How do you keep your feet warm?

[Geoff]

Sorry, but Hotronics do not change the shape of custom footbeds. The heating element is right at the toe of the footbed. The section of the footbed that is critical (the arch area) is quite a few inches away from that local heat source. There is no way the wimpy little heating element is going to cause your footbed to deform. I've been using Hotronics for years and they've always been installed under custom footbeds.

...and Hotronics rule!

 

[Glenn]

I'm thinking of upgrading to the new batteries because my batteries take twelve hours to recharge. The newer ones recharge quick.

My wife's heaters came installed in her Devine 10 boots....2008 model. They take about 12 hours to charge according to the instructions. They're Thermics IIRC.

 

[Sky]

The best way would be (if you have enough to eat) to start aerobically exercising and generate heat through that method. By letting your extremety's vessels redialate on their own because of excess heat production you assure you are not sacrificing core temperature to save an extremety and can also be less painful as the dialation is more gradual than by forcibly opening the vessels with blood pressure using centrifugal (kind of) force.

I suppose I should read the entire thread....but this one caught my attention (and the one above it, which said to "swing your legs".).

When I was stationed in Italy *stop yawning! I see you out there*...the Italian mountain soldiers(Alpini) were big on swinging arms and legs. Arms in a circular motion as if you were throwing a softball, legs back and forth. Seems to work pretty good if you "stay ahead" of your extremities being frozen stiff.

Also, I'm with Marc on the overdressing part. SOmeone said if they overdressed, it negatively impacted their foot temp. Marc (and I agree) feels that the wramer your core is, the more successful your extremities will be.

I used to overlook my legs...it didn't bother me if they got cold...but on really cold days, cold legs mean cold feet.

I replace my boots this year becasue the #2 buckle, no matter how loose I fastened it, would cause the top of the boot to crush my circulation. Looking forward to trying the new boots.

 

[JasonE]

Sorry, but Hotronics do not change the shape of custom footbeds. The heating element is right at the toe of the footbed. The section of the footbed that is critical (the arch area) is quite a few inches away from that local heat source. There is no way the wimpy little heating element is going to cause your footbed to deform. I've been using Hotronics for years and they've always been installed under custom footbeds.

...and Hotronics rule!

Like I said, I'm just relaying the information given to me by someone who I trust as an expert in boot customization. I don't work in the industry and I've never owned Hotronics (nor have I ever had custom foot beds until this year) so I can't speak from personal experience, I'm just relaying what I was told.

 

[eastcoastpowderhound]

Never wear the socks you plan to ski in on the drive to the hill. I keep my ski socks in my bag until its time to get booted up. Starting the day with sweaty socks is a bad way to start.

+1...sometimes its unbelievable how uncommon common sense is.

 

[Starter Jackets Rule!]

Sorry, but Hotronics do not change the shape of custom footbeds. The heating element is right at the toe of the footbed. The section of the footbed that is critical (the arch area) is quite a few inches away from that local heat source. There is no way the wimpy little heating element is going to cause your footbed to deform. I've been using Hotronics for years and they've always been installed under custom footbeds.

...and Hotronics rule!

RIGHT ON GOOF!
The big guy is100% right hottronics will NOT deform tour Custom foot beds!
I have been installing then on CFB's for longer than GSS has bee alive!
do I use them? No I am not a pussy but they do work!
This is how I keep my foot warm

 

[Starter Jackets Rule!]

Be aware - I got new boots this year. I paid extra for custom foot beds, plus the boots came with a custom liner (they heat up the liner to mold it to your foot). I got them at Strands and was fitted by Lief Mikkelson himself (I consider the man a boot-fitting god).

Anyway, Lief cautioned me NOT to get installed foot warmers. He said the cheap chemical-reaction ones you stick to the bottom of your socks are ok, but the battery operated ones are bad. Because both the custom footbed and the custom boot liner are heat activated, he said that if I put in a battery-operated foot warmer, it is very likely that either the footbed or the liner (or both) will heat up enough to lose their customized shape. Which means I just blew a lot of money for nothing.

He also cautioned very strongly do not, not, not put the boots near a heat source to dry out - we always used to put them near our stove blower so they'd get warmer and dryer faster, and he said doing that would without question cause the footbed and liner to de-shape.

Just thought I'd give you a heads up.

Pssst . do us a favor and tell Leif that the cheap chem based warmers go on top of the toes!
LOL LOL LOL!

Also tell Leif that is is not a good idea to pull your liners out of you boots to dry them!

 

[bobbutts]

socks and boots

 

[Geoff]

Like I said, I'm just relaying the information given to me by someone who I trust as an expert in boot customization. I don't work in the industry and I've never owned Hotronics (nor have I ever had custom foot beds until this year) so I can't speak from personal experience, I'm just relaying what I was told.

