ThermaCELL ProFLEX Heated Insoles Review

Features:

ThermaCELL ProFLEX Heated Insoles charge in 4 hours using a USB port or wall charger. They are operated by a small wireless remote. They feature removable lithium-ion batteries and extra sets are available as spares. The ProFLEX Heated Insoles can be trimmed to fit most shoe sizes.

From ThermaCELL, "ProFLEX Heated Insoles are just what you need to keep the cold at bay this winter—keeping your feet warm without getting them too hot and making them sweat. It’s the best way to keep your feet warm while enjoying the great outdoors. ProFLEX offers even more comfort and ease-of-use than Original Heated Insoles, utilizing a flexible polyurethane insole material, a comfortable and resilient Poron battery cover cushion, and a removable, rechargeable battery."

"Heated Insoles offer convenient remote operation—no worries or external batteries—and at least 2,500 hours of use or about four winters of heavy use. Using ThermaCELL’s ProFLEX Heated Insoles is easy—simply adjust the temperature utilizing the wireless remote control to the setting of your choice: no heat (standby), medium (100°F), and high (111°F). "

Specifications:

Material: polyurethane
Temperature: 100°F (med), 111°F (high)
Run Time: up to 5 hrs on medium
Weight w/batteries & remote (XL): 8.8 oz. (250 g)

Initial Thoughts (01/08/16):

My feet get cold in temperatures below freezing even with good boots. I have used disposable chemical foot warmers as well as heated insoles in the past, but the ThermaCELL ProFLEX Heated Insoles have me intrigued. The feature I love most is the ability to swap out batteries. The ThermaCELL ProFLEX heated insoles are supposed to last up to 5 hours, so having a spare pair of batteries is important to me on long day trips or multi-day trips. The batteries are also lightweight and compact compared to other heated insoles I have seen.

I wear a men's size 10.5 boots normally and the size XL ProFLEX heated insoles fit perfect without any trimming in my Columbia Men’s Bugaboot Plus III Titanium Omni-Heat Boots. The batteries definitely have to be installed for the insoles to be worn, otherwise there is a void that makes them uncomfortable. I find the ThermaCELL ProFLEX heated insoles to be moderately comfortable. They are a little firm in the toe and ball of the foot areas due to the heating elements. I can also slightly feel the battery, but I don't anticipate them being uncomfortable.

While testing the ThermaCELL ProFLEX Heated Insoles at home, I was able to feel warmth from the insoles after a couple minutes on the high setting. It was a comfortable heat that will hopefully keep my toes warm, but not hot, when I am out in the snow.

Another thing I like about the ProFLEX heated insoles is that the batteries can be installed and removed with out removing the insoles from the footwear. If the insoles do ever need to be removed, ThermaCELL thoughtfully included a pull tab in the rear.

Initial Field Test (01/09/16):

My first use of the ThermaCELL ProFLEX heated insoles was on a snowmobile ride where temperatures were in the mid 20's F. About mid-day my feet started to get cold, so I used the wireless remote to turn the ProFLEX heated insoles to the high setting. In about 3-5 minutes I could feel the warming effect of the heated insoles and turned them down to the medium heat setting. I left them at this setting the remainder of the day (a couple hours total). My feet remained comfortable.

Besides having warm feet, the ThermaCELL ProFLEX heated insoles remained comfortable to wear my entire snowmobile trip. I did not notice any discomfort in the heel area where the battery is installed. While the toe area of the insole seemed a bit hard, it proved to be fine for snowmobiling. The next day I went on a 4 mile snowshoeing trip and I did notice the balls of my feet getting a little sore. I am not sure if this was because of the hard front part of the ProFLEX heated insole or the fact that I haven't hiked for some time.

The bottom line is the ThermaCELL ProFLEX heated insoles work. If they don't last an entire day I have an extra pair of batteries I can quickly swap out. I like the design and so far the performance of the ProFLEX heated insoles.

See Barlow Creek and Bonney Meadows Snowmobile Ride adventure where the ThermaCELL ProFLEX Heated Insoles were used.

Available from amazon.com.

Special thanks to ThermaCELL for providing the ProFLEX Heated Insoles for review.