Electric Socks

[john in la]

My son got a job working in a negative 20 degrees freezer.
The company gave him a pair of refrigiwear boots.
Even with these boots and 2 pair of wool socks he is still complaining his toes are cold.
He ask me for advise on maybe trying some battery heated socks.
Having no experience with these temperatures I told him I would ask you guys.

So are battery heated socks worth the cost and what brand would you recommend.
Any other advise you can give him for dealing with extreme cold.

A friend of his recommended a pair of SNOW DEER socks but at $80 a pair he is kinda on the fence.
He does not have a problem spending the $80 if he knew they will really work.

 

[MSD]

Shoes make a big difference and pour blood circulation can cause cold feet also. Dressing warm will also help.

 

[504]

I would buy the heated socks,coat and hat!But that is just me. I am only outside for maybe an hour at a time so I can get by, but cold feet are not good.

 

[buickanddeere]

Wear a warm hat that covers the ears and neck .
Insulated insoles in the boots .

 

[Janicholson]

mickey mouse boots. cheap and permanent. Jim

 

[mechanicfred]

Having worked right on the Arctic Ocean for 35 years all I can say is my feet were happy when I left for good!
Mickey Mouse Boots,Bunny Boots what ever you want to call them are about as good as it gets. You have to get them dried out every night and keep your feet from sweating.

 

[Tom in TN]

John,

Unfortunately, I can't recommend a specific brand. I've had two pairs of heated socks over the years. My first pair actually used a D cell battery that was in a pouch at the top of the socks. It was high enough that the battery was above the top of my boots. That style was not very desirable.

The pair that I have and use now, has little lithium ion 3.7 volt rechargeable batteries. They, too, fit into little pockets at the top of the socks, but they are so much smaller than the old D cell style, that I don't even notice that I have them on. They have three different heat levels but I always use them on the highest heat level.

I'm a sissy when it comes to cold weather. I only wear them when the temperature is going to be 20 degrees or less. They help, they are not a be all end all when it comes to cold feet. A better man than I am would probably find them to be excellent, but I ain't that man.

Good luck on your decision.

Tom in TN

 

[cjunrau]

tell him to eat more peppers. it does thin your blood and seem to work for me.

 

[ss55]

Check out snowmobile clothes: Dennis Kirk for one
https://www.denniskirk.com/snowmobile/apparel

There is an old adage: If your feet are cold, put on a hat! It is very true.

 

[SDE]

I saw a SHOW ON tv WHERE A GUY WAS ASSEMBLING NUTS AND BOLTS WHILE IN a freezer. When his electric vest was on his hands were warm enough to do the job. When the vest was turned off, his hands got cold and he had difficulties with the assembling. He may WANT TO TRY TO KEEP HIS CORE HEATED BETTER. OOPS

 

[kcm.MN]

John, I'm from SE Texas and now in one of the coldest parts of the Plains states. He needs shoes or boots that are looser fitting. If they are snug, there is no room for air to circulate, his feet will sweat and he will be cold. Better to have feet cool and dry than wet and cold.

The other part is acclimation. First time I experienced REAL cold, I was ill prepared. Now, I rarely wear anything but summer shoes and socks. Only if the temps are below -20F or if I have to deal with snow do I put on winter boots. My wife, on the other hand, was born up here, but is cold all the time after getting sick our first year together. I think the only thing that kept her out of ER was getting her into a nice, hot tub to soak in. But she has been cold-natured ever since.

 

[mjsnodgrass]

i've always worn silk sock liners under my wool socks. they provide insulation between foot and sock i guess. they work great for me. they are also made in nylon. those don't seem to work as well for me. good luck.

 

[Olliejunkie]

I would check out the warming store. I got an electric vest from them and love it. Someone on here suggested using antiperspirant on my feet but I never tried it.

 

[Majorman]

Silk is what the fighter pilots of world war two wore under their flying suits in Spitfires and Hurricanes. I wear silk vests and long johns if working outside on machinery in winter. I would certainly try silk socks under the wool ones.

 

[Bruce from Can.]

You dont tell us what he does in the freezer. Is he riding a fork lift? Or doing things like repairs?
We get stretchs of cold most winters with that kind of cold. Some folks cant take it no matter what they are wearing or doing for a prolonged period. I have very good circulation and can stay out for hours with just a pair of socks and rubber boots, but my sons have to have two pairs of socks and insulated boots and are still cold. Dry feet is probably the best answer to staying warm. If I wear insulated boots, I soon have sweaty feet, and once my socks are wet, my feet get cold.

 

[Stroby]

It would seem his fellow employees would be the best resource.

 

[caterpillar guy]

Like Bruce said keeping feet dry is the key. If his are getting wet from the wool socks he needs to change his set up. Put something to wick the moisture away from his feet. The wool will keep them warm wet. That is what wool does keeps warm even wet. You don't say if he needs to have a Steel toe or not. With steel toes he might try those composite ones. Steel will soak the heat away all day long. He might also try some of the various brands of Muck style boots. The ones I've had were good at keeping my feet warm in snow and wet conditions. For dry conditions I use leather shoes with no insulation and rubber soles. Neoprene and other such materials can and will if not a good barrier between will soak heat out the soles. Look for shoes /boots and other clothes from northern climates. I've seen the so-called winter clothes they sell down south for winter and they are the ones we see for spring summer or fall. Like the Arctic coat from Carhartt have a black lining in then and fee like a heavy blanket. As apposed to the red or flannel lining they sell down there. Have him look around at some different clothing sites for what I mean. Walls has a Blizzard Proof line to be along the line of the arctic line from Carhartt. If running a forklift put a seed sack or some kind of barrier between his feet and the platform. I used to have some trouble with that on tractors in winter on steel floor put a seed sack or 2 down and that ended. was just a paper sack with several layers in but cut the flow of heat loss.

