This is a review of the best heated ski socks in 2022.
I am Aspen, an NZSIA certified ski instructor, APSI certified snowboard instructor, an NZSIA children’s teaching certification holder. I have been teaching skiing for over ten seasons, this season, I am the manager of SSWBoardHouse’s China and Japan ski school section.
My most recommended heated ski socks are Hotronic Heat Socks XLP (PFI 50), these socks are specially designed for skiers and come with four heat settings on the batteries, and you can make minor adjustments via the app on your phone. Very breathable and comfortable as well.
Of course, there are other great heated ski socks suitable in the current market, and I will include their review in this article so you can pick one according to your needs.
Let’s get ready for a great day out on the slope!
Quick Summary
- Hotronic Heat Socks (Best Overall)
- Lenz 6.0 (Best for Experienced Skiers)
- Autocastle Electric Heated Socks (Best Budget)
- Smilodon Heated Socks (Best Mid-range)
- Dr.Warm Heated Socks (Best for Remote Control)
Why Getting Heated Ski Socks?
Anyone who spends a lot of time on winter slopes is most likely familiar with the burning pain of cold feet. Even though it most often goes away without further complication, it is an uncomfortable feeling that can quickly ruin your day of skiing.
Whether you ski in extremely cold conditions or have poor blood circulation, heated socks can prolong your time on the skis, improve your performance and make you feel much more comfortable.
Best Heated Ski Socks – Top Recommendations
Here is the list of my most recommended heated socks for skiing.
Hotronic Heat Socks XLP (PFI 50)
- Best: Overall
- Heat: 4 heat settings on the battery, 8 heat levels on the App
- Heated Area: entire toe area
- Battery: 2200 mAh rechargeable Li-ion batteries, lasts from 3.5 h on the highest setting up to 10 hours at on the lowest setting
- Material: 74% nylon, 20% Lycra/spandex, 6% merino
- Machine washable at 30°C
Hotronic’s are not just another pair of heated socks. They are specifically designed for skiers. Therefore you can say goodbye to bulkiness or discomfort from wires and look forward to well-performing, breathable but warm material, reliable, high-quality wiring, and a battery that lasts for hours.
There are 4 different heat settings on the battery itself, plus you can download an app that will allow you to make even more adjustments. The socks provide a Surround Heating Element, which nicely envelops your toes.
Naturally, the socks are not missing a shin protector and a soft (PFI 50) compression.
Hotronic’s will fit well into many different ski boots. However, if you have racing boots or just tight boots, I recommend you to instead check out our second pic – the Lenz 6.0.
These reliable and durable socks are quite pricey compared to our other recommended options, but it’s definitely a high-value product.
Lenz 6.0
- Best: For Experienced Skiers
- Heat: 3 heat settings on the battery, 10 heat levels on the Lenz App
- Heated Area: entire toe area
- Battery: output 2400 mAh, lithium pack rcB 1200,(rechargeable), lasts from 3.5 h on the highest setting up to 14 hours at on the lowest setting
- Material: 50 % polyamide, 40 % merino wool,10 % spandex
- Machine washable at 30°C
What makes this Lenz model our top pick for experienced skiers is its very thin merino compression material in combination with a powerful, long-lasting battery. The high content of merino wool, together with other functional fibers, provides your feet with optimal warmth and, most importantly, enough breathability to wick away sweat and keep your feet dry.
The socks are very thin, and so they will fit well even under tight racing boots. Their compression technology can help your muscles feel less fatigued, which would, in turn, improve your performance.
On top of that, they have an anatomically optimized design with protectors on toes and heel, allowing them to remain comfortable. These socks were made with performance skiing in mind and are designed to ensure the wires don’t cause pain once they are worn in boots.
The heating elements are in the toe cap, so your entire toe area will be kept toasty warm. The best way to regulate the heat is to download the Lenz App, which will allow you to set intervals for your on and off times, choose from 10 heat levels and control both socks respectfully.
As you have probably guessed, this product does not come cheap. While this high of an investment can discourage many people, Lenz 6.0 is praised among experienced skiers. This could be a worthy investment if you are after a pair of high-performance heated ski socks.
