MATTER: Lake MX145 Foul-weather Boots
I use the #rideoutside hashtag whenever I notice that conditions captured in a photo I'm posting might disincline folks to brave the elements. It's not an injunction. It's not me trying to signal that I'm harder than anyone else. It's a reminder that riding outside is good. Is it always better than inside? No. Often? Yep.
There's a whole constellation of material, experience, and expertise required to enjoy riding outside in harsh conditions. This constellation cannot be purchased in one fell swoop. Component parts can indeed be bought off the shelf, but experience and expertise take time and effort to develop.
Boots? But why?
From what I've observed, winter cycling footwear - let's call them 'boots' - occupy a position low on most cyclists' wish lists. I'm talking about riders living in climates that have cold winters and shoulder seasons. The thing is, normal cycling shoes can be layered up with booties, plastic bags, waterproof socks, inner tubes and duct tape to extend their use-range. I can't count the number of times I've seen people race cyclocross with booties over their shoes. But, when it's snowy, muddy, or both, this is a problematic approach, because booties almost always limit the exposure of shoe lugs to the ground, which matters when running off the bike. And they often flip up; weak sauce
But that's generally a racing thing. Because winter boots are different from shoes in degree, not in kind, they often get pushed to the bottom of the list. 'If it's crappy enough to need winter boots, I'll just ride inside. Or not ride. Or whatever.'
I get it, especially when we're talking about folks who simply don't have budget for another pair of cycling clogs. I've been there. Whether you're in this boat or not, what follows will be of interest to you if you ride outside in cold, wet conditions, want to, or want to want to. I'm coming at this review of Lake's MX145 winter boot from a 'return on investment (ROI)' perspective, which I think most readers will appreciate.
Thus, one might say, Matt, what about those SealSkinz waterproof socks you’ve reviewed and always talk about? Those offer a great ROI, right? Yes, insulated waterproof socks are an excellent option, but we need to understand their limits and how they fit into our constellations of kit.
If one isn’t sitting around with money burning holes in their pockets, but wants to increase their proportion of ‘go’ versus 'no-go' moments, waterproof socks will help, and they will be cheaper than boots. The limit will often be the amount of volume shoes can accommodate when adding such socks into the mix, which is always rather important when it’s cold and wet; a restricted foot is often a cold foot. And when volume is in ample supply the limiting factor of waterproof socks is their ability to allow vapour to escape. Over extended durations feet become cold simply because they are too wet within waterproof socks, and this moisture can come from our skin, or run down our legs into the socks. In the most severe conditions, we might even need to run waterproof socks within waterproof shoes like the MX145s to handle extreme wet and cold. In cases like this I'd likely duct tape the cuffs of my socks to my legs. Seriously.
Since there is so much room for the typical cyclocross rider to improve, and cyclocross season is generally wet and cold, foul-weather kit we are comfortable in and like to use becomes highly valued and valuable. I struggled with frozen feet for many years before getting my first pair of winter shoes, classic Shimano SH-MW81s, which were never warm enough for sub -10C unless I wore dual booties over them. Clunky and thick at the ankle, these boots were always a last resort for cyclocross, and for training their lugs and overall feel was never appealing. Their stack height was greater than all my shoes, so I wore them when I had to, rarely wanted to. I never didn’t ride outside for cyclocross (fatbike and snirt are a different story....) because I didn’t have footwear that would work. But I certainly raced numerous times in my regular shoes with waterproof socks instead of my winter shoes, and wound up pretty cold, and was limited in inspecting courses properly with the Shimanos on, because their grip was inferior to that of the shoes I'd later race in.
If you don’t have any winter boots at your disposal, but you want to do cyclocross (not to mention spring classics, MTB, fatbike...), I encourage you to prioritize getting a good pair as a priority over lighter bike parts. If these shoes enable you to go outside to ride your cyclocross bike in conditions you’ll race in more often than not, they’ll ‘pay for themselves’. If such shoes eliminate a reason to avoid the rain and the mud, conditions you know you’ll race in, they will help you pursue your goals. And if such shoes make it easy for you to decide to get onto your bike and spend time training on the track at a given race instead of hiding under a tent because you don’t want to get your feet wet and cold, they’ll really ‘pay off’ when you race and actually know what you’re doing on the course!
