ZipFit/Hotronics Question

[Beartown]

I got zipfits last spring and love them. I used a custom footbed in them for the rest of the season, and did not have my hotronics footbeds in because the temps were warm for the rest of my season. Want to put my hotronics foot beds in for cold days this season. My old liners had a slit in the heel near the sole that I could run the hotronics cable out. My zipfits appear to have some place for a slit in that same spot, but there is currently no hole that goes from inside to outside the liner (pic above). I am leery of taking a knife to the zipfits for fear of leaking cork material etc. any idea if you can slit them in that spot, or am I going to ruin the liner?

 

[surfandski]

That's probably what that spot is for but I slit mine so that it comes out the arch of my liner like how Skihaus (if that's the right name) does in their video. I put my zipfits on and slide them into the shells so I don't want the cables in the back where they could easily get damaged. Going out the arch and diagonally to the back with tape keeps them from ever getting scraped.

 

[Near Nyquist]

Starthaus video

Gold standard for heater installs

Thanks @otto

 

[Noodler]

Yes, the slot in the back of the heel on your ZipFit liners is exactly where you need to make the cut. You will not cut into the OMfit cork bladders as long as you stick to that defined area.

BTW - I have another post about running the cable up the back of a ZipFit between the layers. This way you don't need to run tape up the back of the liner.

 

[jmills115]

Yes, the slot in the back of the heel on your ZipFit liners is exactly where you need to make the cut. You will not cut into the OMfit cork bladders as long as you stick to that defined area.

BTW - I have another post about running the cable up the back of a ZipFit between the layers. This way you don't need to run tape up the back of the liner.

Link to your post since my “friend” can’t find it

 

[surfandski]

Starthaus video

Gold standard for heater installs

Thanks @otto

Yep, that's the one and you can do it exactly like how they do it in the video as you are only making a slit in the neoprene and are no where near any Omfit. This keeps the cable safely away from the shell. I would definitely not go straight out the back as these wires on the Hotronics are fairly fragile.

 

[LiquidFeet]

...And cover the wires with duct tape as they travel up the outside of the liners. You don't want them to ever twist and get stuck with a twist between the shell and liner, or the wires will break. I speak from experience.

 

[hbear]

Take leaves adhesive residue on the shell eventually leading to more difficulties on entry later.

 

[KingGrump]

Do not use duct tape. It will leave adhesive residual. Gums up everything.
Use gaffer tape, if you must use tape. It can be removed without leaving adhesive residual. A roll last a long time.

 

[Jerez]

I can attest to Gaffer's tape working better than duct tape. It holds in place better too.

Also, per advice here, I now use gaffer's tape to wind around the connection between the wires and the piece that inserts into the battery. That seems to be the place that always goes bad on our Hotronics as they get bent or banged around. If that was @KingGrump who gave me that advice last year... Thank you!

PS: I have never had trouble with the wires going out through my ZipFits at the heel and up the back of the liner. Been doing it for years. Then again, I don't put the liners on and then the boot like some folks do. If you do that, you might want to use @Noodler 's technique.

 

[jmills115]

Do not use duct tape. It will leave adhesive residual. Gums up everything.
Use gaffer tape, if you must use tape. It can be removed without leaving adhesive residual. A roll last a long time.

I have been using gaffe followed by a strip of duct as it seemed more durable.
I’ve been hitting the inside of my shell with a Dremel this offseason smoothing down anything that the cable could catch on.
It seems even a small amount of silicone spray will roll the edges of my tape so when I’ve used tape I try to run it in one single length.
Grump has shared many great ideas on this topic