Support road.cc

Like this site? Help us to make it better.

news

First Look: +Winter Heated Insoles

Is this the best solution to frozen toes?

If cold feet are your weakest link when cycling, and you’ve tried everything to remedy the problem from thicker socks to winter boots, a company called +T might have the solution for you: heated insoles. 

 

The company enjoyed a successful Kickstarter campaign last year for its +Winter heated insoles, and they’re now in production and in our hands; a sample just arrived in the office for review. Before we find the person on the test team with the coldest feet (and a fair few hands have shot up in the air when we asked for a willing volunteer) here’s a quick first look. 

 

 

Inside the soles the company has squeezed a heating element, battery and Bluetooth receiver. It has packaged these gubbins inside the insole without adding a huge amount of thickness, they’re 6mm at their thickest and 2mm at the thinnest section, so they’re really no bigger than your regular insoles. 

Those internal components do up the weight though. They’re 112g for the pair, which compares to about 32g for a pair of regular insoles. But you’re not buying these insoles to save weight now, the aim of the game is warm feet here. 

 

Buyers guide - How to keep you feet warm through winter 

 

Plus-T-Store.com Winter heated insoles and wireless charger - charger.jpg

The insoles are charged via USB lead and charge time is 3.5-hours for each insole, and the runtime is a claimed 5 hours at the lower temperature setting. That’s enough for a decent length Sunday ride or a handful of commutes, depending on distance. It claims the insoles are waterproof, something we’ll find out when we get them out in the rain.

You adjust the temperature setting by pairing the insoles using Bluetooth with your smartphone. A sliding scale lets you easily set the temperature you need so you can tailor them to suit the conditions. 

 

They sound amazing, any downsides?

 

Well, there is the small matter of the price. They’re a not insubstantial £120. But what price for warm tootsies? 

And the insoles aren’t suitable for running or jumping, so cyclocross use is out of the question. They are also sensitive to being dried on a radiator, so air drying is the only option if you get them wet.

We’ll reserve judgement until we get them out on the road, but we will be comparing them to the HotHands Foot Warmers which you can pick up from many shops for just £1. 

 

You can find out more and order a pair here

Add new comment

13 comments

Avatar
Natrix | 7 years ago
0 likes

You can get battery ran heated ski insoles for £7 https://www.primrose.co.uk/warmawear-heated-insoles-p-2203.html?cPath=37...

Avatar
ianrparsons | 7 years ago
0 likes

I am a diabetic like another poster and have the same limitations with circulation to extremities, in my case keeping hands warm was solved by electrically heated gloves, absolutely brilliant gloves even when not switched on and I use them for winter fishing too. They cost about £80 but the extra commutes I was able to do meant they paid for themelves! I also think socks are already available from the same people.

Avatar
Jason Dicker | 7 years ago
0 likes

What a fantastic idea, I will trial some if anyone wants an honest and sensible feedbacklaugh

 

Avatar
Dnnnnnn | 7 years ago
0 likes

I find neoprene fishing socks (five from Aldi) plus neoprene overshoes keep my feet comfortable in very cold weather. And it's not that I have naturally warm tootsies - prior to this solution I used find my feet got so numb that I couldn't feel anything between my ankles and the pedals!

Avatar
steviemarco replied to Dnnnnnn | 7 years ago
1 like

Duncann wrote:

I find neoprene fishing socks (five from Aldi) plus neoprene overshoes keep my feet comfortable in very cold weather. And it's not that I have naturally warm tootsies - prior to this solution I used find my feet got so numb that I couldn't feel anything between my ankles and the pedals!

Maybe I've tried a very similar solution to your 'I find' but to no avail so therefore these seem to be the next level of solution I could try. What works for one doesn't necessarily work for another.

Avatar
Another Martin H | 7 years ago
2 likes

How does one turn these on? Via app?

Waiting for a "heated insoles" Ant+ profile.

Avatar
The _Kaner | 7 years ago
0 likes

I wonder if they'll have any negative adverse effects on pedal/crank based power meters...

Avatar
Steezysix | 7 years ago
2 likes

I'd be interested in the long term reliability of these. Working in the ski industry there are a few different brands doing heated insoles, usually with an external battery though. We see about a 40-50% failure rate on some models, hopefully these are better!

Avatar
alansmurphy | 7 years ago
4 likes

Did the inventor of he seat get sucbad feedback - pah, I'm happ with a piece of steel poking up my rectum...

 

Due to diabtes I have both or circulation and neuropathy; a couple of pairs o merino socks, winter boots, belgian oversocks and fleece lined waterproof overshoes can fail to keep my feet warm event at 5+ degrees, never mind approaching 0.

 

Sign me up!

Avatar
danthomascyclist | 7 years ago
1 like

What a load of crap

Avatar
Leviathan replied to danthomascyclist | 7 years ago
5 likes

danthomascyclist wrote:

What a load of crap

Have you tried them? Perhaps you can expand on your review.

Avatar
flathunt | 7 years ago
7 likes

At least we know now where all those recalled Samsung Note 7 batteries have gone.

Avatar
nbrus | 7 years ago
2 likes

Best hope the batteries don't catch fire if damaged. Wearing the right shoes and/or overshoes has always worked for me ... no need for expensive gadgets. You could buy a pair of warm winter cycling boots for £120 and they will not need charging.

Latest Comments