For me, this not having a thinner sock may be a bit complicated by Hotronics apparently having two models, one for thinner shins and feet. Even though it's the same thickness, with a tighter fit and less material, those socks for thinner legs and feet might work for people who find the regular sized model too bulky. It may fit lower volume boots better, not sure.
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Boot Heaters
For me, this not having a thinner sock may be a bit complicated by Hotronics apparently having two models, one for thinner shins and feet. Even though it's the same thickness, with a tighter fit and less material, those socks for thinner legs and feet might work for people who find the regular sized model too bulky. It may fit lower volume boots better, not sure.
Yeah, they're only reasonable compared to the heat pads - that is, equally expensive.
Man, I got it wrong again. It's Lenz that has the slim fit sock, in addition to the regular sock, even if it's probably the same thickness. Sorry.
So Lenz has two sized socks, maybe one fitting thinner.
Hotronics does not.
Lenz has the remote app to control and change the heat settings.
Not Hotronics.
So far, it's been a pain trying to read or change the heat settings on the Hotronics version, under those layers of sock and underwear stuffed into the boot. Going to a relatively dark place in the warming hut and trying to see how many red lights are on through those layers, when I push the buttons, is sort of a pain.
Man, I got it wrong again. It's Lenz that has the slim fit sock, in addition to the regular sock, even if it's probably the same thickness. Sorry.
So Lenz has two sized socks, maybe one fitting thinner.
Hotronics does not.
Lenz has the remote app to control and change the heat settings.
Not Hotronics.
So far, it's been a pain trying to read or change the heat settings on the Hotronics version, under those layers of sock and underwear stuffed into the boot. Going to a relatively dark place in the warming hut and trying to see how many red lights are on through those layers, when I push the buttons, is sort of a pain.
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I wanted to update my experience with the new Hotronics heated socks that I got up in Breck at Racer's Edge, CO, from Chuck.
In some confusion and doubt back in November, I wasn't at all sure the socks would work out for me, but they have.
For me, the socks are a great improvement over the Hotronics pads that get inserted/dremeled into the footbeds.
1. The socks are more effective at keeping my feet warm, by a lot.
2. With the socks, I can feel the heat, whereas with the pads, even at the highest settings, I never could.
3. I've found that I rarely want any setting hotter than #1, the first and least warm (of 4 settings).
4. If I leave the setting at even #2 on days as cold as zero and above, I'll want to change back to #1 within a few minutes because my feet have warmed up that quickly, and I can feel the #2 setting is becoming too hot.
5. For myself, it can begin to get painful - an increasingly sharp heat pain - if I leave the setting above #1 too long.
(Something that never happened in any way with the Hotronics pads.)
6. I've never needed to use settings #3 or #4 - noticeably too hot.
7. Unlike with the hotronics, the one pair of socks works with multiple boots. This season, I've used them with 4 different pairs of boots so far, and will probably bring in a fifth. (A year of major boot transition for me, with lots of options, almost all of them working so far.) For the first time, I have a small quiver of boots/liners. And no need to use more than one Hotronic socks set up.
8. At this point, I'm glad that I got a second pair of just the socks (around $93.00 for the second pair by itself).
I've had almost 50 days skiing so far this season with the Hotronics socks on my feet, maybe 40 with them turned on (I'm an old guy.); and had a number of blizzard days that began as low as -9° and never got over +7°, with high winds and snow falling, to test these things. Maybe close to a dozen such days. And I've skied on really wet days of storm also - with no problem with getting the socks wet. They stay dry, with just the sock flap pulled over the heaters and my long underwear pulled over the heater + flap.
Once I got used to it, as long as I don't tuck my long underwear into my boots (I'm told by some this was a no-no anyway), I've found that the heat adjustment button is easy to adapt to, get at and use, without incident. I pull up the long underwear a few inches, pull down the sock flap, then push the button while watching the red light(s) change. Very routine, at this point. Occasionally, I'll move to #2 for a ride up the lift, maybe. Then go back to #1.
19 powder days with these socks and counting. Not one "wet sock" day.
At some point, I'll have a chance to test these things on a truly cold day, one that stays below zero, not counting wind chill. But that hasn't happened yet.
Also, there has been no damage from washing the socks, or from pulling them on and off. To minimize the washings, I put on the socks after my drive to the ski area, then take them off before driving home - at the same time I take my boots on and off.
The recharging at the end of each ski day is quick and easy: maybe less than a half an hour each time.
In some confusion and doubt back in November, I wasn't at all sure the socks would work out for me, but they have.
For me, the socks are a great improvement over the Hotronics pads that get inserted/dremeled into the footbeds.
1. The socks are more effective at keeping my feet warm, by a lot.
2. With the socks, I can feel the heat, whereas with the pads, even at the highest settings, I never could.
3. I've found that I rarely want any setting hotter than #1, the first and least warm (of 4 settings).
4. If I leave the setting at even #2 on days as cold as zero and above, I'll want to change back to #1 within a few minutes because my feet have warmed up that quickly, and I can feel the #2 setting is becoming too hot.