There, that’s the rationale part.
Why Lake?
Now, you’re still reading, so let’s get to the question of Lake: why them?
In Lake’s MX145 I saw a great deal of potential. But despite decades of knowing Lake as a company that made quality winter boots, dating back to my early years as a mountain biker, I'd never owned a pair. Lake was kind enough to send me a pair of size 47-wide MX145s to test and review, just in time for the nasty-weather phase of the 2018 cyclocross season. The questions I most wanted to answer were:
How does Lake's fit system work?
Would the MX145s feel too clunky for cyclocross and 'long' rides?
Could the MX145s be comfortably used for cyclocross, snirt, and spring classics?
Build Philosophy
'Build philosophy' is the aspect of Lake's work that most intrigued and interested me. As you might have gathered from other posts I've written, I’m most drawn to people who take pride in their craft, in the art of making. How many cycling shoe companies can you think of that pride themselves on making shoes to fit all feet?
Lake is a company of shoemakers. They deeply understand feet, shoes, and cycling, and are passionate about each of them.
If we think of cycling shoes and boots as analogous to bikes, the 'frame' of footwear is its footbed, and its 'geometry' is its 'last.' Each rider will harmonize well with particular frame materials and construction (think compliance and responsiveness), built with particular geometries, which dictate both the fit of the body to the bike and its riding characteristics (Ex., steering). The bike's tires are designed, constructed, and mounted to meet the anticipated demands on grip, durability, rolling resistance, clearance, and weight. All these elements are composed around a particular vision for how the bike will be ridden: where, when, for how long, and how hard.
Lake approaches the design and construction of the shoes and boots that deliver power to our bikes with a similar eye to detail. Just as with bikes, these details matter to our performance and enjoyment of the sport. While most cycling companies use a small number of lasts for their footwear, rarely talk about them, and often limit wide and high volume lasts to entry-level and recreational models, Lake builds their footwear from 6 lasts, each available in more than one width, multiplying the total number of foot volumes covered. Lake provides detailed information about each of last, and doesn't push riders with wide feet into basic options.
With so many variations on offer, the main challenge for riders new to Lake lies in determining correct sizing without being able to try shoes on. I hope to help demystify this process in this post. I also hope to convey how impressive and effective the MX145s are as a versatile, race-worthy boot with an excellent ROI.
Sizing: Measure Twice
Lake are all about fit, and they know more about how to achieve proper fit than I do. So how to go about sizing my first pair?
I followed Lake's recommended sizing process, and learned a few things along the way. I wasn't trying to exactly replicate the fit of my most comfortable shoes (Giro Empire SLX, 46), because they are sized for summer use, primarily; thin socks. They do accommodate medium-weight socks, as do my Giro VR90s, along with medium-weight SealSkinz (tightly). I was hoping to size the MX145s for a typical fall/spring weight sock, while also leaving room for the heaviest socks I'd wear in the winter, or even double socks (liner + outer). I didn't know whether their retention system, BOAs, would provide the foot hold I'd want with the thinner socks during cyclocross and spring classics use (the latter can involve epic running....), which I do consider something of a tall order.
Following Lake's protocol (found here), I started by tracing my feet. This took a couple tries to get right, or as close to right as I could. Turns out this isn't easy.
After carefully measuring my tracings, I came up with the following dimensions:
Length: 295mm
Width: 115mm
I then referred to Lake's sizing chart, bearing in mind that it is recommended to add 5mm to the length of your foot, but not the width. So, 295 + 5 = 300. You can see this corresponds to size 47 below. My width at 115mm put me into the 'WIDE' column. I corresponded with Bob Maas, co-owner of Lake, and he recommended I run with the 47 Wide, in concordance with the chart.
