Frozen Toes!

[skigrl27]

So I have pretty wierd feet. I have brand new boots that were custom-fitted (Nordica Speed Machine 12's). They feel great. They fit wonderfully (as they should for what I've invested in them).

However - my toes FREEZE!! I've tried the sticky toe-warmers under my toes...but even those don't really help. Does anyone else suffer from the frozen-toe syndrome? What do you do about it? (Aside from dropping more cash into boot heaters.)

It has been unusually cold so far in Aspen. I've already been out in 2 below zero days. We've also had close to 9 FEET of snow fall - so I'm not going to complain.

I currently have 2 different brand socks that I'm trying. Neither seem to be any warmer than the other. 1) is the Helly Hansen extra warm ski sock. 2) I also have several pairs of Burton snowboard socks. Again...neither one makes any difference with the toes.

 

[altagirl]

Okay - so first rule out boot fit/something hindering your circulation (bulky socks, seams, long underwear, etc.). And if they're only freezing on days when it's below zero, but fine on other days, it's probably not the fit. (Unless you're adding thicker socks, long johns, etc. that might be cutting off circulation).

The only thing that works for me are those disposable heaters (which I put on top of my toes so they don't interfere with my footbed fit) and ultrathin wool socks (like Smartwool liners).

Any socks thicker than a liner sock seem to actually make my feet colder as they interfere with the boot fit and cut off my circulation. Wool does seem to work better for me than other materials though.

I've tried the battery powered heaters and didn't have any better luck with those than with the disposable ones. Plus, the cord irritated the back of my leg and then I lost one of the battery packs one day and never bothered to replace them.

Beyond that, I don't think there's much you can do. Wiggle your toes when you get a chance, and make sure your boots are warm and dry when you put them on. That can also be an issue. I have a DryGuy boot dryer that circulates warm air to get all the moisture out of the boots. And then I stick my boots under the floor vents on the car floor for the trip up the mountain and put them on immediately.

I've only had one or two days where my feet still got cold with all of that, and it's usually related to waiting in line for 1-2 hours before the lifts open in extremely cold temperatures. And I think at some point, you're just going to get cold no matter what, unfortunately.

 

[Little Lightning]

I can't ski without my Hottronics heaters. Installed properly you do not feel the cables.

My new ones have a clip that attaches to my power strap. It holds the battery pack securely.

They don't keep you feet overly warm, just enough heat to keep the frozen toes away.

I wear smart wool socks, light layer but still need my heaters. I think some people just have naturally cold feet. Strange thing is my hands are rarely cold.

 

[skigrl27]

In all ski sock discussions, it seems the SmartWool socks reign supreme. Luckily, my mom bought me some for Christmas & I'll be getting them this weekend. I'm hoping this solves the frozen foot problem.

What's strange is - when they freeze initially...I usually take a break inside somewhere & warm them up. Then they are good to go for the rest of the day. I also always try to get my boots warm before putting my feet in...

Let's hope its the socks!!

 

[altagirl]

I can't ski without my Hottronics heaters. Installed properly you do not feel the cables.

My new ones have a clip that attaches to my power strap. It holds the battery pack securely.

They don't keep you feet overly warm, just enough heat to keep the frozen toes away.

I wear smart wool socks, light layer but still need my heaters. I think some people just have naturally cold feet. Strange thing is my hands are rarely cold.

Yeah, I know people who love the hottronics heaters - I just didn't. I had to mess with the cable installation a bunch and only really need to use heaters on a hadful of days anyway, so the hassle to benefit ratio just wasn't there for me. Mine also clipped to the power strap on the boots, but somehow one day I managed to knock one off and lost it. No idea how, but that was the end of that. (I'm probably the only klutz that can pull that off). If it was a matter of that being the only heater option, I'd do it rather than suffer cold feet. I just find the disposable ones are just as effective for me.

 

[Lori_K]

Consider Boot Gloves as an option as well. https://www.rei.com/pwr/product-reviews/Skiing/Ski-Boots/Ski-Boot-Accessories/p/679011-Boot-Glove.html

I have a pair of these, bought at the ski shop last year. Only worn them a couple times, but they keep my toes warm when everyone else on the lift is complaining. The added bonus is that they keep snow out of the boots, so the liners stay dry too.

 

[badger]

my piggies are cold too!

I have new boots this year. Been to a bootfitter; drove 12 hours to get there, spent four more. Excellent fit. However the boot is skimpy on comfort as it is a junior race boot. ( size issue...) Not only is the agressive lean on this boot fatiguing, but i discovered that because there is so little padding in the liner or underfoot that the balls of my feet hurt and become numb. Hence, the toes getting frigid as well. I wear a very thin sock. Smartwool intrigues, but I find that any wool product--even fine merino--simply itches too much.
Never thought about the warmers, but this year may be the time to pick up a few packets! Now if i could just get the balls of my feet padded a little.

 

[abc]

What's strange is - when they freeze initially...I usually take a break inside somewhere & warm them up. Then they are good to go for the rest of the day. I also always try to get my boots warm before putting my feet in...

I believe it's a circulation issue.

I had that with my older boots. I had to take one run, go inside, take the boot for a couple minute, put it back on. The rest of the day would be fine.

My theory: the boot was cutting off circulation. Because once I took the boots off, I could feel the blood rush back into my feet. And once that happened, I can put the boot back on and buckle it as tight as I want...