 

[Geo-TH,In]

This may sound weird.

If my feet get cold in the winter it's because my feet sweat, shoes trap the moisture, my socks get wet and water is not an insulator.

My noon, I have to change socks and shoes..

I think they make artic boots that somehow transfer moisture out of the boot..

Ask if your son's socks are wet??

 

[Tony in SD]

One of the biggest mistakes made by someone with cold toes is that they dont keep their legs warm. Warm blood is what warms his toes. If the blood cools while flowing down his legs, HIS TOES HAVE ZERO CHANCE OF KEEPING WARM. He needs a good pair of thermal longjohns such as UnderAumor or equivalent, and insulated bib overalls such as Carhartt with a BLACK liner (they have red & black liners, black is warmer) or equivalent. Wool socks as close to 100% as you can get. Wool wicks moisture from the feet to keep them dry. Polyester does not. And a pair of high top (16) insulated boots with removable liners. The liners should be removed every night to let the liners and boot dry.
I grew up on a farm in northern South Dakota and work outside with a blowing wind in deep freezer temperatures, so I do know how to keep warm. Personally ,I have never had good luck with heated clothing. But I gave up on it 40 years ago. It may have improved by now.
Good luck to your boy Hope this helps him.

 

[Ron Muhlenkamp]

If your feet are cold, put on a hat. . It took me a long time to believe this old saying. I now think of my body as a furnace of limited capacity. My brain directs the heat with something like the following priorities: Trunk (heart and blood flow), Head (the brain will protect itself, but sacrifice the ears and nose), Arms and Legs, Fingers and Toes and Ears and Nose are Expendable.

 

[Dune Country]

[What about those little hand warmer packets, I put them in my boots when I'm out in the cold.

 

[J.Wondergem]

If his feet sweat at all, they will get cold no mater what he wears. I have electric socks that make my feet sweat then they get cold.

 

[Bill(Wis)]

Do as Jim says. These are advertised as Military surplus but New. With valve. $149.95. They'll solve his problem for once and for all.

 

[Bill(Wis)]

That was the old trick lumberjacks and others who worked out in the cold used to do. Back before WWII (The Big One) when men wore silk dress stockings. When they began to show wear they would wear them under wool socks. The silk draws moisture away from the body and transfers it to wool which will keep you warm no matter if it is wet or dry. They then put on wool felt boots and topped that off with rubber buckle up work boots.

 

[BarnyardEngineering]

Electric socks are a government boondoggle. We don't have the infrastructure to charge electric socks. Electric socks create more pollution than internal combustion socks. Electric socks don't have the same range as internal combustion socks. What happens when you run out of electricity in your fancy electric socks? Will we see you setting beside the road with a gasoline generator charging your electric socks? At least with internal combustion socks you can just put more fuel in and keep going.

 

[JMOR]

" My first pair actually used a D cell battery that was in a pouch at the top of the socks. It was high enough that the battery was above the top of my boots. That style was not very desirable. "....pretty much my experience, too. If I had not have put them on myself, I would have never known they were there.....I never felt the "heat".

 

[PJH]

BarnyardEngineering - you have this place
figured out. My laugh for the morning.

 

[drummer481]

Mickey Mouse boots or government surplus insulated boots with a liner, cheap on eBay and they are usually made in USA.

 

[Duner Wi]

I have had 2 pair electric.
First one 50 years ago used 9 volt exterior battery.
Not fun buying batteries and not fun walking on wires.
Second was inner soles with built in rechargeable batteries. This pair worked fine but ran out of juice before end of day plus one quit taking a charge before cold weather was done for season. I did like the inner sole if you find them that last 10 hours on a charge. If he finds something that he likes and last 8-10 hour please post back what it is.I will be in the market again come cold weather in WI.

 

[Janicholson]

Pouring water into the top of Mickey Mouse boots will not make them cold at all. The insulation is contained away from your feet.
I have stood in freezing water all work day with wet socks. Not cold. Took them off and my socks steamed in the air. They are the
real thing!!! Jim

 

[Johnhof]

Perfect

 

[Doug Wi]

All the comments prove that everyones metabolism is different. I get cold feet easily. I have had several pairs of heated socks of different brands. When they work they do the job, but have had very poor luck with durability. Either batteries don't take a charge , or hold a charge or the heating element in the sock must short out cause they don't heat with a known good battery installed. Paid up to $150 a pair for them. I feel there are better options.

 

[Pete in Holland MI]

Boy Scout cold weather training really stressed keeping hydrated, even over hydrated. Its really easy to get dehydrated in cold climates cause you generally don't sweat & feel hot. A dehydrated body shrinks its capillaries due to reduced fluids in the body. Smaller capillaries transmit less blood, thus heat.

 

[Check Break]

Check out Wiggys.com. His lamilite socks and pack boot liners move moisture from your sock/foot to the outside of the sock/liner, keeping your feet warm. It's what Alaskans and the AK military wear to avoid frostbite.

 

[Texasmark]

Besides what you said, 20% of your body heat radiates from your head. A good insulated cap prevents that.