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I love the outdoors. I love it even when it’s 7 degrees Fahrenheit and the ground is mostly covered by ice and 10+ inches of snow. And the reason I can love the outdoors in these conditions is because I am, for the most part, protected from the adverse effects of these conditions.
Living in 21st century America — which I’m very thankful for — comes with access to technology that makes loving the outdoors all the better. So, in the icy cold, I rightly and wisely make use of technology. I wear warm layers — some of them made from recycled pop bottles. My boots are leather, steel-toed, and waterproof. My gloves are a synthetic wool. My jacket a combination of polyester fill for lightweight warmth and treated cotton twill for a durable shell. Admittedly, I am less old school than I once was but very thankful for technology that helps me stay warm and dry during a cold, snowy day.
But sometimes I wonder if we lose a bit of our outdoor edge if we use too much tech. After all, my grandpa never had, for instance, ThermaCell ProFlex heated insoles with rechargeable batteries for his boots. Sure, electric socks have been around for a while. But the ThermaCell insoles are controlled by a wireless remote and offer two heat settings.
Heated insoles? This is nuts, I thought. I must already be breaking some age-old outdoor statute because I prefer Polartec fleece to Mackinaw wool … but now in my hand are wireless, rechargeable heated insoles…
With a big shoveling project in front of me and my two snow removers (one 16 years old and the other 15 years old) off playing hockey on a nearby frozen lake, I charged the ThermaCell batteries, inserted them into the ThermaCell insoles, and placed them in my boots. I grabbed the wireless remote, clicked “High”, and headed outside.
At 7 degrees Fahrenheit with a light wind, the cold bit down quickly so I got shoveling. After a few minutes the warmth of the insoles became apparent. And appreciated. Just the right level of warmth, never anything I could describe as “hot,” radiated into my feet. It felt good and worked well with the mid-weight merino wool socks I was wearing.
My feet stayed warm. And I did, too.
Shoveling only took about 45 minutes to an hour so when I was done I walked about a quarter mile down the road to check on my boys. Still playing hockey on the lake. So I walked back home. The insoles stayed warm and decently comfortable, although I could tell it wasn’t the insole that came with the boot.
While the ThermaCell heated insoles (retail $184.99) brought a new level of comfort to being outdoors in the cold, it also made me consider a new definition of “hardship”: What happens when the batteries run out of charge? This, truly, is a 1st world problem. But, because these insoles will provide warmth for four hours at a time — which is about my max for exposure outdoors at these temperatures, usually during deer season — it’s the best of the 1st world problems.
Warm feet when it’s so cold outside. I love technology.
— Mark Kakkuri
