Heated insoles: reviews. Winter insoles: prices

During the cold season, we purchase the warmest clothes and shoes possible. But what to do if you have to stay in such harsh conditions that conventional insulation is no longer enough? Buy heated items.

In this article I would like to talk in more detail about heated boots. They differ from other standard insulated shoes in that they have a built-in heating system that is charged by batteries or electricity using a charger. Let's take a closer look at what types of heated boots are available below.

How heated boots work

To ensure that ordinary winter boots acquire the status of the warmest, they are supplemented with a special device. This device is regulated using an infrared remote control, which is supplemented with a microcircuit. With its help, the temperature inside the boot can be increased to 55 C. The boots can be heated in this way for 8 hours, and this is provided that the heating device operates constantly.

The heating mechanism is usually sewn into the boot, and heating levels can be adjusted using sensors located in the ankle area. These boots are complemented by an antibacterial deodorizing coating, which prevents the development of fungus in favorable conditions.

In addition to the heating mechanism itself, heated boots have classic insulation, such as Thinsulate. The outer part of such boots is usually made of a special rubberized material that repels moisture and dirt. This allows you to use heated boots in hiking conditions, say, fishing or hunting. Few people know that heated boots may not be very insulated.

Winter

This model of boots is usually complemented by a heated insole. This same insole looks quite normal, but it differs in that a heating element is inserted into its hollow part. This heating device runs on a battery, which lasts on average for 3 – 5 hours. The heating element is also turned on using the remote control. These boots are an ideal solution for those whose feet get cold in mild weather.

It’s interesting that in appearance such boots may not differ in any way from classic winter boots. They can have a massive sole, trimmed with down or water-repellent synthetic fiber. Most often, such shoes are complemented with classic lacing.

Electrically heated

And these boots are more reminiscent of classic hiking shoes in cut and appearance. The heating mode switch, located in the shin area, looks more like a decorative element and does not reveal its true purpose. Modern models of such boots are also equipped with special adapters for USB connection. This allows you to charge the heating mechanism through any devices that have this connector.

The most curious thing is that boots with such a device have three heating modes:

• Up to 60 C is the maximum heating level, which is intended for temperatures below 32 C. In this mode, the battery of the warming device operates for no more than 2 hours.
• Up to 50 C is an average heat level that assumes that a person will move moderately in cold conditions. This mode can be maintained by the battery for no more than 3 hours.
• Up to 45 C is the minimum heating level, which is intended for moderately cold weather. In this mode, the battery lasts for at least 4 hours.

It’s interesting that electrically heated shoe models can be found in both men’s and women’s collections, while children’s shoe models can only be supplemented with a heated insole.

These are winter insoles with autonomous heating from the battery with adjustable temperature.

What materials are used for this product?

During production, several important principles were taken into account. Firstly, the base of the insole should be made of a material that does not conduct heat well. This is necessary to ensure that there is no heat leakage down to the sole. Accordingly, there should be good heat transfer upward towards the foot. Therefore, to create this useful product with my own hands, I used ordinary felt insoles 5 millimeters thick.

To save on energy costs, it was decided to place the heating element only in the front part of the insole, that is, only where the feet will touch. For this purpose, a nichrome thread 48 centimeters long was used, the wire cross-section was 0.3 millimeters. This is a nichrome thread from a 300 Watt heating device. This is the thinnest wire that the author has found. Purchased at a regular hardware store for 20 rubles.

The temperature is set by a voltage regulator purchased from this Chinese store. Go and write in the search: Voltage regulator from 4 volts. In the same store you can buy ready-made heated insoles.

How the master combined all the parts into finished insoles

The nichrome wire was laid across the insole so that when bending there would be no creases or displacement of the wires. The wire is evenly sewn to the base. In some places double-sided tape is glued so that a second layer can be installed. It is made of genuine leather, which is a fairly dense material that transfers heat very well from the thread to the feet with minimal heat loss and can withstand the heating of the threads themselves. The seams will run between the wires.
After the firmware is completed, the excess parts will be cut off and the insole can be prepared for further installation. Two ends of 2 centimeters each are brought out from the insole. The thread is laid in a zigzag, the distance between the strips is 2 centimeters, in the nose part it is 1.5 centimeters.
We take two pieces of stranded wire 1.5 meters long. In this case, a wire for car audio was used. It is of very high quality, flexible and less dull in the cold. The wire cross-section is 0.05 millimeters. We connect this wire to the insole. In order to make the connection as thin as possible, it is twisted and clamped with a metal sleeve.

