Toasted Toes and Hot Hands: Solutions

I have been riding in some pretty cold weather out my way. I could not do it with out those wonderful instant heat packs, Like "Toastie Toes" and "Heat Factory Hot Hands" I love how warm these little things keep your toes and fingers warm!! I posted some photos and tell how I use them inside my bike shoes and inside my mittens or gloves while bike riding. Great too when Skiing or just out there running the snow shovel.

Have you used these too?
Here they are on my blog:
http://bycycletrips.blogspot.com/200...hot-hands.html

I haven't ridden in cold often enough to need them but I'm wondering...

These must be the same thing as those icyhot pads for your back or the stick on heat things for menstrual cramps. I wonder how cost effective it would be to take the big ones and cut them into the small pieces you need?

Hey, Zen

That's a thought -- I could try it on one of the little paks first. I think the package instructions say don't cut open. The Contents: Iron powder, salt, activated charcoal and vermiculite. But I might try it anyway and see what happens!

I have used the ones that are sold for use on your back (ThermaRest, think that's the name/brand). I used them when bike riding in the Rocky Mountains (bike tours: Ride The Rockies and Bicycle Tour of Colorado) in the very early morning hours when it is really cold. Going down the descents really fast the air rushing up over my shoulders trigger the muscles across my back/upper shoulder - and I get this really tight muscle that stings like crazy. But by putting one of those heat thingies on my skin up there across the back, just below my neck -- it stops that muscle from tighting up in the cold air.

Silver loves them (she's thin). I like them (I'm more naturally insulated).

You can't cut them. If you did, the contents would just spill out.

They're sort of a thin pressed papery fabric filled with iron filings and I think charcoal. When you take them out of the package, they have a chemical reaction with oxygen that makes them heat up. They'll stay warm for 4-6 hours. Someone posted in another thread (and I've heard it elsewhere recently) that if they're still warm when you finish whatever you were doing, you can seal them tightly in ziploc bags and get another use out of them.

They're available at sporting goods stores and farm stores and often times just at random stores like drugstores or groceries in the winter.

I use them for my feet when riding and feet and hands when x country skiing at low temperatures. I have tried to use the hand warmers when riding, but I can't find any combo of liners/gloves that I have that are big enough. I can barely shift the gears on my road bike with my Amfib gloves that are really quite warm down to 30, so I end up wearing liners with lighter gloves, which make things pretty tight. It's OK with my other bike with flat bars.
I have liners for skiing that have a holder place for the packet, but I just can't get them to fit under my cycling gloves.

I have nothing against the idea of using high tech means to keep toes and hands warm, and my intent is not to criticize others' choices- but to simply post my own view- I personally don't like the 'throwaway society' concept of repeatedly buying plastic pouches that are only good for one or two uses and can't even be recycled- just more plastic non-biodegradable crap for the landfills. I'm waiting (and hoping) for them to come out with slender little wireless heating pads for gloves and boots that use rechargeable power and aren't too bulky. Meanwhile, I use lots of layers of wool and other insulation materials and do the best I can with that. Wearing well insulated winter hiking boots helps me a lot. :o

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Originally Posted by BleeckerSt_Girl

I personally don't like the 'throwaway society' concept of repeatedly buying plastic pouches that are only good for one or two uses and can't even be recycled- just more plastic non-biodegradable crap for the landfills.
Meanwhile, I use lots of layers of wool and other insulation materials and do the best I can with that. :o

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A good view to have, Bleecker. I am glad you voiced it, and like you, my intent with this response is not to criticise individuals, but rather to make a sad observation on the watsefulness our societies in the west have accepted as a normal and acceptable way of behaving.

I'm with you... layers of wool, plastic bags (recycling old bread bags! ;) ) over gloves, between layers of socks... I have even used a plastic shopping bag tied to my crop top and pushed down the front of my chest/belly when it started snowing unexpectadly just before a race one day.

Those of us who actually venture into the great beyond find these things a great emergency solution, when sitting down in the snow or rain to take off your boots or shoes to install blister-causing plastic bags is not an option. A plastic layer is frequently a cause for more problems because you can't wick off perspiration and some sports just don't work with too much bulky layering which causes a loss of movement and functionality.

Everyone has their trouble spots for keeping warm.

