[Closed] Lake 303

Not done it yet but apparently you should use some sort of wax every couple of weeks on the uppers, as the seams aren't sealed. (and also it will nourish the leather, clearly)

Lake reckon (on the box) use soapy water to clean - that's it

I actually emailed them today with the same question (mboy & SSTu will kill themselves if they see this thread), as someone posted not long back about sealing the seams with beeswax, I got a reply saying just to use standard leather polish

I wouldn't mind trying some of these on. Who stocks them?

halfords do them..

I just use spray them with muc-off and jetwash them at the same time that i am cleaning the bike. Had them for 12 months now and they are still water tight..

I did replace the boa cables recently as they had started to deterioate a bit.. Just went onto the boa website and they sent out a new set FOC. result!!

I got mine BNIB off ebay, there are some ebay 'shops' always selling them & some cheaper old 302's. A quick glance suggests that halfords with there current 15% off till wednesday are the cheapest @ £170.

Deliver to store at Halfords. They seem amused that I ordered two sizes plus a wide fitting, glad I did though as I went with the larger wide option which I just ordered for the sake of trying on a wide fit.

I use beeswax as my leather Polish/ nourishment anyway but it seals the stitched seams which aren't seam sealed and can in long full submersion leak.
As for cleaning I use ph neutral DuckSmart as that's what I use on my bikes....kinder to my hands.
Enjoy your dry, warm feet!

Thanks for the replies. It looks like I'll have to wait until the next Halford's discount offer, I've not got time to get there before Friday.

I got mine from Winstanly's for £169

Then I emailed Lake re care and got the above

Then I went down to my cobbler who sold me some beeswax, Scotchgaurd spray and boot polish (the stuff you apply with a sponge)

Said you need to apply the stuff regularly

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Just cleaning with a wet cloth was ineffective as I use them for winter roadie-ing. They soon started sweating crusty white salt.

I haven't had much luck with Graingers beeswax which looks fine when applied, but the slightest movement causes it to craze, which looks bad and tends to attract dirt with which it merges and is then difficult to clean off.

What absolutely works for me is RM Williams Saddle and Leather Dressing. Brings the boots up like new, water beads off no probs and super easy to clean afterwards.

Nice tip re the saddle dressing, I too noted the beeswax picking up mud making them difficult to keep looking like new however I flayed them severely on a hike a bike through a good mile of brambles a few weeks ago and was horrified at the state of them afterwards when I cleaned the mud off......so for now I think they're past me being too fussy about the surface of the leather now.

Chrimso - what's you usual cleaning regime? Clean em like you're going to sell em every ride?? Is that what's needed?

If I've been mtb-ing then I'm relaxed about them being caked in good honest mud. I hose down with my bike then a wet cloth and more saddle dressing every so often is fine.

If I've been winter road biking then yes cleaning and redressing required immediately after every ride. If the salt gets into the leather then ridges and ripples arise where it's been damaged, it almost looks like the leather is scarred.

The boots are expensive so justify a bit of TLC.

Thanks, I'll see how they go as they're seeing their first couple of rides the weekend

I've just reserved some to try at Halfords.
If they fit me, I'll be taking advantage of their "Save 25% on shoes when you buy a pair of pedals" offer.

I got mine from Winstanly's for £169

You could have asked your friendly local Lake dealer you know... Only just down the road and always open to a bit of a deal!

The bloody Internet will be the death of the LBS I tells ya... 😉

Hey mboy - I looked and looked and searched and searched...

I needed a certain size (48) and the ONLY one I could find were Winstanleys

I tried the local dealer - which in my case was Halfords Merry Hill. They got a size 47 in for me which was too small and said they couldn't get any other sizes in - so what is any Lake wannabee to do??

First outing in the Lakes today...

Compared to the MW81's the feel once on your feet is a much more snug and soft one. Then you instantly become aware of their warmth, and the warmth stays

All the watery muddy crap from today's ride beaded like a freshly waxed car. Washing the bike after I splashed the hose over them and gave them a quick brushing and they are like brand new again

I did hnotice the tops of them are fairly open and not a tight closure, so any mud or splashes will find their way in...

They are lightweight and flexible and the boa 'bo-ah' closure system works just fine

Waterproof long trousers eliminate any such issues bonesetter! Trust me that's the real route to the ultimate winter MTB kit.

Waterproof long trousers just encourage sweatyness, horrible horrible things, get some lyca on.
Do the ankle collars up tighter Bonesetter, not had any water ingress over the last month and much less so than my MW80's.

3/4 baggy's! 🙂

With over knee under's too at this t-o-year. Good enough to the minus 18 we had

Yeah, I need to alter the cleat position too so will look at upper closure too

I keep looking at 303s - bearing in mind I've got skinny ankles and calves (I have to sew legwarmers up tighter) how small can the upper closure close to? Belgian or Italian pro small?

They are adjustable. I ned to tighten them up

This was the FIRST ride remember

I need to adjust the cleats too so the shoe isn't set-up yet

Bonesetter, thanks for the write up, you've got me hoping they fit me.
🙂

Glad it's helped

Bugger, they didn't fit.
The 25% discount offer has ended. 😕
However, the nice man said if I order some bigger ones, he'd put the discount through for me, in store.
Nice fish!

You need to size up one or even one and a half

Glad you're getting sorted

What did you think of them otherwise??

They were quality. And lightweight, as you said above.

They 'look' heavy and cumbersome, but in fact are snug, light feeling when on,and easy to walk in - easier than the Shimano's

What has been happening is all the mud and stuff has been beading on the boot, so very much a water repellent coating on there (wax/Scotchgaurd)

Get home and wash bike then run hose and brush over them and they're good as new with a brief dry (the hose water doesn't penetrate)

Cheers for the tip on the rw Williams stuff crimson. Just done mine with it

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They 'look' heavy and cumbersome, but in fact are snug, light feeling when on,and easy to walk in - easier than the Shimano's

Yep theyre lighter than they look, but I'd diagree and say the Shimano are much easier to walk in. Though I imagine were all trying to avoid walking, so don't make a big thing of it..

As for sizing, I went a size up from my shimano's, but believe half a size if they did one, would have been fine.

Which do you prefer overall Zippy??

I love my mt90's till it gets properly wet, then love my mw80's till it gets cold, the MXZ's are excellent till it gets warm again. Different tools for different purposes, wish I'd bought the 303's years ago, but a big fan of all three

Thinking that amount amount of choice is somewhow normal is misleading and a reflection of upbring 😉

Well true to form, its been a year and thought I'd better give my 303's their first proper clean (I wouldn't go as far as 'thorough'...) I stumbled back on this thread whilst Goggling for care instructions 🙂

The only stuff I had to hand was the Wife's finest Saddle and Tack leather conditioning soap, seemed to do the trick!

(Before and after before anyone comments on my idea of 'proper'...)

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