I'm getting cold feet.............

...... or more correctly, cold toe,s when I'm out riding this time of year. Never used to be a problem, but I guess it's that getting old thing.

So I'm looking at heated insoles or heated socks. First Gear has some reasonably priced socks that they say concentrate the heat on the toes. I like the idea of insoles as they can stay in my boots and are there when ever I feel I need them, no forethought required, but I'm not sure if I need my whole foot heated. I can easily sew a harness into my pants so that I'm ready for either.

What is you experience?

No experience with First Gear heated stuff, just Gerbing clothes (socks included). I live in a warmer climate and you do so I don't need them that often, but when I do, they are very warm.

Maybe try some wool socks over regular socks.might save some $$ if it works for you,seems to help me.

I have the cold feet problem and found toe warmers such as Hot Hands or Grabber work great. I can last a few years buying these for what heated insoles or heated socks cost. Not to mention where do you find someone who will darn the holes in heated socks?

when i rode, i used to wear tennis shoes. The wind would bother my feet.
Since then, i switched over to thicker socks and steel toe shoes.
now, its fine.

ken

Since I don't take long cold rides often I've done like Fuzzy and used toe warmers with good socks.

hojo said:

No experience with First Gear heated stuff, just Gerbing clothes (socks included). I live in a warmer climate and you do so I don't need them that often, but when I do, they are very warm.

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First Gear heated stuff is made by Warm and Safe. Warm and Safe also makes some, not all, of the electric fittings for Gerbing, also. All three brands are very good quality. With a good controller all three will keep you at the temperature you want to be at.

Get some Helly Hanson socks and good leather boots with a bit of room in them and your cold feet troubles will be over. Wool is my second pick. You need material that will insulate when wet and wick the moisture away from your feet. If your boots fit to tightly around your toes your socks can't do the work of keeping your feet dry. For really long rides, wear a waterproof sock inside an insulated sock. Even if your feet sweat the insulated sock stays dry and does its work. Take it from a guy who used to survey in the Canadian winter. Heated socks are probably more trouble than they are worth in my opinion.

Here's a cheap fix that works.

Put on a pair of socks, then put on a carrier bag over each foot, then a second pair of socks, done.

This is a old trick I have had to use before, when you have no other clothing with you. Stop at grocery store, buy four lofts of bread. Throw the bread away, and put your hands and feet in the plastic bread sacks. Put any other clothing you have over your hands and feet. Keeps you dry and warm. Coming back from Sturgis one year, with no winter clothing, it snowed and none of us had winter clothing. Kept us warm enough until we got back further south.

As much as I like low tech, read cheap, solutions, this cold finger and toes thing is a recent phenomena for me. In my younger days, I snowmobiled all winter and often rode my bike in some seriously cold weather. But that was 40 years ago and I was much younger. I've also sailed across the North Pacific twice in my bare feet.

I still ride all winter, but I now live in a much warmer (for Canada) climate. I have several pairs of high tech socks made from everything from organically raised sheep in New Zealand, to some sort of Nasa approved synthetic stuff. They are warmer than regular old wool work socks, but after a couple of hours my toes are not happy. The blood just does not circulate there as well as it used to. Also I seem more sensitive to being cold. I've been very cold many times in my past adventures, but it never stopped me. I could ignore it a continue, now it really bothers me.

Heated grips and Hippo Hands have cured my fingers, but now my toes are screaming for the same luxury. So I need to add some warmth to them as they do not generate enough heat to capture and keep themselves comfy.

Good, waterproof Goretex boots help a lot. After that, heated socks. They make some that run on batteries, or you can get the powered variety.

Does not have to be complicated or expensive. Stop by Canadian Tire and pick up a couple pair of toe warmers to try. By the time you get heated gear for you feet you can spend a couple hundred including controller. If battery powered they won't be charged when you need them. If you try them and don't like them you are only out a couple bucks.

I have Gerbing heated jacket and gloves. I love them but tried the toe warmers and since they are cheap and work I can't justify the heated socks or insoles.

