I’ve had a couple of questions recently on my Twitter (7,942 followers woop!) about cold feet. If frosty feet is a problem you are facing then read on..
The problem of cold feet can party be solved by getting a warm pair of winter cycling socks. Generally these are made of merino wool and are thicker than the socks you’ll wear the rest of the year. Picking yourself up three pairs should be enough to get you through the winter.
Winter cycling socks that are designed for cycling tend to command a higher price than perhaps can be justified. If you are on a budget therefore, a trip down to the local discount store could save you some money. The crucial word here is “could” as a lot of retailers have decent discounts on cycling socks bringing them well within the affordable range.
The best pair of winter cycling socks will keep your feet at a good temperature and not cause them to sweat. They’ll also be comfortable enough to wear on a long ride and dry quickly. If the shoes you wear for cycling are very tight then you may have an issue with the slightly thicker size of the socks.
The winter socks I’ve selected below should satisfy all the above criteria.
The Surface Clothing Crew Socks cost just £6.99 and provide excellent comfort and warmth. Whilst the designs may be a little too funky for some, at least they’ll be easy to spot in your sock draw when you are rushing to get ready for the commute into work.
[button link=”https://www.londoncyclist.co.uk/go/surfacecrewsock/”]Shop for the Surface winter cycling socks[/button]
The DHB Merino winter cycling socks offer a rare combination. They are both thin and warm. Along with that they are also very comfortable. For winter cycling this is a great pair of socks for £9.89.
[button link=”https://www.londoncyclist.co.uk/go/dhbmerinosocks/”]Shop for the DHB Merino socks[/button]
If you really want to step up the war on cold feet then the Pearl Izumi Elite Tall Wool socks will appeal. They are longer than your usual sock providing extra warmth when it is needed. The insulation of merino wool keeps things nice and comfortably toasty. These winter cycling socks are a little expensive at £16.99.
[button link=”https://www.londoncyclist.co.uk/go/pearlizumi-tall-sock/”]Shop for the Pearl Izumi socks[/button]
The DeFeet Woolie Boolie 2 socks are an improvement in both warmth and comfort of their older siblings. They provide a good fit and will give you many years of good service.
[button link=”https://www.londoncyclist.co.uk/go/defeet-winter/”]Shop for the Woolie Boolie[/button]
Don’t be a afraid to give your feet a little pampering. As one of the main contact areas with the bike, it is important to keep them comfortable. If the socks don’t solve your problem then you should also look towards getting a pair of leg warmers as people have suggested in the comments below. Additionally, overshoes can add additional warmth as can getting cycling specific shoes.
See also: How to stay motivated to cycle when you look out the window and see this
Woolie Boolies are all you need.
I’ve found the secret to warm feet is to ensure your blood doesn’t get chilled on the way to your feet. I wear 3/4 length shorts and knee-length socks – and eliminated my cold feet problem entirely.
Thanks Meadowend for the suggestion – I’ve updated the conclusion of the article to recommend leg warmers as another potential solution if you are still getting cold feet.
I agree with both Dan and Meadoweend. I used to suffer from chillblanes and tried everything to keep the toes warm. My current setup is a set of full lenght leggings to keep the blood flowing, Woolie Boolies are my socks of choice. Couple this with a set of shoes that are have a bit of space and are not too tight, a set of neoprene overshoes and my feet are now fine. Even commuting last year on my 20+ mile commute to work in the snow and the negative temperatures my feet were toastie.
I have added the addition of toe warmers to my routine, as I all the wool in the world could not keep my feet from getting chilled (probably because I wear wool socks throughout the year, as they are the best for your feet no matter the weather). My issue is my shoes and the “ventilation” on them: great for the summer but hard in the winter. I could not justify neoprene overshoes when I am able to use the toe warmers loved by hunters and American football fans for so cheap ($0.30/pair, about 17 pence). I started using these in the fall when the temps fell to 2-5 C where I live. They are wonderful (and quite useful for ice fishing, snow shoeing and skiing as well).
I wear wool socks throughout the winter but find in the really cold weather only neoprene overshoes do the trick.
I’m about to invest in some “proper” cycling socks after doubling up my regular day socks for a couple of weeks, so this is a nice timely blog post 🙂
You have to ask yourself if your comfort and happiness is worth the investment… I think it is! Even if you only wear them once a week, the cost over the winter months would be pence per outing. If you wear gloves, you need warm feet to match!
A couple of months ago I bought a couple of pairs of the DHB Merino socks to help keep my feet warm as temperatures dropped.
Initially I was disappointed with the marginal level of improvement over just wearing a couple of pairs of normal socks. However their thermal properties seem to have improved after going through the wash a few times, plus they have also softened up a bit.
Worth the extra cost? Just about. But if money is tight, I’d just recommend doubling up on normal socks.
I have never tried Merino socks, and I want to try it later.