innovative product for extra insulation of ski boots

Anne
Winter sports editor

We have found a new innovative product that is interesting for winter sports enthusiasts who quickly get cold toes. The boot cap is a kind of hood that you can put over your ski boots to keep your toes extra warm. How this works? And more information about this product? We figured it out!

Alternative to heated ski socks/ski boots

Cold toes while skiing/snowboarding? Many winter sports enthusiasts face this problem. Being chilly during winter sports can be really annoying and affect your day. This new product is an alternative to heated socks. No batteries, apps, accumulators or wires in your ski boot that are clumsy and uncomfortable. With the boot cap you can more easily keep your feet warm during winter sports.

Bootcap: what is it?

You click these caps on the outside of your ski boots and create an insulating layer. They do not affect your ski boot at all in terms of fit. The boot cap is made of EVA foam that contains closed cells. This material is extremely insulating and ensures that the heat in your ski boot cannot escape from your toes. The hood has no effect on the operation of the ski boot and does not get in the way of, for example, the bindings. This product is designed to fit any adult ski boot. You attach the boot cap to the ski boot via the adhesive inside.

The boot caps have been available for a few months and cost just under €50 per set. You can choose from different colors: yellow, black, blue, light orange, pink or intense orange.

Does it work?

The company behind this innovative product has subjected the boot cap to all kinds of tests. For example, comparisons have been made between a ski boot with and without a boot cap. Thermometers on the inside of the ski boots near the toes were used to measure how well the heat was retained. The measurements were taken at room temperature and in a freezer with minus degrees. The temperatures were read from the thermometers every five minutes for an hour. The result? The temperatures on the inside of both ski boots slowly dropped, but the ski boot with boot cap remained 8-10 degrees warmer.

The ski boots have also been tested in the mountains with and without a boot cap. This is done again in the same way with thermometers. This time the shoes did not go into the freezer, but were left in a car at a ski resort and tested on the slopes. The ski boot with boot cap also remained significantly warmer during these tests.

We have not tested it ourselves, but it seems like an interesting product.

Origin of the boot cap

The story of the boot cap began many years ago when boot fitter Mike Thorpe started brainstorming alternatives to heated ski socks and ski boots. He wanted a better option without batteries and electronics. Thorpe has started testing with various prototypes. He immediately noticed a difference with the different options when adding extra insulation to the toes in a ski boot. In 2018, Thorpe approached a designer to further develop the product. After much testing, improving the product and research, the boot cap was finally created.