At 20 MPH and with little weight-bearing force, your feet are bound to to get cold on the bike when the mercury drops below freezing. That’s probably not too  surprising, but my feet get cold on the bike even when it’s 50 degrees F out.  If I lived in southern California that wouldn’t be a big deal, but this is Chicago!

The most common solution for cyclists is to wear shoe covers.  These vary from simple lycra booties to thick, waterproof covers. I’ve used both, but still ended up with cold feet when it got below freezing. My favorites were the Pearl Izumi AmFIB shoe covers. These worked well with my regular cycling shoes, keeping my feet warm and dry when things got sloppy out (like when it’s slushy and in the upper 30s).  Still, I was looking for a shoe  to use primarily for commuting and that could also be used for off road riding in the winter.

While doing research on review sites and forums, the two most popular models were the Lake MXZ302s and the Sidi Hydro GTX.  Both were pricey, and I’m always nervous about switching brands when I know shoes from one brand tend to fit me well. That’s when I learned about Pearl Izumi’s new Barrier GTX winter shoe. The initial opinions I read were favorable and I found a pair online for about $200, so I decided to give them a try.

OK, here’s a quick run down on the construction. The Barrier GTXs are basically a MTB shoe with speed lacing overwrapped with a zip-up Gore-Tex cover.  The shoes also have a nice 200g 3M Thinsulate liner. The bottoms are have a standard MTB shoe tread with optional screw in spikes. They have the usual two bolt cleat mounts for SPD pedals (I use Crank Brothers pedals and the cleats mounted perfectly). Enough on the specs…how did they fit me?

I normally wear a 42 (in Euro sizing) in all of my cycling shoes, but I read that it’s best to order one size up (in Euro sizing) with these shoes. I ordered a 43 and they fit me well.  I had enough room for a thick pair of wool socks.  For those who want 2 layers, it might be best to order 1.5 sizes bigger than your standard size. The speed lacing system took awhile to get used to, but it creates a nice snug fit and the velcro closure on the upper ensures a secure fit. The shoes end up feeling more like high tops than regular cycling shoes. My narrow feet really appreciated the adjustability and feel of the speed lacing system.

The fit was a go, but how would these fair when things got less fair out (ha, ha, bad pun). I was–unfortunately–spoiled to have very crappy December weather to use for testing. In the first two weeks of riding to work, I was able to use the shoes in freezing rain, snow, and -20 degree F wind chills.  Whoa! Usually, it would take a whole winter to get all of those conditions. But, thanks to Mother Nature’s wrath (or the idiots who perpetuate global warming), I can offer you a fairly comprehensive performance review.

First, the cold. These shoes work well, but I wouldn’t call them perfect. My commute is about 30 minutes and my feet stayed plenty warm with just one layer of synthetic thermal socks.  They probably would start getting cold after one hour of riding. I gave these shoes a more extended test in temps averaging in the low teens at the Illinois State CX championships.  My feet stayed plenty warm, but I was also using toe warmers.  Still, I give these shoes high marks for their warmth.  The Thinsulate liner does the job and the Gore-Tex really helps block the wind. If you buy at least one Euro size bigger, you will have the option of adding an extra layer of socks or toe warmers.

OK, let’s cover how water resistant (or water proof) these shoes really are. Most people have heard of Gore-Tex<.  It claims to be a breatheable, water proof fabric.  Having owned Gore-Tex clothing for about 10 years, I can say this is usually true.  The fabric works well for blocking the wind and keeps you dry in everything except hours of a continuous downpour. I tested the Barrier GTXs in both sleet and wet snow, and my feet stayed plenty dry.  I also found my feet need overly sweat.  I don’t know if this is due to the breathability of the fabric or my cold feet not wanting to sweat…:)

Overall, I highly recommend the Pearl Izumi Barrier GTX, especially if you ride a MTB or CX bike. I can’t compare to these to other winter shoes, but I like them so far and am very happy I got them.  Expensive, sure, but at what price is comfort in miserable winter weather…:)  If you normally wear Pearl Izumi shoes, these would be a no brainer, especially since they are cheaper than other brands.  If you normally wear Sidi or something else, try a pair on at your local LBS or buy from an online retailer with a good return policy.

I’ll post more updates after a few more months if needed, but so far these have performed wonderfully!