# Anyone commute in hiking boots?



## nightoff (14 Oct 2010)

I currently commute in converse pumps. With the mornings a bit chillier I also wear my Aldi overshoes. Still my feet are cold.

I don't use SPDs or wish to use them so am looking for some decent footwear to commute in. They must stand upto cold and wet weather for the winter. 

Proper waterproof winter cycle shoes cost a fortune so I was wondering if anyone can suggest a good value alternative. I can only think of something like hiking boots. 

My current commute is 7.5 miles each way so I need to keep warm and dry for about 25 minutes.


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## Alien8 (14 Oct 2010)

I wore hiking boots, on flats, for a 12-mile each way commute when we had snow earlier in the year.

However, that was cold, but not particularly wet, weather.

I'm not sure how good it would have been in a downpour - I imagine it wouldn't have taken very long for rain to run inside from down my legs.

I guess it depends if you'll be wearing some sort of tights/over-trousers that will stop rain getting in the top.


Of course they'd also need to be comfortable and not rub on the cranks.


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## Norm (14 Oct 2010)

Thinking a little bit laterally, how about changing the socks rather than the boots? 

£30 on, for instance, a pair of Seal Skinz socks and you can keep wearing the Converse.


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## nightoff (14 Oct 2010)

Norm said:


> Thinking a little bit laterally, how about changing the socks rather than the boots?
> 
> £30 on, for instance, a pair of Seal Skinz socks and you can keep wearing the Converse.



My office has a relaxed dress code so I wear the converse all day. I would rather have waterproof outer wear so I can wear them at work.

When it rains now I put a carrier bag between the shoe and overshoe which is a faff.


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## potsy (14 Oct 2010)

Norm said:


> Thinking a little bit laterally, how about changing the socks rather than the boots?
> 
> £30 on, for instance, a pair of Seal Skinz socks and you can keep wearing the Converse.



£30





if I ever spend that on a pair of socks you have permission to punch me norm


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## John the Monkey (14 Oct 2010)

I use a pair of Hi-Tec waterproof hiking boots when I ride the Brompton in winter.




Snow Brompton by John the Monkey, on Flickr

They were fine, although I went to two pairs of socks too because of the cold. The boots cost me about £40, iirc.


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## Panter (14 Oct 2010)

Decathlon (as always!) do some very good waterproof hiking boots. 

I've only used them a few times on the MTB in Winter (I generally wear SPD's) when playing around with flats but I found them to be very good.
They were IRO £30.00 I think


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## nightoff (14 Oct 2010)

JTM, the Hi-Tec boots look ok. What model do you have and how is the waterproofing?

I am looking at about the £40 mark. 

This commuting lark is getting expensive. I calculated in the spring that a year commuting by bike would save about £500. I must have spent not far off that on equipment not including the bike. Hopefully I will see some savings next year as I have most of the stuff I need.


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## John the Monkey (14 Oct 2010)

nightoff said:


> JTM, the Hi-Tec boots look ok. What model do you have and how is the waterproofing?



Mine are these;
http://www.hi-tec.co...otrek-mens.html

Also had a pair called the Quebec, which sadly they don't make anymore. Waterproofing, ime, is fine - mine leak once I wear through the soles before they leak through the uppers! (Bear in mind my Brompton commute is short though, in the region of 3 1/2 miles / 15 mins or so).

EDIT: Panter is on to something if you have a decathlon near you though - their kit's usually v good.


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## gaz (14 Oct 2010)

A decent pair of waterproof overshoes only cost around £25.
Let me guess you dont have full mudguards?


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## nightoff (14 Oct 2010)

Thanks for the reply Panter. 

I think there is a Decathlon about 25 miles from me. I might take a trip this weekend and have a look at their products. 
Also seen a review for Hi-Tec Altitude IV which appear to get good reviews in the budget range. 
Not too bothered what these look like as any hiking boots would look a bit daft on the end of winter tight wrapped chicken legs.


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## nightoff (14 Oct 2010)

gaz said:


> A decent pair of waterproof overshoes only cost around £25.
> Let me guess you dont have full mudguards?