5. For myself, it can begin to get painful - an increasingly sharp heat pain - if I leave the setting above #1 too long.
(Something that never happened in any way with the Hotronics pads.)
6. I've never needed to use settings #3 or #4 - noticeably too hot.
7. Unlike with the hotronics, the one pair of socks works with multiple boots. This season, I've used them with 4 different pairs of boots so far, and will probably bring in a fifth. (A year of major boot transition for me, with lots of options, almost all of them working so far.) For the first time, I have a small quiver of boots/liners. And no need to use more than one Hotronic socks set up.
8. At this point, I'm glad that I got a second pair of just the socks (around $93.00 for the second pair by itself).
I've had almost 50 days skiing so far this season with the Hotronics socks on my feet, maybe 40 with them turned on (I'm an old guy.); and had a number of blizzard days that began as low as -9° and never got over +7°, with high winds and snow falling, to test these things. Maybe close to a dozen such days. And I've skied on really wet days of storm also - with no problem with getting the socks wet. They stay dry, with just the sock flap pulled over the heaters and my long underwear pulled over the heater + flap.
Once I got used to it, as long as I don't tuck my long underwear into my boots (I'm told by some this was a no-no anyway), I've found that the heat adjustment button is easy to adapt to, get at and use, without incident. I pull up the long underwear a few inches, pull down the sock flap, then push the button while watching the red light(s) change. Very routine, at this point. Occasionally, I'll move to #2 for a ride up the lift, maybe. Then go back to #1.
19 powder days with these socks and counting. Not one "wet sock" day.
At some point, I'll have a chance to test these things on a truly cold day, one that stays below zero, not counting wind chill. But that hasn't happened yet.
Also, there has been no damage from washing the socks, or from pulling them on and off. To minimize the washings, I put on the socks after my drive to the ski area, then take them off before driving home - at the same time I take my boots on and off.
The recharging at the end of each ski day is quick and easy: maybe less than a half an hour each time.
I've never ever used a pair of socks in my boots two days in a row. They get washed after one day. I've worried about using these heated socks for that reason. Washing them each day, when I ski 60 days a season, seems like it might be an issue. My boots never ever smell. Never have.
How many days do you use these socks before washing them?
Is it common for people to use ski socks more than one day?
Do the boots stay odorless for people who re-use socks day after day?
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Update: Still lov'n my Sidas boot heaters.
2 month of use review:
So my wife has been using the Hotronics S4 all season and yet to complain to me about cold feet. I dremeled the pad into her footbed and brought the wire up the side of the liner. The battery uses the power strap clip which worked out well. She doesn’t notice any changes to the footbed or the liner.
The only thing I wish was different is that the wire was shorter. Women’s boots tend to be shorter and she has some excess wire hanging out the top. I may look at coiling the wire somehow inside the boot to fix this over the summer.
So my wife has been using the Hotronics S4 all season and yet to complain to me about cold feet. I dremeled the pad into her footbed and brought the wire up the side of the liner. The battery uses the power strap clip which worked out well. She doesn’t notice any changes to the footbed or the liner.
The only thing I wish was different is that the wire was shorter. Women’s boots tend to be shorter and she has some excess wire hanging out the top. I may look at coiling the wire somehow inside the boot to fix this over the summer.
Beyond something weighty or a less than ideal sock, you can always just buy 6 pairs of HotHands toe warmers for a buck a pair.
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=ski+boot+Toe+Warmers&ref=nb_sb_noss
I use them in my RS110 SC's on days with temps below 19F by mounting them atop my socks at the toe. Thus not on sole as suggested so they don't disrupt my custom foot bed toe contact. Of course also work fine inside a glove if needed.
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=ski+boot+Toe+Warmers&ref=nb_sb_noss
I use them in my RS110 SC's on days with temps below 19F by mounting them atop my socks at the toe. Thus not on sole as suggested so they don't disrupt my custom foot bed toe contact. Of course also work fine inside a glove if needed.
Resurrecting an old thread as I was researching heated socks. I have tried the Hothands toe warmers and still get cold feet. I do have circulation issues though. I am leaning toward heated socks and am trying to figure out which ones.
I was curious about the Lenz 6.0 socks in this thread - https://www.pugski.com/threads/anybody-seen-or-tried-6-0-compression-sock-from-lenz.16869/
But there are other socks out there as well as boot heaters....
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- Apr 24, 2017
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Anyone know why these are so cheap?
Sidas Pro Set + Custom H Element - $169
https://www.backcountry.com/sidas-pro-set-with-custom-h-element
Compared to...
Sidas Neo Set + Custom H Element - $245
https://www.backcountry.com/sidas-neo-set-with-custom-h-element
The Pro Set is supposed to last for 8 hrs vs the Neo which is only 6??
Sidas Pro Set + Custom H Element - $169
https://www.backcountry.com/sidas-pro-set-with-custom-h-element
Compared to...
