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
Plus-T-Store.com Winter heated insoles and wireless charger - charger (Image Credit: Farrelly Atkinson)

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