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Winter Flat pedal boots that don't break the bank?

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jspell

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Discussion starter · #1 ·
What are you using for flat pedal boots for winter? I used to use Shimano winter shoes and liked them but they were clip-less. Since I switched to strictly flat pedals I need some inexpensive boots for winter, just for riding in the mostly dry no snow trails. I have trouble keeping my ankles warm so I need 6-8" tall boots. Seriously considering side zip duty type boots with a fairly smooth tread. They don't need to be insulated or waterproof.
Any suggestions?
 
#2 ·
jspell said:
What are you using for flat pedal boots for winter? I used to use Shimano winter shoes and liked them but they were clip-less. Since I switched to strictly flat pedals I need some inexpensive boots for winter, just for riding in the mostly dry no snow trails. I have trouble keeping my ankles warm so I need 6-8" tall boots. Seriously considering side zip duty type boots with a fairly smooth tread. They don't need to be insulated or waterproof.
Any suggestions?
Click to expand...
Consider a lite hiker and gators.
 
#3 ·
I fat bike down to zero degrees Fahrenheit. The layers are as follows:

Ski socks or thick wool hiking socks
HotHands toe warmers
My regular Five Ten MTB shoes
Neoprene cycling shoe cover (Amazon off-brand CXWXC in particular, but I'm not picky)

There are downsides to this. The shoe cover gets pretty shredded by the metal pins, so I end up going through two pairs per winter. Still cheaper than winter mountain biking boots though. There are also days where my feet get a little cold. Not like completely numb or anything, but enough to be noticeable. I have a high tolerance for cold and low tolerance for overspending, so this is the solution I roll with.
 
#4 ·
I use a pair of Gore-tex mid-height hiking boots which seem to hook up decently enough for winter riding with my Stamp 1 pedals. The pedals have longer pins so that may be what helps. Depending on the weather I may use gaiters as well. I'm not doing the same types of jumps/drops as in the summer so no real concerns with pedal slippage.
 
#5 ·
Down to 0F can be a big deal for people, especially in extended situations.

It's imperative IME to get your boots big enough. Not a dinky half-size larger, but one..or two, sizes larger. Build up the foot-bed with insole inserts if you have to, but's far better to have that space for winter boots IME. Get as flat of a sole as possible. There are generally a lot of choices...if not always available to try on locally.

One common cold-weather setup here, independent of the shoe, is a thin silk liner sock, then a Rab vapor barrier, then a wiggy's lamilite sock. I've tried the bread bags and those didn't work for crap, but the Rab vapor barrier sock did. This setup of thin liner, vb and over-sock seems to be the winner, for multiple people.

Gaiters kind of form my lower-windblock layer and are helpful for sealing it all up and stepping in snow.
 
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#6 ·
Jayem said:
Down to 0F can be a big deal for people, especially in extended situations.

It's imperative IME to get your boots big enough. Not a dinky half-size larger, but one..or two, sizes larger. Build up the foot-bed with insole inserts if you have to, but's far better to have that space for winter boots IME. Get as flat of a sole as possible. There are generally a lot of choices...if not always available to try on locally.

One common cold-weather setup here, independent of the shoe, is a thin silk liner sock, then a Rab vapor barrier, then a wiggy's lamilite sock. I've tried the bread bags and those didn't work for crap, but the Rab vapor barrier sock did. This setup of thin liner, vb and over-sock seems to be the winner, for multiple people.

Gaiters kind of form my lower-windblock layer and are helpful for sealing it all up and stepping in snow.
Click to expand...
Yup…VBL’s are the deal when out for a long time in winter. Bike or not.
 
#7 ·
Since you mentioned you don't need any insulation and are just looking for a high-top waterproof shoe, I highly recommend the Five Ten Trailcross GTX. Great grip on the pedals, keep your feet dry, and don't feel super clunky. My only complaint is that laces can sometimes be tricky to re-tie with cold/wet/frozen fingers–I'd much rather use BOA and a velcro strap. To take it a step further, pair them with some riding pants that fit over the ankle gator–this will really help keep water out.
 
Discussion starter · #8 ·
I am currently riding 5.10 free rider pro shoes. If the trail cross fit the same that might be a good option, I guess I need to dig out the wool socks/liners and see how they fir in the shoes I have and go from there.
 
#9 ·
I’ve settled on the Bates GX8 for winter riding. Light, goretex and good grip on the pedals. Once you get accustomed to side zip, lacing up any other boots feels like a ridiculous waste of time.
 
#10 ·
I honestly never needed to do anything terribly special.

I have just enough room in my regular riding shoes to wear a slightly thicker hiking sock and that tends to do just fine down to about 20F, or maybe a little colder for short periods, unless there was snow or ice (if so, the tread pattern on them was pretty bad if I had to get off and push). I'd wear hiking boots and warmer hiking socks in temps down to 0F, and especially if there was snow. I also wouldn't get fancy here. Biggest factor was whether the boots fit my feet. None of them were quite as grippy on the pedals as my regular shoes, but if I'm pressed to wearing boots for winter riding, my riding wasn't as dependent on gripping the pedals as firmly so it was fine.

