Boot Heaters

[NZRob]

I have been contemplating the purchase of a second pair of Sidas batteries so I liked the idea earlier in this thread suggesting using Bootgloves along with heated footbeds to help extend battery life. But now I am thinking about heated socks and heated footbeds together and then no need for extra batteries, just turn on the second heat unit when the other heat system batteries wear down. Expensive? Yes, but this is no time to get cold feet.

LOL. I'm not sure you'll need both. Got my wife the Lenz socks last year (after 22 years of being reminded how cold her feet are in ski boots). She gets seriously cold feet, and the Lenz socks were more than sufficient for the coldest days of our trip to Colorado. Comfortably lasted all day.

 

[laine]

In the Lenz socks, do you feel the wires? Are they under your feel?

 

[Started at 53]

Buy once cry once, get the Sidas

 

[EricG]

I found Hotronics s4 setup for $115, new. Sound like a good deal?

 

[David Chaus]

In the Lenz socks, do you feel the wires? Are they under your feel?

Not really. The wiring and heating elements are in a panel of extra fabric that runs under the feet, from the toe all the way up the back of your lower leg. It’s maybe 1 1/2” wide. You notice the extra fabric at first, then totally forget about it 5 minutes later. You don’t feel wires.

 

[KingGrump]

I found Hotronics s4 setup for $115, new. Sound like a good deal?

Great deal. Best price I've seen in a long time.

 

[ejj]

I cant believe HotTronic is still selling nicad batteries.

I'd be pretty intrigued by the heated-sock question, I've had boot heaters. They are great--but the batteries are often a weak spot here--as are the cords coming out of your boots. They are easy to destroy when getting on the chair or skiing with high roll.

 

[ted]

The NiMH Thermic batteries had very short lifetimes in my experience. The LiOn batteries are a huge improvement in size and longevity.

 

[Lorenzzo]

I'm now going on my 5th season on a pair of Sidas batteries that have retained most to all of their charge. They probably have been charged about 70 times a season. I also have boot gloves. If it's single digits I use both.

Backcountry has a deal on the Sidii which is pretty good considering time of year.

https://www.backcountry.com/sidas-p...6MTAwMDAxNTU4X2JjLWJvb3QtZHJ5ZXJzLWhlYXRlcnM=

 

[ted]

Can anyone who is using the Sidas boot heater system tell me if the toe piece(where the heat comes from) is softer than the Thermic. From the pictures I've seen, it looks more fabric like than the printed circuit board feel of the Thermic.

 

[ted]

Buy once cry once, get the Sidas

are you referring to socks or the boot heater system?
Thanks

 

[Lorenzzo]

Can anyone who is using the Sidas boot heater system tell me if the toe piece(where the heat comes from) is softer than the Thermic. From the pictures I've seen, it looks more fabric like than the printed circuit board feel of the Thermic.

It's essentially a strip of foil. In the photo from the link I provided its' the faint grey thing under the battery.

 

[Started at 53]

are you referring to socks or the boot heater system?
Thanks

Heater, not the socks

 

[hbear]

It’s a thin foil element that is MUCH softer and pliable than the green hottronics one.
Honestly can’t feel it after you put the umbrel cover overtop. (I wear a very thin sock for what it’s worth).

 

[NZRob]

In the Lenz socks, do you feel the wires? Are they under your feel?

My wife has the heat socks 1.0, and reports she can't feel the wiring. The filaments are very thin and sewn in under the ball of the foot so the heat emanates from that point. I see there is also a model 5.0 now, with heating in the toe cap. Great idea for really cold applications, though as I said earlier, Lisa used the 1.0 in Colorado on some pretty cold days and had no issues, and she is a hardcore cold-footer.

 

[EricG]

I picked up the Hotronics S4’s since they were $120 with tax & shipping. I’ll see if she likes them and if we do BD liners for her maybe I’ll get the Sidas next round. She usually only skis 4hrs anyways, so battery life should still be ok on the nimh with higher setting.

 

[Chip]

I found Hotronics s4 setup for $115, new. Sound like a good deal?

Where did you find this deal? It's nice to share...

 

[Chip]

Any real difference btw the Hotronics S3 and S4?
Are the heating elements the same? Is the only difference the battery?

 

[princo]

Where did you find this deal? It's nice to share...

I posted a similar deal on the "I need to brag about a purchase thread", but SAC has them on sale for $112.

 

[KingGrump]

As @princo posted, $112 @ SAC.

Any real difference btw the Hotronics S3 and S4?
Are the heating elements the same? Is the only difference the battery?

Exact same set up between the S3 & S4. I believe the S3 battery has 3 cells and the S4 has 4. Everything else is interchangeable.