# Toe Warmers



## ohmygato (Mar 8, 2011)

Hello All,

I have a minor circulation problem where my toes go numb pretty easily in cool weather, once it starts dropping into the 40s or so. That numbness will creep up my feet slowly during a ride. I can usually keep the rest of my body parts reasonably warm. I normally wear Sidi Dominator shoes with thick-ish wool socks. Does anyone else have this issue, and if so what do you use to combat it? Are there particular toe warmers or heat packs that have helped?

Thanks,
Dan


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## ltspd1 (Nov 25, 2007)

I have the same circulation problems in my toes. I solved it by getting a cheap pair of Performance shoes that are two sizes larger than I normally wear. That way I can layer several pairs of Smartwool or similar socks, sometimes as many as three. This has pretty much eliminated cold feet. Now, if I could only solve my problem with cold hands. Cheers!


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## TraxFactory (Sep 10, 1999)

Check out the link in my sig, I have been using these for a several years now and they work amazingly well...it may be a good solution for you.


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## detsortehul (Jun 25, 2007)

Try household alu foil. Fold it to several layers and form around your toes as a mitten. It helps.
Try it


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## Legbacon (Jan 20, 2004)

detsortehul said:


> Try household alu foil. Fold it to several layers and form around your toes as a mitten. It helps.
> Try it


I have used small plastic bags over my forefoot but I normally reserve foil for helmet liners.


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## cursor718 (May 4, 2011)

i bought the LG toe covers from pricepoint (on sale for $10) and i think it was worth it. i used them for the first time over thanksgiving weekend on a morning ride when it was 43 degrees and windy in socal. feet felt fine but hands were still a little cold. also wore a headband that covered my ears, knee warmers, jacket and windbreaker.


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## Legbacon (Jan 20, 2004)

43F, so cold😉

Those toe covers go over the shoes? Is so they wouldn't last me a week. So far I'm liking the Hot Sockee as a mtb solution.


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## Arebee (Sep 13, 2012)

I use the "Hot Hands" brand toe warmers with two pairs of socks. I stick the warmers to the bottom of my inner sock, a thin cotton sock, and put a thick wool sock over them. Works well even during single-digit night rides. You can get a pair for less than a buck so I usually get a dozen or so pairs at the start of the winter season.


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## cursor718 (May 4, 2011)

Travis Bickle said:


> 43F, so cold😉
> 
> Those toe covers go over the shoes? Is so they wouldn't last me a week. So far I'm liking the Hot Sockee as a mtb solution.


haha...yup. and that's probably as cold as it gets....and we're freezing!


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## derekbob (May 4, 2005)

40's is cold for me as well. I'm from California, I've been coddled by nice weather. I have been using baggies for a while, I might try the hot sockee.


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## Jayem (Jul 16, 2005)

I live in Alaska, but it can be VERY difficult to keep your feet warm when they are attached to the heat-sinks known as clipless pedals.

I bet if your cycling shoes are indoors and you go touch that metal cleat, it feels cold to the touch.

During a ride, it just sucks heat out of your foot constantly and your body doesn't really send any blood flowing through your foot because it's not really flexing, just your ankle is flexing. So unlike running, there's nothing really forcing warm blood to your toes and ball of the foot.

Even for 50s and 40s, I have to use my Lake 302s. They are adequate down to about freezing for me, then I use shoe covers over them, and most importantly, these: FootWarmer Power Plus S4 Universal and Custom | Hotronic FootWarmers and Dryers | Hotronic - Keeping Feet Warm, Keeping Hands and Feet Dry! the S4 models. They actually work damn good for me and last for hours. Important to start the heat before your feet are cold (so start of a cold ride, not halfway in), but they've been a godsend. Anything you can place at your distal end (like chem heaters) like that will "fool" your body into circulating warm blood through the vessels and arteries. It's not actually warming your whole foot, it's just dilating the arteries, which allows the foot to stay warm.


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## WR304 (Jul 9, 2004)

Winter has a different meaning depending upon where you live. In the Cotswolds it doesn't usually get much colder than -1c / 30f at most during January and February. It's often more like 5c / 41f without much in the way of snow. Compared to Alaska or Canada that's nothing.

The main point I'd make is that if you're currently wearing Sidi Dominator summer shoes the biggest improvement will come from wearing proper winter shoes instead. It isn't even close.

