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But what's going to keep water out the tops of the gaiters?fatbikephil wrote: ↑Thu Oct 24, 2024 10:52 pm Keeping water out the tops of your boots requires gaiters!
Strata Florida springs to mind.... (again)Alpinum wrote: ↑Fri Oct 25, 2024 4:38 pmBut what's going to keep water out the tops of the gaiters?fatbikephil wrote: ↑Thu Oct 24, 2024 10:52 pm Keeping water out the tops of your boots requires gaiters!
Argh, life is so brutal!
Waterproof event trousers does the job for me really well. Maybe cos it might have been road riding! Gaiters!! Just another thing to add onto the 'weight-list' isn't it. Already sick of carrying overshoes, deep winter gloves and other winter type necessities in the luggage!Alpinum wrote: ↑Fri Oct 25, 2024 4:38 pmBut what's going to keep water out the tops of the gaiters?fatbikephil wrote: ↑Thu Oct 24, 2024 10:52 pm Keeping water out the tops of your boots requires gaiters!
Argh, life is so brutal!
In part. Looks like it uses the top few hundred metres then cuts south on forestry tracks towards Soar y Mynydd, pretty much the same line in the woods at least as taken by the Big Bear (GPX of that available in the routes section here) A rough outline of the route here https://cambriantrail.wordpress.com/route/
Enjoyed that... Not long enoughton wrote: ↑Fri Oct 25, 2024 7:47 pm i like posts like this.
as a bloke who has suffered with cold feet all his life, this thread is pretty informative, But i think IMHO the only way to keep truly warm feet in winter is to ditch SPD cycling shoes.
my theory...... in a stiff soled shoe the foot does not flex much, so to get some warmth in we ride whilst wriggling our little piggies...... to create some warmth/ get bood back into them.
in a non spd shoe with a flex in the sole, the foot is flexing all the time, and does not get cold.... as much.
spd pedals are steel, as are pedals which work as a heat sink.
nylon flat grippy pedals, shoes with a bit of flex = warm feet.
my right ankle is fused solid, with a pretty poor circulation. cold in summer.
so a couple of years ago, i went on a buying splurge to winterproof my feet. very costly, poor results.
specialized defrosters, no or hardly any insulation. filled with water which stayed there. fitting was good.
next northwave arctic gtx. very tight fit in a 12. i am a 11. not very warm, once neoprene was wet, water soaked down. sold after 3 rides.
so next i went serious. 45nrth wolvehammers. wowsers, what a fine looking boot. until i rode in them on a subzero ride. they are so well insulated, they just kept freezing cold right foot freezing, like a well insulated ice box.
and were horrible to wak any distance in. sold em.
all were used with spd pedals.
then i was talking to a mate who lives in Cochrane Alberta in Canada. we played rugby together for years, he is a policeman there. but also rides fatbikes.
so i asked him what he rode in at winters of minus 25.
he said the best boots he had found for cold dry conditions, which they have, were the Columbia fairbanks boots, mated with good wool socks. and in wet cold conditions he rode in Muckboot arctic sport wellies.
soi bought the Columbia's. and they were/are still fantastic, with flat pedals. almost IMHO as grippy as 5 tens. and just so warm.
however, in wet horrible stuff at just above or just below freezing they do get a bit wet inside, but still staywarm.
then, last winter i went to Norway for the fat viking event, and after doing some homework i used some Keen targhee high polar boots, with wool socks.
the event was crap condition wise. minus 5 with wet soft knee deep snow. i spent all morning walking, carrying, pushing my bike in the stuff. and when i sacked it after 6 hours of this, my feet were still warm and dry.
my twopenneth............. sorry for the long reply.
. I think you're right Ton. I've constantly looked for spd to work in the winters for me and eventually gave up and went for goretex flat hiking boots for the winters. ). Really informative and thanks again all. Hopefully it all pays off and I manage to actually complete both rides nicely, God-Willing.
The jacket is very yellow. I always try to buy brighter colours to hopefully wake drivers up a little. When there's no drivers then maybe it helps put the trail 'on guard'. Besides, it'll stop me trying to wear em to work, might last alot longer (and save the floors) and... and... they were £12 less expense.
Shoes arrived. Fit like a glove with my semi thick socks on (double layer Norfolks I think they're called). I'm gonna order some nice DWR spray and see if I can make em do the water shedding a bit...fatbikephil wrote: ↑Thu Oct 24, 2024 10:52 pm Keeping water out the tops of your boots requires gaiters! Planet X / Carnac overshoes work too (neoprene / velcro ones). But for roady boots my vaude overtrousers keep the rain out the tops.
Anyway, Lake MX146's turned up today. For £155 I'm happy with them, not sure about paying full wack though (£220) Wide fit is exactly like my lace up 300's but a better bet for road and gravel and tall enough for my over trousers to go over the tops. Boa dial is a PIA but much better than the one on the Northwaves, plus its on the ankle not down in the mud, so hopefully wont' clog up.