I don't use ZZ Top as my boot fitting experts.

 

[ZOG]

When the expected temp will be 10* or below , I swear by these

 

[ski220]

When the expected temp will be 10* or below , I swear by these

Toe warmers are the best - with one caveat. They begin to get hard after about 4hrs and can get rock hard. Take them out and replace them or risk getting black toe nails. Happened to me a couple of years ago.

 

[Starter Jackets Rule!]

Toe warmers are the best - with one caveat. They begin to get hard after about 4hrs and can get rock hard. Take them out and replace them or risk getting black toe nails. Happened to me a couple of years ago.

One other draw back is they need air flow to work!
If you use a low Volume ski boot(tight fit) the work fair at best,
If you have a large toe box then they work fine.In a nut shell they are better that nothing when the temps drop below 0-F.

 

[Rob A]

Grabber Mycoal

 

[eastcoastpowderhound]

Pssst . do us a favor and tell Leif that the cheap chem based warmers go on top of the toes!
LOL LOL LOL!

Also tell Leif that is is not a good idea to pull your liners out of you boots to dry them!

I agree with you on eveything but the last comment. If you don't pull your liners out the condensation that builds up between the liner and the shell will not go away and you'll have water between your shells and liners. You HAVE to pull the liners out...not to dry the inside, to dry the outside..othewise that'll turn into ice on your first run. Just like a soda can "sweats" in the summer time a warm foot nside a cold plastic shell will result in condensation...and wet liners if you don't pull them.

 

[eastcoastpowderhound]

I don't use ZZ Top as my boot fitting experts.

:lol::lol::lol: anyone who's been in strands will get that.

 

[eastcoastpowderhound]

a good fitting boot
an extra layer on my chest...vest usually, keeping your core warm keeps your extremeties warmer
make sure your head is warm...hat or helmet
unbuckle the instep (2nd from the bottom) buckle on the lift
put your ski socks on right before you put your boots on...not before you leave for the 2hr car ride
and if all that isn't enough, make a bunch of short radius turns.

hotronics are great for people with circulation issues or constantly cold feet...they won't hurt your footbeds or custom liners...it takes 150+ temps for 10min or so to get those materials pliable enough to mold.

 

[Starter Jackets Rule!]

I agree with you on eveything but the last comment. If you don't pull your liners out the condensation that builds up between the liner and the shell will not go away and you'll have water between your shells and liners. You HAVE to pull the liners out...not to dry the inside, to dry the outside..othewise that'll turn into ice on your first run. Just like a soda can "sweats" in the summer time a warm foot nside a cold plastic shell will result in condensation...and wet liners if you don't pull them.

Boot Dryer?
if you want to F-up the layers of foam that make up the inside of your liners by removing your liners every time you go skiing...by all means have at it.
Ask any of Americas Best boot fitters (like me) and they will say the same.
I have been using this for over 17 years.

And not only do they dry the inside of my boots they remove any condensation that might build up between the liner and the shell.
Some where there is a link on how to make a home made one, I will try to post the link when I find it.
I do know what you are talking about, sure some powder can make its way between the liner and shell.
But enough to cause your foot to freeze?
Save the pond skimming until springtime!

 

[Moe Ghoul]

I used the boot/glove warmer in the K-1 lodge Sat AM since it was single digit temp on top. .25 cents did the trick. Luckily, I rarely have cold toe issues that severe. One trick that seems to work is to ski about an hour, and if the toes get cold, hit the lodge, take off the boot to air out, warm up the toes and go back out 20 minutes later and the toes are fine the rest of the day.. I have Hotronics, but never re-installed them on the new footbeds I got last season. Never tried the heat packets, but saw a few skiers using them in the lodge. Just reminded myself to add that to the To Do list.

 

[eatskisleep]

Actually I'm doing them right now along with a few Jay Peak pics. Maybe if I feel really productive I'll even upload those Wildcat pics I promised like a month ago (probably not though).

What...?! Wildcat pics... where where

 

[Starter Jackets Rule!]

this may sound weird and even look weirder.
B4 you "Boot Up" in the base lodge, grab some "Black Pepper" from the food line in the caf.
open the little packet/packets and just sprinkle the pepper on your nek'id foot then put your sock back on and boot up.
Or even better use cayenne pepper, the pepper is a skin irritant thus causing an allergic reaction causing blood to rush to the area SCHAZAM a warm foot and Tootsies!
Now thank Dr. Science, bitches!
(I have seen world cup racers use the stuff so if it is good for them it might work for you).