 Poster: A snowHead
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I've always suffered a bit from cold in my hands and feet. But I don't remember it being too big a problem in my early years of skiing. Maybe it's getting worse or I'm getting older but even after getting new boots last year and putting them on with toasty feet didn't do the trick. So I've decided I am going to have explore the electrical warmth angle. Looking at the Ellis Brigham website http://www.ellis-brigham.com/cgi-bin/psShowCategory.cgi?brand=Therm-ic the first thing I notice is that they have boot warmers and boot dryers. What is the difference? Do people actually have both? The second thing I see is there are these things called Powerpack's. These seen to be external chunky rechargeable batteries. Is that about right?
Maybe the best way of approaching this is to describe what I need. My main concern is to have my boots warm to put on and warm through the day. Sometimes I find that if my feet are toasty when I put the boots on then they may be comfortable for an hour or two but if it's a cold day by lunch they are cold again. I am figuring that if I get the boots toasty aswell then this will help. Usually I try to keep the boots in the apartment at room temp but sometimes they may be left in a car or boot room. I don't know what battery power options there are and what works best.
Can anybody enlighten me as to what I should look to do, what has worked in your experience?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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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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My wife skis with the thermicpower packs, and swears by them. You have to be a bit carefully that the don't get knocked by the lifts, and the controls tend to get moved by accident ( try some gaffa tape) and you have to remember to charge them. She is a happy skiier with them, and I am sure we have saved the cost of them in less drink stops.
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ringingmaster, thermic make a battery holder which goes on the powerstrap of the boot which means you can hang the batteryround the outside edge of the boot to avoid chairlift damage, it sits high enough that you can also operate all the clips without the battery getting in the way
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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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I'd suggest making sure you have clean, skinny warm socks everyday & that your boot liners are properly dried out before worrying about investing in boot warmers & the like.
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The boot heaters by Thermic don't keep yur feet "toasty" during the day, although they do a good job of stopping them from getting frozen cold. If you want toasty warm feet during the day I think slippers and a roaring log fire are probably the best option.
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We have boot dryers on the wall in our chalet and two of these nicely dry out 8 pairs of boots on return, and we bung them on first thing in the morning so that boots slide on really easily - OH also has some warmers that plug into the back of the car so if we drive somewhere his boots are ok on arrival. I stick mine on before we leave. Of course clean socks - can't imagine skiing in anything other than clean socks!
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Agree with rob@rar,
I have hotronics and their purpose isn't to keep your feet warm which could cause expansion, sweating and problems with boot fit. Thier purpose is to prevent your feet from getting cold which is slightly different.
However, I did have a faulty pack which heated the elements even thoughthe battery was supposedly off, and I got a burn. It sounds ridiculous, getting a burn? surely I would have felt it, but a burn feels almost like cold and then once its burned it dulls your nerves so you can't feel it.
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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 use a Thermic boot dryer (which is basically a low powered hair dryer) to dry my boot liners after skiing and to warm them first thing in the morning. I think these are a great investment. They can dry a sweaty pair of boots in an hour or so and keep them pong free for life. I don't bother with any of the onboard warming kits.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Layne, somebody who suffers from cold feet should never, never, leave boots in a car overnight, or an unheated boot room. Sounds like you need both boot dryers/warmers (so you start with warm boots in the morning) AND thermic or similar electric heaters. Yes, you need a battery pack - where else would the motive power come from? I use them on cold days and as others have said, they stop your feet getting frozen. They don't really make them warm - if you are skiing all day you need to leave them on a fairly low setting. They're expensive, but worth having if you suffer badly.
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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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Quite a few hotels I have visited have had the hairdryer on a flexible hose arrangement, just stick it in each boot for 20 minutes at the end of each day. With regards to keeping feet warm, little hotties toe warmers £14 for a box of 30 pairs at costco, does the job and my holiday wont be spoiled if some ignoramous pulls the bar down on the chair before I am ready.
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Kel, perhaps that is why the one in my apartment bathroom keeps blowing the electricity. Being kept on and ticked into a ski boot will cause it to overheat.
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You know it makes sense.
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| Helen Beaumont wrote: |
| Kel, perhaps that is why the one in my apartment bathroom keeps blowing the electricity. Being kept on and ticked into a ski boot will cause it to overheat. |
Perhaps, but more likely to burn the heating element out in the hairdryer than blow the mains trip. This would suggest that the wattage of the hairdryer and other combined items is too large for what is probably a small ampage fuse.
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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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Looking at Thermic boot dryer as OH has Birthday coming up. I guess I need 240v for Europe? - the 120v one is more expensive by about £10 and looks more substantial. How do folks find the 240v?
Currently use dryzones but would quite like to have a turbo-charged method to dry my (oops, his) boots 
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Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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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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Lou, this looks like the one I have, (and it's on special offer atm too!). I've also got the S&R catalogue here and on page 207 there's a pic of it (No 11). You can order either the 120V or the 230V version from there. They just have different order numbers. Mine is the 230V and I've used it in Europe and England (not USA) and it hasn't blown up yet! But I can't see this version on the website which is quite strange.
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maggi, thanks for that. I'll give them a buzz tomorrow. Would you say that one dryer is enough between two pairs of boots? So could put one on as soon as come in, and the other pair late evening/overnight?
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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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Had a thermic boot dryer and after a season it decided to pack in and break - wouldn't buy another but I guess if you just ski for a week or two it might be okay, heavier use though might be problematic (was using mine at least twice a week).
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Lou, yes, one is enough for 2 pairs of boots if you do as you say.
roga, I use mine every day on holiday and I usually go, in total, 3 and a half weeks a year. Also use the day I come back and a few odd times during the year when I go to snowdomes. I guess you were unlucky (or maybe I was lucky?), who knows?
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maggi, yeah I might have been unlucky but I was giving it very heavy use, certainly for more than 3/4 weeks a year.
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I use my HEAD heated bootbag it's brilliant. 3 temperature settings for Warm - Dry - Hot, mains powered or 12v. Helmet stash on the front, section to dry gloves out too, fits the BA cabin baggage size. 
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