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Originally Posted by BleeckerSt_Girl

I have nothing against the idea of using high tech means to keep toes and hands warm, and my intent is not to criticize others' choices- but to simply post my own view- I personally don't like the 'throwaway society' concept of repeatedly buying plastic pouches that are only good for one or two uses and can't even be recycled- just more plastic non-biodegradable crap for the landfills.

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Ah, but have you given up toilet paper? There's a good bit online about this and I developed a brief but morbid fascination with that level of commitment to reuse.

The hand/foot warmers under discussion are not at all high tech. The outer packaging is plastic; the inner part is not.

Pam

As I already said- I'm not criticizing or judging others' views or valid reasons behind their decisions. I'm posting my own personal views on the subject as it pertains to my life. Aren't we all doing that here?

I wasn't arguing with you. I have became quite obsessed with waste after moving to NYC, simply because garbage is on the street where you can see it.
Especially in commercial buildings, perfectly usable furniture, etc. is discarded on a regular basis.

I am diligent about donating to thrift shops and recycling electronics (both quite a pain without a car) but often feel my paltry efforts are useless.

Pam

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Originally Posted by PamNY

I wasn't arguing with you. I have became quite obsessed with waste after moving to NYC, simply because garbage is on the street where you can see it.
Especially in commercial buildings, perfectly usable furniture, etc. is discarded on a regular basis.

I am diligent about donating to thrift shops and recycling electronics (both quite a pain without a car) but often feel my paltry efforts are useless.

Pam

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Oh yes I hear you on this. I grew up in NYC and most of the stuff we had in our apt or on our backs came from other people's discards.
I do draw the line at multiple-use toilet paper, though! :eek: (maybe we should go back to dry leaves?)

I am not perfect, far from it. I catch myself not reusing or sometimes buying things with excess packaging, etc....and I try to do better next time. I always consider avoiding buying things with excess or wasteful packaging, especially plastics. Incidentally, I never gave a second thought about any of this when I was younger.

When I first saw those little plastic pouches of hand warmers years ago, I honestly thought they were like the de-humidifying packets I used to buy to keep my musical instruments drier in their cases. Those things you use for weeks and then toss the lot of them in a 200F oven for a few minutes (which quickly removes all the moisture they have sucked up) and they are all ready to reuse again...over and over....cool. When I realized the warming packets were intended for one-time use only, to be then discarded...well I admit that sort of shocked me. I wish you could 'recharge' them somehow! I know about the tin foil trick to squeeze a second use from them, but wishing it could be recharged. Believe me, the idea of using them is tempting to me when my toes get numb.
They remind me too of those chemical 'light sticks' that you snap, use for a few hours, then just throw away, plastic container, enclosed liquid, and all. I frequently see kids playing with them and then tossing them in the garbage.

I do use old bread bags to keep my bike saddle dry in the rain. But my DH bought me some expensive Campy windstopper sock liners for xmas last year which work better for me than plastic bags. I like wool better anyway though, it breathes better, and I wear roomier boots in the winter for hiking, snowshoeing and biking so I can layer several warm pairs of wool socks without them feeling tight or cutting off circulation. Works for me.
I just got some BlackDiamond Guide gloves for this xmas, and I haven't had a chance to put them to a real hard test yet, but they seem pretty bulletproof and DH vouches for them.

I'm with you Bleeck - I'll use those things in a pinch but not on a regular basis.

Battery operated socks are widely available, and you could use NiMH rechargeables in them as easily as alkalines. I don't know how you'd have a wireless power source though... I know that technology is on the horizon for computers, etc., but I don't know how it would work for heating, and anyway I would think that the main power source would have to be LOTS bigger, to the point where there wouldn't be any advantage over the rotating weight on your ankles.

There also used to be socks that came with microwaveable gel pads, just like miniature versions of the regular microwave heating pads. They aren't any bulkier than the disposables. I haven't seen them lately though so I don't know if they're still available.

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Originally Posted by BleeckerSt_Girl

I do draw the line at multiple-use toilet paper, though! :eek: (maybe we should go back to dry leaves?)

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LOL... What about reverting to sphagnum moss for "that time of the month". Renewable, biodegrable and totally absorbant!

Nah... maybe I'll just stick with my mooncup.

Now... back to the actual thread topic...