I have Crud Road Racer guards on my road bike. The winter beater has full guards though. Just waiting for the gritters before I mothball the road bike.

My experience with overshoes is they are good whilst they last. Unfortunately they don't last long before I either bust the zip or split them. Incidently, the Aldi ones are the worst I have owned in terms of keeping feet dry.


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## gaz (14 Oct 2010)

nightoff said:


> I have Crud Road Racer guards on my road bike. The winter beater has full guards though. Just waiting for the gritters before I mothball the road bike.
> 
> My experience with overshoes is they are good whilst they last. Unfortunately they don't last long before I either bust the zip or split them. Incidently, the Aldi ones are the worst I have owned in term of keeping feet dry.


I use the endura road overshoe which is waterproof. Over a years use and it is still working fine.


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## ThePainInSpain (14 Oct 2010)

Listening to you lot, reminds me of why I moved here.

It's never that cold and when it rains it's so heavy that you can't walk in it, let alone cycle in it.


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## skudupnorth (14 Oct 2010)

Hiking trainers for me with sealskinz socks when it's cold and wet.Rode to Cornwall with them and had no problems.


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## photography27 (14 Oct 2010)

i use hiking boots for my daily commute, they are light, good tread forgrip on the pedals, and windproof and very waterproof, i wouldnt wear any other footwear to be honest.


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## alasdairgf (15 Oct 2010)

ThePainInSpain said:


> Listening to you lot, reminds me of why I moved here.
> 
> It's never that cold and when it rains it's so heavy that you can't walk in it, let alone cycle in it.


Can you get banned from CycleChat for gloating?!!!


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## XmisterIS (15 Oct 2010)

OP - when I started cycling, before the days of SPDs, I used walking boots. I found it best to use ones that weren't too chunky and had quite flat soles to allow them to slip in and out of the toe clips easily.


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## decca234uk (15 Oct 2010)

I commuted in boots for years with no problems, ankle length army issue, I used to wear a gren snorkel parker as well back in the old days. i'm all modern now though, I even wear tights, but there's nothing wrong with boots.


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## HJ (15 Oct 2010)

I used to do it when I was doing field work and had to ride in by mountain bike (I then only had a three mile walk to the start of the field sites here and here), ah those were the days...


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## nightoff (17 Oct 2010)

Just ordered some boots. Hopefully they will be just the thing to keep my feet warm and dry this winter.


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## ufkacbln (17 Oct 2010)

My compromise is the Shimano MT90 - Vibram soled walking boots with an SPD fitting 

Best of both worlds


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## Dayvo (17 Oct 2010)

I used something like this on a 6-week winter tour to Gibraltar: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Karrimor-Me..._1_12?s=sports&ie=UTF8&qid=1287318205&sr=1-12

They kept me warm in northern Europe and were comfortable in the warmer south west. In heavy rain I just slipped a pair of waterproof overshoes over the boots.


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## davefb (17 Oct 2010)

regarding having something thats okay for dress code (or not) at work.. I've taken a pair of shoes to wear at work, that way it doesnt matter what I wear on the bike..

i've done some commuting with 'generic walking shoes' (not boots no ankle support), nice to swap into the more 'pump like' shoes at work!


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## thomas (17 Oct 2010)

You can buy feet warmers. You put them in your shoes and some chemical reaction goes on in the packet and releases heat.

Maybe look into them? Sure you can get ones you can reuse.


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## Jezston (17 Oct 2010)

Regular canvas converse are about the worst kind of shoes you can cycle in - absolutely no rigidity or support in the soles. Waking boots should be pretty good, if perhaps a little sweaty.


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## 400bhp (17 Oct 2010)

Sketchers trainers are essentially cycling shoes without the cleats.

The sole is rigid enough to cycle in but soft enough to walk about in.

You can put overshoes on as well.

I used a pair of Sketchers for the first 2 months or so when I started commuting.

http://www.sportsdirect.com/skechers-bikers-arroyo-shoe-110137?src=google


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## Black Sheep (18 Oct 2010)

Hiking boots aren't always waterproof, I know mine aren't but they do a good job of it.


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