Lake winter boots

pearl said:
I'm wearing my wooly socks with these. Is that the problem? Should i wear just a standard cycling sock?
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I find the lake boots to be great off road and eh on the road under the lower 20's. This morning my rides average temp was around 15 degrees for 1.5 hours. My toes started getting cold at around 50 min. This morning I wore my thickest sock.

This is the first time i have worn anything more than my lightest wool socks (like 40-55 degree sock with normal shoes). Your problem is that you foot is probably sweating from the thick sock and then getting cold from the sweat, so a thinner sock should help.

Get a thin merino wool sock and you will be good. The list endorses defeet wool-e-ators (not woolie boolies) for a reason. I have a short cuff and high ciff version and they are da bomb.
 
pearl said:
I didn't want to come in here and be negative, but all I heard about these shoes is that my feet would NEVER get cold. That these were the bees knees.

Every time I wore these in under 32 degree weather, my feet got just as cold as my SIDI indoor trainer shoes that I use for mountain biking. We're these people talking way too highly of these shoes? I really don't get cold often (still haven't wore anything more than a warm base laser and a balaclava on a ride this winter) and I think I have a high tolerance for the cold. I don't think its me, I think its the boots.

The only thing I've liked about these is that if I splash through some water, the odds of my socks getting wet are slim to none.

I'm wearing my wooly socks with these. Is that the problem? Should i wear just a standard cycling sock?
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So far this year, I've only worn a base layer with a ss jersey and winter jersey on top. When it's been extra windy I'll throw arm warmers over the Jersey and I'm fine. Shorts and a base layer under winter bibs are good enough. I've only worn a balaclava twice on the road and I found gloves that work well for me even though I have Raynauds. My only problem left was my feet and I was expecting much more warmth for all the Lake hype.

Riding in the twenties and teens, Lakes do work well for me for the first 45-50 mins, then the cold settles in and I've just got to deal with it. I've played the sock game and found that a regular cycling sock with a thin therma-silk sock over has been the best solution so far, giving warmth without cutting circulation. That seems to get me an extra 15-20 minutes before they get cold. I guess throwing in some toe warmers might make a huge difference but I usually don't think of them until I hit the one hour mark and by then I'm too far from home to do a darn thing about it.

Is it the boots? Nah, I think my feet are just my weak spot. Even at night, pj's might be optional but socks are mandatory because my feet are always cold.
 
Dr Superb said:
I've been considering buying these, but I have not had cold feet yet this winter season and have been putting off the purchase. We'll see what happens. i was just in Halters the other day, and it did not look like they had any left there. Or at least I didnt see em on display where they usually were....
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I have every size between 41 and 45 on hand.
 
pearl said:
I didn't want to come in here and be negative, but all I heard about these shoes is that my feet would NEVER get cold. That these were the bees knees.

Every time I wore these in under 32 degree weather, my feet got just as cold as my SIDI indoor trainer shoes that I use for mountain biking. We're these people talking way too highly of these shoes? I really don't get cold often (still haven't wore anything more than a warm base laser and a balaclava on a ride this winter) and I think I have a high tolerance for the cold. I don't think its me, I think its the boots.


I'm wearing my wooly socks with these. Is that the problem? Should i wear just a standard cycling sock?
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pearl said:
So that is logical. I'll give it a shot and report back.
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Pearl, I am able to ride during the winter thanks to the Lakes. I will admit I've had some issues with them, but I still recommend them. My feet always freeze and I used to use wool socks, warmers, and PI covers with no real results...I would always have to stop and walk around to get the feeling back into my feet. With the Lakes, I am warm initially, but my feet do get cool. I have used thin coolmax (summer) sock until the 30's with good results and a thin wool sock below that. I just experimented with a thin wool sock and toe warmers last sunday before the snow dump, and my feet were toasty warm the entire ride. For the price, they should pamper my feet with wearmth on their own...but WTF, at least I can ride without losing a toe or two.
 
pearl said:
So that is logical. I'll give it a shot and report back.
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Pearl, try a thinner sock and dont strap the shoe tight. I tighten the boa just until the strings are snug, but not tight. I then pull the flap over just enough so that it holds. Nice and toasty and you dont strangle your hoof.
 
bonefishjake said:
Ellen, do you not wear the Lakes on road rides?
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no, if it is below 29, I will no longer ride my road bike outside. This is by no means a standard for normal people, just me. If I ride my cross bike, yes, I wear Lakes, but for my long base mile rides on the road, I wear an oversized mountain bike shoe with carbon sole and booties, but it has to be thity-ish or above. Just pixy AARP rules these days. You guys are much more hard core than me.

Whatever gets you out there doing your thing, is a good thing. Keep it fun! 🙂 Spring will be here soon.
 
I am a size 11. I like the size 46. But I also wear wool socks with them.

I just got Lake SPD sandals and they fit at 45 and 45.5 was too big. It highly depends on your socks.
 
The Distributor for Lake shoes in the US seems to have gone belly up. We have some winter boots left but not every size. These will be impossible to come by this winter. Just a heads up.
 
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