LAKE MX 146: EnJoy 3-Season Performance
Welcome to my attempt at a not-too-deep dive into Lake’s MX146 all-conditions boots. I have three objectives here, based on a few assumptions:
Some readers have a bit to a lot of experience with Lake, and want to know how these boots FIT and PERFORM compared to other models.
Some readers will have experience with boots from other brands, and want to understand what Lake’s MX146 offers.
Some readers will have zero experience with any sort of cycling boot, and want to understand why they might even want boots versus shoes with covers.
Objectives:
Compare and contrast MX146 fit and performance against baseline (MX145) and one step up (MXZ304)
Explain Lake’s boot design ethos and approach, and why there’s no magical solution for keeping feet comfortable
Briefly cover the value of a dedicated foul-weather boot
I’m not going to recycle all the technical details Lake provide on their website. I assume you’ve already read all that, and have come here with questions. I’m also not going to compare these boots to a slew of other brands’ boots. I’ve had a number of boots from competitors, which are now irrelevant. I’m working within Lake’s '‘ecosystem’ of footwear, and am developing an increasingly clear sense of how their models stack up against each other. This, and every other piece I share about Lake is for sharing what I learn, some of which is informed by discussions with the Lake team. I believe in what they bring to the cycling community, and how they do it.
Introduction
As folks continuously push the performance boundaries textiles and manufacturing materials can deliver, the art of the possible expands. Experienced riders know that hands and feet are the only really challenging body parts to manage in the cold and wet. I’m at a point where I have a solution for hands down to the coldest temperatures and wet conditions I’m going to opt to ride in (-15C lower limit): Castelli’s Espresso GTs. If it’s too cold for these, I stay inside.
Feet are really different. There are lots of spring, fall, and winter days that are easy to dress for except the feet. Cold feet don’t tend to be dangerous in the way cold hands can, but they certainly reduce our enJOYment of riding, and can cross over into numb, painful, and worrying territory.
There are many amazing rides we can experience in the cold and wet. In order to do so, we need to have the confidence in our kit to get us out the door. For many, this is the steepest mountain to climb. For different reasons, I’ve left the house countless times knowing I’d be cold and suffering a few hours later. Decades ago, I didn’t even think there was a way to be not-cold, and I figured it was just part of the equation. Years later, it became increasingly apparent that progress was being made in kit and footwear; the art of the possible was shifting.
At this stage, footwear is the last and most difficult piece of kit to get right when weather is harsh. For some riders, it’s actually fairly simple to land on a set-up that works well for fat biking, for example: platform pedals, big boots. Easy. I commuted many winters in Ottawa, Canada, wearing Bogs. They were huge and my feet were never cold. Would I wear Bogs for a 5 hour road ride in March? Hell no. What would I wear? Would that solution also work for fat biking? What about cyclocross? Spring classics (now referred to as ‘gravel races’ that happen to be in the spring)? There’s no one ideal solution for every ride, let alone every rider. Lake’s mission is to create something for everyone when it comes to shoes and boots, but this doesn’t mean that every model is for everyone. I hope what follows guides you toward the option/s that help you get out the door, and wind up glad you did.
Fit & Performance
I started my ‘Lake journey’ with an in-depth test of their MX145 all-conditions boots. They were truly impressive, and I learned a LOT. If you would like to dig into Lake’s fitting method, as a supplement to the guidance they provide, the MX145 piece should help.
One of the things I became accustomed to with the MX145s that I couldn’t have predicted was a more confident and positive attitude toward foul-conditions. Far less often did my internal dialogue go something like, “This is going to be grim. Whatever, I’ll deal with it when I get there.” Increasingly often it was something like, “It’s nasty out, but I have what I need. It’ll be fine.”
I can’t overstate how much I value this shift and the materiel that enabled it. Over years and decades of cycling nearly 365 days in a region that gets ‘all the weather,’ I’d accumulated a lot of crap experiences. At a certain point it wouldn’t be unreasonable to think and say, “I’m over it. I don’t ride in bad weather anymore.” To me, that would be sad, because it would essentially be driven by despair, hopelessness. I.e., why bother, it’ll be crap, it’s hopeless. The MX145s helped me steer away from feeling down about harsh weather.
