Hot Hands toe warmers: why not top of feet?
 

These come with a warning not to use on top of feet. Wondering why that would be?
(am wanting to try at top/forward-end of sock rather than below to see if they work as well).

I use them on the tops all the time, usually between the shoe and the bootie. They aren't as efficient warming your toes but they do work there. We do the same thing when XC skiing, the warmer goes on the top of the boot over the toes before the boot cover goes on. Make sure they are already warm before doing this, sometimes on the ski boots you won't get enough air to get them started but once they are going they seem to keep going.

^ thanks. Tried them out for an hour or so. Not as toasty as I thought they'd be, but there is some warmth there.

Seem like they fit ok also on the back of the palm! Going to give that a proper shot between glove and liner.

I've always stuck them on top of my socks, didn't even know it was wrong.:foo: I don't think I'd like feeling them under foot but I can see that might be warmer.

I use them for hunting in late November December also. When I’m sitting in a stand or blind and it’s sub freezing I place them between my liner socks and thicker wool socks. I put them on top my foot and below in the toe box of my insulated boot.

I can do the same thing for winter cycling but my feet don’t get as cold as still hunting.

use them wherever you want, you will be the best judge

Wondered why a thread about hot hands was started in the summer, then checked the OP's location.
funny.

I imagine there's more of a chance (albeit still really tiny?) that could burn on top.. lot thinner skin on the tops of feet/toes.. and where all your veins/arteries are visible.

Could be right. Thought maybe something happened years ago. They got sued and so had to put that warning on label!

Had them in my trouser pockets a bit later. End of day wondered where the red marks came from :)

A while back, I bought real winter cycling shoes, and avoided all the 'tricks' trying to keep my toes warm.

My take is that they get hotter and don't last as long in an oxygen rich environment. I suppose they could burn but in freezing cold weather, I don't see it. They definitely have more airflow on the top, with vents, than on the bottom.

I climbed a few 20k+ peaks in Peru. Early in the trip, at a col just below the final obstacle, a 1000' "easy" ice climb. I figured with hanging belays I'd be colder, so put foot warmers in my boots. They never got going and took up space in the boots. I ended up with some minor nip because of this. On the decent, while slogging down the glacier the next day, I noticed them come to life. By this point they were in my pocket. I think it was approximately 16k' or so, and they started working. More than 24 hours after I removed the package.

Lesson learned. A quality pair of socks and some room to wiggle my toes kept me warmer.

My toes occasionally go numb in any weather on the bike. Depending on the shoes. I could see freezing a foot and not realizing it until too late. I put dog doo bags over my socks, the put on shoes. Keeps the wind off.

I have had a lot more of a problem with them not heating because of lack of oxygen as opposed to getting too hot. I prefer not to have them in close contact with skin.

Yes, I didn't find them very effective. And they also don't work well if they're old.