Tuesday, February 26, 2013

In Search of Warm Feet

This last week has been on the cold side. Minus 17 officially, not counting the wind chill factor. We have a lot of lovely new chair lifts with hoods that really help to keep body and hands at a nice temperature. The feet are left in the cold though.

I've seen neoprene covers on boots. I've tried battery heated soles in the past, worked nicely for one season. Broke in the second season, and despite factory replacements never worked again. Although I know a ski instructor who has been able to transfer her heated soles from old boots to new, without problem. Maybe I should try again.

My last boots had a molded thermal inners. I don't remember painful cold feet with them, or was it just not so cold back then?

Last Thursday my feet were like blocks of ice. Numb, uncontrollable and painful on rewarming. What do we call that pain? The only way I know to reduce it, is to put the offending limb above the heart. Not quite a polite thing to do in the restaurant if it is a foot, and not the done thing for a ski instructor. Or is that an unjust judgement on myself?

So Friday, similar temperatures expected, I tried insertable, one use only, eco-unfriendly toe warmers. These were kindly handed to me by a departing guest in January. She was concerned about my constant cold feet, and had success herself with these warmers. Thank you Jane, you saved the day, the whole weekend actually.

I was sceptical. There was no room in my boots for extra padding. They wouldn't do the job. They'd wrinkle up and annoy me. Wrong. They kept my feet comfortable for the five hours they said they would. That was the five franc model. On Saturday the Coop brand, two franc seventy model only worked for two hours. You get what you pay for.

Now the weather is warming up slightly, we have sunshine and perfect snow conditions. What a wonderful winter it is.

Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Another webcam!

Thought you'd be interested in another all round webcam.
This one is positioned on top of the Gondelbahn station with views to the Felix ski school and restaurant too.
Enjoy!


http://panocam.skiline.cc/maennlichen

The Eiger

The Eiger