It’s been cold lately, and I’ve heard a number of people complaining about cold feet as they came off the slopes. Here’s some news: you don’t have to suffer with cold feet inside ski boots (snowboarders have it easy).

I like my ski boots to fit very precisely, so I have Conform’able Comp liners foamed to fit my feet inside much-customized Alpine shells.  All this work was done by the good folks at Richelson’s Feet First in Plymouth, NH. These liners are thin, as hard as concrete and about as warm. The only reason they are comfortable at all is that they are perfectly fitted to every contour of my foot. My boots are so closely fitted, the only socks I can wear inside them are micro-thin wool.  Again, not very warm.

The ONLY reason  I  can ski comfortably in these boots in cold weather is a product called Dry Guy Boot Glove. Boot Gloves are simple neoprene sleeves which slide on over the front of your boots (they don’t interfere at all with your bindings) and lock in place with a Velcro strap around your heel.

Boot Gloves cost about $30 a pair and each pair seems to last me about 2 seasons (roughly 150 days of use). That’s much cheaper than battery powered boot heaters. I can’t use disposable heat packs — they simply don’t fit inside my boots. In fact, if they fit in your boots, that’s a pretty clear indication that your boots are probably too big for you and hurting your skiing. For some quick thoughts on getting the right ski boots for you, go here; or if you want more in-depth information, go here.

Looking at Boot Gloves, you wouldn’t think they’d make all that much difference, but they do. They block the wind and snow,  and keep much of the heat trapped inside your boots. On really cold days, I can make at least twice as may runs with boot gloves on as I can without. I’ve tested that so many times that I now NEVER ski without them in cold weather.My sweetheart Marilyn suffers from perennially cold feet, too. She has warmer boots, warmer socks and she skis with Boot Gloves almost every day of the season.

It’s hard to understand just how many ways cold gets into your boots.  If you’d like to see how Boot Gloves work to keep your feet warm, look at our video that shows how simple and effective they really are.

These truly are one of our favorite things. Once you’ve used Boot Gloves, you’ll never be without a pair in your ski pack–or on your feet on a cold day!