Ask Dethroner: How Do I Keep My Feet Warm?

Kurt E. writes:

Now that’s 17 degrees in Chicago, I’m discovering that my Puma sneakers are woefully inadequate no matter how thick a sock I put on. How do I keep my toes without looking like I’m wearing moon boots?

To steal a great metaphor from a commentor on Road Bike Rider, your body works exactly the opposite from the thermostat-controlled heater in your house. A thermostat activates your heater once the temperature falls to a certain point; your body, on the other hand, responds to low temperatures by pulling heat from your extremities in an attempt to conserve core heat and energy. That means your feet and your fingers get the short shrift, even when everything else seems fairly warm.

So that’s step one: Make sure you’re as toasty as possible. Since you lose a ton of heat out the top of your head, the best defense for cold toes is the stand-by scarf and hat.

Now that said, there are other things you can do to mitigate frozen toes. Wicking socks will keep your feet dry—that still matters in winter; wet things don’t insulate. Try something made from the synthetic materials like Coolmax or Smartwool. You can also put wicking socks under a nice wool sock (or anything else warm), but I don’t know if you’ll still be able to fit them inside your sneakers. You can also try chemical heating packs if you’re going to be out for a long time.

Also, keep the blood flowing! Any time you stop moving, waggle your toes for 20 seconds or so. Obvious, but that’ll keep the blood flowing. Still, though, cold feet means a cold core temp—bring that up and your body will start dumping heat through your hands and feet.