Sidas Neo Set + Custom H Element - $245
https://www.backcountry.com/sidas-neo-set-with-custom-h-element
The Pro Set is supposed to last for 8 hrs vs the Neo which is only 6??
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The pro set is on sale at 49% off while the neo set is at full retail.
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- Apr 24, 2017
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- 23
Weird to see such a steep discount on the 'better' product. Oh well, I ordered a set. Will ask the missus how she likes them.
I tried the Lenz heated socks and could feel the heating elements and wires the whole day and it drove me nuts. I’ve since used the last gen Thermic inserts and they were rad and I’m upgrading to the new ones with Bluetooth this season.
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- Apr 26, 2017
- Posts
- 72
I bought my wife Therm-ic heaters a while ago and hot tronic heaters for both of my boys. They’ve been using them for over 6 years. Both of them last all day in the coldest conditions. They have very happy feet. For my kids, I’ve removed the heaters multiple times from the footbed as their ski boots changed. If your careful, you only need a new “skin” to cover the heating element ($10). After seeing them with happy feet, I put my ego aside and got myself Therm-ic heaters last season. The main difference with mine is blue tooth connectivity and cell phone control of the heating element. Now I have happy feet. I don’t know why I was waiting so long. Get some and enjoy! FYI- there are YouTube install videos if you decide to DIY. Also, I’ve never come close to depleting my battery in a day skiing. I have the largest size and have been in sub zero conditions. So you can probably save some money with a smaller size, though I charge every night when using them.
Another update on Hotronics socks:
A winner.
By now I've hit several days of subzero temps with these socks, and had them up to setting 3 with no problem. I've had a half dozen days of keeping the setting on 2 for most of the day (-6 to as high as zero by late in the day). A pleasant feeling of warmth, is all. No problems. Funny, but the 2 and 3 settings feel too hot, almost painful, except when they are actually needed. Then they feel fine. Very satisfied.
Sorry, but not sure what to say about the to me non-issue of washing these socks. When I get home from skiing, I put my wool long underwear and socks on a clothes line in the basement to air out. I wash the socks as needed, maybe every other week or every half dozen ski days minimum, but air them out each time, and don't wear them in the hot car. (I'm not a guy with odor problems, I experience and am told.) That said, I'm someone fairly lean, with not much sweat and no odor problems, though I bathe regularly. (At least that's what my wife, etc., have told me over the years.) Sheesh.
No smell to the socks or ill-effects, so far. No problems with durability washing by hand or on gentle cycle. (I do it both ways, no real reason why.)
A winner.
By now I've hit several days of subzero temps with these socks, and had them up to setting 3 with no problem. I've had a half dozen days of keeping the setting on 2 for most of the day (-6 to as high as zero by late in the day). A pleasant feeling of warmth, is all. No problems. Funny, but the 2 and 3 settings feel too hot, almost painful, except when they are actually needed. Then they feel fine. Very satisfied.
Sorry, but not sure what to say about the to me non-issue of washing these socks. When I get home from skiing, I put my wool long underwear and socks on a clothes line in the basement to air out. I wash the socks as needed, maybe every other week or every half dozen ski days minimum, but air them out each time, and don't wear them in the hot car. (I'm not a guy with odor problems, I experience and am told.) That said, I'm someone fairly lean, with not much sweat and no odor problems, though I bathe regularly. (At least that's what my wife, etc., have told me over the years.) Sheesh.
No smell to the socks or ill-effects, so far. No problems with durability washing by hand or on gentle cycle. (I do it both ways, no real reason why.)
^^^^ TMI but great that the socks are working well for you.
I purchased the Pro set from Back Country. Installed into my footbed.
I like the small battery pack with a very effective strap clip.
Set on the first of three heat settings, I felt warmth all day with summit temps remaining below 20 F (warmer at the base)
I might have said, I really like the small battery packs. They are on the charger now ;-)
I also took advantage of that sale. It was too good to ignore. So I have 3 sets now.
I'm just keeping the 3rd set in the box for backup, but I do have the other 2 setup on the 2 pairs of boots I'm regularly using. I really hate it when I forget to charge them. They work so well that not having the heat is a serious "ski day" killer.
I bought a set of the Sidas socks with the Thermic heaters and after two days they aren't working for me. My review is here:
https://www.pugski.com/threads/heated-sock-review.18181/. It was only about 25* the day I was skiing and I still had issues with my feet. I am going to try to get back to the shop today and see what my options with them might be if any.
https://www.pugski.com/threads/heated-sock-review.18181/. It was only about 25* the day I was skiing and I still had issues with my feet. I am going to try to get back to the shop today and see what my options with them might be if any.
Today was my first day with the new Therm-IC C-Pack 1700B. Awesome upgrade from the previous generation. Smaller battery. Great battery mount. More secure plug and thinner and stronger cable to the heating elements. The Bluetooth connection is great and means with the motion control I no longer have to manually adjust the heaters whenever I'm on or off a lift. Great product. Pricey but truly top of the class.
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