The Fizik Terra Artica GTX shoes are targeted at winter gravel and mountain bike riding in the muckiest of conditions. The Boa dial helps with dialling in your fit (but isn't bi-directional) and they are roomy enough for a thick sock, depending on the width of your feet. Perfectly capable of being a road shoe too, overall they're a solid contender for your winter foot gratification, though the premium price tag begs shopping around.
You can also try fending off cold feet on the bike with the toasty tips in our feature How to keep your feet warm cycling.
Firstly, let's acknowledge our extravagant pachyderm cohabitor – two hundred and fifty quid for a pair of shoes is right up there. For many, no matter how good the Articas are, that's beyond the budgetary pale. And for even the well-heeled, there will be a pause as they question whether said heels will be warm, dry, comfy and stable.
The question might best be phrased as, could the same key outcomes – warm, dry feet – be met for a fraction of the price with a decent pair of waterproof socks, and shoe covers over your normal pair of cycling shoes? But some folks don't get on with waterproof socks, finding them too sweaty or chunky, while shoe covers tend to be best for road or gravel cycling, but not forays where actual mucky scrambling is needed, being prone to quickly wearing and literally tearing. Also, they can be a faff to get on or off, especially when filthy.
In the Terra Artica GTX we are looking at a package aimed at those looking to minimise faff and layering, while maximising comfort and performance. These are shoes for gravelly days when the forecast says 0-10°C with a high chance of rain. Possibly when it's been raining for days and you know there's going to be a lot of standing water thrown onto your feet off the front wheel, or where the chance of having to step off the bike and into a good few inches of water is high.
These days it's a given that Gore-Tex waterproofing just works, the quality control of the waterproof fabric brand not leaving anything to the chance of random manufacturers. As such, in over a decade of wet rides, I've yet to have a Gore-Tex-branded shoe leak. Of course there's always one hole in a Gore-Tex shoe – the one your foot goes in. So you need a strategy for your knees and shins, if your shoe isn't to simply collect and retain water over time. To minimise downward seepage, Fizik has gone for a neoprene cuff with a Velcro strap to tighten things, which does a pretty good job of minimising ingress.
The look and finish of the Articas is premium – the materials, assembly and overall feel of the shoe sits well with the price. The sole is chunky, with the option to up the grip game with studs if desired. Clambering around, the grip afforded was on a par with the best mountain bike shoes I've worn, including at the heel – often an area of shortcoming. The sole is rated 5/10 for stiffness – leaning towards walkability over supreme rigidity – but the Articas feel plenty solid when putting power down.
The sole extends around the toe, but not in a gumboot-looking bumper, helping retain the slick look. There's bright purple scuff-guard material in the high side-wear areas, before the darker upper material takes over.
The padded one-piece waterproof tongue gives enough room to leverage your foot in, without being excessively bulky once the Boa is cranked down.
The Boa is the main letdown or compromise of the Artica, being the standard one-direction L6. This means you can't micro-adjust the fit by loosening – you need to pop the whole Boa up and start over. While acceptable for budget models, in a £250 shoe this is rather naff. That said, the Boa line slides easily on the guides and pressure is evenly distributed as you tighten, making adjustment easy enough.
Over the top of the tongue is a wide Velcro strap that pulls the back of the shoe tight around the ankle and adds to the feeling of overall security when pedalling out of the saddle.
On the bottom there's the standard two-position SPD cleat fixings, with marked gradients to get the left-right balance correct. As befits a shoe designed to be clambered about in, the cleat ends up slightly recessed below the rubber blocks, affording better traction than exposed metal. As Matt noted in his review of the same shoes for off.road.cc, the stack height of the Artica is not inconsiderable, meaning I had to tweak my seatpost up about 3mm to get my preferred leg extension again.
Fit & comfort
The fit is generous, even with thick waterproof socks. Of course, every shoe's fit is unique, because feet are unique. My feet are pretty wide-ish for my size (EU45 in most brands), and I had no issues with the fit of the 46 Articas over a thick waterproof sock. Not roomy, but not tight either after a few hours. In standard woolly winter socks there was loads of room. Unlike some brands there's no 'wide' fit potion. According to Fizik's regular fit guide, my feet were spot on for a 45 fit.
As with any great cycling product, the proof is in whether you forget about it while riding. Out in temperatures close to freezing, wearing a single thermal leg layer (the excellent Castelli Entrata Thermal Knicker) plus aforementioned knee-length waterproof socks, my feet were warm for hours on end. The fit remained comfortable, and I didn't feel the need to adjust the Boa as the ride progressed, including getting off and back on the bike to clear gates, walkway bridges and so on. In non-waterproof woolly socks there was no evidence of water ingress, despite a thorough soaking, as you'd expect from a Gore-branded premium product. My feet didn't make their presence felt, which is the highest accolade in cold, wet conditions.
> Buyer’s Guide: Best cycling overshoes 2023
The interior of the Articas is a brushed fleece, which I felt added warmth and comfort. Of course, they don't generate heat themselves, and if you don't have your leg insulation dialled then cold blood arriving at your feet will remain cold. If you have your leg game sorted, the Articas will keep that blood flowing to your toes. Matt thought they took a while to dry out, but I didn't find that – an evening/morning sat atop a radiator and they were bone dry again.
