Northwave Flagship R GTX

The Northwave Flagship R GTX winter shoes are very waterproof, have a very stiff sole and their dual-dial closure system is excellent. They are rated down to -15℃, but below zero and my toes were getting cold.

Read our feature on how to keep your feet warm cycling, and if you're sticking with your summer shoes and overshoes, check out our guide to the best cycling overshoes.

> Buy now: Northwave Flagship R GTX for £386.99 from Northwave

As you can probably guess from the name and the price, the Flagship R GTX is Northwave's top-end winter shoe, designed for warmth and performance with no compromises.

Warmth

During winter I really struggle to keep my feet warm – just the week before these shoes arrived I had to skip the cafe on the club ride as my toes were so cold.

These are designed to keep your feet warm down to -15℃, but I'm not convinced they quite live up to that. I tested them down to around -2℃, but with a savage 20mph northerly wind and a 'feels like' temperature of around -5℃. I found them warm enough down to around zero, but below that I still got cold toes – though they were still a lot warmer than the combination of normal shoes and overshoes. I don't think these would be warm enough for anywhere near -15℃, for me personally anyway – I'd wimp out long before then.

Waterproofing

The Gore-Tex Duratherm Kelvin membrane is designed to protect your feet whatever the weather. I tested these on many rides in miserable conditions – cold, wet, windy and with a lot of standing water around.

They do an excellent job of protecting against road spray. On a ride after some torrential rain there was a lot of standing water and my feet didn't get wet at all. And they do a good job of keeping your feet dry when it's raining too. They're great in all but the worst conditions, although – as with any waterproof shoes or overshoes – after a while water will likely run down your legs and start to seep in.

On a four-hour club run with near-constant rain (why didn't I just turbo?), the water started to run down my tights and into the shoes. Gore-tex doesn't let water escape easily, so I did have to pour out a bit of water from the shoes when I got home.

The neoprene collar is a good size and provides extra warmth and protection around your ankles. There is also a loop on the front and back of the collar which makes these easy to get on and off. The Fizik Terra Artica GTX shoes that Mike reviewed in December had a bit of Velcro on the neoprene collar, which might have been beneficial here to reduce water ingress.

Using them with waterproof trousers would help, as the water wouldn't run down your legs into the boots, and this seemed like the only way water got in.

They're not so bulky that you can't pair them with overshoes, but if you're spending this much on a pair of winter shoes that shouldn't really be necessary.

You don't just have to stick to freezing cold days with these either – I've worn them on some wet and mild days, and though my feet were possibly a little too toasty, they were largely dry, which was preferable to using my summer shoes.

Sole

These have a carbon sole, with Northave's maximum rigidity rating of 15. They're as stiff as any summer shoes I have tested, feeling rock solid when trying to sprint or on some hard climbing efforts.

The sole is well shaped and the arch is supportive. I didn't have any aches or soreness while wearing these, though I am used to similarly stiff soles on my summer shoes.

I suspect during winter a lot of people would be willing to sacrifice a bit of rigidity for a slightly cheaper price. While I still like riding outside in winter, I tend to do large steady efforts and stick to the turbo for the high-intensity training, so would happily forgo a super stiff sole to make the price more palatable.

The shoes will accept any three-bolt cleat design, and were easy to set up with Look Keo cleats. There are adjustment markings to ensure you get the same positioning on both shoes. With an adapter they are compatible with Speedplay pedals too.

The heel and toe bumpers are a reasonable size and give good grip when off the bike. They also do a decent job of protecting the sole, with little sign of wear after a few months of use.

The shoes have three vents on the bottom; I wasn't sure of the rationale for this as they are designed for optimum warmth. I think I'd prefer that they sacrifice breathability and don't give any opportunity for warmth to escape. The Northwave Celsius R Arctic GTX doesn't have any vents, which I'd probably prefer.

Closure

The closure system on these is a pair of X-Dial SLW3 dials, the same as on the Northwave Extreme Pro 3 shoes I reviewed in October. These top-end dials tighten like most but can be loosened by one notch – 1mm – by pressing the lever on the dial. You then pull back the lever to release them fully.

This enables you to tighten and loosen the shoes on the move. I really like this, as occasionally I realised I had overtightened them, so it was handy to adjust them on the go. The lever you tap to loosen the shoes is super easy to use while riding, even with winter gloves on.

Fit & sizing

The dual dials are excellent for dialling in the fit, and ensuring there was no heel slipping when climbing out of the saddle.

They're described as having a Pro fit; they're a bit narrower than other shoes I have tested, even more so if I paired them with winter socks.

I tested them in a size EU45 which equates to a UK11. I usually wear a 10.5/11 but I would perhaps have preferred the EU45.5 with these (they're available in half size increments across the most common sizes). They felt a bit smaller than the Northwave Extreme Pro 3s I tested (I was wearing the same socks).

Weight

The shoes weigh 940g a pair in a size 45, which is a fair bit heavier than typical road shoes but fairly light compared with some of the winter shoes we've tested. The 45NRTH Wolvhammer Boa Premium Insulated Winter Cycling Boots weigh more than that per shoe!

Value

At £386.99 these are very expensive winter shoes, designed for those looking for maximum protection as well as top-level performance.

They are an investment and are really well made – I suspect you would get a lot of wear out of them over the years – but they are a heck of a lot more than others we've tested that also perform well.

Those hefty 45NRTH Wolvhammer Boa boots that Mike reviewed in 2021 are rated to -18°C and were 'only' £275 (currently $335).

Looking at others we've reviewed, the Fizik Tempo Artica GTX winter shoes (tested by Mat last year) are £249.99, though they have fewer features than the Northwaves. (They do come in black too – I would never want white winter boots! The Northwaves are only available in black.)

And John really liked the Lake MXZ304 winter boots, which are priced at £280, though they are a lot bulkier than the Northwaves.

Northwave has a few different models of winter shoes with good protection but less stiff soles and more basic fastening dials, starting at £215.99 with the Celsius R GTX.

Conclusion

Overall, the Flagship R GTX is a good winter shoe. While I don't think they live up to the claim of keeping your feet warm in temperatures down to -15℃, they are certainly better than a normal pair of shoes and overshoes combo. The carbon soles are extremely stiff, and the excellent dual dials help to achieve the perfect fit. They are a big investment but they are very well made, so you should get many years' use out of them.

Verdict

Good performance-focused winter boots, but a hefty price