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Therm-ic Supermax Footwarmers
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Upside: Cozy toes so you can ski all day in any climate. Downside: Public ridicule by posers and no rapid battery charge. Rating: ^^^^ (4 out of 5 peaks) Ideal User: Skiers and snowboarders who dare to go out in super cold weather.
I was an idiot. Could I really justify the cool factor in exchange for comfort? Picking up a pair of the Therm-ic Supermax boot heaters was the best decision I have made since swapping straight skis for shaped. Immediately, the hardcore skiers at Snowbird began giving me grief. As if I was somewhat less of a skier because I wanted warm feet. They could all kiss my cold toes. The ultimate solution to cold feet is as simple as sliding the switch a notch to the right. The footwarmers use an ultra thin, microprocessor-controlled heating element that is fixed to the top surface of the boot insole in the forefoot/toe area. A microprocessor board, which is located in a rechargeable Nickel Cadmium (NiCd) battery pack regulates the power supply to the system. The patented Impulse Control (IC) technology transfers electricity to the heating element in short impulses. These short impulses (fractions of seconds) stimulate circulation in addition to transferring heat. It may sound like something an elixir salesman might spout but the technology works. So long as I remember to charge my batteries, I never suffer from cold feet and my friends don’t suffer from my whining. How do they compare to Hotronic boot heaters? Therm-IC heating elements are larger in surface area and use a three-point electronic contact design to radiate heat more efficiently. With the custom model, two heat elements fit to the top of your custom insoles and are covered by a thin layer of soft, self-adhesive Cambrelle to avoid direct skin to heat contact. A flat cord runs under the sole, out to the outside of the liners and the top of the boots and ending in a plug attached to two rechargeable NickelMH batteries. You don’t feel a thing - except warmth. (The Supermax Classic comes with two insoles with the element installed.) The low profile battery packs fit to the top of ski boots and all other kinds of boots. They are slimmer and less likely to get caught on chairlifts and lost. They are also extremely durable, shock proof and water resistant. The batteries are designed to produce higher voltage which produces a more efficient heat distribution and longer heating times. In addition, They’re easier to recharge. The Supermax charger comes complete with auto-discharge for foolproof, optimum battery life and performance. There’s no more having to drain your batteries before charging. The charger does it for you. Once charged, the batteries last up to 18 hours on the low setting (99F), 8.5 hours on medium (113F) and 3 hours on high (158F). They really do last all day on the low setting. When I feel a chill, I turn it up to a higher evel for a few minutes then switch back to the lower setting. I only wish it didn’t take all night (7-9 hours) to recharge. If you’re forgetful, like myself, trying to charge your batteries the morning of a super chilly ski day won’t get you anywhere. I still worry that the steel reinforced cable and plug coupling might not last but so far so good and the warranty covers that issue should it arise. My friends can rib me all they want. My ego can take it and now my feet can too. FYI, Therm-IC was the original creator of Hotronics before they sold the name and device to another company. Unwilling to let their designs die, Therm-IC started making their own boot heaters to compete against their brainchild. Therm-ic Supermax Footwarmer. $179.95. www.therm-ic.com. phone: 1-800-775-8100 — Reviewed & Written by Jill Adler, MountainZone.com | |
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The temperatures dipped below 20 degrees F. I could feel my toes turning white. The Grabber disposable Toe Heaters had lost their spark and I struggled between the choice of crying from the pain or sitting in the lodge on a beautiful powder day. I had to bow out knowing that permanent frostbite would make my feet more sensitive and susceptible to future cold days. Since the circulation in my extremities already sucks, I couldn’t take any chances. Why didn’t I have boot heaters? Because many of my ski clients at Deer Valley Resort use them and I would be admitting I wasn’t tough like a "real" skier.