Try jump up and down or run around a bit before you put on your boots and see if that helps. Or, leave the buckles un-done for the first run.

I do the un-buckle thing with my new boot. And so far it doesn't have that problem (though it has OTHER issues).

 

[cosmogirl]

It's already been suggested, but, I agree, smart wool works for me too!

 

[tradygirl]

I believe it's a circulation issue.

I do the un-buckle thing with my new boot. And so far it doesn't have that problem (though it has OTHER issues).

On really cold days, I do this too. Try unbuckling your boots on the lift rides up - that's when my feet seem to get the coldest. Usually by the time I get to the top, my toes have warmed back up. I think there's something about having your legs dangling off a chair with heavy skis that cuts off the circulation even more.

(Whoo hoo! 200th post)

 

[IttyBittyBetty]

Try Telemarking!

My feet used to get really cold while alpine skiing. It's one of the reasons I switched to snow boarding after many years of alpine skiing; my feet got so darn cold in those alpine boots. Snowboard boots are warmer that alpine boots for sure. Then I tried telemark skiing! That keeps my feet the warmest of all. Telemark boots allow you (require you) to articulate your foot at the ball of your toes, so you keep the blood pumping in your feet. I think if you could move your toes that much in alpine boots, the boots would be too big.

All the other points are excellent too: make sure your boot liners are dry; get custom fitted boot liners and wear thin wool socks.

 

[altagirl]

That's definitely true - telemarking does keep your feet warm since your foot flexes in the boot and you can't help but stay warmer because you're actually moving your foot and bending it so much more.

I'm just not good enough at telemarking to do it all the time.

 

[persee]

Well I can tell you that when my toes/feet get cold it's not a matter of my socks/boots not being warm enough, or cutting off my circulation. I simply have poor circulation to my extremities. I find however that I have fewer problems in my ski boots than in other footwear... maybe because the posture and edge pressure application force my blood to circulate down there more. On the otherhand once it hits a certain temp, no matter what gloves I'm wearing my hands just freeze. I end up pulling my fingers into the body of my gloves while riding the lift to keep them from getting too numb. I hate mittens, so I wont' be trying this. I can mostly cope by the technique I described above.

 

[Robyn]

My aunt just told me today that she has found those one use warmer things in a version that is an entire foot bed. She has very cold toes and she really like these.

 

[num]

How'd the smartwools work out?

I agree with those who have said to watch out for bunching or seams causing trouble. I can't stand anything that isn't ultra thin in my ski boots; it's funny how counterintuitive the whole ski sock thing is.

 

[volklgirl]

If it's under 30deg and I'll be skiing for more than an hour (or standing around on race days for ANY amount of time), I always use Toastie Toes applied to the inside of the liner above my toes. Their full surface sticky stuff means they don't curl up when I stick my foot in the boot and my toes stay toasty for up to 5 hours!

My aunt just told me today that she has found those one use warmer things in a version that is an entire foot bed. She has very cold toes and she really like these.

Hubby has diabetes causing failing circulation so he tried these last year and hated them. He didn't really say why, but he went back to Toastie Toes instead.

 

[HotChocolate]

https://www.rei.com/pwr/product-reviews/Skiing/Ski-Boots/Ski-Boot-Accessories/p/679011-Boot-Glove.html

I have the boot gloves also like Lori_K, and have been using them for 3 seasons now, they are wonderful! I believe I paid $20.00 for them. Before purchasing them I was the lady in the bathroom heating and drying out her boot bladders under the hand dryer.

I also keep them stashed under my dashboard with the heat on until I get to the mountain, never put your boots in the trunk. I take my bladders out each night and make sure they dry completely. That is the one important component for me to keep my feet dry and warm on consecutive skiing days.

 

[altagirl]

If it's under 30deg and I'll be skiing for more than an hour (or standing around on race days for ANY amount of time), I always use Toastie Toes applied to the inside of the liner above my toes. Their full surface sticky stuff means they don't curl up when I stick my foot in the boot and my toes stay toasty for up to 5 hours!


Hubby has diabetes causing failing circulation so he tried these last year and hated them. He didn't really say why, but he went back to Toastie Toes instead.

Yeah, the first time I tried the sticky disposable heater packs, I actually stuck it to the top of my toes on my ultrathin ski sock, then wore a knee high nylon on top to keep it in place. But after that one experiment day, I realized I can just stick it to the top of my ski sock and 99% of the time, get my foot in there without it peeling off or shifting around. The one or two times it didn't stay put, it went in right on the second attempt.

I'd just worry that the full length ones have to go under your foot, and that wouldn't feel the same as my custom footbeds. Plus, really it's my toes that freeze first.

 

[ski chick]

That's a great tip altagirl. Putting the heater on top of toes. I'll try it.

I have a friend who works so hard to keep her feet dry when she's skiing she actually puts antipersperant (sp?) on her feet just before she puts on her boots.

I also realized that I shouldn't wear my ski socks to the mountain. My feet sweat in the car and then get cold. When I realized what was happening after so many years I felt silly- why didn't I think of this before??

 

[volklgirl]

Actually, the antipersperant really works! Get the cheapest spray stuff you can find and spray the bottom of your feet before putting your socks on. They should stay nice and dry for hours.

I also realized that I shouldn't wear my ski socks to the mountain. My feet sweat in the car and then get cold. When I realized what was happening after so many years I felt silly- why didn't I think of this before??

You'd be surprised how many do this and don't realize that's part of the reason their feet get cold.