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Biffbarf
March, 2025

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Heated insoles (Volcano thermic) or custom footbeds?

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Mar-O
Posts: 960 - Karma: 827
Hey, I got some Volcano thermic heated insoles for christmas and I am wondering what you guys think about theme. I do have allot of problems with cold toes skiing (as most people) but I am worried about how good the heated insoles really are to ski with.
I also have allot of problems with my boots and that they are to tight on the "outer" side of my foot witch I think some custom footbeds could help with.
I was thinking about getting a full refund on the heated insoles and use the money for custom footbeds instead.
So what do you guys think, should I get a refund and use the money for custom footbeds or start using these heated insoles witch sounds really nice?
And one more thing if I do end up getting custom footbeds are surefoot a decent place to have theme made?
Thanks allot for answers!

Heres a photo of what I got

Click for larger image
11 years ago
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tomPietrowski
Posts: 7286 - Karma: 18,670
Get a refund those volcanoes are only for people who don't really ski much and just want some warmth. You can still add heaters to custom footbeds if you need them but very often stabilising the foot correctly will do enough to help good circulation which will keep your feet warm.

So start with some good sidas footbeds and see if you need the heating elements adding.
11 years ago
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Mar-O
Posts: 960 - Karma: 827
Thanks man then I will do that!
11 years ago
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jblaski
Posts: 5568 - Karma: 1,112
I just got my girlfriend the Sidas One3 heated insoles for Christmas. They're a thin heated pad held down by a thin fabric sticker that went right on top of her custom insoles. Pretty much the best of both worlds.
11 years ago
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onenerdykid
Posts: 6737 - Karma: 11,719
As Tom said, proper footbeds will for sure be a better solution. Over the years, my old shop sold less & less Hotronic-style heaters and more & more aftermarket Intuition liners. Cables got crimped, heating elements crushed, having the cable running under the footbed or out around the liner and messing up the fit, battery packs dying, battery packs getting damaged... I always found there was more frustration with electronic heaters rather than good solutions.

For the same price as a set of electronic heaters, we sold an Intuition liner instead. Much warmer than traditional liners and less fit issues too. Every once in a while we did the Hotronic set-up, but 9/10 an Intuition liner was a better overall solution.
11 years ago
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NinetyFour
Posts: 8650 - Karma: 13,410
I'm in a pair of boots with Intuitions and a set of footbeds for this year and they are definitely warmer, and I've skied in a few -35C jib days in them. The big benefit is obviously my riding performance though!
11 years ago
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Mar-O
Posts: 960 - Karma: 827
Thanks allot for all the answers guys! Just realized I already had a pair of sidas footbeds but not the custom ones so if I remember correctly I stopped using theme because they were a bit to high in the middle part.
I checked my local shops website and they had some custom liners and some custom footbeds. Like this:
Click for larger image
Click for larger image
Will this be a pretty safe buy to put in my Salomon ghost 100 boots fit wise?
My boots are the right size I think but I would like theme a tiny bit tighter around my ankle and after a couple of runs they are to tight on the outer side
11 years ago
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tomPietrowski
Posts: 7286 - Karma: 18,670
Boot doctor stuff is good but don't start with foam injection liners. Start with a real sidas or boot doctor custom footbed made by a very good fitter. Foam liners will still require an insole before they can be formed so get the footbed right first and then reevaluate if you need replacement liners.
11 years ago
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Mar-O
Posts: 960 - Karma: 827
Good to know! Do you know anything about whenever surefoot generally have decent boot fitters? They have a store pretty close to me and they seem like the best place to get my footbeds made. And it wont be a problem getting some custom sidas footbeds and using theme in boot doctor liners if I find out I need that to?
11 years ago
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tomPietrowski
Posts: 7286 - Karma: 18,670
Surefoot may have some decent fitters but unfortunately there footbeds are not great. I can't tell you how often I have had to switch surfeit footbeds to something else. And this include guys who are sponsored by sore foot. Quite often they will be running nothing more then a surefoot liner which really is just a sidas liner. So yeah avoid surefoot.

And yeah you will be fine using a sidas footbed in a boot doctor liner if you go that route.
11 years ago
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