Specialized Defroster Trail Mountain Bike Shoe Review

March 13, 2021 • Patrick Mahinge

As soon as the question comes to the choice: what frame, wheels, and saddle to ride, then any professional or non-professional cyclist approaches it with great trepidation.

However, many people completely forget that FIRST, it is essential how comfortable you feel while driving, especially in winter.

Well-chosen footwear directly affects efficiency and pleasure during training or racing.

Most of you will get confused while selecting the best shoes for winter.

But don’t worry! Just select Specialized Defroster Trail Mountain Bike Shoes, and forget about the intensity of the weather.

If you want to know why this is the best option for you, read this article.

Here we will review all its features, benefits, and characteristics.

How to select Defroster Trail Mountain Bike Shoes?

But before the Specialized Defroster Trail Mountain Bike shoe review, let’s figure out what we want from the shoes, in which we are going to leave the entire cold season. So, let’s start listing:

1. Insulation

Of course, the “warmth” of shoes and clothes is a very subjective thing while mountain biking and it depends on many factors. Feeling warm is directly related to your body type, metabolism, cardiovascular health, how well you eat and how high in calories you eat, and a host of other factors. So, you can say unequivocally whether these boots are suitable for you in terms of warmth; only you and no one else can.

There are, however, certain indicators by which we can determine, with a certain degree of probability, the average “warmth” of shoes. First of all, this is the weight (and, in addition, the actual presence) of the insulation, as well as its material.

2. Water resistance

Best winter mountain bike shoes should keep moisture out. Whether you ride in them under wet snow, rain, step into puddles, disembark from a boat in shallow water - your feet should remain dry.

3. Wear resistance

In winter, this is a very important factor. Your shoes should last as long as possible, without losing their shape, without changing colors, without diverging at the seams in places of folds and creases. It must be resistant to harsh weather conditions, such as blizzards, hard snow, ice, showers, sudden changes from heat to cold, and vice versa (for example, when entering/exiting a subway or other heated room to the street).

4. Comfort

Comfort is also an essential criterion while selecting the defrost mountain bike shoes. If you are not comfortable, you could not stay on the bike for a long time.

The comfortable shoe is a guarantee of a successful and entertaining adventure.

Specialized Defroster Trail Mountain Bike shoe benefits

Specialized Defroster Trail Mountain Bike shoe provides the following advantages:

1. Warmth

Specialized Defroster Trail Mountain Bike shoes use synthetic felt and Thinsulate insulation or its analogs, which are very thin microfibers, about 1/10 of the thickness of a human hair, capable of retaining a large amount of air inside themselves at a minimum thickness, which keeps the heat best of all.

The liners of these shoes are traditionally made from felt, and Thinsulate® 400-gram insulation is actively used in this lighter model. Their shoes are designed to withstand the coldest temperatures. Sealed canopy and neoprene collar keep heat in and water out.

2. Waterproof

A thin film of waterproof material is hidden between the top layer and the inner lining. It does not allow moisture to pass from the outside but almost does not interfere with the passage of excess heat coming from your feet. Feet “breathe” and at the same time do not freeze, and the inside of the boots remains dry.

To prevent water from penetrating through the connecting seams, they are all glued from the inside with a special film. In this model, designed for the harshest conditions of use, the bottom is generally a single sealed rubber overshoe.

3. Durable and long-lasting

In the description for the Specialized Defroster Trail Mountain Bike shoe, there is information about the extreme weather conditions in which it can be used without fear of damage. These shoes are suitable in “light rain” - light rainy weather, “heavy rain” - showers, “light snow” - small snow, and “heavy snow” - normal such blizzards with snowdrifts, ice, and other winter delights.

The durability of these shoes also strongly depends on the material and manufacturing technology. If we talk about the wear resistance of the sole, then specialized has used vulcanized rubber in almost all of their models.

Vulcanization is a technological process of the interaction of rubbers with chemical reagents and substances, during which rubber molecules are crosslinked into a single spatial network. At the same time, its strength, hardness, and elasticity are significantly increased. Such rubber is highly resistant to abrasion and is not afraid of the corrosive effect of rough trails.

