 Poster: A snowHead
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I am tempted to buy some of these:
and I wanted to know if boot warmers can do any damage to your boots or insoles?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I used a pair in my previous ski boots. I suffer from cold feet from time to time, so installed a similar system to that where a small heating pad fixes on top of your custom insoles. They were quite effective - my toes didn't feel warm, they just didn't feel frozen anymore, as it is a gentle heat. They didn't seem to have any effect on the structure of my boots or insoles. The only drawback is that the battery life isn't brilliant, although the latest (and more expensive) battery packs apparently have higher capacity and should last for most of the day.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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IncogSkiSno, my Mrs has a pair, and two pairs of batteries to make sure they last all day. I don't think they get hot enough to damage the shells or liners.
Interestingly, as she's now venturing into bumps and deeper snow (therefore having to work a bit harder) she hardly ever turns them on anymore.
Her new, better fitted, boots seem to have helped a lot too.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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rob@rar.org.uk, I have the same setup and it works really well. From experience I would say deffo go for the heating element in custom insoles as the Hotronics insole is pretty poor (especially when not cut to the correct size!)
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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IncogSkiSno, I've fitted them in Deb's boots & she loves them. They're the latest model from last years ski show but with her crocking her back she's only user them for a week. The batteries held up all day providing she didn't have them on the highest of the three settings.
No adverse effects to heat mouldable liners or custom footbeds. Easy to install.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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IncogSkiSno, No they're great! Battery life can be effected in cold temperatures, ie when you need them most, so either buy the new lion pack battery version or extension cables so you can keep the batteries warm in your pockets. Dont buy the custom version as you wont neet the insole that comes with it. 
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All - thanks for your views, I now have one present on my xmas list 
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IncogSkiSno, They're pretty safe for your boots but do not under any circumstances ski for a long time on the maximum settings, one of my lasses did that and got 2nd degree burns !!!!!!! Otherwise they work just fine, happy tootsies 
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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SMALLZOOKEEPER - could I ask the cost please? Mrs PhillipStanton is a martyr to cold feet and I'd assumed that we couldn't use them because of her custom footbeds / liners.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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comprex, We do our own, albiet a messy job, put we've used it to put a few skiers at 7000/8000m this year.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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PhillipStanton, various brands hotronic and thermic probably the most well know take a look at www.lockwoods.com for thermic and www.beansonline.co.uk for hotronic.
thermic now supply theirs with an OTC insole or a mouldable insole in association with sidas, the hotronic one is available as an element and cover so it can go ont your own custom footbed
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SMALLZOOKEEPER, 8000? Effective for the vast heat sink of crampons, or do you spec a thermofoam liner for that?
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You know it makes sense.
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Thanks CEM.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Seconding what LARGEZOOKEEPER said, the Hotronics battery packs have 4 heat settings adn the instructions suggest not going above 2 for an ordinary cold day - that both protects your feet and extends the battery time (I've never had a problem). They suggest only using setting 3 if it's either total brass monkeys or, on an ordinary day, if you switch them on after you're outside (normally switch them on indoors just before you go out so your feet don't get a chance to get cold in the first place) and then turn them down to 2 again within about 15 mins. Setting 4 is only used to run the battery down (like mobile phones, apparently if you don't run the battery all the way from max to min charge, the day-to-day battery time is reduced).
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Poster: A snowHead
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| eng_ch wrote: |
| Seconding what LARGEZOOKEEPER said, the Hotronics battery packs have 4 heat settings adn the instructions suggest not going above 2 for an ordinary cold day - that both protects your feet and extends the battery time (I've never had a problem). They suggest only using setting 3 if it's either total brass monkeys or, on an ordinary day, if you switch them on after you're outside (normally switch them on indoors just before you go out so your feet don't get a chance to get cold in the first place) and then turn them down to 2 again within about 15 mins. Setting 4 is only used to run the battery down (like mobile phones, apparently if you don't run the battery all the way from max to min charge, the day-to-day battery time is reduced). |
the new Li-on pack that thermic do is designed to prevent this from happening...... but it is pricey!!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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CEM, must admit I've never actually noticed it with the Hotronics even on the few days when I have managed first lift to beyond last lift
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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PhillipStanton, That's what prompted me to ask about them, £100+ is a bit steep, but £76 is far more reasonable
comprex, http://www.warmfeet.com/ have you tried these yourself and which ones?
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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IncogSkiSno, none of the above, took a $cheap mylar space blanket, cut out a blank to size using a paper template and stuck it onto the climbing boot inners with all-temp adhesive.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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comprex, And you could feel a big difference in the warmth of your tootsies?
I might buy one of those bags for my son, they're dirt cheap!
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| IncogSkiSno wrote: |
| I might buy one of those bags for my son, they're dirt cheap! |
So you get the technology and Jr gets the Blue Peter job???
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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I carry a space blanket in my first aid kit in the car.
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IncogSkiSno - ever since a friend broke their leg and had to wait 40 minutes for the blood wagon, I've carried one permanently in my pack. I also have an orange plastic bivvy, which I take if I'm going further afield.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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one for the boyZ???
It seems to me that lots of boyZ have fitted them to keep the girlZ from moaning...
Me included. Mrs P loves them too.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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parlor, We girls are just big wimps aren't we? I don't have very good circulation and I am fine whist I'm skiing, it's just the chairlifts and waiting around in queues or for others in our party 
The boyZ are the Zookeepers and CEM
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You know it makes sense.
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comprex, Yes, sorry, Thermo soft 12mm, outlast topsheet orthotic then heat screen.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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SMALLZOOKEEPER, do you cut a small hole in the liner to take the power cable through, or do you run it up the liner and out the top?
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Poster: A snowHead
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rob@rar.org.uk, We run the cable free up the achilles, seems the lesser of two evils as the client puts warmth and insulation first. So, no holes!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I've always cut the liner, I must admit. The cable always seems to get a bit mangled inside.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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marc gledhill, We do this for the Alpine resorts but not for 8000m.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Ok, I've bought a set of the Therm-IC custom footbed units (the ones that come with the pad, but not the insole).
| As the advert goes... wrote: |
| Footbed heater £76. A full ski season without Mrs PhillipStanton whinging about cold feet? Priceless... |
Any tips, dos or don'ts for installation of the heating element into the Comfortable custom footbed that Mrs PhillipStanton has already got?
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Thanks CEM. I wonder why they don't do cable you can release from the plug.
One question. To embed the element into the footbed, do I just put it onto high heat and apply some weight to it?
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Agree with CEM but would always opt to cut a whole in the liner. That way there is no chance of anything rubbing or aggravating your foot/lower leg in the boot. Always good to stick a bit of duck tape over the cable once you have run it up the outside of the rear of the liner to make sure it keeps it all nice and tidy
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| PhillipStanton wrote: |
| One question. To embed the element into the footbed, do I just put it onto high heat and apply some weight to it? |
The version that I bought simply stuck on top of the footbed, then had some thin, self-adhesive fabric which covered the entire top surface of the footbed. It was very neat, and made sure that the heating element didn't come loose when you slide your foot into the boot.
I cut a small hole in the back of liner at the bottom of the heel. Didn't seem to affect the liner in any way, and had the advantage of not having the power cable getting in the way when you put you feet into the boots.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Thanks dme and rob@rar.org.uk.
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IncogSkiSno - just to say that stock is quite low if you're thinking of getting some. I had the last pair of the custom footbed jobbies in London.
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FAQ
. . . And here's one I made earlier 