I read something, I think in a newsgroup, about using a rice bag to warm up one's boots before skating. I have one that a friend made me for my neck, so I know how pliable they are and how long they can hold the heat. Today before leaving for the rink, I took some old socks, filled them halfway with rice and nuked them in the microwave for a few minutes. I had to get them into my boots by holding back some of the rice from the toe area, but did get them in so that the entire insides of the boots were covered up to the ankle. It worked like magic! My boots were toasty warm an hour later. I am going to make permanent ones with a channeled construction so I don't have to finesse them into the boots, and also make flannel covers for them so they can be washed.

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What a great idea, dbny! I usually resort to leaving my skates in the front passenger seat on the floor to get warmed on my drive to the rink.

I now have heat mouldable skates (Jackson 2700). Would using rice bags or warming my skates using the heat in my car do anything to shorten the life of the boot or "unmould" because my foot isn't in it while it's warming up?

I really don't know how it would affect the heat molded boots. I don't heat the rice any hotter than I can stand to hold in my hands. You could email Jackson to find out. I'm sure others here would be interested.

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i just bring my boots inside now instead of leaving htem in the car...or i bring along my portable hair dryer, but the rice idea seems cool...erm warm

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Waffles & Vodka

Breakfast of Champions

I always bring my skates inside, but we keep the house on the cool side, and the skates stay on the first floor in the foyer, so they are never really warm in cold weather. If I'm not driving, I put them in front of the heater blower on the floor in the front, but even that doesn't do the job the way the rice bags did.

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I'll have to try that. I have one of my lessons in the afternoon, after work. But I am not allowed to bring skates into the building I work in, so they have to stay in the car. Not a problem in the summer/fall, but now that the weather is changing... it will become more of one.

But, of course, DB's solution will only work if you have access to a microwave oven at work.....

Fortunately here I seldom have that problem, unless I've been idiotic, taken my skates off and left them by the side of the rink for any reason. Did that last year at Oxford, then when I came to put them back on for the last class of the day, I nearly hit the ceiling.... This year, if I'm not inside them, they stay in the changing-rooms!

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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!

My skates stay in my van year round. Usually I remember to bring them into my office if I'm going to be skating after work, but sometimes I forget. Even putting them under the heater in the front seat doesn't always warm them up.

DBNY I like your idea. I may have to make a pair for my boots. Most of the rinks I attend have a microwave oven, even if it's for staff use normally.

I wear heat moulded Grafs and put them under the hand drier before putting them on, gets the cold out of them. Contacted Graf first and they said it's fine, not too hot or for too long to do anything to the moulding.