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Northwave knows a thing or two about winter footwear, with more than 20 years of cycling-shoe and snowboard-boot experience under its belt.
The XT Celsius Arctic GTX is a brilliant do-it-all option for the worst weather winter can throw at you, whether you’re on- or off-road (the XT standing for ‘cross terrain’).
It’s rare to see materials from competing brands being used to make a tough, protective winter shoe, but here the Gore-Tex outer plus its new Cirrus XT 4L PFAs-free membrane is combined with a hefty 200g PrimaLoft Gold Eco lining that wraps your foot in ultra-light polyester microfibre. This is intended to aid warmth throughout the rest of the ankle section, too.
The footbeds are foil-cored and fleece-coated to both repel chills and trap warm air next to your feet. The outer, meanwhile, is well protected with a textured, rubberised toe section, plus heel and instep protection. The shoes also have fluoro and reflective touches to increase visibility.
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Northwave XT Celsius Arctic GTX spec details
The design’s standard shoe, with a bootie/gaiter-style outer bonded to it, means more upper flexibility when wearing it than a traditional winter boot such as Lake’s impressive CX146.
The £239.99 cost undercuts the likes of DMT, Sidi and Fizik, and is on a par with Lake’s impressive offerings.
Getting into the boots requires a bit of effort – you need to pull hard using twin loops at the tongue and rear of the shoe. That said, once on, the instep zipper makes cinching them up simple.
Northwave’s own X-Dial SLW3 fastening system is easy to use when tightening up the shoes, thanks to the large slick-clicking dial. Releasing the tension, however, is much trickier because it requires you to click a small lever set at the back of the dial to loosen in small increments. It’s fiddly to do with gloved hands and I find Boa dials easier to use.
Undoing the boots completely when you want to take them off is much easier, though. Just put a finger under the lever and pull on the whole dial, and the tension unwinds in an instant.
The boots are quite hefty, at 578g each for a size EU45, but that’s not surprising because they have a very substantial gripped sole. The outsole, called ‘Jaws Evo’, is designed to offer plenty of arch support, while enabling more toe flex than typical off-road shoes provide.
Northwave claims the outsole has a strategically positioned flex point to make walking more natural than standard off-road shoes. I wouldn’t go as far as to say these feel as natural as my Timberland walking boots when hiking up a muddy slope, but they’re certainly more flexible and offer better grip than my usual gravel shoes.
The substantial lugs of the tread are more than 10mm deep and made from a pliable rubber, so they bite into the surface well, which is great for grabbing traction in the mud. Like XC race shoes, the sole has provision for studs at the toes, should you want to bolster your grip further.
The cleat channel is 37mm wide and offers ample clearance for Shimano XT pedals, Crankbrothers Candy and Time’s ATAC designs (I’ve tried the Northwaves out with each system).
Northwave XT Celsius Arctic GTX performance
While these may not have the bulk of my current favourite winter boots – Lake’s road-going CX146 – they are a close match in terms of cossetting warmth.
I’ve had this pair of Northwave boots for testing since last winter, and on the few sub-zero days I've tried them, I found wearing them with a thicker winter sock was more than a match for the low temperatures and windchill.
I like the less-restrictive fit of the Northwaves, too, thanks to the flex in the sole and an upper that combines a standard shoe shaping with a lined gaiter.
Having a bit more freedom here is ideal for wiggling your toes to stimulate blood flow and generate a bit of heat if you start to feel a chill.
The fleeced lining does an excellent job of trapping warmth, but when the ambient outside temperature rose mid-ride, I found they felt a little stuffy and hot quite quickly. That said, I’d rather deal with a bit more warmth once I’ve got going than have cold feet in the morning at the start of a long day in the saddle.
The high cuffed gaiter part is made from a coated Neoprene. This has resisted water well, repelling muck and moisture, and, unlike old-school neoprene overshoes, they haven’t wetted out, even on prolonged rides in wet conditions.
These are very good winter boots, then, most things considered – but the main downside of my test shoes was the colourway. I get the Stormtrooper cool of white boots, I really do. However, on an off-road/gravel winter boot, it meant these looked seriously second-hand after only a couple of rides.
That meant I was spending a lot of time cleaning them post-ride. Admittedly, that’s a good habit to have, but I’m not convinced it should be mandated because of the colour choice.
Northwave XT Celsius Arctic GTX bottom line
There is a lot to like about the Northwave XT Celsius Arctic GTX boots. They have a more forgiving fit than most winter boots; the outsole is excellent, providing a brilliant mix of grip and flexibility when walking, yet it’s stiff enough to feel efficient when pedalling.
Northwave’s closure system is a little more difficult to use than a Boa dial, but it isn’t necessarily a deal-breaker.
I like the instep zipper, which makes getting these boots on and off much easier than most, while not adding bulk. However, this will need cleaning so as not to damage the zip teeth when you’re closing and opening the boots.
I highly recommend the XT Celsius Arctic GTX boots, although I’d opt for the black option. Thankfully, they are available in different colours: Light Grey/White (tested), Black and Fluro Yellow, in sizes from 36 to 48 and half sizes from 39.5 to 45.5 (EU).
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