The whole thing is covered with heat-shrinkable insulation on top. We lay the wire, sew it along the bottom side with regular threads to the middle of the sole.
So, the insoles are ready, stitched, wires are connected. It turns out neat. If possible, you can put another insole, sew it or glue it. This will significantly reduce heat loss.
Next, measure the required length of wire and cut off the excess. Now we connect the insoles in series to the required connections. You can use regular connections purchased from a car dealer.

We measure 15 centimeters and make two cuts. There is one such connection on each insole. We install the remaining part of the entire structure.
Detachable connections create convenience in that you can quickly disconnect the contacts and change shoes and dry the insoles.

Power supply for electric insoles

The entire shoe heating circuit is powered by a nickel-metal hydride battery with a voltage of 7.2 volts, 5000 milliamps per hour. Operating time from 5 to 11 hours of continuous operation. The power source may be different. The degree of heating of the insoles depends on the voltage and current. Heating is noticeable from 4 volts. High-quality work from 5-12 volts. The maximum operating temperature is 60 degrees, this is an excessive temperature, but the material can withstand it. The battery and regulator are attached to a leather strap and attached to the waistband.

Heating depending on the regulated voltage (approximately):

4V-0.6A=23-27 C
5V-0.7A=27-32 C
6V-0.8A=32-35 C
7V-0.9A=35-37 C
8V-1A=40-42 C
12V-1.3A=65 C

How to make heated insoles with your own hands at home? After analyzing many articles and online stores that sell electric insoles, certain conclusions were drawn. Firstly, their price tag is inflated by a thousand to one and a half rubles, and this is not the limit.

Secondly, in such insoles there are four elements located at the toes that heat up during operation. Nothing special. People's reviews of such insoles are frustrating: people say that this is a kind of torture with cold and heat at the same time. Although the toes are warm, the heel is cold. The feeling is not very pleasant.

In order to make simple heated insoles with your own hands, you need to purchase the most common ironing coil on the market or a coil for electric hotplates (power - approximately 500 W). The cost of such a spiral generally does not exceed fifty to one hundred rubles.
Next, you should visit a car store and buy the usual two connectors and a stranded wire. These goods will cost you a maximum of fifty to sixty rubles. You will also need a cardboard box to cut out the insoles for your shoes.

Mark these cardboard insoles crosswise every centimeter and estimate the approximate length of nichrome spiral wire you will need. It will need to be placed on the insole. As a result, the resistance of such a wire should be about 20-30 Ohms.

Each of your insoles at 12-14V from a power source will subsequently draw an electrical current of approximately 0.5A, and this will allow the insoles to heat up to 35 degrees Celsius.

Next, you need to make cuts around the perimeter of each of your insoles in order to lay the nichrome wire. Unwind the spiral from the ballpoint pen and place this heating wire into the cuts you made. Measure the resistance of the wire to get 24 ohms.

Secure the ends of your wire with tape at the bottom of the insole and bring it up to the place where the instep of the foot is and there is space to place the contacts. Connect the ends of this nichrome wire to a copper wire using a contact connector. Secure the places of this connection with threads so that it does not tear out when tensioned. This structure must be closed or secured with paper masking tape.

At the ends of the copper wire, secure the contacts in the form of a plate (precisely the car contacts that you previously purchased) and insulate them with heat shrink or electrical tape. Install the “matching” parts of the car contacts on the wires that come from the power source.

Voila! The insoles themselves are already ready. Now you need to make wires with similar contacts at their ends. We stretch them along the legs of your trousers or jeans, starting from the waistband and right down to your boots. Connect them with insoles. We connect the power source to the contacts, which we attach to the belt - use a 12 V battery with a capacity of 1.2 Ah.

It can be carried in one of your jacket pockets. It lasts for 1 hour of uninterrupted and good operation at temperatures of even -5 degrees, as well as -15 degrees for half an hour maximum. Once the battery dies, the temperature of your insoles will drop dramatically. In this case, replace the battery with a new one or a spare one. You can also use a homemade 14 V unit, which will serve as both a battery and a charger.

