing in winter i carry plastic bags to put over socks if boots have gotten soacked ,also carry boot covers and glove covers (mittins) to keep the rain out, thurmals & neck warmer.also have Orina bike pants saves on leggings & really warm (has removable lining)
my tips; the trusty hairdryer has many uses from wet boots/gloves to warmin them before u start out
angoura or opossom fur socks are good but can be expencive (its the hollow fibre that dose the trick)
keep me pants over boots in rain helps stop water seeping to the inside

have fun, hope this helps

[claire]

Thanks for all the help guys. Will have to check out a pair of these Daytona's by the sound of it. I bought my Gaernes in a hurry and don't have a problem with them - just should have bought the next size up. Had an email from a friend today and she has a pair of Sidi boots too big for her and I have a pair too small so were going to swap boots next time to see how we go.

Claire

[wildfire1]

Hi,
My wife bought a pair of Style Martin Streetlife boots - she also does not enjoy the cold, and had tried on a ot of different makes/models before she settled on these. The boots were great all the way round the South Island (pillion) - heat, cold, snow, rain etc and seem to be really good now that she is riding her own bike. I think she wears 'pure wool' socks. & i have water-proofed our leather riding gear with 'snow seal' which worked really well in even the heavy West coast rain .

[claire]

Thanks Wildfire1, have just put a new rear tyre on my bike so the boots will wait another month I suppose.....winter will be over by the time I get round to purchasing some new boots I suppose

Claire

[Yarg]

Claire,

Another option- try "sealskinz" socks. Not too thick, waterproof , and warm.
cheaper than a new pair of boots.
Good luck.

[FROSTY:Me]

hey has anyone tried those dririder boots? --kinda like boot sized condoms --Im told in Pomgolia theyre used all the time to keep the boots dry

[Grumpy]

hey has anyone tried those dririder boots? --kinda like boot sized condoms --Im told in Pomgolia theyre used all the time to keep the boots dry

I've used something similar. Helpful hint, plastic bag on first then the "condom". You look bloody stupid bouncing around on one foot trying to the bloody things off.

[LB]

I use a pair of Spidi overboots when it rains. They are a bit of a pain to put on when you're on the side of the road, it's easier to put them on sitting down on a chair. They are very good, they zip up at the back and they are 100% waterproof. they're made of waterproof fabric. You can't walk around in them too much or the bottoms will wear out, but I would recommend them. I got mine from Motomail, they cost around $80.

[LB]

And I wear Icebreaker socks, you can get several different weights/styles. They're not cheap, but they're very good. I also have a pair of silk socks, very thin, that I wear under the Icebreakers when it's very very cold. same with gloves, I have a silk pair that I wear under my Spidis when it's really cold. And a silk balaclava. And a silk long-sleeved skivvy thing (for under the Icebreaker tops) The silk stuff really does work, and it's thin so you're not adding bulk.