Northwave Celsius GTX

I had a great plan to ride through winter again this year, but this time I wanted my feet to stay warm and dry without the hassle of overboots.

Enter a very short search for a winter boot, the Northwave Celsius GTX, shown below.  Arriving as a Christmas present from my long suffering and supportive Nik (I think she just wanted me out the house more) I knew what to expect to a degree as I use Northwave exclusively as they fit and support my feet very well and give great performance both for MTB and Road shoes.

The first thing you notice is that these are very light for a winter boot. Which begs the question are they warm? The answer is yes, just don't try to squeeze too many pairs of socks on your feet into the boot, it will have the adverse affect.  Just like a mountaineering boot, the best warmth is gained by having some room in the boot for the air to circulate.

So does this make the a loose fit? Not exactly, yes you will get a bit of heal lift when walking, but when clipped in I have to say I don't notice the difference and I put this down to the speed lace system gives a nice even fit and then you can pull the velcro tabs a little tighter.  So they fit really well and keep your feet toasty. I have worn them down to about -5 a few times and my feet have been fine.

Are they stiff, how do they perform? Yes and very well.  Northwave have delivered a winter boot sole that performs like your race day shoe and is nearly as light and stiff.  I have tested these extensively climbing and sprinting against my team mates and these boots give noting away in performance.

An added bonus is the rubber on the sole has the most grip I have ever used on a cycling shoe and even finds traction on icy and wet shiny surfaces, which generally have you gambling around like a fawn.  The tread is also a bit wider than normal and shed mud and frozen ground really well and manages to keep the cleat area pretty damn clean.

I have to admit I am a little bias towards Northwave shoes now days.  But when they have been consistently spot on for well over 10 years of personal use, you tend to get that way.  So if the shoe fits and performs well....

I can highly recommend these boots for winter rides.