Hotronic Boot Caps Review

[LBK454]

After having some mild toe frostbite many years ago, I can get cold toes skiing in colder weather (usually 25 degrees or bellow). A few years ago I finally installed Hotronic boot heaters and they did make a big comfort difference. On a colder day I usually set them at level 2 or level 3. While on skitalk, I saw the ad for Hotronics “Boot Caps.” I was mildly intrigued so did some research but didn’t find much beyond a few reviews here. Hotronics claims they raise the inside temperature of boots by 15 to 20 degrees. I decided to give them a try for the $40 they were selling for. There are multiple colors available. When they arrived, I admit I was not overly impressed as they were a basic molded foam cap with tape inside that mounts them to the boots (a note to anyone who buys these - there is a left and right toe cap). I really could not see they would make a big difference. But by this point I had them, and decided to try them. I read the install instructions a couple of times. My boots around the toe do have some “terrain features” so I was concerned about how well they would mount up and create a seal between the boots and caps. I followed their directions but prior to mounting, I used a hairdryer to warm up the boot toe areas to help the tape with adhesion to the terrain of my boots. I was able to get a surprisingly good seal. So after installing them, I was able to try them out on a colder day last Tuesday (about a 20 degree day). I was surprised to find they did keep my toes warmer. I’m not sure about the claimed 15 to 20 degrees, but I can say that I only needed my boot heaters on level 1 with a brief turn up to level 2, which was an improvement. Granted, not a huge difference, but a difference nonetheless. After skiing I looked them over and so far the seal appears to be solid and “well stuck on.” So to answer the question “would I buy them again” the answer would be “probably” but I want a few more days with these to offer a final opinion. For aesthetics, they don’t look terrible, but definitely not stylish. As always, your results may vary, but I wanted to pass this along for my cold toed friends’ consideration.