Garneau Mudstone Winter Cycling Boots Review

By Sheri Rosenbaum

Garneau

Hot

• Keeps feet warm and dry – tested down to 23 degrees F
• BOA IP1 closures lets you dial in fit even when wearing gloves
• Stiff sole for pedaling efficiency
• Ankle articulation is not impaired so easy to walk in
• Very good traction off the bike walking the trails
• Grippy bottom perfect for flat pedal riding
• Light weight for a winter waterproof boot
• High volume fit accommodates thick socks without sizing up
• Recessed plate accommodates two-bolt cleats

Not

• Limited women’s sizing, smallest size available is a 38

Pricing: MSRP $224.99 USD

Weight: 15oz/435g (size 42) – per Company specs

Sizes: 38-48, Unisex

Colors: Black

Closures: BOA IP1, zipper and velcro flap.

Cleat Compatibility: 2 bolt

How Obtained: Company Sample

RBR Advertiser: No

Keep riding no matter what the conditions

Snow, rain, mud, who cares! There’s never bad weather, just bad gear. If you want to ride all year long, you need the gear that will stand up to the elements. Garneau’s Mudstone Winter cycling boots will help extend the riding season. These boots are warm, water-proof and provide great traction on or off the bike.

Mudstones are great for muddy fall trail rides as well as winter snowy rides. They are also perfect for either flat pedals or compatible two bolt cleats. The stiff sole and grippy bottoms hold tight no matter what you throw at it.

Comfortable, Dial-in Fit

Garneau has designed the Mudstone with a high-volume fit. That means you can wear these boots with thick socks without sizing up. My normal size is 45, but for me Garneau shoes run small. So, I always wear a 46 in their boots or road shoes and for this review I tested the Mudstone in that size. It fit perfectly no matter if I wore my thin alpaca socks or thick ones. It was the BOA IP1 that enabled me to adjust the fit before zipping up the waterproof zipper and then securing the flaps with Velcro.

It is easy to put on the boots even when wearing gloves. There are two red straps (front and back) inside the boot to help slip it on. Then using the BOA closure to tighten the laces and secure your foot. Next is to zip up the boot by grabbing the oversize zipper pull, again easy to do with gloves on. The zipper closure is waterproof which made it a little tough to zip the first couple of times until it loosened up. As a final barrier to the elements an over flap secures with two Velcro-like fasteners. It sounds like a lot of steps but it’s fairly quick to pull on or take off the boots.

Even though Garneau calls it a shoe on their website, it truly is a boot. But unlike most boots, the neoprene cuff is flexible and didn’t interfere with my pedal stroke or walking. The Mudstone upper is made of synthetic leather and to keep your feet warm, the toe box is insulated with 200g Thinsulate and the insole is made up of three layers. There’s the top fabric, a center heat reflective foil, and the bottom layer is 3mm EVA.

I tested the Mudstone down to 23 degrees F with thick alpaca socks, no toe warmers, and was comfortable. However, I did a night trail ride at 16F with a windchill that made it a feel like temperature in the single digits. My toes did get cold after an hour riding. For true cold weather cycling, Garneau makes the Klondike winter boot.

The Mudstone is designed to work with flat pedals or 2-bolt cleats like SPDs. The sole is grippy and I had no problem staying connected to the pedals when fat biking on single track trails. Off the bike walking around or climbing steep embankments with wet leaves and rock, Garneau’s trail grip outsole kept my footing secure. Watch Garneau’s short video on the Mudstone features.

Bottom Line

If you are looking to extend your riding season, Garneau’s Mudstone cycling boots are worth a look. They were comfortable, warm, water-proof and provided great traction on and off the bike. The ankle is not rigid making it easy to walk in, as well as ideal for trail or road riding.