Nowadays I live in warmer climes and am rarely out riding in subfreezing winter temps. So the warmer sock/Freerider Pro solution does the trick for me now. I'll pull out the WP socks occasionally in this weather if I've got a ride with stream crossings and just layer them with thinner socks to get the warmth I need.
 
#11 ·
For a better, cheaper route…

Pretty much any cold weather non-biking boot with a flat-ish sole that you can find online that is a bit oversized, especially at the toe, works great.

If oversized you can either put in an extra sole liner or wear an extra sock.

Almost every bike specific cold weather shoe I’ve tried had too little room in the toe and was overpriced. They seemed to place fashion over function.

Gators…

Dont worry about getting a tall boot as thats just a lot of weight you don’t need. Gators are a much better alternative. They are inexpensive, lightweight, and relatively durable, and will keep your lowers much cleaner during winter-ish riding.I have accumulated at least a half dozen pair of gators through the years and find them indispensable. For BC skiing, cold-weather sloppy biking, etc.
 
#12 ·
Miker J said:
For a better, cheaper route…

Pretty much any cold weather non-biking boot with a flat-ish sole that you can find online that is a bit oversized, especially at the toe, works great.

If oversized you can either put in an extra sole liner or wear an extra sock.

Almost every bike specific cold weather shoe I’ve tried had too little room in the toe and was overpriced. They seemed to place fashion over function.

Gators…

Dont worry about getting a tall boot as thats just a lot of weight you don’t need. Gators are a much better alternative. They are inexpensive, lightweight, and relatively durable, and will keep your lowers much cleaner during winter-ish riding.I have accumulated at least a half dozen pair of gators through the years and find them indispensable. For BC skiing, cold-weather sloppy biking, etc.
Click to expand...
All of what you say is right on. I ride Lakes because I clip in and they just plain work as intended…water proof pants lap right over.
 
#13 ·
I use my hiking boots for some absolute compromise that adds up to ideal when I factor in hiking ease, grooming friendly, on the bike, and the less stuff and simplification factor. The soles are also better than Five Ten for lacing gaiters.

This might not satisfy a racer, weight weenie or high fashion type but I'm more a trail crew, old and might be racing to a toilet before racing a bike. Most of the time my bike engine makes more difference than my gear.
 
#14 ·
I really hope y'all mean gaiters because gators on your ankles would make it very hard to pedal... :ROFLMAO:

Another vote for the Trailcross GTX; I have Raynaud's Syndrome and they've worked well for me (w/ chemical toe warmers) down to about 25°F.

Note that IME their sizes are all over the place though and are NOT consistent across other 5.10 models; I've had to return several pairs because of this.
 
#15 ·
I'm glad that hiking boots work for some of you guys, but in my experience, they can't provide nearly the same levels of grip as a dedicated shoe like the Trailcross GTX. Especially as the temps drop and the rubber gets harder. That said, if you already have a pair of quality hiking boots then some gaiters are a somewhat less expensive route for sure. But if you're starting from scratch it's hard to beat purpose-built winter mtb shoes in my experience.
 
Discussion starter · #16 ·
Thanks for all the input!
I picked up a pair of 5.10 freerider pro mid in a size larger (they have a ankle collar) and should work well for my purpose. They fit great and should be warm enough for me and I love the grip they provide. If I decide to ride in the snow I have hiking and duty boots that are waterproof. We don't ride when it is wet around here because the mud just packs everywhere, also the snow we get here generally is only good for one day due to lack of traffic and the freeze thaw we get here .
 
#17 ·
niles25 said:
I'm glad that hiking boots work for some of you guys, but in my experience, they can't provide nearly the same levels of grip as a dedicated shoe like the Trailcross GTX. Especially as the temps drop and the rubber gets harder. That said, if you already have a pair of quality hiking boots then some gaiters are a somewhat less expensive route for sure. But if you're starting from scratch it's hard to beat purpose-built winter mtb shoes in my experience.
Click to expand...
That's a fall/spring and summer-DH shoe by my eye. That floppy neoprene cuff is a joke, Lake figured that out with the 302s. That's why the 303 has a buckle/strap. Honestly, those shoes you posted are pretty far from anything I'd consider a "winter" shoe, mtb or otherwise.

Yes, I agree you want a flatter sole, there are plenty of hikers that offer this.

Sites-Columbia_US-Site

www.columbia.com www.columbia.com
 
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#18 ·
Jayem said:
That's a fall/spring and summer-DH shoe by my eye. That floppy neoprene cuff is a joke, Lake figured that out with the 302s. That's why the 303 has a buckle/strap. Honestly, those shoes you posted are pretty far from anything I'd consider a "winter" shoe, mtb or otherwise.

Yes, I agree you want a flatter sole, there are plenty of hikers that offer this.

Sites-Columbia_US-Site

www.columbia.com www.columbia.com
Click to expand...
The OP stated that he didn’t need insulation and wasn’t riding in snow, so the Trailcross seemed like a great option. I logged a solid wet PNW winter in them and thought they were excellent 🤷
 
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#20 ·
Been using Five Ten's Freerider EPS Mid for two Southeastern Michigan winters now. Definitely waterproof, and the primaloft insulation does work without making the shoe bulky. However, if the temperatures are down around 10-15 deg. F. your feet will get cold, as there's only so much the minimal insulation can do. It's a great winter shoe down to around 20 deg. F.
 
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