Cold and freezing feet are a common problem on the ski slopes. Henrik Enarsson works as a boot fitter in a major sport shop and is an expert on ski boots. He has encountered many customers with toes frozen stiff.
- Cold feet is a classic problem, one of the most common, he says.
According to Henrik Enarsson, the most frequent mistake is that skiers put on too many socks.
- The sock is the least important. The warmth does not come from the thickness of the sock, but warmth comes from good fit. The most important is to find a ski boot that fits well on the foot without pinching and keeps the blood flowing, he explains.
Too many layers of socks would lead to tighter boots which in its turn leads to cold toes. But this is not the whole truth; cold feet could also mean that your boots are too big.
- If your boots are too big you will keep pinching your toes and tightening your feet and thereby hampering the blood circulation, says Henrik.
It is essential to find boots that fit well in order to avoid cold feet. But how do you go about finding well-fitting equipment?
- It is important to have a good properly designed insole and that the boot is formed to the right fit. You want a boot which fits snugly on the foot without pinching, Henrik says.
In cases when nothing else helps you can install battery-driven heaters for your boots. These heaters will work with any kind of boots and you simply switch on the power underneath your feet when your toes start to feel cold.
Henrik’s five best hints for warm feet on the slopes:
- Find ski boots which fit snugly on your feet. In order to achieve the best shape – bring the boot to a good sports shop and ask them to form it after your feet.
- Make sure you have a good-quality specific insole in your boots. Visit a well-assorted ski shop where you can get help shaping and forming an insole to fit your feet.
- Remove the inner boots after skiing and leave them out to dry during the night to wick away the condensation built up during skiing. This way the risk of you feeling cold the next day will be reduced.
- Always wear a pair of thin and good ski-specific socks. It is important that the socks can ’breathe’ so make sure the material is synthetic or wool.
- Install heaters in your boots. Well-stocked sports shops will provide these heater plates that are placed underneath the soles and connected to a small battery pack which is strapped on the exterior of the boots.