For the last few years I've been wearing Northwave Extreme Winter GTX winter shoes.

https://www.northwave.com/en/product/_extreme_winter_gtx

They work far better than summer shoes with overshoes for warmth, weatherproofing and keeping splashes of water out (they're not completely waterproof as rain can get in around the ankle).

They also have a fairly stiff sole for pedalling (not all winter shoes do). I have my Solestar red carbon fibre insole in there instead of the stock Northwave insole.

https://www.solestar.de/en/products.html

For socks I've been wearing Assos fuguSpeer_s7 socks with the Northwave winter shoes.

https://www.assos.com/en/19/singleProduct.aspx?cat=6,19,31,48&prod=554

One issue with Gore Tex winter shoes is that when wearing normal knitted socks and trying hard the shoes don't breathe. Your feet can end up wet and soggy from sweat within the shoe. The Assos socks are a different type of material to a knitted sock, think a smooth shiny fabric. They have a double covering of windproof layer over the toes. They keep my feet around the right temperature without sweating. If you do get soaked in the rain the Assos socks don't squelch either.

With winter shoes you really need some electric shoe warmers also, in order to preheat them before you set off but also to make sure they are fully dried out before the next day's ride. I have some Sidas drywarmer's which work well.

https://www.sidassport.com/en/our-products/winter-sports/drywamer-89-2.html


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## Jayem (Jul 16, 2005)

WR304 said:


> With winter shoes you really need some electric shoe warmers also, in order to preheat them before you set off but also to make sure they are fully dried out before the next day's ride. I have some Sidas drywarmer's which work well.
> 
> Drywarmer Drying & Cleaning Ski Boots - Conformable - Foot Care & Insole


I just throw them in the oven on warm for 20 minutes for amazing heated-pleasure. I don't do this all the time, but man on a cold ride it helps a lot keeping your blood flowing to your toes.



> Winter has a different meaning depending upon where you live. In the Cotswolds it doesn't usually get much colder than -1c / 30f at most during January and February. It's often more like 5c / 41f without much in the way of snow. Compared to Alaska or Canada that's nothing.


Well, even in Alaska we do plenty of riding right around freezing and above. Even before this, I used to ride down in Arizona in cold and freezing temperatures semi-frequently, but man, if I only had some of the stuff I have now, I could have ridden on those rides with so much comfort. Even at 40F it can be difficult to keep your feet warm with slightly-more-insulated, your foot wont freeze, but you may lose all feeling and it will be painful getting it back (but no lasting effects). Keeping your foot warm on SPDs where you foot doesn't flex due to stiff soles and the heat-sink known as the cleat and pedal are so close to your foot is no small task IME, even down around freezing (rather than much colder temps).


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## WR304 (Jul 9, 2004)

Starting off in warm clothing really does help. Having warm shoes, socks, gloves, neckwarmer, skullcap etc from the beginning of the ride is much nicer than putting on clothes that aren't warmed up.

What I do for morning rides in the winter is to wake up, get out of bed, and then put my cycling kit (socks, bib tights, neckwarmer, skullcap, base layer etc, not cycling shoes! ) under the warm duvet with the hot water bottle to heat up until I'm ready to go. It seems to give a more even warmth through the entire garment than hanging them on a radiator.

I'm a big fan of windproof clothing nowadays. I always used to wear the club training jerseys, roubaix material bib tights etc for winter rides. The cold wind would go straight through those clothes when riding up in the hills, chilling you straight away. The newer cycling kit with windproof panels does a better job. 

On Saturday it was blowing a gale, I think it was supposed to be something like 30 to 50mph winds. I had my Assos fugucap windproof skullcap, Castelli Sorpasso Windstopper bibtights and Endura windproof jacket on. At one point I was riding along this exposed ridge with no shelter and the crosswind was blowing directly from my left. Although I could feel the wind beating against my side it wasn't getting through the windproof layers.

When it comes to MTB cycling shoes the main problem I have is that if the shoe sole is at all flexible I get painful "hot spots" under the ball of my foot from pushing down hard on the small SPD pedal for hours at a time. The Northwave shoe soles aren't quite as stiff as my full carbon soled summer shoe but when combined with the carbon fibre insole they're ok with XT SPD pedals.


