UKH

As a relatively new skier I'm finding the morning battle to get into my boots in the car park demoralising, and wondering if boot warmers might help.

I know not to leave my boots in the car overnight; I'm wondering if a 12v boot warmer for the car is likely to have much shell-softening effect beyond what I can achieve by just not leaving the boots out in the cold. If so, I'm guessing heated bags look a lot more effective than dryers that go inside the boot.

Any experience/tips? Or will I just get better at the morning boot battle with experience?

(Are touring boots easier to get into than piste boots? Touring is my long term goal anyway)

it shouldn't be a battle! sometimes putting you foot in 45degrees out of line with a twist into place works with tighter models

"Entering a ski boot is very much like making love to a beautiful woman" - Swiss Tony.

1) Make sure all buckles and straps are completely undone and free. Anything just partly caught on its clasp will scupper your chances and result in disappointment.

2) Focus on the tongue, straight up, firmly and without compunction. 

3) Wiggle in a bit side to side, on an angle as above. 

And...blissful release after a bit of panting and moaning. And relax.

All the above should be related whilst rubbing down the bonnet of a red sports car, obviously.

b

Some boots open up more, to allow your feet to enter more easily. Generally the more expensive ones. My touring boots has that option, my alpine ones don't.

I warm my boots up at home with a bootdryer and put them in a bag, so they don't cool down too much during the drive.

many touring boots are designed so you can wear the inners on their own (useful in huts when touring), means you can warm the inners separately or, as I've often done, keep the inners in the footwell of your car when driving to the ski resort car park so they are warm when you put them on. I've also found that thermomolded inners warm up more quickly than the more traditional style.

Having fitted 100s of pairs of boots, lots of people seem to just pull the tongue "out" (away from them), but this doesn't open the shell of the boot and won't help a lot.

Pull the tongue out, then pull the tongue one way and the other side of the boot the other way (effectively splitting the shell). Your foot should sail into the boot.

I think boot warmers are great. I use them all the time for walking/mountaineering boots as well as ski boots.

My plug in set cost £13 from ebay (RRP £65). Bargain kit and I wouldn't be without it now 

A 12 v boot warmer will take a lot of power so you will need to leave the engine running or risk a flat battery and not being able to drive away after your day’s skiing.

large thermos flask of very hot water. Two plastic bottles sized to fit snugly into your boots 

I always take a large plastic bag skiing and despite any notes to the contrary I always take my ski boots to the room we are staying in and arrange a specific protected from the floor (with the poly bag) for boot drying.   They spend the night with one of these in them https://www.ellis-brigham.com/therm-ic-dryer-v2-715064?FT20Feed=00002727&am...  (it folds down for transport).

Versus the alternative the sheer bliss gained in diving feet into boots still warm from the drier, even after a short car trip, cannot be underestimated with the added benefit that if you start off with cosy dry feet they are likely to stay that way most of the day.  The only trouble is in making sure by the morning that the kids haven't nicked them and put them into their boots - hence we now have 3 or four boot driers!!  Boots are so much easier to put on when they are warm and the plastic gives.  The other thing worth a try is slipping in a polythene bag first and sliding your heel down against it then pulling out the bag, but nothing beats warm boots IMO

If you are driving up to the skiing then put the boots in the passenger footwell with heating on full blast aimed at the feet. Works for me on the 15 minute drive from home to the slopes (having kept them in the house overnight...).