To be exact, the price of the socks themselves is actually not the most significant expense. Most of your money goes towards the battery pack. The good news is that if you already own some Lenz lithium battery packs, you can save a lot of money because it will work for these socks just as well as for other Lenz products.
Autocastle Electric Heated Socks
- Best: Affordable
- Heat: 3 heat settings
- Heated Area: instep
- Battery: 2200 mAh rechargeable Li-ion batteries, lasts from 3 h up to 6.5 hours at on the lowest setting
- Material: cotton and spandex
- Only handwash
Autocastle Socks are probably your best option if you are looking for heated socks that are a little less expensive but still suitable and high enough for skiing.
Their battery has a relatively long life and is powerful enough to keep your feet warm during cold days. The instep is the only area of your foot that is heated, but the socks have an added insulating layer that helps to keep your feet warm.
The socks are thin enough to fit into tight boots, although you might feel the wires a little bit.
Even though cotton is not the best option for ski socks, the inclusion of spandex in their material blend provides some breathability and elasticity, which will surely improve your wearing experience.
Smilodon Heated Socks
- Best: Mid-range
- Heat: 3 heat settings
- Heated Area: toes and soles
- Battery: 2200 mAh lithium polymer battery, lasts from 3.5 h up to 12 hours at on the lowest setting
- Material: cotton and COOLMAX technical mixed fabric
- Only hand wash
Smilodon Heated Socks are stylish long socks ideal for cold days thanks to their batteries with an impressive operating life of up to 12 hours. Moreover, the battery has U.S. UL certification proving its reliability and safety.
They are made out of cotton enriched with a technical fabric that allows them to wick away moisture and reduce odor. Although I’m not a fan of using cotton in ski socks, Smilodon Socks provide good value for money.
The only potential issue is that they are somewhat bulkier than the socks previously mentioned on this list.
Dr.Warm Heated Socks
- Best: Comes with a Remote
- Heat: 3 heat settings
- Heated Area: instep, sole, toes
- Battery: 2600 mAh rechargeable li-ion batteries, lasts from 3.5 h up to 11 hours at on the lowest setting
- Material: a blend of cotton, acrylic, nylon, and spandex
- Hand wash or wash in a laundry bag
These socks have the largest heated area of all socks on this list since they go around the toes as well as provide heat for the instep and sole of your foot. Their material is soft and light.
Dr. Warm manages to top these features off with great battery life and a remote to make switching between settings easier, especially if you are on a slope wearing multiple layers.
However, these socks are slightly thicker, and they are recommended to be worn in loose shoes. This means they are not an option for skiers with racing or other very tight-fitting boots.
Their moisture-wicking abilities are also not the best, especially considering the price. Despite all that, many skiers made good use of them.
How to Choose Heated Ski Socks
Let’s look at some essential features that you should consider when buying your pair of heated ski socks.
What to look for when buying
Warmth
It makes sense that the most important feature for any heated sock is the heat it can provide.
Typically, the socks should have at least three heat settings (high, medium, low). Otherwise, there are not optimal for skiing. This aspect is undebatable since you need to be able to adjust the heat to the weather and the current level of your activity.
What you can choose is ho do you want to access these settings. Cheaper socks will usually allow you to switch to different heat levels only directly on the battery. This can be impractical when you are on the slopes wearing multiple layers.
The more convenient option is wearing socks that come with a remote. Or ones with a phone app that allows you to set all different settings and constantly monitor your battery life.
One more thing to consider is the heated area of the socks. Most people need extra warmth for their toes. Those skiers are typically satisfied with having a heated toe cap meaning your toes are getting heat from both top and bottom.
But you can also find models that have heating elements only on the instep or the sole of your feet. Or even models that heat all three of these areas. So before you purchase your new socks, consider whether there is a specific area of your feet that always gets cold and that you would like to target.
Battery
When it comes to the battery, there are three important attributes. It should be located in its own pocket high enough to sit above your ski boots. Therefore, it has to be at least above the calf, but it can also be located right below the knee.