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## Miker J (Nov 4, 2003)

My favorite set up are a pair of Five Tens sized to allow a thicker sock. That is good to about 30F. Below that I use adhesive Hot Hands toe warmers. Stick them on top of the toes and feet. Aside from the warmth you wouldn't know they are there. Underfoot they are uncomfortable.


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## J-Flo (Apr 23, 2012)

I use toe warmers whenever it is below 50 as I have cold feet issues too. I have some Bellweather ones that seem to work well. Before that the Castelli toe thingy which was just neoprene and covered too much of the sole but still better than nothing. But the toe warmers don't help much when it is colder or when using road shoes with vents on the soles. 

I've repeatedly tried shoe covers on the theory they would be warmer but they don't seem to work that well -- the bottoms get ripped up by the trail and they cause claminess from retained moisture. They seem about the same as toe covers -- they help some but my feet are still cold. So I finally went and bought a proper pair of winter shoes, Shimano MW81s. Probably will use them for the first time this weekend. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## TraxFactory (Sep 10, 1999)

J-Flo said:


> I use toe warmers whenever it is below 50 as I have cold feet issues too. I have some Bellweather ones that seem to work well. Before that the Castelli toe thingy which was just neoprene and covered too much of the sole but still better than nothing. But the toe warmers don't help much when it is colder or when using road shoes with vents on the soles.
> 
> I've repeatedly tried shoe covers on the theory they would be warmer but they don't seem to work that well -- the bottoms get ripped up by the trail and they cause claminess from retained moisture. They seem about the same as toe covers -- they help some but my feet are still cold. So I finally went and bought a proper pair of winter shoes, Shimano MW81s. Probably will use them for the first time this weekend.


Those MW81 sure do look nice, Jenson has a smoking deal now at $138. If you still end up with cold feet and need some additional insulation you may want to try a neoprene toe sock like mine that goes IN you shoe rather than toe cover that goes outside your shoe.


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## 127.0.0.1 (Nov 19, 2013)

I tape a regular air-activated hard warmer or toe warmer with one piece of scotch tape,
across the tops of my toes, on top of the sock I am wearing, and then slide my foot into 
my boots 

this works great and lasts 3+ hours


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## Scott McIntyre (Oct 29, 2015)

I was have issues with my toes freezing due to cold air flowing through the vents in my SPD shoes. I have a set of shoe covers / overshoes, but they get torn up quickly and don't last. So I decided to give the Traxfactory Hot Sockees a try.








Great product! They are designed to go _over_ your sock and _inside_ your shoe, so they don't wear out like other toe covers. I found them comfortable and they did an excellent job at keeping my feet warm during my frequent night rides in 0°C (32°F) temps. :thumbsup:


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## TraxFactory (Sep 10, 1999)

Scott McIntyre said:


> I was have issues with my toes freezing due to cold air flowing through the vents in my SPD shoes. I have a set of shoe covers / overshoes, but they get torn up quickly and don't last. So I decided to give the Traxfactory Hot Sockees a try.
> 
> Great product! They are designed to go _over_ your sock and _inside_ your shoe, so they don't wear out like other toe covers. I found them comfortable and they did an excellent job at keeping my feet warm during my frequent night rides in 0°C (32°F) temps. :thumbsup:


That is great, I am glad it worked out well for you. What type of socks and shoes are you running?


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## Flamingtaco (Mar 12, 2012)

A Pair of WigWam Alaska's inside Northface Chilkat's work well for my flat pedal riding these days.

In my road cycling hey days (80's, 90's) I tried a few covers for clopless, they all had the same durability issues. Wanting to improve heat retention, I picked up some cheap neoprene covers from performance bicycle to add under my regular shoe covers. Didn't fit like I expected, and I put the neoprene covers over the other ones. The neoprene is a lot more durable than the spec materials in use for most covers. Performance Bicycle no longer carries these, but Aerotech Designs does.

I had some shoe bottom covers sewn up by a tailor shop. I mimicked a helmet cover. Cut a piece of windproff material in the shape of the sole +2" all the way around, except 3" at the front. The shop added a strong stretch band edge all the way around, and a loop at the back. I would put a boot blouse band through the loop and secure it around my ankle with the cover hanging at the back of my shoe. Once clipped in, I would grab the cover, pull it forward under my shoe and cleat, and slip it over the front of the shoe. Knocked down the heat sink effect by about half. Didn't know about the powdered iron packets back then, would be a great place to stick one to kill cold soles.