At the same time, the MX145s were never as warm as I wanted my boots to be for all the rides I did through winter, because they weren’t designed to be. When I spoke with their designer, Hutch, I had opportunity to learn about the variables he was trying to balance with the model, and how he was approaching it’s next iteration, the MX146. It would be another all-conditions boot, but when we say ‘all’ we don’t literally mean ALL.
Where I live, Ottawa, Ontario (eastern Canada), we get a lot of weather. Lake’s MX146 is not meant to cover the full spectrum of weather we get; it’s for fall, winter, and spring, with caveats. On the flip side, Lake’s MXZ304 is a dedicated winter boot that is overkill for most spring and fall conditions. I’m glad I don’t have to choose ‘one boot to rule them all,’ because doing so would force me into accepting a bunch of compromises.
Fit
Baseline Info: I wear the same size in the MX145 and MX146. They don’t fit the same, despite being built on the same last, and with the intention of being as close as possible. The MX145s materials don’t ‘pack-out’ through use, and thereby increase internal volume. The addition of insulation to the MX146 reduces internal volume, and will pack-out to some degree over time. I suspect it’s nearly impossible to anticipate the duration or degree to which this volume change will unfold, as it will depend on riding conditions, how tight riders fasten their boots, and how much they ride.
As you can see in my chart, I’m riding in the WIDE MX145 and MX146. Compared to MX237 SX and MX241 shoes, I need the wider option. In fact, the standard width of these other two lasts is wider than I need, but they both wrap enough around my feet to preclude this from posing any sort of issue.
In my MX145s I can wear ski socks without getting too snug. Leaving some space for air is always going to help maintain temperature regulation and vapour management. And, roomy volume allows you to add a chemical warmer when you need to, which significantly increases the use-range of your footwear.
The MX145’s uppers are very compliant, which allows them to compensate for a lower-volume foot/sock combo. In contrast, the MX146’s materials, which increase foot protection in every way, are less compliant. This means they won’t compensate for volume changes as much; this is a compromise; footwear design is all about compromise.
The MX146 is too snug for me with a ski sock. If I want to have this option, a 48-wide would get me there. I tend to use a ‘normal’ weight merino sock in these boots, the same as I’d be able to fit into a summer shoe, to leave the air space I want. If I need to go warmer, which is often more about duration than temperature alone, I’ll go with the MXZ304.
Will my MX146s pack out over time and allow me to use thicker socks here and there? Likely.
Performance
In my mind, performance requirements and expectations for boots like these are dissimilar from what we ought to seek for summer and/or racing shoes. Weight is a factor for all-conditions boots, certainly, but if we're wearing boots it’s because the weather is not cute, and staying warm is the priority. Weight becomes important when it's a deciding factor. For example, if choosing between footwear options for a long fall ride that will stretch physical limits, will taking 'heavy' boots along be appealing? If our boots are are categorized as such, will we often talk ourselves out of using them, opt for shoes and shoe-covers, and wind up freezing and hating the experience 5 hours later.
In order to choose all-conditions boots when the weather actually calls for them, they can't be 'heavy.' This is a design challenge, as it requires just the right amount of insulation to get the job done, which contributes to system weight. By building with durable materials - like natural rubber - Lake add further weight compared to competitors, without the benefit of being able to point to these decisions as 'features.'
Suitably warm and protective, light enough, durable, 'normal feeling.' These are the design and build objectives for the MX146. As with the MX145, Lake delivers these outcomes as they improve on the standard.
I don't consider the MX146s 'heavy.' It's not that I 'choose' not to; it's that when I handle them, they don't feel heavy. The 145s are the same. In contrast, my MXZ304s feel heavy. 'They are heavy.' They need to be heavy, because they are significantly warmer.
