Operating instructions / Heating
1. Remove the warmer from the bag and knead it to activate the heating process thanks to the oxygen and humidity in the air.
2. Wait 10 minutes, as the warmer must be thoroughly warmed up before putting it in your shoe.
3. Ideally, activate it in an ambient environment of 20°C (at home, in the car, etc.).
4. At 0°C or above 2000m altitude, blow on it several times. The warmth and humidity of your breath will accelerate the start-up of the reaction.
BURN HAZARD WARNING (1/2)
There are 4 no-no's:
1. NEVER STICK THE HEATER DIRECTLY ON THE SKIN
2. DO NOT KEEP HEATERS ON YOUR FEET WHILE DRIVING WITH THE HEATER ON YOUR FEET, OR EVEN AT HOME IN FRONT OF A FIREPLACE
The heater provides extra heat. The warmer it is, the hotter it gets ... to the point of possibly causing superficial burns.
BURN HAZARD WARNING (2/2)
3. INTENSIVE SPORTS PRACTICE IS TO BE RADICALLY EXCLUDED (such as cross-country skiing, figure skating, ... ... because sweating will "wet" the mixture too much and the reaction will get out of control. ATTENTION: children sweat 2 to 3 times more than adults on their hands and feet for the same amount of sport.
4. DO NOT STICK IT ON THE INSIDE OF THE FOOT, as the laces press on this area, and friction will accelerate the reaction. STICK THE HEATER ON THE TOE AREA ONLY.
OPERATING PRINCIPLE
A heater is a mixture of activated charcoal powder and iron, which produces heat by oxidizing the iron.
The reaction stops:
_ When there is no more activated charcoal. The reaction is definitive after about 5 to 6 hours.
_ In an airtight environment (in a rubber boot or with neoprene bicycle overshoes).
If air is added to the heater, the reaction starts again.
GOOD TO KNOW
This means that the reaction has been stifled by a lack of air. You then need to take the warmer out, give it some air, knead it or blow on it to restart the heating process. You can then put it back in your shoe.
PIEDS heaters are intended for use on feet only, and must not be used on any other part of the body.
WHAT SHOULD I DO IF MY HEATER STOPS HEATING AFTER 1 HOUR? OR IF IT DOESN'T HEAT UP ENOUGH?
The reaction was choked by a lack of air.
You need to take the warmer out of the shoe and give it some air, knead it a little between your fingers to speed up the heating process, and put it back in the shoe only once the temperature has risen.
There's nothing more frustrating than to feel cold during a sporting activity, then at the end of it, when you get home, to have a warmer that heats up again, and to throw it in the burning garbage can.
BORDERLINE CASES
The heater doesn't work:
_ If there isn't enough air around the heater: enclosed in a neoprene overshoe, for example, or in a rubber boot.
_ If conditions are extreme: in very cold weather, the heater provides heat in addition to the operating T°, but unfortunately if the T° is really too low, it struggles to heat up.
_ If altitude exceeds 3000m, the lack of oxygen limits the reaction.
Foot use only
PIEDS heaters are intended exclusively for use on the feet and must not be used on other parts of the body.
Precautions
Never stick the warmer directly onto the skin.
Cautious and supervised use for children, the elderly or disabled.
Consult a doctor before use in cases of diabetes, fragile or sensitive skin, circulatory problems, paralysis or nerve damage, arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, in pregnant women or in case of doubt.
For external use only. Do not use on frostbite or desensitized skin. Do not use while sleeping.
Single-use product
The exothermic reaction consumes the activated carbon and oxidizes the iron. Once the fuel has been consumed, the reaction is complete and the powder becomes hard.
