Gobi Heat® Socks & Glove Liners

Description

When testing products from Gobi Heat®, it had been years since we’d tried heated socks. And it was literally heart-warming to see how far technology has come over the years in the category.

I can remember the days of heavy disposable D batteries hanging off the side pockets of heated socks while standing on a cold commuter train platform seeking warmth. The good news is those days are over! True, my commuter days are behind me, but even better, heated socks are now a much more comfortable, convenient option!

Gobi’s Tread Heated Socks come with rechargeable batteries that are so thin and lightweight, you’ll hardly be conscious that they are there! The socks are made of comfy, stretchy, machine-washable cotton that is thin enough to fit into most boots and some sneakers.

The heat is delivered quickly and reaches down to the pads of the toes where people with Raynaud’s really need the warmth. I expected the wires to be a bit uncomfortable, but you won’t feel them inside your footwear – I was only conscious of them when stepping directly on a hardwood floor, which is something you’re not likely to do when it’s cold enough to need the product.

Beyond being rechargeable and reusable, one big benefit over disposable toe warmers with these socks is the remote control. While connecting the remote to the sock batteries took some trial and error, once I mastered this step, using it was easy. The remote offers the ability to turn on the socks and surf through their High, Medium and Low settings with the punch of a button. If you’ve ever used disposable toe warmers and needed to remove them in a public place, you’ll know how welcome this feature is!

I was only able to keep the socks on the highest setting for a short time before needing to turn them down. The High setting reaches up to 140ºF. Other products we’ve tested only heat up to 113ºF, as we’ve been told that medical experts recommend this temperature as the highest level that is safe for being in contact with the feet, and that’s the heat level corresponding to the lowest setting for these socks. For this reason, we would recommend using the Low setting once you’ve gone through a toasty warm-up on higher levels. This step should also help extend the heat time, as the socks offer up to 12 hours of battery life on the lowest level of heat.

We also tested Gobi’s Stealth Heated Glove Liners. The product offers a comfy, stretchy fit, similar to other heated glove liners we’ve tried. The flexible polyester/spandex combination offers good dexterity: While typing was a bit challenging, I could move files, open and close emails, plus browse on my laptop while wearing the gloves indoors.

The heat levels are fairly high for such a thin, lightweight glove, and on a day when it’s only moderately cold and windy (for me, about 40ºF) the liners work well on their own for everyday protection, as the heat does reach down to the fingertips. Like the socks, there are Low, Medium and High heating options, and the liners offer up to 6 hours of heat on the lowest setting.

One huge plus for Gobi’s glove liners are their screen-friendly tips on the thumb and index fingers. I could actually play games on my iPad with them on!

The main issue we have with the gloves is their battery placement. Like the socks, the battery is thin and lightweight. But unlike other heated glove liners we’ve tried, Gobi’s batteries sit on top of the wrist, not on the bottom. While that may not seem like a big deal, given the stretchy fabric, I can really feel the battery against my wrist, particularly my wrist bone, pending the angle of my arm and hands. In fact, if it weren’t for the benefit of the screen-friendly tips, I would have reversed the gloves and worn them backwards. If you don’t mind losing the touchscreen feature, wearing them with the batteries on the bottom of the wrist is a much more comfortable experience and they perform as well as other similar products we’ve tested.

The battery location isn’t just a comfort issue: It kept me from being able to successfully use the liners inside my mittens, which I can do with another brand. Not sure why the battery location made such a difference in loading the mitten over the liner, but if I reverse them so that the battery is under the wrist, it’s an easier fit. And since the only downside of reversing the liners is losing the touch screen feature, it’s not really an issue when using the liners inside an outer layer unless there’s a chance you’ll need to remove the mittens while outdoors to use a mobile device.

Special Offer for Raynaud’s Members

Members Receive a 10% Discount All Products
Use Promo Code: RAY10

Gobi Heat’s Socks are available in sizes S/M and L/XL in black with a variety of contrasting colors on the heel and toe for $179. While we’ve seen lower prices, this is a competitive price for a quality product in this category with a remote feature.

The Glove Liners come in black, sizes XXS/XS, S/M and L/XL for $169. We’ve seen gloves in the category range from $120 to over $300, with the most expensive brand offering heat only on the back of the hand, so it’s important to understand the product features and how they work when you shop!

Plus there’s good news for our members: As a Sponsor of the Raynaud’s Association, Gobi Heat is offering the Raynaud’s community a 10% discount. Just use the Special Promotional Code RAY10 during checkout.

When you’re on Gobi Heat’s website, check out other items in their line of heated apparel, including jackets, hats, hoodies, vests and base layers. And if you try any of Gobi’s products, please share your experience with us!

Gobi Heat®

6652 S. Cottonwood Street
Murray, UT 84107
(801) 228 – 1948

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