This way, the battery is not likely to fall out when you are skiing, and it also won’t be pressing against your boots, making you uncomfortable.
The ideal heated socks will have rechargeable batteries. And lastly, the longer the battery life, the better. Since you can’t exactly charge the batteries on the slope, they need to be able to last your entire skiing session.
Of course, the exact time that is required will be individual for each skier. Personally, I consider socks to have a great battery life if they can last at least 8-10 hours on the lowest setting. Some of the best products can even last longer than 14 hours. With those types of socks, you can confidently rely on them all day long.
Remember that higher heat levels will eat up the battery much quicker. So, if you like to pump up the heat, try to use the highest setting in intervals together with lower settings.
Comfort
Having soft, comfortable socks is very important during skiing. If you were to use heated socks to lounge on your couch, you probably wouldn’t mind, or even notice, if there were some wires pressing at the bottom of your feet.
Unfortunately, wearing heated socks in ski boots is not as forgiving. Any imperfection in the design of the socks can make your feet feel uncomfortable or even hurt you. It is important to always try the boots and socks together before hitting the slopes.
Make sure the socks fit into your boots snugly but not tightly. If the boots are squeezing on them too much, it could negatively affect the wiring and even burn your feet in the worst-case scenario. This is the reason why most heated ski socks tend to be less bulky than your regular electric socks. It is also a good reason for reaching for reputable brands when buying heat socks.
Material
Having heating for your toes doesn’t do much good for skiers if, at the same time, the material doesn’t wick away the created moisture and doesn’t allow the feet to breathe. The material should also be soft and warm enough by itself. That way, your feet won’t freeze if you turn the heating element off.
For this reason, you should look for merino wool and synthetic materials like spandex, polyamide, or others. It is definitely a good idea to avoid cotton at all costs. Or at least look for a blend of cotton and synthetics.
Useful Tips and Information
- Other than wearing heated socks, make use of ski boots warmer gloves is also a good idea to keep your feet warm
- I have met students wearing an extra pair of sock under their heated socks, so they don’t need to wash the heated socks that frequent. However, it is not a good idea because it will weaken your feet’ sensitivity, and somehow, it will affect your ankle’s rolling movement.
- It’s not the thickness of your socks that matter, it’s more the material that matters. Make sure you turn off the heating function of your socks when it gets warmer. Once your feet sweat and get wet, it’s going to be very cold.
FAQs
Here are some quick questions relating to heated ski socks and their quick answers.
Do heated socks work for skiing?
Yes, heated socks work for skiing pretty well, especially on very cold, windy days and night skiing.
However, looking for heated socks with these features would work exceptionally well for skiing: non-slippery material, rechargeable batteries, as thin as possible for a better reaction, different heat levels that can be adjusted quickly (even with your ski gloves on).
How do you wash heated ski socks?
The best way to wash your heated ski socks is to follow the instruction given by the manufacturer. However, these are the general rules of washing heated ski socks:
- Hand wash is always preferred. If possible, figure out where the wires are and avoid squeezing those areas.
- Only put them in the washing machine when the manufacturer confirms it’s ok to do so, and place them in a laundry bag (one sock per bag is a great idea).
- Squeeze the water out by hand, avoid the wires part and dry them on a flat drying rack
Can I put electric socks in the dryer?
It depends, I would avoid putting electric socks in the dryer even the instruction said it’s ok to do so. Once I purchased two extra same pairs of heated socks with my housemate and I hand washed and airdry them, she uses the washing machine and dryer instead.
3 years later, my heated socks are still working fine and she just purchased her second pair. So I would say avoid putting them in the dryer.
Wrapping Up
THE Hotronic Heat Socks are my pick for the best heated ski socks. Quite a number of my instructor friends recommended these socks as well, long batteries lives, breathable, comfortable and easy to adjust the heating level as well.
They are the socks that saved my -35 day out.
Picking the right pair of heated socks for skiing can be a little tricky. Simply choose the product that fits your need, and you will be happy with its value!