Ski Boot Warmers?

Anyone have any experience with heated insoles?  I feel terrible seeing the lady struggle through cold days when conditions are primo.  

I want to get her heated insoles asap for chrissymas.
I'm thinking about getting her these: http://www.gearbuyer.com/products/therm_ic_max_foot_warming_set.html

There are better options but your looking @ $250+

Any ideas, suggestions?

After years of suffering, I bought Hotronics four seasons years ago (at an end-of-season sale for only $55) and can recommend them.

It was especially worth it not to have to listen to my wife complaining every about cold feet anymore on every lift ride -- talk about a buzzkill.

how are the batteries holding up on them?

Chris wrote

how are the batteries holding up on them?

Good question. Going on a week-long ski trip tomorrow, so I'll have a better idea after that.

Chris... I'm assuming you've tried the disposable kind with no luck?

I don't need them often but they work well for me.

They make fleece socks that are very warm. We got some nice thick dark blue ones from Cabela's. I hardly ever wear them cuz they're so warm. Couldn't find them on Cabela's today though. Any poly socks are warmer than most others IMO.

Cold feet do ruin a good day. My first pair of boots were cold. The last two pair are very warm, Fischers.

I have found that sometimes in cold weather too much of a sock can make your feet colder. The reason is that there is no airspace in your boot. good quality slim sock and the disposable foot heaters.

My daughter has problems with cold feet and we've found that the disposable toe warmers work pretty well. They don't work bell to bell but usually by the afternoon it's a bit warmer and not as critical.

tom

This brings up an old trick we used to use back in the day - Spray antiperspirant on our feet.  The rationale is that if your feet are too warm, they begin to perspire and makes them feel colder. The key to warmth is keeping dry.

Another trick is to use boot warmers on the way to the mountain.  I have the Dry Guy heater that plugs into the house or car.  It makes the boots a little warmer to start (not to mention a little softer) when you put them on.   Added benefit, put the heater in the boots on the drive back, they are dry when I get back home.

I also like Boot Gloves.  They are neoprene boot covers that do not interfere with fit.  My boots fit well and I don't like a lump of toe heaters interfering.  But if the conditions require a little more heat, I have found that putting a heat pack between the boot glove and shell warms them up just enough.  

I have to admit I didn't want to try the heat packs.  For some reason they just seemed lame to me.  Well... They do work to a certain extent.  We both used them on Monday when it was in the singles, had to stop a few times in 3.5 hours but anything below 10 I think requires that, whether its your feet, face or fingers.

I am going to grab her a pair of boot gloves, she has a pair of Rossi boots and they ALWAYS get wet.  The boot seam where the buckles are always leak snow, crappy design.

ski2moro wrote

This brings up an old trick we used to use back in the day - Spray antiperspirant on our feet.  The rationale is that if your feet are too warm, they begin to perspire and makes them feel colder. The key to warmth is keeping dry.

Another trick is to use boot warmers on the way to the mountain.  I have the Dry Guy heater that plugs into the house or car.  It makes the boots a little warmer to start (not to mention a little softer) when you put them on.   Added benefit, put the heater in the boots on the drive back, they are dry when I get back home.

I also like Boot Gloves.  They are neoprene boot covers that do not interfere with fit.  My boots fit well and I don't like a lump of toe heaters interfering.  But if the conditions require a little more heat, I have found that putting a heat pack between the boot glove and shell warms them up just enough.  

I like all of this. First, a wet boot is a cold boot. Make sure they are absolutely dried overnight, and, well, pulling them out of a cabinet in the clammy garage in the morning, well, duh. Buy a goot boot drier and use it religiously. Excellent source of white noise if you're trying to sleep in a crowded drunken ski house. I also use boot warmers on the way to the mountain powered by the cig lighter. Mine are low power devices that sit in the sole and need at least a half hour drive to the area to work. An hour works well, so, you lucky people who live near the hill, furgetaboutit. You can also rig up a hair dryer on low heat and fan setting with a ciglighter/DC convertor, switching from boot to boot. Again, this needs an hour or so, and be careful, you can melt the boots if you are impatient. Now, don't be dumb and take your boots and sit them on the ground in the parking lot as you get your stuff together. Get them inside pronto, or put them on out there first thing. They are soooooo much easier to get on if they are warm. And, the Boot Glove idea is nice. I also use hand warmers between my bicycle shoe booties and road bike shoes, wrapped around the toe piece on cold days. I first got that idea from a messenger in NYC. One problem though -  the hand warmers die when starved from oxygen in there, so, if you really want to get into it, carry two pair, and switch them out every two hours or so. Pricey, so, don't hesitate to buy them in bulk when you see them cheap.

Chris wrote

I am going to grab her a pair of boot gloves, she has a pair of Rossi boots and they ALWAYS get wet.  The boot seam where the buckles are always leak snow, crappy design.

That's the problem. You should NEVER have snow in there. Time for new boots.

I have horrible circulation in my feet, and it's definitely a HUGE pain in the ass. If it's below 20 out I have to go in every fourth run or so to thaw out my feet. I tried some of the disposable boot warmers last week and they never seem to get very hot. Around lunch time I took my boots off and when I put them back on they were almost at the point they were too hot. Within an hour they were back to nothing. They need oxygen to react and produce heat, in the boots the oxygen in pretty limited.

I've been considering getting some electric boot heaters more and more. I really can't stand going inside all the time because my feet are numb, and I'm pretty sure the kids I ski with don't really like it either.

I hear that chairlift like to break Hotronics.

Hotronics work awesome and go bell to bell on the middle setting.   Buy the stronger clip for $12 and you'll have no problems.

I also like the sound of the deodorant idea.

I bought Hotronics for Zelda. She only used them one day but really liked them.

tBatt wrote

I hear that chairlift like to break Hotronics.

What happens here? Wires get caught?

Barking up the wrong tree. Toss the crappy stock liners and put in some Intuitions

You don't have use any stupid boot dryers. You can pull them out of the shell to dry with 2 fingers.They air dry overnight. They go back in just as easily

antiperspirant and intuition liners work great. wet feet equal cold feet. thin socks. keep boots warm until the last minute. BTW, one local rental shop keeps their boots in an unheated/poorly heated building near freezing. what an unfortunate surprise for a beginner skier.

I been useing Hotronics for 2 years now.Never get cold feet,no problems with batts.
They got my vote,get um and end the bull....

skimore wrote

Barking up the wrong tree. Toss the crappy stock liners and put in some Intuitions

You don't have use any stupid boot dryers. You can pull them out of the shell to dry with 2 fingers.They air dry overnight. They go back in just as easily

+1

I totally agree.  The Intutition Liners are so warm that my toes never get cold no matter how long I stay out.  I've found that my fingers now get cold because my feet keep my out longer.  They also are the most comfortable liner you will ever experience as they mold around any small or large bump, bone or other thing on your foot.

They are so warm that they do tend to make your feet sweat so I take them out of my shells every day and then they dry quickly.  They come out and go in easier than normal liners.  These also do not pack out like other normal liners so they are going to last way more ski days than normal liners.

You can add them to any boot as an aftermarket upgrade or they come standard in Dalbello Boots that have "ID" in their model name.  They will run you about $150.

I've had intuitions in my last 3 pairs of boots and they are so simple and effective. The only time I'm ever cold is if I sweat in them in the morning, take a lunch break, so my body cools and the go back out. This is only on extremely cold days, and it's not enough to matter, just a little chill. One thing about tele - your feet are active so I think that helps you stay warm.

The Hotronics have made a difference for my wife. But her alpine boots never had intuitions.