I hardly ever wear socks around the house, even in the winter. It’s not that my feet never get cold because they do, it’s just not enough to make me want to put on socks. I have nothing against socks (I happen to have quite a few pairs of holiday themed footwear), but chilly feet was never an ailment of mine. A friend of mine is the complete opposite – can’t live without socks. I think he would wear multiple pairs of socks at once if it weren’t horribly uncomfortable and bulky. His feet are so cold that he sleeps with two blankets wrapped around them and they’re still cold. Crazy true story.
I can’t do anything to help him with his nighttime foot shivers (heated blanket, perhaps?) but I think I found the solution to inadequate sock warmth: the Volt Resistance Heated Indoor/Outdoor Slippers (Vat19, $129.99). With a design more like booties than traditional slippers, these foot cocoons provide the wearer with over six hours of warmth per battery charge. Each slipper uses one battery (included) that fits into a small inside pocket and is easily recharged via wall outlet. The slippers themselves are made of a water-resistant shell which means that most water will slide right off, but I wouldn’t go dunking your foot into a giant puddle. A built-in thermostat ensures that your tootsies stay cozy without burning up and the massive amount of insulation comprising the outer slipper shell prevents heat from escaping. You can even throw them in the washer if they get dirty!
The key here is to remember that these are slippers, not shoes. Yes, it says you can wear them outside but it’s more of a get-the-mail kind of outside rather than go-to-the-mall.
5 out of 5 stars.
Specs:
-Heated indoor/outdoor slippers
-6+ hours of use per charge
-Built in thermostat
-Actively heated thermal footbed
-Water resistant outer shell
-Sizes medium, large, or extra large
-Includes 2 rechargeable lithium ion batteries and wall charger
-Nylon upper with 640g of insulation
-100% recycled rubber outsole
-Machine washable
-90 day manufacturer’s warranty
I have a pretty extensive hoodie collection. For awhile, it was all I really wore. Who needs a jacket when you’ve got a hoodie? A hoodie will not only keep you warm but it renders fussy umbrellas obsolete. As a side note, I find it hilarious when people think an umbrella is a good idea in the middle of a windy thunderstorm. Not only is it going to turn itself inside out almost immediately, but it’s also just a fancy lightning rod.
If it’s one thing I don’t need, it’s another hoodie. That being said, I really do need the HoodieBuddie (Convenient Gadgets & Gifts, $34.95). It looks like your standard black zip-up (perfect for any occasion – even formal!), yet it’s oh so much more. Finally giving those useless drawstrings a purpose, this hoodie features integrated headphones built into the drawstring ends. Follow the embedded cables down through the hoodie to the front pocket where you’ll find a standard headphone jack ready to plug into your musical media of choice. And if that’s not enough to dazzle you, the whole shebang is machine washable – headphones included!
Don’t worry, I’m sure you’ll look a lot less goofy than the guy in the banner pic. No guarantees though.
5 out of 5 stars.
Specs:
-Zip up hoodie with built in headphones
-Available in unisex sizes small, medium, large, and extra large
-Headphones built into drawstring ends
-Standard headphone jack
-Compatible with most mobile devices
-Machine washable (even headphones)
I actually like winter (or at the very least having seasons), so I’m a bit miffed that the only real snow we’ve gotten thus far this season was on Halloween. Sure, single-digit temperatures aren’t all that awesome but when you pair it with snow it doesn’t seem nearly as bad. Snow or not, one thing that definitely sucks about increasingly cold temperatures is having to get in your car to go to work in the morning. I hardly ever remember to warm up my car so I end up shivering all the way to work and on occasion have been known to only clear off just a tiny patch of frost on the driver’s side of the windshield. Neither of these things is advisable.
You really should warm up your car before driving it in the winter but if you’re really in a hurry then maybe the Visor Mount Heater And Defroster (Things You Never Knew Existed, $22.98) can help you out a little. While it won’t warm up your engine (yes, that’s important), it will increase visibility as well as defrost your cold appendages. The apparatus mounts to your visor and is powered by your car’s cigarette lighter, allowing it to instantly emit warm air into your vehicle. You’ll still need to turn your defrosters on, but it’ll give you a jump start on warming up.
You might not even need this thing since the world seems to be overheating at an alarming rate. Seriously, pretty soon summer is just gonna be another word for inferno.
4 out of 5 stars.
Specs:
-Dimensions: 6″ x 4″ x 2″
-Portable heater and defroster
-Plugs into 12V outlet
-Visor mounted
-Blows hot air
-Defrosts and defogs
I wish it would just hurry up and snow already! I mean, how are we supposed to properly celebrate Christmas without any snow? I’m not asking for blizzard, just a couple of inches, maybe a foot, that’s all. We only need enough frosty precipitation to do all the traditional winter activities: snow angels, snow men, and most importantly, snowball fights. Seriously, is Mother Nature bah humbugging or what?
Ok, so it hasn’t snowed yet, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be prepared for the eventual tundra war with the Snowball Slingshot (Hammacher Schlemmer, $39.95). There are a lot of different ways to arm yourself in a snowball fight and yet hardly anyone chooses the slingshot method. Perhaps if they knew this slingshot could hurl a snowball up to 60 feet through the air they’d feel differently. Yes, there are some concessions to be made here, like the fact that you can only shoot one snowball at a time but it’s not like your low-tech arm is doing any better than that. At least this shooter uses medical-grade elastic tubing, making it virtually unstoppable, and can withstand rigorous winter battles. There’s even a target to improve your skills!
Ok, I’ve done my part, now you have to do yours. Start looking up “snow dance” and let’s get those flurries started!
4 out of 5 stars.
Specs:
- -Dimensions: 19″ x 5″ x 12″
- -Weight: 5lbs
- -Hurls snowballs up to 60′
- -Holds softball sized snowball
- -Long range tactical advantage
- -Powered by elastic tubing
- -Include target for practicing accuracy
- -Ages 8 and up
My house is always cold in the winter. I don’t know what it is, but I can’t ever seem to get warm enough. I can turn my heat up to 80 degrees, yet you’ll still find me huddled underneath a blanket and shivering. In fact, it could be freakishly hot outside (like today) and I’d still have the heat cranked all the way up. Maybe it’s me?
Whether you’re shivering or sweating, the Heating and Cooling Vent Fan (Convenient Gadgets & Gifts, $59.95) will help you find that temperature homeostasis. This fan fits into existing vent structures to provide an energy efficient solution to ineffective ventilation systems. In English? It’ll save you money because you won’t have to turn your central air up to Russian Tundra just to get some relief in the height of summer. Samesies for your heating bill in the winter months. A built-in temperature sensor indicates your heating and cooling needs to the fan system, which then pulls air from the ventilation system and pushes it toward the room. Basically, it does what your vents should be doing but probably aren’t.
I’m too cheap (and lazy) to install a dual thermostat in my house, so I think this thing is the cat’s meow.
4 out of 5 stars.
Specs:
-Dimensions: 4″ x 10″, 4″ x 12″, 6″ x 10″, 6″ x 12″
-Fan redirects and increases air flow
-Slides into existing vent openings
-Easy assembly
-Save on energy bill
-6′ cord included
-Available in almond or brown
-1 year warranty