It's now widely accepted wisdom that 'mountain bike' SPD cleats are perfectly fine for road cycling, even for huge audax-length daily distances. The evolution of sole design means smaller cleats are now perfectly capable of managing power transfer from foot to pedal without leading to hotspots and discomfort – therefore the Articas could do double duty as your cold/wet-weather road shoe and look snazzy along for the ride. This Road-Chic-Gravel/Mountain Bike-Competence certainly helps with swallowing the £250 premium price tag pill, with the Articas becoming your go-to across multiple use cases.
Room for improvement
The only area of improvement I'd like to see on the Articas is that basic Boa. This is a relatively minor niggle, as unless you have feet that swell during rides necessitating a release of pressure, you'll be grand once the fit is right. Otherwise, they are comfortable, warm, dry, grippy, nice to walk and pedal in, and look sharp to boot.
A lower price would be nice, too... Iwein highly rated the Shimano MW701 shoes, which use the same L6 Boa, and they're £30 cheaper at £219.99 (up £20 since his review last year). If you like the covered-lace look, these could be a strong contender for your money.
You can spend more, though – if you feel you need extra insulation, Fizik's own Terra Nanuq GTX are £289.99, offering more insulation, protection and Vibram-soled increased grip.
Conclusion
Overall, if you like the look and the fit suits, the Fizik Terra Artica GTX could become your go-to boot for a winter of wet and cold rides.
Verdict
Great choice for cold, wet rides, on the road or off – warm, dry and comfortable
Make and model: Fizik Terra Artica GTX shoes
Tell us what the product is for
They are for people wanting warm, dry feet and a shoe that's easy to scramble about in.
Fizik says:
Terra Artica GTX is our off-road winter cycling shoe. Both insulated and equipped with a breathable, waterproof GORE-TEX membrane, it is a versatile shoe that is reliable for all-terrain riding, gravel grinding, mountain biking, and beyond.
BUILT FOR BAD WEATHER
The Terra Artica GTX is designed for off-road winter riding in any weather. Fully insulated, waterproof and breathable, our performance all-terrain shoe comes ready to roll in extreme climates and is built to protect you from the most severe weather, whether you're tackling snow-covered technical trails, rain-soaked downcountry laps, or epic, icy gravel adventures.
GOOD RIDES WITH GORE-TEX PROTECTION
Featuring an insulated GORE-TEX Koala membrane, Terra Artica GTX is fully waterproof, meaning you can rely on proven performance to keep you dry when it matters most. But beyond simply stopping wet weather, the advanced GORE-TEX technology is optimized for better breathability.
FLEECE FIGHTS COLD
To fight against frozen toes and keep feet toasty, the Terra Artica GTX features a brushed-fleece lining. The effect is twofold, adding a soft layer that encompasses the feet in extra comfort while providing added warmth for big off-road rides in low outside temperatures.
STABLE FIT, FAST ADJUSTMENTS
The Terra Artica GTX takes a two-part approach to keeping feet stable and secure over uneven off-road terrain. The upper Velcro closure wraps around the ankle to deliver a locked-in feel, while the shoe's lower section is secured via a single L6 BOA® dial, for infinite adjustments on the fly.
ENGINEERED FOR TRICKY WINTER TERRAIN
Now more versatile than ever, we've redesigned our X5 outsole for better grip and more traction in slippery winter conditions. Equipped with generous studs and a rubber coating that covers the entire surface, including the mid-foot, the X5 outsole provides sure footing when steep, rough tracks require you to hike with your bike.
Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?
Fizik lists:
GORE-TEX Insulated Koala membrane
Soft fleeced lining
High-density PU upper + Ripstop fabric
L6 BOA® dial D Fit System
X5 nylon outsole with rubber treads, stiffness index 5
Weight: 432 g
Sizes: 36-48 (37 to 47 also in half sizes)
Rate the product for quality of construction:
10/10
Premium construction, that feels premium.
Rate the product for performance:
9/10
So comfortable and warm, I forgot I was wearing them.
Rate the product for durability:
9/10
They still look like new.
Rate the product for fit:
8/10
Overall very good; I might want just a smidge more width.
Rate the product for sizing:
9/10
Rate the product for weight:
7/10
Rate the product for comfort:
9/10
Really comfy, hour after hour.
Rate the product for value:
4/10
How easy is the product to care for? How did it respond to being washed?
Still look like new, despite a good waterblast after every ride.
Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose
Very happy with them – warm, dry feet and grippy comfortable soles.
Tell us what you particularly liked about the product
The looks and the grip when walking.
Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product
The single-adjust Boa, that's it.
How does the price compare to that of similar products in the market, including ones recently tested on road.cc?
Expensive compared with the Shimano MW701 – a highly rated shoe with similar features and performance.
Did you enjoy using the product? Yes
Would you consider buying the product? Yes
Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes
Use this box to explain your overall score
They're very good; if it wasn't for the L6 Boa, which at this price seems a skimp, and that price, these would score 9 maybe even 10.
Age: 47 Height: 183cm Weight: 77kg
I usually ride: Sonder Camino Gravelaxe My best bike is: Nah bro that's it
I've been riding for: Over 20 years I ride: A few times a week I would class myself as: Expert
I regularly do the following types of riding: cyclo cross, general fitness riding, mtb, G-R-A-V-E-L
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