As I developed this post, measuring my footbeds so I'd have dimensions to relate to the chart above, I discovered I'd made a mistake with my width measurement. I transcribed 115mm for my width, but based on my tracings, 100 or 105mm would have been correct. This is almost a relief, as I was somewhat surprised to wind up in a wide boot, given I'm a 'narrow' in Birkenstocks, and never had width issue with shoes. But my mistake has proven informative, because it has allowed me to learn about the conformity of the MX145's last, and its ability to accommodate a broad range of foot volumes.
The Giro insole on the right is from size 46 Giros. I tend to be comfortable on this size footbed with summer-weight socks for long hours in the saddle. When it's hot enough to make my feet swell, they'd hurt in my VR90s more often than my Empire SLXs, likely because the SLX's upper is thinner and can stretch more under load.
On my Giro footbeds my feet don't fully fit. However, the upper of the shoes make my feet conform to the platform.
Rather than using one of their winter-specific lasts for the MX145, Lake opts for a more versatile form that is well suited to a broad range of riding, from long spring and fall training rides to cyclocross training and racing. The foot control referenced above is absolutely necessary for cyclocross, where running on uneven surfaces makes keeping the foot from shifting inside the shoe/boot challenging.
Materials and Construction
The boot's upper is constructed from waxed canvas, Clarino Microfiber, and a waterproof membrane for a high degree of water resistance. The boot has a small amount of insulation in the toe area, but relies mostly on its structural materials to retain heat. In order to renew the water repellency of the canvas, one need only apply some oil-finish-wax, which can easily be procured. Simple.
Two boa closures provide fine tuning of retention for each foot, and the upper BOA line detaches fully at the top, should you need extra slack.
BOA closures are generally easy to use, and offer on-the-fly adjustment, but are somewhat prone to opening during crashes. These are placed high-up on the boots, which reduces contact with the ground in such cases. Lake’s execution of wrapping material over the forefoot keeps water and cold out well, though cannot be considered waterproof. The grey waxed cotton is very conforming, which all owes the material to accommodate a broad range of foot volume without creating pressure points.
Lake ships the MX145 with Syksol THERMOSOL insoles, which are really nice quality. They feature:
High rebound footbed foam
Firm sole cradle for stability and capturing insulating air pockets
Wicking felt with natural antimicrobial properties
Radiant reflective aluminum barrier
As I mention above, the Thermosols have such ample arch support, so I didn't need to add my Birkenstock units. Their honeycomb pattern on their underside helps create a layer of air for insulation, and their reflective material and felt covering work well to retain heat.
Performance
I was keen to determine whether the MX145 could serve double, if not triple duty, covering a broad range of demands. Thus, I packed them as soon as they arrived for the Pan-American Cyclocross Championships in Midland, Ontario, and proceeded to train in them through atrocious conditions on the Friday, Saturday and Sunday before my races. The course was very demanding, as was the following weekend's course at Canadian Cyclocross Championships in Peterborough, Ontario, which was equally foul-weathered.
Simply, I was completely comfortable in the MX145s through hours of training at both races, and subsequent races around Ottawa. It wasn't difficult to dial in my retention for comfort, and the snow and mud of each venue was easily handled by the boots. I'm able to secure them enough, despite running a size a little larger than required, sufficiently to keep my feet planted as I scramble off the bike, and it's not as though the boots are over-tightened when I need them to be really snug; the upper still has room to close on itself.
Even with thin summer socks, I can use the MX145s over demanding terrain. On the opposite end of the spectrum, I tried two pairs of socks for a cold (-15 C) snirt ride, which was very snug. My feet were cold, but it was difficult to tell whether that had more to do with tightness than anything else. I also wore them around -10 C without being cold, along with 3hr road ride around -5, during which I was 100% toasty and dry. For an really windy snirt ride at -5, I used chemical warmers and medium weight socks, and my feet were perfect over 3 hours. I settled on using one pair of well-insulated socks with Castelli shoe-covers for temps around -15 C.
