Comments on: 45NRTH “Wolvhammer” Winter Boots: Quick Review

By: CK

CK — Sun, 10 Feb 2013 03:35:28 +0000

Did you get your normal cycling shoe size or did you go up a size?

By: Kid Riemer

Kid Riemer — Tue, 08 Jan 2013 17:57:57 +0000

To the author: I strongly suggest you try a vapor barrier sock directly against your foot (Stephenson’s Warmlite vapor barrier socks are very cheap). Then wear your thicker wool socks and then this boot. Trap the moisture against your foot and let it stay warm and moist. Keep your insulating layers dry from perspiration. It can only help with your nerve condition. Just some hopefully helpful advice.

By: eric

eric — Sat, 05 Jan 2013 19:11:03 +0000

these are really warm boots but the material on the instep could have been cinched in or made onto a hardshell piece. I was hoping to have a pair of winter shoes with the cleats adjusted slightly from my summer shoes, but these rub the crankarms in a standard position. They add about 20mm of q factor to an already fat mukluk crank…..but you get used to it

By: MG

MG — Sat, 05 Jan 2013 04:42:01 +0000

Like @BigE, I got a pair for xmas as well, and love them with only one small quibble (read on).

I haven’t experienced any coldness, even on multi-hour rides in the single digits, 10s, and 20s we have in IA…but up until 12/25 I was still riding my summer shoes so maybe I’m more impervious to it. As part of this, I’ve not found it necessary to wear super-thick or super-warm socks…which means I’ve found the sizing to be pretty much right on with what I wear in the summer (no need for me to go up a size).

There’s a number of well thought-out features to these as well IMO. The internal lacing is one of those pull-string thingys, which works really well to cinch up. It’s also very easy to tuck the extra string(?) length out of the way for zipping up the external layer.

Another nice feature is the external zipper. They’ve included a velcro tab which helps secure the zipper in place when fully zipped and covered by the outer shell. Not exactly rocket science, but a nice touch and (to me at least) shows that someone was thinking about this when putting it together.

As @BB mentioned, they do take a little extra work to get into…but nothing extraneous considering their intended use, and personally I’ll take that for the warmth and protection the boot gives. One quibble I have though is with the heel cup area when getting the boot on. It is very rigid – and very comfortable when actually on your foot – but I find it difficult to get my heel past it even with the pull strap. I really have to get my foot forward into the boot in order to get my heel past it. Not sure of the best way to correct this, but something I’m still trying to get used to, and something that seems could be made easier somehow.

Other than that, I am really liking these boots a lot so far. I understand the price may raise eyebrows for some, but from what I’ve experienced they are more than worth it.

By: BigE

BigE — Fri, 04 Jan 2013 17:35:44 +0000

I got a pair for myself this xmas. I got 4 rides on them and say they’re quite toasty. I run a thin sock and mid weight wool sock on 2 different rides to see if it helps with my feet getting cold. Base on how tight your foot is and sweat may cause you having cold feet.

My point is the boot wide on me and I have good circulation. i only got in 25 degree weather but found the shoes are too hot at high 30′s (40′s). This is like a xc ski boot in my reference since it is well sealed. I notice the rear heel doesn’t get cold as when i use a shoe and bootie setup.

The other key point for this boot is they only made 300 this winter (my lbs told me this when I bought it from him). My lbs got 20 in and only has 3 left. The guys commute and night ride with them here in central pa. No complaints about being cold. We get a discount so our price was closer to what shimano are going for now.

I’m glad i got them bercause they’re waaaayyy warmer than any bootie option I tried before.

bigE