Cheap Boots for Winter Fat Biking!
- Randy Reek, The Great Out There
- 5 hours ago
- 3 min read
Making the right choice in footwear in the cold and snow when fat biking.
Winter fat biking requires a unique combination of gear. Your protective layers must retain warmth PLUS expel moisture. Many riders find that dressing the same as when cross-country skiing is a good start. But the obvious difference is boots.
Fat biking boots need to deflect the snow while retaining heat but NOT moisture.
Wet, sweaty feet will ruin your day when fat biking. Once you are cold and wet, the only way to reverse the problem is to quit riding and return to a warm cabin - or vehicle with the heat blasting.
Of course, for every NEED there is a high-priced solution. There are several brands that now supply winter fat bike boots:
These high-priced boots are a necessity if you are a competitive fat bike racer! But for the rest of us recreational riders, I have another option: recycle a pair of worn out hiking boots!
Most hiking boots are now "waterproof". In the "old days", our hiking boots were leather, which we waterproofed with dozens of applications of Snow Seal and Mink Oil. Today, most hikers have untreated leather panels and breathable nylon sections along with a waterproof lining. This is a great combination for hiking in the Spring, Summer, and Fall. The inner "rain coat" repels moisture, and walking continually pumps moist air out of the boots
But winter fat biking doesn't require the waterproof layer. And (like cross-country skiing) your feet are much more active, generating more heat and moisture. The winter fat biking boots must retain warm, dry air for comfort.
I found the perfect boots for winter fat biking were "retired" hiking boots!
Instead of spending $300.00 or more on a new pair of fat biking boots, I simply removed the inner "waterproof" sock.
If you want a PERFECT pair of fat biking boots - simply turn the lining out of your worn work boots and cut it off!
That's what I did in the boots pictured above. You may need to work a little if the lining has been glued into the boot. But it doesn't matter if you puncture or rip the lining since you are going to cut it out anyway. Grab it with a pliers and yank it free! Then cut the liner sock away, leaving the upper few inches that cushions your ankles. (I cut just above the black fabric to remove the waterproof lower sock section, then folded the remnants of the lining back into the heel counter.)
Note that you have removed a thick layer of material from the boots - so you might need to add an insole and/or wear heavier socks. I wear a thin inner liner sock and a medium-weight wool sock for the combination of moisture wicking and warmth.
So that is a CHEAP way to convert an old pair of "waterproof" boots - that would probably get discarded - into a serviceable pair of winter fat biking boots. The hiking boot soles don't slip on the pedals. The soles are great for the few sections where you need to hike-a-bike. And they are not too heavy for driving to and from the trailhead.