The boots' grip is the best I've ever had. There's something fantastic going on with the outsole, and I could actually feel their microglass 'Ice Lock anti slip lug inserts' working. The tread forms a very secure platform against Shimano pedals, posing zero issues with engaging or disengaging in the nastiest conditions.
For cyclocross racing it makes sense to use the MX145s when it’s around freezing and colder. In these conditions, the ground is often frozen, so I like to run the boots with Horst’s pointy spikes for the steep run-ups.
Conclusions
Lake’s MX145 hit a sweet-spot for riders interested in extending their riding season and/or taking some of the suffering out of cyclocross. Every aspect of the boot’s design and construction suits its intended purpose, rendering the MX145 a highly versatile option for riding in wet and/or cold conditions from around -12 C to +12 C. Their lightweight construction, minimal bulk around the ankles, and secure fit render them well suited to anything from long gravel rides to mucky cyclocross races. After more than a year with the boots, I can honestly say I love them, and I am totally happy racing in them when it’s cold enough to need to.
If I’m to nail down a specific range where the MX145s are in their element, I’d put it at -5 to +5 C, wet or dry. This happens to be the sort of temperature range many folks face through their cyclocross seasons, and wet weather hovering around the freezing mark is the hardest to dress well for. I've yet to experience water ingress in the boots, but this will occur in due time, as they are not waterproof. That's fine, waterproof shoes for cycling are a bit like waterproof vests. Unless you're planning on duct taping the cuffs of your waterproof shoes to your legs, they will fill with water. The same applies to waterproof gloves. Yes, I've duct taped both! The MX145's cuffs are snug enough to do well in wet conditions, but for truly hideous days you might indeed want to go with a waterproof sock sealed at the leg with duct tape.
Regarding sizing, the MX145s accommodate a significant range of foot volumes at a given length, allowing the rider to vary sock thickness considerably. When sizing a pair, I suggest you carefully consider your priorities in terms of use. For example, I wanted to be able to use the 145s for the worst of cyclocross and spring classics, and (because of my error) I ended up with a size a bit larger than I’d choose for a pair of boots dedicated to cyclocross racing. This is fine for me, because CX training often lasts longer than the races themselves, and doesn’t demand the absolute lightest of kit. During training comfort is important, so that nothing pushes you to pack it in early. If you expect to use chemical warmers inside your boots for winter use, size accordingly.
On the ROI front, if we situate the MX145 against other purchases at a similar price ($250 USD), I think we’d be hard-pressed to find alternatives that offer a better value, because these boots enable effective training and fun riding in conditions that would often keep people indoors. Fancy bling for the bike can’t do that; it might do the opposite! And, frankly, $250 for a pair of high quality cycling shoes or boots is awfully good these days.
From a durability perspective, the only wear of note on the MX145s after about 60 hours of hard use is a friction spot on an ankle from my crank-arm. I mitigated this by adding thin pedal washers, as I only needed a millimeter or so to create the space required. Mud tends to accelerate wear!
From all indications, the MX145s should last a solid 5 years of foul-weather use. I plan to eventually acquire one or two spare BOAs to pack while traveling, to ensure I can replace them quickly if needed (as I’ve done with BOA shoes in the past). After more than 12 months, the boots are in excellent condition.
I’m comfortable recommending the MX145s heartily. I feel Lake have left no stone unturned with this model, the sole thing I’d change being totally personal: a bit of bling colour!
If the MX145s are not quite the solution you’re looking for when it comes to cold riding, check out Lake’s full-blown winter models, the MZX 303, the new MZX 304, and MZX 400. These boots are very well regarded, and will cover the cold-riding needs of most riders. I will have opportunity to ride the MZX 304 for snirt and fat biking this winter (2019/20), and you can be certain I’ll review them here.
If you are in the market for something special, check out Lake's custom shoe offerings here. If you have something else in mind beyond their 332 and 402, don't hesitate to drop them a line to enquire about possibilities. Keep an eye out for my forthcomings features on Lake’s MX241 Endurance, MX238 Supercross, and brand new MX332 Lite.
If you have any questions, don't be shy!
