Does anyone have experience with these? I am constantly getting freezing feet on the ice, especially when I teach, and am looking for anything that might warm them. Do these actually keep your feet warm? Are they worth the $40 or so that they cost?

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-Jessi
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I don't have personal experience with these, as I tend to just tough it out....but, all of the little kids at my rink wear these, so I am assuming they actually work, at least a little....

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Skating Dreams

"All your life you are told the things you cannot do. All your life they will say you're not good enough or strong enough or talented enough; they will say you're the wrong height or the wrong weight or the wrong type to play this or be this or achieve this. THEY WILL TELL YOU NO, a thousand times no, until all the no's become meaningless. All your life they will tell you no, quite firmly and very quickly. AND YOU WILL TELL THEM YES." --Nike

I have them and they help, but if the coldness on the bottom of your skate is what bothers you, the boot gloves won't help. They just keep the upper part of the skate insulated.

They do protect the boots from nicks and scrapes.

The biggest disadvantage is that you have to remember to put them on your leg before you put on your skates. They can fit over the boot-and-blade, but it's awkward and I always feel like I'm going to cut them open.

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Thanks for the reviews. Honestly I can't tell which part of my foot is cold- top/bottom (other than it's usually my toes first). It's probably from the bottom of the skate, as I skate barefoot, and cannot wear socks (no room in the skates) but it seems like a little insulation would help. I guess I'll just put it on the christmas list, rather than buy them now.

Nicks and scratches aren't a concern as my boots are a horrible mess. I'm the third or fourth owner of them, and someone clearly worked very hard on either a loop or a backspin. The leather is barely visible in some parts for all the scratches.

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-Jessi
What I need is a montage...
Visit my skating journal or my Youtube videos (updated with 2 new videos Sept 26, 2009)

I use 'em every once in a while when I coach, mainly when I've been out there for 3+ hours. For the most part, they work well in keeping your feet warm, but you have to put them on before going on the ice when your skates are still warm. If you put them on midway through coaching (say, 2 hours in) and your feet are already cold, the insulators won't do any good because all they'll be doing is maintaining the coldness. Basically, they'll keep your feet cold if they're cold prior to putting them on and warm if your feet are warm prior to putting them on.

Definitely worth the $40 as they hold up quite well and do protect your skates from getting knicked while coaching. As for skating in these, I've never done it. They seem like they'd be slightly too bulky, but I've seen some little kids at my rink wearing them during their regular practices and they seem to do fine.

And, I agree: you should put them on prior to putting your skates on because they are a royal pain in the butt to try and slide over your skates since they don't have much give and may tear.

Everyone in my family has worn them at one time or another. You can skate in them just fine, they're not too bulky at all. I find they are helpful if it's not extremely cold, but I got them for outdoor work, and in the worst temps they didn't retain the heat long enough.

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I wear them a fair amount during the winter. Like others have said, they do help. I agree that you have to put them on before you go out on the ice. And I can't tell you how many times I've gotten my skates laced up only to realize I forgot to put the stupid things on first!! Aaargh.

Gotta say, though -- I think they're ugly as sin. I wear them because they help me stay warm, but I find them unattractive.

If we're talking about what I think are called boot covers over here...

I have several pairs - I don't know wether they keep your feet warm as my feet are always hot while I skate. But yes they do protect a little from scrapes.

You can make them (I personally think) look less ugly and clunky by either not pulling them down over the heel (which I don't like as I'm scared they'll slip up) or, if you wear leg warmers, pulling the leg warmer just over the heel of the boot. That might help keep your feet warm as well.

These are a type of boot covers- but they are insulated, specifically for warmth. They aren't the kind you would wear with pants to match a costume during a show.

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-Jessi
What I need is a montage...
Visit my skating journal or my Youtube videos (updated with 2 new videos Sept 26, 2009)

They are neoprene. I actually made some for DH and DD when I found camo neoprene socks in the sports section at K-Mart. I cut a slit in the bottom of each sock. I suspect they may be better than the Ice Lites because they cover more of the sole of the boot.

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That is pretty much my experience too. They definitely help. Really bitter cold will work it's way in eventually, but it takes longer than plain boots.

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It's all about the dress!

The sock trick works great, especially for kids since an adult sock will cover the whole boot. I made my daughter boot covers from a pair of wool socks and they helped her a lot. I cut a slit in the bottom of the sock and sewed in velcro tabs. Easy peasy, works great.

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It's all about the dress!

When my daughter was living in Switzerland and skated at an outdoor rink there, I noticed that the coaches had lambskin fleece boot covers, which looked wonderfully warm!

I have seen this done, which is what inspired me to knit my own boot covers! They are wonderfully warm, too, although I don't know whether they would be warm enough in the very cold weather out of doors.

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Mrs Redboots
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I love my computer because my friends live in it!
Ice dancers have lovely big curves!

I have a boot cover project in mind but I can't decide between blue and white with norwegian snowflakes or Aran style.

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It's all about the dress!

Warm, and great for coaching, but too bulky to skate in.

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As they don't take very long to knit, why not do a pair of each, then you can ring the changes.

Aran-style might be lovely....

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Mrs Redboots
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I love my computer because my friends live in it!
Ice dancers have lovely big curves!