What is your favorite "affordable" boot warming system?

[Monique]

I put chemical hand warmers in the toe of my boots in the morning- swap them to my mittens when I'm suiting up. I don't know how anyone has room in the toe of their boot while wearing it for both the chemical warmer and enough air flow for it to actually keep working.

Not within the stated budget, but when I try on new ski boots these days, I swap out the stock liner for a wrap Intuition. They're simply warmer than anything else. And they're stiffer than a lot of stock liners, so I have to try on boots with the Intuitions in place.

I think boot gloves do a decent job - if you put them on a warm boot. But walking in them will quickly wear through the strap. So it's tricky to equip them effectively without reducing their lifespan.

 

[Andy Mink]

Using mylar sheet, I made a origami cup and placed it over the toe box of the boot liner. Holding it in place with duct tape while placing it back into the boot shell.The idea works similar to the vid below but I avoided the glue to making the cup to cover the toes. I heard that cutting off the toe section of a pair of thin socks and placing it over the liner toe box works as well, might try that on my next boot.

How did it work for you? Is there a noticeable difference with the mylar on the liner?

 

[Tricia]

I'm looking for something that is <$200 (preferably), comfortable, and doesn't affect ski control.

Going back to the OP, its like you're asking for a great all mountain ski that will float in powder like a pontoon and carve a groomer like an SL ski.
When you ask a product to do one thing, you have to give up something somewhere else.

If you have really cold boots, boot heaters are the best option. Some have given you suggestions for Hottronics which may fit your price range, but you should know that you're going to spend 200.00 by the time you buy them and have them installed properly.
If you go to a boot shop and buy where they will install free, you'll likely pay $230.00(ish).
The high end Thermic with blue tooth is going to be $275.00

Start the day with warm boots. Buy this.

Heated boot bag is the only way to start the day.

I go low tech. Use both the toe and hand warmers. Buy them at BJ's in bulk for less than $.75 each at the beginning of the season. Don't have to remember to recharge, no broken wires or dead batteries.
View attachment 60297

No way I'm fitting those in my boots.

Are they not uncomfortable in the boot?

Depends on the fit of your boot. I'm guessing you won't have room.

There isn't enough room in my boots for them and my feet.

This^^^

 

[Andy Mink]

Sidas offers merino wool hybrid footbeds in low, medium, high, and comfort.

 

[Philpug]

Sidas offers merino wool hybrid footbeds in low, medium, high, and comfort.

Once I get back on my feet, I will try these out.

 

[Black Dog]

Depends on the fit of your boot. I'm guessing you won't have room.


This^^^

Some people try to put them under their toes, I put them on top and work fine. I was told by my boot fitter that you don't have room to wiggle you toes your boots are too tight. He said you should be able to wiggle your toes freely up and down. I saw Mikaela Shiffern take her boots off after a race and she had them on top, thats what got me to start using them.

 

[Philpug]

There are some boots with more toe box room than others. My new K2 Recons were designed to have more toe room, an additional 1.5mm on the sides and top.

 

[DanoT]

Sidas offers merino wool hybrid footbeds in low, medium, high, and comfort.

Are the different sizes different thicknesses? And what is a hybrid footbed?

 

[Andy Mink]

Are the different sizes different thicknesses? And what is a hybrid footbed?

Different arch heights. The hybrid is wool and synthetic. Warmth with less stink. See it here.

 

[Chef23]

Has anyone compared heated socks to the footbeds. I realized yesterday I am going to need a heated solution and like the concept of the socks.

 

[Andy Mink]

Has anyone compared heated socks to the footbeds. I realized yesterday I am going to need a heated solution and like the concept of the socks.

If your boot is tight and you use very thin socks heated socks will be too bulky. The stock itself on both Therm-ic and Hotronics is fairly thick. The socks have a very similar heat spot as the footbed elements. The whole stock is not heated, just under the toes.

 

[Viking9]

Andy I’m not sure your being fair to the thinnest Lenz sock , they’re pretty thin ( but very expensive and not for this thread ).
At my resort, Mammoth, I will spend .50 cents , that’s two cycles, on the coin operated tube style heaters.
On another note I don’t think I’ve ever seen them in another resort.
On another note I never have to wait to use them, interesting, very interesting.

 

[Andy Mink]

I'm not familiar with Lenz. If Therm-ic and Hotronics used an ultra light in addition to a mid-weight they'd be on to something.

 

[jack97]

How did it work for you? Is there a noticeable difference with the mylar on the liner?

For me it helps, toes feels cold but its not a painful or a numbing cold. I have a Cabrio ski boot, the tongue allows gaps for heat to escape out of the toe box, the mylar seems to solve the problem. In addition, I usually ski in the White Mountains in NH where the wind chill can get brutal. Matter of fact we had frostbite warnings today and the snow in the morning was making squeaky sounds. On days like this, I usually put on a sock liner with a midweight sock, never went in the lodge to warm up but only to blow my nose and then back out.

I'm thinking of using the cut off sock idea over the liner toe box because during spring skiing, the feet gets too warm. So I wanted a better way of taking off the extra layer without destroying it.

 

[firebanex]

My affordable boot warming method is getting dressed in the lodge and not the parking lot. Start warm, stay warm

 

[eok]

I had some really low volume boots that were crazy cold. Tried everything - including adding reflective mylar like the video above. Didn't really help. One thing I feel was a major contributor to making the boots cold: the boots were a very tight fit all over, including the top of the foot and toe box - which surely impacted circulation. Evidence of this was if ANY snow got deposited on top of the boot while skiing, my feet would feel like ice cubes shortly - even during warm spring skiing. Tried the Bootgloves and they helped a bit, but not enough.

I eventually switched to Head Raptors. Again, a very tight fit that actually required a few visits to the fitter to punch some areas and trim insoles. Despite the very tight fit, the Raptors have just a smidge more room in the toe box and on top of the foot than my old boots and my feet never get too cold now. Happy camper.

 

[cantunamunch]

I think boot gloves do a decent job - if you put them on a warm boot. But walking in them will quickly wear through the strap. So it's tricky to equip them effectively without reducing their lifespan.

One trick is to cut the remnants of the first strap off and use snap buttons to add a second strap that actually fits your boot at the high point of the arch (and therefore won't be anywhere near the ground).

 

[Monique]

One trick is to cut the remnants of the first strap off and use snap buttons to add a second strap that actually fits your boot at the high point of the arch (and therefore won't be anywhere near the ground).

Oooooh. Smart!

 

[Dwight]

I go low tech. Use both the toe and hand warmers. Buy them at BJ's in bulk for less than $.75 each at the beginning of the season. Don't have to remember to recharge, no broken wires or dead batteries.
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A ski hills snow nightmare.

 

[Monique]

A ski hills snow nightmare.

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