Boot Heaters, heated socks, and other old man products

[radam]

Boot gloves with a chemical heater between the glove and the shell is a cheap (but dorky) solution if you don't have room in the boot. Bonus is you can use the hand warmer size instead of the toe warmers, and ime those usually go the full day no problem.

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[Duffman]

Boot gloves with a chemical heater between the glove and the shell is a cheap (but dorky) solution if you don't have room in the boot. Bonus is you can use the hand warmer size instead of the toe warmers, and ime those usually go the full day no problem.

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Interesting idea. I'm ok with looking like a dork ,but never used boot gloves bc I typically unbuckle my lower shell buckles from time to time on the lift to keep circulation going. I saw atomic came out with those Redster boot gloves that have cutouts for the buckles , but they don't seem to be available anywhere. Anyone else make something similar?

[Danno]

So, if it's cheaper to buy from a European site, I am going to be in Europe in 6 weeks, should I just consider buying then? Or will it be super expensive in a small ski shop?

I have hotronics heated socks now, but have used them a lot and wouldn't mind having a backup pair (of any brand) or a second pair to reduce wear.

[Yukonrider]

I don't like the socks, if your boots actually fit they're too thick IMO.

That said heaters are the best thing I've bought for skiing in a long time, pay whatever. I don't like the Hotronics stuff as I have broken them in the past. I have Thermics now, would buy again. The battery pack sometimes does dumb stuff though, but a re-boot fixes it.

[stuckathuntermtn]

Do you still have to do all kinds of surgery to install Hotronics and Thermic stuff?

[Skaramanga]

I have the thinnest hottronic socks and they are OK with the large battery, but if you like a good, tight, "pErForMancE" ski boot fit, even their thinnest offering is too thick. I like thin socks.

I was thinking about modifying a pair of those ugly "boot gloves", to use only the toe section with double-sided tape. I need to have access to my buckles...

And then, by the magic of cookies and algorithms, I got an ad on Instagram for this, a toe box only insulator:




Has anyone tried these? I don't really have a cold feet problem, just a cold big toe problem (which got way worse after getting frostbite in 2013). They are expensive, but I might give them a try:

https://www.bootcap.com/

[old goat]

I have a Kulkea heated boot bag that I really like. Comes with 12V plug. At least in California, starting the day with warm boots makes a big difference since it's rarely Montana cold. It certainly makes the boots easier to get on as well.

[SoVT Joey]

Do you still have to do all kinds of surgery to install Hotronics and Thermic stuff?

it’s normally a hole in the insole and slice the liner heel. So not much. But this is the reason I went to socks. Wire adds volume under insole. Also hate cutting stuff apart. Plus having multiple boots makes it expensive to heat all of them with boot heaters.

if you are dead set on boot heaters it’s better to make your wire hole in the back of the liner offset to the inside of the heel as opposed to straight out the back.

[Name Redacted]

Do you still have to do all kinds of surgery to install Hotronics and Thermic stuff?

It isn't too bad. I just did mine and my wife's and it took like a half hour total. Her's were kind of a bitch because the insole was hard plastic. Mine were soft and easy to cut through. Someone said you can just wrap it around the side of the footbed too.

[EWG]

Take it slow, watch a YouTube video, and it’s easy. Like a 2.5 outta 10 on the diy gear scale.

[GravityDT]

Speaking from experience, if your boots have a walk mode and you use it on a regular basis either walking or touring be prepared to go thru several heat elements/cords. Regardless of how well you tape the wires you will break them over time. Another big reason we have switched to socks in our household…

[radam]

Interesting idea. I'm ok with looking like a dork ,but never used boot gloves bc I typically unbuckle my lower shell buckles from time to time on the lift to keep circulation going. I saw atomic came out with those Redster boot gloves that have cutouts for the buckles , but they don't seem to be available anywhere. Anyone else make something similar?

If you use a nice sharp blade (xacto or good scissors) I think you could cut your own slits no problem. But also if you're not running a lot of tension/tightness on those buckles, there's enough stretch in the neoprene you can usually get them loosened even with the gloves on. Like if you're able to flick them open/closed with a ski pole or one finger, that's probably a good gauge for if you could undo them under the boot gloves.

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[jackstraw]

These chicks think we're all a bunch of Sally's with our heated socks and fancy skis that turn themselves

[XXX-er]

Thats ^^ gotta be an old picture cuz I don't see any breast implants, its sunny and they are walking thru puddles so no heat needed

[jmills]

try the chemical bootheaters stuck to the top of your toes and if they don't work its like 3 $ to find out

Picked up a couple chemical packs today, it seems like I have enough room and will try them tomorrow. Buying 5 packs they came out to $1.37 per pack.





I’ve been using the Bootcap for about 10+ ski days. My toes had been cold before using them and since I got them, some of the after Bootcap days have been the dreaded AltaBird pow days, it wasn’t cold today at 26° and had one foot that seemed like it was going to be a problem, I got through the day at least.

