Heated Socks – Best Winter Gear for Toasty Feet
Have you seen a frozen toe – one that’s so white it looks dead? That’s been the state of my husband’s toes in short order on every winter outing for years. After a 10 day winter trip to Ontario and Quebec I knew we had to find something that would solve the problem. John needs toasty feet on frosty days – and heated socks seems to be the only way to go.
His problem stemmed from working up north and seriously freezing his toes many years ago. It takes next to nothing to freeze them now – and temperatures don’t even have to be that cold.
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For downhill skiing, he invested in boot heaters a few years ago but they’re not transferable between different types of footwear. I asked cross-country ski shops last year if they had any products and always got a resounding no. I figured we’d have to cough up $450 to have someone customize his cross-country ski boots.
Heated socks make all the difference on frosty days
Then in November, my brother mentioned he’d seen heated socks at an outdoor store. I beetled over and had a look. The salesperson said they primarily carried heated socks for women (a little condescendingly I might add) but they did have a few men’s socks in the system.
The heated socks are manufactured by Lenz in Austria. I’m surprised we have to buy them from overseas considering our cold winters in Canada. But we do. I ordered a pair from MEC at the time, knowing I could return them if there were any problems. Considering they’re $300, that gave me some piece of mind.
The heated socks have been a great success
The night before we head out on an outdoor adventure, John plugs in the rechargeable batteries. From experience now, I’d say he gets about eight hours out of a charge, when it’s on the low setting. There are three settings in total – that can be controlled with BlueTooth technology if desired.
What a difference a pair of socks make
The heated socks work like a charm, especially since the heating coils go under the big toe and cover almost all of the foot bed.
The batteries attach to a small receptacle on the sock. After you attach the batteries, flip over the upper two inches of the sock to keep them in place. The batteries are very lightweight and don’t interfere at all with movement.
Despite the high price, this is $300 that is well invested. On a -20°C day, his feet were entirely comfortable. He now talks about using the socks for outdoor hockey and snowshoeing.
According to the Lenz website, the socks are made with merino wool and silk so they feel good next to the skin. They’re quick drying and odourless.
Where to buy heated socks
The biggest problem with these socks is finding a pair. MEC no longer carries them but you can buy them for $210 on Amazon here.
If you have suffered from cold feet, and perhaps tried those toes warmers with moderate success, then this is one product that you might find very useful.
This post is not a sponsored post. I just wanted to share John’s experience with this fantastic product. And maybe someone in Canada can come up with a less expensive version.
Further reading on outdoor winter adventures
- Johnston Canyon Ice Walk in Banff National Park
- A Winter Visit to Mont Tremblant Quebec
- 20 Plus Fantastic Things to Do in Jasper in Winter
- Ice Walks in Alberta – 4 Unforgettable Experiences
- 87 Fabulous Things to Do in Canada in Winter
Hello,
The socks are now priced at $350 for V1 to $390 for V5 at MEC and I really haven’t seen them for less anywhere else… I am wondering if the socks have held up to use and laundering and are still functioning properly?
Surprisingly, reviews seem few and far between.
Thanks,
Stephen
@Stephen They are still the go-to socks for my husband and he swears by them. I have had offers to try – and haven’t yet ThermaCell heated insoles – activated via Bluetooth. You can get more information on those ones here.
I have the same question as Michele – how are these things to wash? It’s a lot of money to chip out, but if they work it would be worth it.
I need to buy these for my husband. Are they easy to wash with the wires running through them?
@Michele Stay tuned – that’s what I’ll try tomorrow – tho figure they have to be. The wires are all well covered.
Wow, that is quite a price tag! But, well worth the dough to keep feet warm in our cold climate, especially when spending winter days outside skiing and so on. I am surprised at the lack of manufacturers making these in Canada!