I don't choose to ride alternatives to the MX146s because I'm concerned about performance. I choose other options when there's simply no reason to use the 146s. Their clearance is similar enough to my shoes and MX145s to render this a non-factor on fat bike, mountain bike, or gravel bike.
A good pair of all-conditions boots is the kind we happily choose to wear when the weather calls for them. We need to like them in order to benefit from their protection; if we don’t like them, we’ll talk ourselves out of wearing them. Fit is a big part of the like/don’t like equation.
The MX146 feels snug like a 'normal shoe', which means it doesn't give any foot control away. Structurally, there's more substance, which means the feet can be used to control the bike to a high degree. This structure also offers a significant amount of ankle stabilization, which has been welcome on a number of occasions. I like these characteristics.
The 146 is not difficult to sufficiently tension. My feet are on the slightly low-volume end of the spectrum for the size I have, but they still offer the foot-hold I want. Their heel pocket is deep enough to preclude heel-lift. When cranked down, their single BOA dial (which is rather different than the 145) continues to tighten their cuffs to the point that they nearly run flush around the ankles. For me, the retention system nearly bottoms out as I get the point of asking myself whether I'm pushing it too far and restricting blood-flow. The way the wire 'laces' are run, this tightening winds up focusing tension on the cuff, not the foot itself. I think this is intentional, as I know Hutch and the team don't want to see riders over-tensioning their feet and having no hope of staying warm.
For the 145 design, a lower BOA controls the foot's retention, while a second BOA deals with the cuff. Hutch and the team have managed to accomplish what I'd consider the 'right' tension distribution / control through the use of one easier to tension BOA. This reduces failure points by half, which becomes a front-mounted BOA that is more robust, versus a side-mounted BOA that was more prone to impact and less robust. Well done, folks!
This design overhaul, combined with a totally different 'flap' approach, hides the boots' wire laces away from the ravages of roads and trails, grit being the BOA's worst enemy. The sleek form sheds water better, while protecting it's components. In addition, the flap enables a bit more of a permeable inner-boot system than the MX145. This falls within the same design family as the MXZ304; both are a bit like nordic ski boots.
Compared to the MXZ304, the MX146 is more of a cousin than a sibling. Lake’s ethos carries through both models, but these boots are meant to live play very different roles in your riding life.
As I detail in my MXZ304 long-term review, the model is designed for the sort of winter use that qualifies as ‘extreme’ for most cyclists. The 304 isn’t trying to be the warmest boot Lake can possibly make and sell; the MXZ400 is that boot. Since I don’t want to ride showshoe trails on my fat bike with pogies or mitts, I don’t have a use for MXZ400s. If I lived in Yukon or Alaska, by all means, I’d be all about them.
The MXZ304 is built for a a broad range of use-case, being narrow enough for use on a drop-bar bike. Their structural approach to managing blood flow makes them less ‘secure’ in terms of foot-hold than the MX146. When choosing between the two for fat biking, the MXZ304 get the nod for days that get as warm as 0C and even a little warmer, IF I’ll be out for many hours - 4+. Over multiple hours, moisture accumulates, which drives heat loss through pedal cleats. I used the 304s for the TransFat Laurentides Ultra 100 on March 11, 2023, which was the longest fat bike ride I’ve ever done. We started at -8C, ended around 3C, and my feet were comfortable for the whole 10-hour day, which saw just under 8 hours riding time. I would likely have been fine in the MX146s, but I figured one less thing to worry about and spend energy on would be worthwhile over a long day.
Similarly, the 146s are worth their weight in gold over days that could be ridden with shoe-covers. Because they are not heavy, and provide secure foot-hold, riding in them doesn’t feel like a performance knock. They are versatile in their suitability and compatibility with drop-bar bikes, MTBs, fat bikes; their heels are not significantly different in terms of clearance to frames than my shoes.
If I’m heading out for an off-road ride between 0C and -8C, I’ll tend take the MX146s unless the ride will push well over 4 hours. On the road, if it’s too cold for these boots, I’ll probably ride trails instead. The greater wind exposure on the road shifts the boots’ comfort range up, from -5C to 10C or higher when it’s wet.