I have a Kulkea heated boot bag that I really like. Comes with 12V plug. At least in California, starting the day with warm boots makes a big difference since it's rarely Montana cold. It certainly makes the boots easier to get on as well.

I have the Kulkea bag and appreciate my Zipfits being warm as I step into my warm shell racer style.
I had a Hotronic warmer setup and stopped using them two weeks after getting fitted for my Zipfits. Shredding the cables, pulling gaffe tape, and seeing the hack job that one of the more reputable Zipfit dealers in Salt Lake County had done on the install was discouraging. Listening to their explanation that it wouldn’t be a problem on the life of the liner was comical. Reinforced heel tab isn’t large enough when using a meat cleaver I guess.
Anyone in this thread interested in the Hotronics warmers. I’ll pull them out and charge the batteries and will list them in GS.

[pfluffenmeister]

Oh God, no!!

[gregL]

I don't like the socks, if your boots actually fit they're too thick IMO.

The new Sidas S.E.T. Race heated socks are super thin, on par with a Smartwool Ultralight . . .

https://www.thewarmingstore.com/sida...hoCfKEQAvD_BwE

[m2711c]

$389.99 is pretty damned baller fer a pair 'o socks...



"Sidas Heat Race S.E.T. Sock Powered by Therm-ic PowerSock S-Pack 1400 Bluetooth"

Item #:
Sidas-Heat-Race-Set-1400B


Price:
$389.99







fact.

[m2711c]

I have a Kulkea heated boot bag that I really like. Comes with 12V plug. At least in California, starting the day with warm boots makes a big difference since it's rarely Montana cold. It certainly makes the boots easier to get on as well.

how warm does that bag get? if i were to slip a couple a frozen burritos in there after i took my boots out in the morning, would they be ready togo by lunchtime?

[SoVT Joey]

Picked up a couple chemical packs today, it seems like I have enough room and will try them tomorrow. Buying 5 packs they came out to $1.37 per pack.





I’ve been using the Bootcap for about 10+ ski days. My toes had been cold before using them and since I got them, some of the after Bootcap days have been the dreaded AltaBird pow days, it wasn’t cold today at 26° and had one foot that seemed like it was going to be a problem, I got through the day at least.

I have the Kulkea bag and appreciate my Zipfits being warm as I step into my warm shell racer style.
I had a Hotronic warmer setup and stopped using them two weeks after getting fitted for my Zipfits. Shredding the cables, pulling gaffe tape, and seeing the hack job that one of the more reputable Zipfit dealers in Salt Lake County had done on the install was discouraging. Listening to their explanation that it wouldn’t be a problem on the life of the liner was comical. Reinforced heel tab isn’t large enough when using a meat cleaver I guess.
Anyone in this thread interested in the Hotronics warmers. I’ll pull them out and charge the batteries and will list them in GS.

i would of never accepted those and asked for a new pair. That’s crap. Especially if the shop sold you the liner and the heaters.

[sb]

how warm does that bag get? if i were to slip a couple a frozen burritos in there after i took my boots out in the morning, would they be ready togo by lunchtime?

DO IT!

COM’ON!

[EWG]

If anyone wants to try some boot heaters / battery setups I have some free older thermics listed in the free/beer gear thread. Bit of a kit but it’ll keep yer feet warm.

[jmills]

i would have never accepted those and asked for a new pair. That’s crap. Especially if the shop sold you the liner and the heaters.

They refused to replace them or give me a refund.
To make a long story short, once the runaround started I reached out to Zipfit for their opinion on the hack. They offered to reach out to the shop and were solid to deal with while the shop was denying any wrongdoing.
Zipfit ended up replacing the liner for me.
Regardless of what the shop had done, I would have been in Zipfits in the future because of how they skied.
Jeff and Chris at Zipfit didn’t have to replace the liner but did. One of my friends has moved to Zips from listening to me and I’ll keep talking to those that haven’t made the move.

I skied with the chemical warmers on top of my toes today and didn’t have an issue with them in my boot, it was 10° warmer than yesterday and the sun was shining so I shouldn’t have had cold toes anyway. I bought a 20 pack and will use them as needed and see how they do on a cold day.
I’ve been shopping for heated socks and will continue to do so and could see myself buying some eventually.

[MD12]

Kulkea heated boot bag is the best I’ve found. Have tried athalon and the Rossi World Cup (ridiculous expensive) and they’re crap compared to the kulkea. Kulkea get man the hottest and actually works.

I’ve used boot insole heaters but they drove me nuts with zipfits and a big pain when switching boots. Have had the Hotronics lithium ion heated socks and like them a lot. Haven’t had a pair of socks fail to work in the past several years. Just gotta wash them separately. I do with the socks themselves were a little more streamlined and thinner. I hear Ken’s socks may be higher quality.

also have hestra heated gauntlet gloves. They rock. No more glove liners. Can take my gloves off below 0 degrees F and know however cold my hands get I can warm them right back up. Love the gloves - awesome product.

[Yukonrider]

They refused to replace them or give me a refund.

Do you mind naming names? May be looking into Zipfits soon, and will steer clear of this hack shop