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Boot heater for insoles

Ken_B

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Anyone have feedback on Hotronic S4 vs. Therm-ic? Performance, value, and installation differences would be appreciated. I want to install A pair on my custom footbeds and another pair on my daughter‘s standard footbed.
 

Philpug

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While Hotronics are the Keenex/Xerox of boot heaters, IMHO at this point Thermic has surpassed them in every aspect. Please read my long term review, if you have any questions that are not answered in that thread, I would be glad to answer them here.
 

bbinder

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I have had both. I like the Thermics more.
 

DanoT

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I have had good success with Sidas but regardless of brand, get the largest capacity battery available and it should be Lithium Ion.
 

Teppaz

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Are Thermic and Sidas basically the same, or part of the same company, now? They share a website in the US. I've had Sidas boot heaters for the past four years and have been very happy with them. Quite effective, I think I've only used the highest setting a couple of times.
 

Andy Mink

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I like the Thermic as the battery packs are smaller for the same run time. Heat is about the same.
 

ski otter 2

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I used the Hotronics insole pad heaters for years. A regular schedule of breakages and repairs. They didn't keep my feet warm on really cold days. A new insole pad and wiring kit every time I got new boots.

I switched to the Hotronics heated socks two seasons ago. (There is also a version made by Lens I'm told is comparable, slightly different.) These socks are as good as new almost 200 ski days and two new added boots later. For me much better, warmer, more durable, allow a better fit, less hassle daily, and good in multiple boots w/o the insole mod & kit required for each. About the same cost initially, but less over time. Worth at least having on your radar.
 

LiquidFeet

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I used the Hotronics insole pad heaters for years. A regular schedule of breakages and repairs. They didn't keep my feet warm on really cold days. A new insole pad and wiring kit every time I got new boots.

I switched to the Hotronics heated socks two seasons ago. (There is also a version made by Lens I'm told is comparable, slightly different.) These socks are as good as new almost 200 ski days and two new added boots later. For me much better, warmer, more durable, allow a better fit, less hassle daily, and good in multiple boots w/o the insole mod & kit required for each. About the same cost initially, but less over time. Worth at least having on your radar.
@ski otter 2, do you wash those socks every night before the next day's skiing? If so, how do you protect the wiring from breaking in all those washes?
 

DanoT

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do you wash those socks every night before the next day's skiing? If so, how do you protect the wiring from breaking in all those washes
Hand wash the electric socks in the sink, gently squeeze out and drip dry after every weekend or if you ski more often than that, get a second pair of socks with no battery.

The biggest issue with heated socks is the thickness vs the ski sock it replaces. I wear ultra thin wool socks and with some boots if they pack out a bit, I will switch to thin or even medium thickness socks, so I have stayed with footbed heaters. New boots usually get new footbeds and new heat element but use the same batteries (most expensive component).
 

ski otter 2

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@ski otter 2, do you wash those socks every night before the next day's skiing? If so, how do you protect the wiring from breaking in all those washes?
Ha! You asked me this on an earlier thread, and I got a lot of flack for an eventual "more than we wanted to know" response. No doubt that answer is still posted there. Sorry, I'll hope to avoid the flack this time, and give a slightly less complete answer, maybe.

First, see @DanoT for hand washing instructions above. I do that.

Second, I wash less than every day out, and air out instead, often on a basement/or "in the sun" clothes line, albeit in a dry Colo climate (as opposed to stuffing in a locker, say). It works. No smell, none the worse for wear. Time-tested. (Back East might be different, can't say - using the sun more? Not sure.)

Third, I have had a different experience than @DanoT with regard to the thickness of the socks.
There are different thicknesses, but I use the thinnest ones available from Hotronics. I can't recall, but there may be an even thinner version from Lens, though the Lens version has a toe cap, and thus a different fit profile that may not work for some, don't know. The Lens version is good for smart phone folk, since it has an app to adjust the heat level remotely, instead of manually.

I've used thin socks and custom-fitted, "recreational" race boots (Lange RS 130s and Nordica Doberman GT 130s) usually at least a size too small, seemingly, to start with (punched and ground out extensively) - thus fairly tight and moderately stiff, more so than a standard expert/advanced recreational boot, and have found the heated socks perfect for this use, no discernible problems with the socks being too tight or loose, long or short term, or with fit once the boots inevitably pack out slightly. (The socks seem slightly thicker than the thinnest socks I used to use, and similar to others.) But boot/sock fitting varies with the foot and person.

Furthermore, I got my socks (eventually an extra pair, but just one set of heaters) at Racer's Edge in Breckenridge, a shop that specializes in race gear (though it has free ride and recreational stuff also). Very knowledgeable. I was told heated socks are used by some skiers there, including on staff, with few or no fit problems for racers, a particularly demanding use. (Pugski's own Doug Briggs works there, races, and I was told has used the Lens socks at least some while racing. But he maybe could tell you if that is so still himself, if asked.)

The insole heaters, on the other hand, are a fit problem for some folks and racers I've talked to, including for myself.
They can distort the fit and performance of the insoles/boots, and the comfort also in well fit boots, for some of us.

Of course, again, things to do with boot fitting in this regard can be different for different folks. But the heated socks are a second option, that worked better for me.
 
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David Chaus

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I have 3 pair of Lenz socks that I rotate. I wash a pair after one use if it needs it (like it they got really sweaty or wet), but normally after using it twice. I wash in the washing machine, inside the mesh bag that comes with it (because I follow the manufacturer instructions), though when traveling and not having a washing machine available, hand washing works fine. The wiring is completely enclosed in the knit fabric, so well protected. I've had them for 3 years without an issue.

I use heated socks because my boot fitter observed that dealing with the wiring for heated insoles is another layer of issues that comes up from time to time. And many people I've known who use heated insoles have needed to make some MacGyvers to keep the batteries from being knocked off their boot cuffs, such as when loading on a chairlift.

That said, if I were to buy heated insoles, I'd probably get the Thermic for the battery life.
 

snwbrdr

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While Hotronics are the Keenex/Xerox of boot heaters, IMHO at this point Thermic has surpassed them in every aspect. Please read my long term review, if you have any questions that are not answered in that thread, I would be glad to answer them here.
The Thermic uses USB to charge the batteries, correct?

vs Hotronic needing its down special charger..
 

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