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## Legbacon (Jan 20, 2004)

Since I picked up some 5-10 Freerider Elements I've had no more cold toes. I live on Vancouver Island so it doesn't get that cold but my shoes with lots of mesh weren't cutting it. The 5-10s are water resistant and roomy enough for good socks. I'm on flats for at least the winter so no more snow stuck in the cleat pockets.


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## Scott McIntyre (Oct 29, 2015)

TraxFactory said:


> Scott McIntyre said:
> 
> 
> > ... So I decided to give the Traxfactory Hot Sockees a try....
> ...



Diadora Jalapeno Shoes (vintage 1999)
T-MAX Heat Socks.
The 40% off Black Friday discount was nice too.


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## richde (Jun 8, 2004)

Travis Bickle said:


> Since I picked up some 5-10 Freerider Elements I've had no more cold toes. I live on Vancouver Island so it doesn't get that cold but my shoes with lots of mesh weren't cutting it. The 5-10s are water resistant and roomy enough for good socks. I'm on flats for at least the winter so no more snow stuck in the cleat pockets.


Winter, or at least cooler temperature shoes, are where it's at.

I got some M081's last year for my Las Vegas acclimated cold tootisies, and they were a game changer for the month or so when it doesn't get over 50 degrees. They're expensive, but get so little wear that they'll last for many winters to come. Totally worth the expense.


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## TiGeo (Jul 31, 2008)

Shoes that aren't tight, thin wool socks, and a set of shoe or toe covers should work for most people for cool temps (40s and above). I just picked up some Specy Element covers and they have a nice durable bottom and should last longer than my last ones that were just neoprene. Most of this stuff is made for roadies (guilty) so the bottoms aren't tough enough to handle hike-a-bike.


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## John (Apr 25, 2004)

YEARS AGO, I purchased true cold weather shoes, the Lake MXZ model. I currently ride the MXZ303 Winter shoe. A good Winter shoe is mostly waterproof. Buy them one European size larger than normal ( I usually fit a 42, so I bought 43's). Use a wool blend sock to take up the extra space, and if it's down below 40°F, then I also stick some toe warmers under the socks. Warm feet, and no frozen toes.

Now if there was a great Winter glove that prevented frozen fingers..... Still searching.


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## MarkMass (Sep 10, 2006)

It got cold enough (40s in the Bay Area) that I ordered a couple sets of the Hot Sockee from TraxFactory. Brrrrr.... I remember riding around the greater Boston area in the 30s and below.

The Sweatbuster has been keeping my head warm even though I bought it to absorb sweat from running down my face! :thumbsup:


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## ohmygato (Mar 8, 2011)

Hey All,

Thanks for the kind responses. I started this thread and then completely dropped out... sorry about that. 

I started using a pair of Planet Bike toe warmers on top of my Sidis and wool socks. This setup is working great so far. I also bought a little skull cap that is keeping my noggin nice and warm. I will check out the other products you guys have mentioned here as well.


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## clewttu (May 16, 2007)

How does the Hot Sockee fit for you guys under your shoes? I worry they might be too snug, but it would be a much preferred alternative to an expensive pair of shoes that I would only get a couple months use out of. Def wont use overshoes again, they just don't last.


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## TraxFactory (Sep 10, 1999)

clewttu said:


> How does the Hot Sockee fit for you guys under your shoes? I worry they might be too snug, but it would be a much preferred alternative to an expensive pair of shoes that I would only get a couple months use out of. Def wont use overshoes again, they just don't last.


You do need a slight amount of wiggle room, if your not on the tight side of fit you should have the lace adjustment to be comfortable. The socks set in after a few rides as they comform to your foot and shoe shape.


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## 06HokieMTB (Apr 25, 2011)

TraxFactory said:


> You do need a slight amount of wiggle room, if your not on the tight side of fit you should have the lace adjustment to be comfortable. The socks set in after a few rides as they comform to your foot and shoe shape.


Hey TraxFactory,

Think the Sockee would work in my wife's ski boots? She's got a little wiggle room.


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## TraxFactory (Sep 10, 1999)

06HokieMTB said:


> Hey TraxFactory,
> 
> Think the Sockee would work in my wife's ski boots? She's got a little wiggle room.


Absolutely, any boot or shoe.

I use them in hiking boots some others have used them in snowboard boots, construction boots. On colder days I put them in my PUMA's...

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