Warm, dry feet add a little appeal to winter cycling. Northwave Himalaya insulated cycling boots aim to keep feet in the Goldilocks zone — not too cold, not too hot — when the weather is frightful.
Light morning snow tickled a half-inch blanket of fresh powder while temps dawdled well under freezing. A perfect day for a bike ride! At least, a perfect day to test a pair of element-fighting winter cycling boots.
Northwave sent me a pair of Himalayas, the brand’s burliest winter cycling boot. And at least on the surface, the boots looked like a solid companion for my winter mountain and fatbiking adventures around Colorado.
So with the snow flying and temps dropping into the teens, I put the Himalayas to the test.
In short: An SPD-compatible winter cycling boot, the Himalaya has a fully encapsulating Gore-Tex liner, 400-gram quilted Thinsulate inner bootie, and dual-density Michelin Rock-R sole. For the warmth and comfort it provides in frigid conditions, it didn’t prove itself as cumbersome or bulky as I expected.
All images courtesy of Zach White
Northwave Himalaya Winter Cycling Boot
With layers of insulation, a Gore-Tex liner, and DWR-treated neoprene storm flap, the Himalayas are proper cold-weather boots that protect feet from the elements.
Northwave does not advertise these boots as waterproof, but short of standing in water deep enough to seep over the ankle cuff, your feet likely won’t get wet.
Meanwhile, Michelin’s dual-density Rock-R soles provide a fighting chance of finding traction in icy, slippery conditions. And strategically placed higher-density sections help reduce wear in the usual spots. Plus, the soles come with a removable cleat insert to provide a near-seamless surface for flat pedals.
For testing, I opted instead for SPD cleats. And because the Himalaya‘s insulated footbed seals off the cleat mount slots, putting my foot down somewhere wet wasn’t an issue.
Up front, a rubberized, reinforced toe box adds insulation and I expect will keep these (not cheap) boots from wearing out too quickly. And Northwave used similar tech under the hook-and-loop neoprene weather flap that I’ve seen on the brand’s snowboard boots.