I made some of these pocket socks,you don't have to use wool.I came up with the idea when I use to deer hunt.http://www.amazon.com/Heat-Factory-Merino-Pocket-Warmers/dp/B0049HVWIE

First Gear heated stuff is made my Warm and Safe. Good brand. Electrics have life time warranty. I just ordered a jacket and single controller. I got the single b/c I used heated grips and don't anticipate needing leg/foot stuff. When it is that cold, I stay home.

Fuzzy said:

Stop by Canadian Tire and pick up a couple pair of toe warmers to try.

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Strange, an American having knowledge of Canadian Tire but I do recall you use to live up here. Why would you ever leave? Oh yeah, WINTER SUCKS!

Fuzzy said:

Does not have to be complicated or expensive. Stop by Canadian Tire and pick up a couple pair of toe warmers to try. By the time you get heated gear for you feet you can spend a couple hundred including controller. If battery powered they won't be charged when you need them. If you try them and don't like them you are only out a couple bucks.

I have Gerbing heated jacket and gloves. I love them but tried the toe warmers and since they are cheap and work I can't justify the heated socks or insoles.

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^^^^This. Quick, easy, cheap and it works. I also have Gerbings jacket liner and gloves but for my toes, the disposable toe warmers do just fine.

I would go for the heated socks. I have the ones from warmnsafe and have been using them through at least 3 winters now with no problems. I had two pairs of Keis insoles but both of them failed - easy to understand why when you think about your weight pressing on the circuitry as you walk. Also on our type of bike (as opposed to a feet forward cruiser), the tops of the toes are presented to the wind flow, and the heated pad in the socks are on the top of the toes.
I have in the end bought the most sophisticated kit possible from W&S (jacket, pants, socks and wireless dual controller). I bought Gerbing gloves to go with the stuff but really only because I needed to try the gloves on and did so at the UK bike exhibition.
The whole kit makes me WANT to go out in the winter - Saturday was a beautiful riding day but the temperature was minus 2 deg C.
Mike

Heated insoles and socks are also on my list of potential buys, however I've got a long list ahead of them, and more list than money.

Going to toss out a suggestion that might help, higher up on my list I have highway pegs... Now this will depend a lot on your shoes, but most shoes are designed with a seamless sole on the bottom, and some amount of seams on the top (so the shoe can close up around your foot) changing the angle of your foot to the wind can keep cold air from leaking into the shoe, if you put your soles towards the wind you'll have a layer of rubber, then a layer of fabric/insulation then a layer of foam insole, and then your socks before the cold air hits you... (instead of a layer with seams of gortex, then a small layer of fabric/insulation, and then your sock.)

That's the theory at least, I've not tried it in practice (highway pegs still a ways down on the list) but I've moved my foot around when it's been getting cold and found putting them more sole towards the wind seems to help (though I can't keep them there terrible long with nothing to rest on)

Personally I have highway pegs on my list for comfort (more my wife's comfort than mine, my big feet get in her way when the bags are on the bike (bags off of the bike she gets uncomfortable when ever we lean into a corner and tries to correct for it making it very hard to drive, she won't admit she is doing this, but she doesn't when she has some hard luggage next to her), so if I can move my feet at least some of the time it'll help) but I'm hoping that much like the hand guards (on the list for protection) and the big windshield (on the list because of buffeting) they will help make the bike feel a little warmer in the colder months.

Something to think about at least (particularly if you were already thinking about highway pegs.)

Ruggybuggy said:

Strange, an American having knowledge of Canadian Tire but I do recall you use to live up here. Why would you ever leave? Oh yeah, WINTER SUCKS!

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I went to Grande Prairie, Alberta for a three year assignment. Two main stores in Grande Prairie in the 80s were Zellers and Canadian Tire. Loved it there, but after 3 years got a bit tired of winter. 3 years later went back for another three year assignment. Loved it again but again ready to head south after 3 years. Work for a different company now but would pack up and go again tomorrow with a return ticket in 3 years. I have another year plus total time in Canada on business trips a week or two at a time.