Question: Heated boots vs socks

[CindiSue]

Heated boots saved my ski career many years back! I need new batteries but it seems a lot of people are moving to heated socks instead. What are the pros and cons, other than the obvious, that you can use socks in multiple boots?

Previously I had though socks would be hard to get to the controls, since they are high up on your leg, but I see now you can control them with your phone. Although that might be tough too in the bright sun.

Thanks!

 

[Jilly]

It's washing the socks.....there are reviews out there.

 

[badger]

Heated socks tend to be thicker than you'd expect, even the thinnest ones can alter the fit of your boot. I know lots of people don't have that issue, but when I bought a pair, I had to send them back for that reason.
Boot heaters can be moved from one pair of boots to another quite easily. They are not permanent installations.

Heated socks can be worn in any form of footwear.

 

[badger]

I meant to point out that the footbeds that the heaters are installed upon can be moved. And the heat element is sort of a "permanent" installation.

 

[echo_VT]

I am considering Lenz socks and mitts but they aren’t cheap...! I’ll be paying attention to this thread. Any firsthand experience out there that can share your positive or negative review?

 

[CarverJill]

I'm pretty certain I am going with boot heaters over the socks. Like Jilly said, its the washing. On a ski trip where I bring a pair of socks for each day.......

Maybe I should do some searching or post a thread but does anyone have boot heater recommendations? My boot fit is super tight so I need something that won't affect my boot fit. Is that possible?

 

[MissySki]

I'm pretty certain I am going with boot heaters over the socks. Like Jilly said, its the washing. On a ski trip where I bring a pair of socks for each day.......

Maybe I should do some searching or post a thread but does anyone have boot heater recommendations? My boot fit is super tight so I need something that won't affect my boot fit. Is that possible?

Hotronics! My boot fit is super tight as well and they don’t affect it, I can’t feel them at all.

 

[newboots]

Agreed. Hotronics involve installing an extremely thin metal plate on your (custom or standard) footbed and putting a very thin cover over it. My beloved, Mr. Blizzard, wears tight-fitting Lange or Technica boots and he swears by Hotronics. I just gotta pair and ant feels difference, except in warmth!

 

[badger]

Hotronics. I am in a Junior race boot, low volume fit, 97 last. So you KNOW these are pretty tight.

 

[Jilly]

I have Thermic...my boot fitter dermelled into the custom footbed. I don't feel them or the wires off of them. But they are the older version with big batteries. But since they still work...not changing till.

 

[snoWYmonkey]

Ditto on the hotronics! I place my batteries on the inside as a self teaching tool to keep my legs a few inches apart. Learned to ski the old way, which is not very efficient on newer skis.

 

[edelweissmaedl]

Going to give this thread a bump. Did anyone pull the trigger on heated socks this season? I saw the Lenz socks in person recently, and one of my instructors yesterday had recently purchased them and gave me her thoughts. I like that heated socks have to potential to warm the tops of your feet and not just the bottoms like my boot warmers on my insoles.

In the stock pictures the Therm-it brand socks look thinnest, but I‘m nervous to order pricey socks sight unseen!

@echo_NY did you end up buying the socks or mitts?

 

[kiki]

I have the newer Therm-ic boot heaters that are controlled by Bluetooth from your phone. I love how I can get just the right heat level, and you can’t feel them.

 

[tinymoose]

@CarverJill I don't think you can go wrong with any of the boot heaters. They all seem pretty similar as far as design and installation (Hotronics or Therm-ic). I have Sidas boot heaters and same basic idea... except Sidas purchased Therm-ic, so they're now the same company and they discontinued the Sidas branded boot heaters.

As far as boot heaters go, even if you need to get a new footbed when changing boots, getting replacement heating elements is a fairly cheap fix. The big expense in boot heaters are the batteries.

 

[WaterGirl]

@edelweissmaedl I bought the new Lenz 6.0 and returned. The looked great and they are slim. I returned primarily b/c the small was not small enough. The toe box also seemed to be cut somewhat straight across at the top which left a lot of material above my last two toes. If they made an XS which they do not, it may have worked.

Hotronic has a new sock that is thin and appears to come in a smaller size/ xs.

But after returning a sock that was 1/2 the price of a new boot, I'm thinking I will look at new boots next season. My main cold issue this season I think was coming from a packed out liner/ too tight buckling and closure issues that arose after failed zip fit attempt.

I have new new liners now will see how that goes, thinking about boot gloves in the interim if the new liners aren't warm enough.

 

[edelweissmaedl]

@WaterGirl where did you order from? I think the Lenz 5.0 comes in an extra small as I saw that size in person up in VT. My bootfitter thought they might be too small for me, but interesting to hear from you as I have not had them on my feet. I wear a 22.5 LV boot. What size are you?

 

[WaterGirl]

@edelweissmaedl I ordered the 6.0 compression Lenz in a small from Ski Essentials. The small had been sold out, they were good about emailing me when in came back into stock. I was not happy to pay for return shipping / insurance @$24 bc they don't have option to print return postage like other companies?

I think the 5.0 is thicker from what I understand.

FWIW I'm in Tecnica Mach 1 LV 22.5 (bsl 270). I measure solid 24.+ on one foot/ 23.5+ other.
I have a performance fit.... I guess lol

 

[echo_VT]

Going to give this thread a bump. @echo_NY did you end up buying the socks or mitts?

no sadly I didn’t. I did stare at the lenz at pinnacle ski shop. I have been using toe warmers, boot gloves a lot but it hasn’t helped during the very cold windy days. I keep thinking about doing it

 

[liquidfeet]

@echo_NY, you put toe warmers on top of your socks, at the toes, and boot gloves on top, but your feet are still cold?

I'm wondering if there's a gap in your boot shells that lets air in. The usual spot where this can happen is at the place over the toes where the two flaps of plastic come together.

Some boot models allow air to come in through that spot. In the past Lange race boots were notorious for this problem. On other boots, if you have the toe box punched or ground out, that can mess up the seal and air can come in.

There are things you can do to plug the gap. Do you think this might be a problem with your boots?

The other issue is old toe warmers can lose their oomph. Are your toe warmers from one or two seasons back?

 

[BlueSkies]

The other issue is old toe warmers can lose their oomph. Are your toe warmers from one or two seasons back?

Also toe warmers need enough air to function. In my previous boots the fit was such that they were not getting enough air. They would never really warm up and be cool when I removed my foot but would immediately start warming up after I removed the boots. I found that if I let them warm up for 5-10 minutes before inserting my foot into the boots they worked much better. With the limited air they would start cooling off after about 2-3 hours but could be revived at lunch time.
Of course if they are getting too much air they will initially get quite warm then burnout too quickly.