So you and I have achieved the effect of warm feet! This is simply bliss for those who love comfort.

In conclusion, it must be said that inventing heated insoles with your own hands, as it turned out, couldn’t be easier. You will be proud and satisfied with such creativity, and your legs will thank you very much! These insoles can last for about 3-4 months. In total, it will take you a maximum of 1.5 hours to make these insoles.

Every winter we face such a problem as frozen feet. Even the warmest shoes sometimes freeze and cause significant discomfort. Perhaps it is for this reason that electrically heated shoes are becoming increasingly popular.

Today, the warmest shoes are Bugathermo heated boots and Volt boots from the American brand Jambu. Heated shoes are an amazing and thoughtful innovation that offers your feet a combination of warmth and comfort even on the coldest day.

From the American brand, Jambu looks like a completely ordinary semi-sports pair of winter shoes. The rubber sole provides excellent grip and does not slip, the natural color scheme will fit perfectly into any wardrobe, the adjustable width of the boot allows you to adjust the boots exactly to your size. But all these advantages are by no means the main thing. And most importantly - it has a built-in heating element! It is enough to press the button attached to the elastic band that regulates the width of the boot, and in a couple of seconds the inner surface of the boot heats up (the temperature inside the boot reaches 50 degrees Celsius).

The button for turning on the electric heating looks like a decoration on the boots. The battery charge will last for five hours, after which the boots should be sent for recharging. In addition, each pair of boots is equipped with backlighting in blue, green or white colors, so you definitely won’t go unnoticed in the early winter twilight! You can buy Volt heated boots in American online stores at or at. The price of heated boots is 333 US dollars.

Heated boots have the most modern insulation - . The heating level can be selected: low, medium or high. On the outside of the boots there is a rubberized material that perfectly protects from moisture, dirt and snow. Omni-Heat technology allows the boots to retain your body heat. In these boots you can safely go fishing, to the mountains, or hunting. You can buy heated winter boots for $250. Options are available in black and brown colors in all sizes. The price, of course, is considerable, but health is more expensive. Interestingly, Columbia Bugathermo heated boots are also present in the Russian catalog - that is, in theory, they can be found in retail sales.

However, if the price of heated shoes seems too high to you, you can buy heated insoles. Heated insoles (for example, heated insoles or Japanese Hoka Hoka insoles) will help you keep your feet warm even in the most severe frost. Heated insoles are a universal element of insulation for almost any shoe. They are also convenient to use because even if the temperature changes during the day, there is no need to change shoes from winter to demi-season; it is enough to remove the insoles from the shoes.

Which is better, heated insoles or heated shoes?

Heated insoles are undoubtedly a useful thing. But there is a difference between these insoles and electric heating. Heated insoles can retain heat for four hours. While electric heating will provide warmth for your shoes for up to eight hours. Electrically heated boots will, of course, cost more than heated insoles, but the result will be excellent. In any case, the choice is yours.

Shoe manufacturers never cease to amaze their customers. Not so long ago, a new type of winter footwear was released - heated boots. Although they do not have an exquisite design, they have already appealed to many consumers, including not only men, but also women.

Features and Benefits

The main feature of heated boots is the element that provides heating and runs on batteries. Some models of these boots are equipped with a special connector for the charger.

The shoe set also includes a small remote control with which you can adjust the temperature and turn it on. The maximum temperature reaches 65 degrees and, provided the batteries are fully charged, the boots “work” for up to 5 hours. As the temperature decreases, the operating time increases.

The temperature regime is set to three levels:

1. Short;
2. Average;
3. High.

All three modes are located on the ankle, which makes it quite easy to use.

The advantages include an antibacterial coating and continuous acupressure due to special protrusions on the top of the boots. It is worth noting that most models have a rubberized upper part, which provides protection from excess moisture and dirt.

Heated boots are ideal not only for people who lead an active lifestyle and go to the mountains, fishing or hunting in winter, but also simply for those who are not used to severe frosts.

Types of heating

Heated winter boots are divided into two types.

Insoles heated

Insoles, unlike electric heating, retain heat for much less time. So, the difference reaches several hours. On average, the warmth with such insoles lasts 3-4 hours.

Another difference is, of course, the price. Models with insoles will be much cheaper. And with the necessary skills and knowledge, they are very easy to make at home. To do this, you can find a large number of articles and training videos on the Internet.