Foil to keep your toes warm?

I remember hearing somewhere about sticking foil under your insoles to help reflect heat back into your shoes and keep your toes warm.

Any truth in it?

what? no then? 😉

if not, why not.

works for the back of radiators….

works better if you line the inside of your helmet though

Instinctively I'd have said it wouldn't work but the link below suggests it should and even mentions putting it in shoes nest the bottom of the page. Would be interesting to try…

http://www.homefoilinsulation.com/frequently-asked-questions/

I do it for the 'Puffer. Can't do any harm having a reflective surface between feet and the heat sucking pedal.

Whats wrong with socks?

or cavity wall foam?

lol

I really suffer from cold toes.

so far I have:

merino liner socks and sealskins

big thick wooly walking socks (several different types)

big thick wooly walking socks with merino liner socks.

all in proper winter boots (a size bigger), and not all at once…..

Managed an hour and a half before having to stop due to pain.

I have some heated insoles but have dug them out to find I'm out of AA batteres, so was looking for something to help combat the minus whatever the hell it'll be in scotland tomorrow.

purpose made ones do exist, here 🙂

actually, I've looked in the kitchen and I'm out of foil too.

dammit.

I really suffer from cold toes

There is no cure [apart from heating them] but as you've tried everything you know that already
Over the last 30 years I've tried [probably] hundreds of different ideas & none work

oddly enough though, my hands never get cold. I wear what most would describe as spring/autumn gloves in sub zero conditions.

hey ho, I guess an hour and a half is better than nothing at all.

mmmmmmmagma?

oddly enough though, my hands never get cold

me too

I don't own any lined gloves – I wear Fox Digits all year round

i've used cling film before, worked fine

I put a bit of innertube over the cleat plate, and under the waterproofing sticker. More about evening up the gap than insulation really.. I know rubber isn't the best insulator, but it seems to help some.

Yes, I have some very old insoles in my wellies that have foil on the underside.

A bit of extra lining over the cleat should help as it acts as a massive heat sink that sucks all the heat from under the ball of your feet.

This year I've been using the one shot chemical hand/foot warmers placed on top of my tootsies and my feet have been toastie cosy. Only cost about £1.50 a pair and last a good 8 hrs.

i have suffered for years with very cold feet, to the point of wanting to cry like a baby…
i have taken to riding with flat pedals and 5/10s with wool socks.
with my feet flexing on the pedal and the insulation of the socks and shoe combo, my feet have been toasty all this minus temperature week…. 8)

None of these things work as cold feet is just bad circulation. You'll get cold feet whatever. You can help it out a bit, don't do your shoes up too tight, especially around your ankles, wear socks that don't have compression elastic on them, two thin pairs are better than one thick and so on.

foil is very conductive. you want aluminumised plastic (mylar) one of those shiny balloons would be perfect.

used for low temp physics (mK) so should be fine for feet.

Depending on what shoes you wear, could you not stick gaffer tape to the inside of the toe box to stop any cold air getting in?
I find that is the main way my feet get cold when riding – cold air getting through the meshy bits of my shoes.

Forget the foil – overshoes are what you need – toasty toes.

well, I would bet as the shoes are waterproof winter boots, with no mesh or air vents I can't see how that'll help.

well, I would but as the shoes are waterproof winter boots, with no mesh or air vents I can't see how that'll help.

Forget the foil – overshoes are what you need – toasty toes

This year I tried Goretex Shimano boots [2 sizes too big] with 2 pairs of ski socks & Goretex over boots

Result – still had cold feet

May try these next year
http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/category/clothing/toe-warmers/product/grisu-heating-support-footbed-30868

uplink, that's pretty much what I have.

need to get batteries for mine thought.

Fortunately(unfortunately?) my moring ride was cancelled due to the pawls in my freehub freezing solid meaning I have a very expensive scooter.

I think Ton's idea of going to flats for the Winter may be the way forward

I never get cold feet running
I've been doing miles on snow & ice for the last week in nothing but trainer liners & running spikes & my feet have been toasty

Small freezer bags over the front part of your feet. It's the future. Enough to keep the wind from whistling through the shoes, at least. I've tried foil, but it rips.

It's hard to understand why I just don't buy some new overshoes though 😉

None of these things work as cold feet is just bad circulation. You'll get cold feet whatever. You can help it out a bit, don't do your shoes up too tight, especially around your ankles, wear socks that don't have compression elastic on them, two thin pairs are better than one thick and so on.

+1

I used to get cold feet whenever I did my shoes up nice and tight.

Like some of you guys my toes and fingers got that cold the pain was unbearable. The plastic bags from bread used to work fairly well for the toes. In the end I went to see the GP, turns out I have Reynards disease. Apparently the pulse to ankles and wrists are ok but the extremities go into spasm and cause all the pain. Was prescribed some tablets that work very well but not 100%.