I have a set of Hotronics heated insoles in my Lake winter boots for cold weather riding. They use rechargable batteries that hook onto your boots/shoes. They are not wireless and the batteries are a bit heavy, but everything is reusable. They have gotten me through a number of Minnesota winters.

I carry a couple of those small heating packs with me on most mountain hikes or skiing trips, in case of "emergency", mostly in case my son gets cold hands. He's skinny and takes a while to warm up. I'm not happy with the idea of using them on a regular basis either, but they're great to have in your pocket just in case.

I don't use warmers on a regular basis, but they're essential on those sub-freezing days that I'm wearing steel-toe boots for more than an hour or two. No number of layers, liners, or wool socks can counteract the heat-sucking properties of metal on your toes!

I seriously need to consider some battery-operated heated socks or those insoles that Natasha mentioned....

Back to the TP...when my children were in diapers I didn't use disposable wipes. I purchased a set of specific color wash cloths which I used, washed, and reused. I don't know why we couldn't do something similar for ourselves? Isn't that the idea behind a bidet? (I've never had the opportunity to use one.)

Karen

I'm not being argumentative, but I am curious:

- rechargeable batteries
- microwavable gel packs

All these sound like great ideas. But, if the use of these items were indexed (due to energy consumption and manufacturing impact) relative to disposable toasties, where would the fall.

I'm really just trying to keep this one off the toilet paper!;)

I'm with you Mr. S.
If I had a bidet in my home, then I wouldn't worry. But, as long as I am using a toilet, I'm OK with TP.
Of course, I used disposable diapers, formula, and baby wipes.
OK, you guys can shoot me now.

I didn't use wipes because my son's skin wasn't that great at fighting off the assault of the soap in them. Plain water did the trick.

Karen

For bedtime (and indoor sitting around), I have these big fabric tubes (18" long) filled with some sort of grain; you stick them in the microwave for three minutes, and they hold heat for several hours, to warm cold feet and such.

I love that they're re-usable, but of course using the microwave to warm them has an energy cost.

I'd love something smaller that held heat well for biking (or whatever).

I did buy a couple of those warmer packs for the car for emergencies, but I'm way too whussy to be riding outside these days. Alas!

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Originally Posted by RoadRaven

LOL... What about reverting to sphagnum moss for "that time of the month". Renewable, biodegrable and totally absorbant!

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Only if you live where it grows naturally. If it's harvested and shipped out, then like so many things, it gets overharvested.

I too like my toilet paper, although I have used pages of the Sears catalogue at my Grandmother's out-house, then scooped lime on top. :eek:

And back to the topic at hand :D:cool:
Wish there was something "rechargable". I'm all for layers. It is no fun being cold and wet. Warm and dry is good. and I have been known to use instant warm or instant cool stuff in emergencies.

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Originally Posted by Aquila

For bedtime (and indoor sitting around), I have these big fabric tubes (18" long) filled with some sort of grain; you stick them in the microwave for three minutes, and they hold heat for several hours, to warm cold feet and such.

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These bags are easy to make from rice or corn. I tried making tiny bags reusing rice from one I'd bought, but they burned when I heated them. I don't know what the problem was -- maybe too much microwave time for the smaller size?

I'm going to try heating the rice/corn in a pan and pouring it into a zipper bag. That would be handy for car camping.

Pam

I was just reading about heating grain in fabric pouches in a microwave.
It said if you overheat the rice it will smell burnt and stay that way, so maybe you overdid the heating of the pillow. There are lots of good websites with instructions for making the pillows. I think the raw rice stays warm way longer than for example cooked rice- otherwise maybe we could just fill our boots with a scoop of hot rice and beans (arroz con habichuelas) before we go out in the cold. :eek: :eek: :D :D

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Originally Posted by BleeckerSt_Girl

I think the raw rice stays warm way longer than for example cooked rice- otherwise maybe we could just fill our boots with a scoop of hot rice and beans (arroz con habichuelas) before we go out in the cold. :eek: :eek: :D :D

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Yum. I love beans and rice. Never would make it into the boot. I'm thinking of making some bags with corn. Not a lot of deer corn for sale in Manhattan, but you can get it from Ebay.

Pam

I think mine is barley. It doesn't really have an odor, but maybe would if I burned it.

But it sure feels good next to cold feet at night!