The gift of warmth

Even the most hardened adventurers need comfort and warmth. That’s good, Christmas is coming, it will be an opportunity to warm up all these beautiful people with a variety of heating products.

Heated garments, such as mittens, socks, insoles and coats, are becoming increasingly popular. “Five years ago, there were a lot fewer heated products,” confirms Gabrielle Robert, clothing buyer for SAIL Plein Air stores. There is currently a momentum: we see an expansion in both customer demand and supplier supply. »

She recalls that the pandemic has led many Quebecers to go play outside, which has contributed to the rise of heated clothing. “Before, it was more hunters who used these products, or ice fishermen, or those who went on expeditions in extreme cold,” says Ms.^me Robert. Now, people are looking for heated clothing for snowshoeing, cross-country skiing or downhill skiing. »

Obviously, heating products are not necessary if you have a good rhythm. They allow you to go outside when you move little or when the temperatures are particularly low. “When you look at the weather in the morning and it’s – 25°C or – 30°C, you can go out with heated clothing,” says Ms.^me Robert.

According to Dominic Asselin, mountain guide and owner of the Attitude Montagne climbing and mountaineering school, heated socks are downright essential.

He says he has already lost fingernails twice because he got frostbite. “With the heated stockings, I no longer have this reality. I use them probably 80 days a year. »

He therefore recommends looking for quality. “To be worth it, you have to pay the price. I have customers who had less expensive products, and I feel that the gain was less there. »

Multiple technologies

There are a variety of technologies. On some garments, the heating elements can be triggered by pressing a button. Others use an app on a cell phone.

The mode of reloading is important. Dominic Asselin has stopped using heated gloves in particular because they had to recharge their battery in an ordinary electrical outlet. This is not the case with his heated socks, which are recharged with a USB socket. “On an expedition, I can charge them with a small charger or a solar panel. It works really well. »

At SAIL, prices range from $130 to $450 for heated clothing, whether it’s socks, gloves or coats.

Luckily, you can always turn to hand or toe warmer sachets, which can cost as little as $1.49 a pair. This is the solution that Dominic Asselin has chosen to replace heated gloves. However, these sachets are problematic from an environmental point of view.

There is a product around the difficulty, Hot Poc reusable hand warmers. These small pouches must be boiled between each use to restore their heating power. However, it is not very practical when camping or on an expedition. In addition, the heat lasts less than with conventional hand warmer sachets.

“I am someone who tries to pay attention to the whole environmental aspect, but I came back from Mexico [pour des formations en alpinisme] and these are hot pads [sachets chauffe-mains] that I put in my gloves for the summit”, says Dominic Asselin.

It is therefore necessary to evaluate your wallet and the needs of your favorite outdoor enthusiast to choose a heating Christmas gift.

“There are several options: the Hot Poc, hand warmer sachets, heated clothing, lists Gabrielle Robert. Over the past two years, there has been a lot of development. I think that the future still holds some nice surprises for us. »