re advice on winter shoes

[geepeetee]

Hi

Which are the best overshoes in terms of keeping water out (neoprene,
polyester etc). Thats all i need really

cheers
Gary

 

[Clive George]

"geepeetee" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...

> Which are the best overshoes in terms of keeping water out (neoprene,
> polyester etc). Thats all i need really

Neoprene IME.

cheers,
clive

 

[Jon Senior]

Clive George wrote:
> Neoprene IME.

Neoprene will not (AIUI) kepp water out. Certainly a water proofed
polyester one would probably fair better.

Although if you do get wet enough for water to penetrate (Not something
that has happened in the two years I've been wearing them!), your feet
wil probably stay warmer than if the same thing happened with thin poly
ones!

Jon

 

[Clive George]

"Jon Senior" <jon_AT_restlesslemon_DOT_co_DOT_uk> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Clive George wrote:
>> Neoprene IME.
>
> Neoprene will not (AIUI) kepp water out.

See eg drysuits, which are typically made of neoprene and do as described
Yup, neoprene is inherently waterproof.

(wetsuits let water in through the big holes your feet, hands and neck stick
through. And seams if they haven't bothered sealing them.)

> Certainly a water proofed polyester one would probably fair better.

Proofed with what? Neoprene is used as proofing for some fabrics

> Although if you do get wet enough for water to penetrate (Not something
> that has happened in the two years I've been wearing them!), your feet wil
> probably stay warmer than if the same thing happened with thin poly ones!

My experience with a pair of proofed fabric overshoes was dreadful. A friend
using them this year realised they hadn't improved. Neoprene ones were
superior in every respect - and yes, as you suggest, that does include
keeping you warm when the water gets in through the huge holes (eg the ones
you put your legs in).

cheers,
clive

 

[al77]

I've some of the goretex velcro fastening overshoes & am much happier
with them than my old bbb zip fastening neoprene pair. Also if you use
sdp cleats or similar it can be worth using some sealant around the
holes in the sole of the shoe to stop water getting in that way too.

 

[Jon Senior]

Clive George wrote:
> See eg drysuits, which are typically made of neoprene and do as described
> Yup, neoprene is inherently waterproof.
>
> (wetsuits let water in through the big holes your feet, hands and neck stick
> through. And seams if they haven't bothered sealing them.)

Apologies. While it is possible to produce open-cell Neoprene (And it is
apparently used for some wetsuits), it is more likely to be the
closed-cell, waterproof type.

> Proofed with what? Neoprene is used as proofing for some fabrics

Wax or similar (Neoprene?).

> My experience with a pair of proofed fabric overshoes was dreadful. A friend
> using them this year realised they hadn't improved. Neoprene ones were
> superior in every respect - and yes, as you suggest, that does include
> keeping you warm when the water gets in through the huge holes (eg the ones
> you put your legs in).

I started using them primarily for warmth. In heavy rain I still get wet
feet, but this is generally due to water pouring in through the hole in
the top! I think (But can't say for certain) that most of the Neoprene
ones tend to be a) thick, and b) seamed with velcro. I would expect this
to be another point of water ingress that an unsplit overshoe would not
suffer from.

While we are on the subject; I'm thinking of getting some gloves to
match (As I never did solve the cold hand problem last year!). Any
recommendations for someone who never seems to survive winter without
losing feeling in their fingers?

Jon

 

[POHB]

Got some really thick fleece gloves in a bargain bin at Hwkshead last year.
The material is thick enough to act as padding on the palm without any
special cycling stuff. Not waterproof but so warm it didn't really matter
if they were soaked. On freezing days it was great to see my hands steaming
when I took them off!

>
> While we are on the subject; I'm thinking of getting some gloves to match
> (As I never did solve the cold hand problem last year!). Any
> recommendations for someone who never seems to survive winter without
> losing feeling in their fingers?
>
> Jon

 

[Clive George]

"Jon Senior" <jon_AT_restlesslemon_DOT_co_DOT_uk> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...

> While we are on the subject; I'm thinking of getting some gloves to match
> (As I never did solve the cold hand problem last year!). Any
> recommendations for someone who never seems to survive winter without
> losing feeling in their fingers?

I start with fleece gloves, and go to thick winter mitts followed by both if
it's _really_ cold.

cheers,
clive

 

[Peter Clinch]

Jon Senior wrote:

> While we are on the subject; I'm thinking of getting some gloves to
> match (As I never did solve the cold hand problem last year!). Any
> recommendations for someone who never seems to survive winter without
> losing feeling in their fingers?

If you're having trouble keeping hands warm then move up into
mountainnering mitts, which are designed for prolonged subzero cold.

Mitts are better than gloves as you've less surface area to lose heat
from, but there can be problems with dexterity loss. These can be
reduced to some extent by designs with a sepearte index finger (possibly
available from army surplus, used so infantry can fir rifles in extreme
cold).
Usually have a fleece inner mit (which itself can be used over thin
under-gloves if you size them appropriately) and then a windproof over
mit to cover the top. Seriously toasty!

The top end with Goretex shells are also mind-pummelingly expensive, but
something like Buffalo's should see you right:
http://www.buffalosystems.co.uk/dp16.htm


I usually find ski-gloves are good enough, but if not good enough for
you then the above are better than that.

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net [email protected] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

 

[Tony Raven]

Simon Brooke wrote:

>
> On the coldest days of a Scottish winter I may /start/ a ride in thermal
> gloves, but after fifteen minutes I'll usually take them off otherwise
> my hands overheat. Fingerless gloves do me, summer and winter.
>

Eeeh they're reet 'ard oop norf ;-)

--
Tony

"I did make a mistake once - I thought I'd made a mistake but I hadn't"
Anon

 

[MSeries]

Jon Senior wrote:

>
> While we are on the subject; I'm thinking of getting some gloves to
> match (As I never did solve the cold hand problem last year!). Any
> recommendations for someone who never seems to survive winter without
> losing feeling in their fingers?
>
> Jon

Last wibter I survived with Altura microfleece gloves then when it got
colder i used some cheapish windtex gloves. I have loads of pairs of
gloves now, I hate cold hands. On my feet I use ski socks, cycling shoes
then either 1mm neoprene overshoes or 3mm neoprene overshoes if its very
wet.

 

[Simon Brooke]

in message <[email protected]>, Tony Raven
('[email protected]') wrote:

> Simon Brooke wrote:
>
>>
>> On the coldest days of a Scottish winter I may /start/ a ride in
>> thermal gloves, but after fifteen minutes I'll usually take them off
>> otherwise my hands overheat. Fingerless gloves do me, summer and
>> winter.
>>
>
> Eeeh they're reet 'ard oop norf ;-)

Nah. First, I live about 200 yards from the south coast, so hardly up
north (can see England from the bottom of the road, most days); and
secondly it's different strokes for different folks. I like warm boots
in winter to keep my feet warm, but can't stand my hands getting too
warm. There'll be someone around here who's the opposite.

--
[email protected] (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/

;; When all else fails, read the distractions.