4. Outsole Grip

Your winter mountain shoes should grip you tenaciously on any surface, be it ice, packed snow, slippery paving slabs, or wet grass and stones.

What do Specialized Defroster Trail Mountain Bike shoe engineers offer us? In addition to the vulcanized rubber outsole described above, which does not tan in the cold and retains its natural tenacity and flexibility, they also use special tread patterns. On this model, we see a simple but effective herringbone.

5. Weight

Weight is also an essential factor. No one wants to carry extra pounds on their feet, even in winter. But how to combine lightness with high wear resistance and excellent thermal insulation? Specialized is successfully combined all these qualities in this model.

6. Comfortable

What, you ask me, is the use of waterproof, stove-warm, “indestructible,” and stylish boots if they are corny uncomfortable? If your toes are squeezed from the sides by a too narrow last and the sole is extremely stiff?

This is why your winter mountain bike shoes need to be comfortable as well. What can Specialized Defroster Trail Mountain Bike shoes offer us to make our feet feel good and comfortable?

In many of their models, Specialized uses a highly comfortable material, and the single Boa provides you the facility to tight or loose the shoes according to the width of your feet.

Almost all Specialized shoes are wide and comfortable, well suited for any, even problematic feet. The toes are inside the uncompressed, anatomically correct position. This is important not only in terms of stability and geometry but also in terms of heat saving.

There should always be a small free space inside such shoes to create a heating air gap. Plus, shoes for frosty weather should never squeeze your legs anywhere and interfere with blood circulation. In addition to all of the above, a comfortable last also provides some support for the arch of the foot. It helps your feet when cycling for long periods of time.

7. Attractive Appearance

We have come to the last and probably the most subjective advantage. These shoes were originally made for the harsh surface and didn’t have any particular aesthetics.

Practicality, functionality, and durability are the three pillars that determined such shoes’ appearance. But as compared to the other brands, this model is quite attractive. It should be noted that traditional heavy boots have found their admirers in the megacities of the world. In contrast to glamor and beauty, many wear them as a manifesto of their personal freedom from society’s fashion trends. Why are there mere mortals - even the elite of show business, Hollywood, and Instagram stars “lit up” in the shoes of this brand.

Some of the Disdvantages of Specialized Defroster Trail Mountain Bike shoe

These shoes are a little bit wider than other mountain bike shoes.
Looks like long shoes and can be a cause of obstacle during fast speed.
Rust may appear on the single Boa

Pro Tips in wearing Specialized Defroster Trail Mountain Bike Shoes

When buying any mountain bike shoe for winter, follow our tips:

Try on the sock shoe that you will wear on the bike; Try on your shoes again during the day as your feet tend to swell a little towards the end of the day
Wear boots only indoors until you are sure that they are perfect for you;
The leg should be firmly gripped (but not compressed) in the instep area and up to the heel and should only slightly rise while cycling. If the heel lifts while walking, make sure the boas are tight;
Your toes should not touch the toe of the boot in the foot’s normal position, but when you rest the toe of the boot on the floor, your toes should rest on the toe. You must have enough room to wiggle your toes when you stand in lace-up boots;
If your toes or the sides of your feet are pinched, this is not your last;
If your toes touch the toe of the boot, the boot length is not suitable for you; you need to try the boot half a size larger
One has only to remember that your socks play a vital role in thermoregulation. Correctly selected socks are essential with active movement, quickly remove the moisture formed inside the shoe. Your foot stays dry and therefore does not freeze.
A regular cotton sock will not work here. We need special warm trekking, explicitly created for conditions of prolonged exposure to frost, with high-quality moisture removal, abrasion-resistant, and reinforced in the right places. A sock with partial wool or synthetic fibers is the right choice.

Let’s Sum Up

We have discussed the specifications, advantages, and cons of the Specialized Defroster Trail Mountain Bike shoes to provide you the full details. If you want to buy the best mountain bike shoes for cold weather, this product is the best option.

If you have any questions or confusion, feel free to ask in the comment section, we would love to hear from you.