Speaking of wet conditions, the 146s are significantly more water resistant than their predecessors. I don’t want to go too far in referring to them as ‘waterproof', but I can’t recall water getting though the uppers. The cuffs will definitely be where ingress is most likely to occur, but road spray over hours doesn’t seem to soak through. I tend to wash them after my bike with my bucket of hot, soapy water and towel, and haven’t felt water seep in. Their cuffs are too chunky to stretch tights over for the purpose of flowing water over, not in, but while riding off-road on my fat bike and MTB, my NF pants, which are water resistant, fit right over top snugly, and stay there. This makes for a nicely sealed system. When it’s still cold and wet - during spring thaw - I always ride a fender bike. With this set-up, the MX146s are entirely protective enough. It tends to be during the warmer months that I’ll head out for rides spanning hours in the rain, which are best undertaken with shoes and waterproof shoecovers, tights over top.
Conclusion
I continue to be amazed by products that spark positive emotions across time. Everyone has experienced an emotional high at the moment of acquisition, a ‘honeymoon period,’ then a sinking feeling: ‘This thing is not what I hoped it would be.’
Cycling is hard. Shit happens. Over the thirty years since I started bike racing, I’ve been through a lot of shit. I’ve gotten lost and seriously considered finding a hole to sleep in. I’ve broken bikes and had to walk more than 20km. I’ve been so cold I expected permanent damage. I’ve been so hot and out of water for so long I doubted I’d last another hour. I’ve crashed and woken up in hospital not knowing if I’d ever ride a bike again. In every case, I was dependent on technology. Some of it was complicated - GPS units - and some of it was simple - water bottles. In each example I list, I got something wrong with my technology. Every calamity I mention above was avoidable. And every example was shit enough to push a person away from riding bikes forever.
I’m stubborn AF. For better and worse, that’s me. I know how much riding bikes means to me, and I do anything and everything to make it happen. When things go wrong, I never ask, ‘Should I keep riding?’ I ask, ‘How can I learn from that?’ And it’s not enough to learn from things going wrong, and holding lessons close. What makes all of this truly worthwhile is sharing the good, the bad, and the ugly with others. Like you. Because I want you to keep riding too, even if and when things go wrong.
When I say I feel really good about a product, I mean it. I mean I’m confident in the product doing it’s job as well as it can and should. I’m not saying it’s a silver bullet for everyone, and every ride. There’s no such thing. Great products deliver across the use-range they are meant to live in. Some of these use-ranges are really narrow, others wide. The MX146’s use-range is fairly wide, but it absolutely has limits. Going from never having all-conditions boots before to a pair of 146s might feel like a huge step up, and in many ways it is. But a big step up from a summer-optimized use-case product doesn’t and never will equate to a ‘winter anywhere in the world’ solution.’ When we imagine our technology is magical, we set up expectations for performance they can’t deliver. This is one of the ways we get into bad situations.
The MX146 is a significant step up from summer shoes, and a mid-step up from the MX145. Riders looking to push from a summer shoe to a -15C sort of winter option should probably skip the MX146 step, and leap to the MXZ304. If that sort of cold will be uncommon, an alternative approach would be to size MX146s roomy enough to wear ski socks as default, and add a chemical warmer for the coldest days. This could be an ideal approach for many folks. Just keep in mind that all the technology we rely on that enable this whole cycling experience, embody compromise. Some days we’ll be totally in the zone, and all the technology will work so well it’ll fade away into the background. The more we understand what it takes to reach that sort of alignment, the more we understand that perfection is fleeting, if ever realized.
If you opt to move forward with one of these options, keep in mind that Lake encourages folks to order two pairs at a time to compare sizes, then send a pair back. And also know that Lake will sell you a pair of mismatch size boots. Yes, I’m serious. If you need a 42/43 they will sell you that. This is what commitment to fit looks like in practice.
Let me know below if there’s anything I’ve left out. And please share your Lake experiences below too!
