Felix Bühler Cold Water Boots: ‘easy to use without ice’ 6/10

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Welcome to our new group test of cool/ice boots. All of the boots in this group test have been put through their paces by professional event rider Sam Jennings. Find out what she thought below.

Official description

The Felix Bühler Cold Water Boots contain a special granulate which absorbs water, so you just place them in a bucket full of water to activate them. When using the boots for the first time or after longer periods of non-use, soak the boots in water for around two hours prior to use. When used regularly, the boots only need to be soaked in water for half an hour in order to be able to cool again. The cooling effect lasts for approximately 20-30 min.

First impressions

These boots didn’t look as effective as the others in terms of the mechanism used for cooling. But they did look easy and convenient to use.

Overview of performance

These cool boots did proof very easy to use, as all you needed to do is soak them in cold water and put onto the legs. They did cool the legs to some extent, but not as much as the others in the test group (by approximately 2.5 degrees after being worn by horse for 20mins after strenuous exercise*). The Velcro was very tough and hard-wearing, plus they didn’t slip. But if you have access to ice, I think you can do better for the price.

Likes and dislikes

I like that you don’t need access to a freezer to use them, which is convenient when you are out and about. They can’t be washed in the washing machine, which is a negative compared to some of the others in the group test.

*How the reduction in leg temperature was measured

Sam used an infrared non-contact digital thermometer to measure the temperature of the horses’ legs immediately after work and then again after the cool boots had been applied to the legs for 20mins. This test was repeated across different horses after different types of strenuous work (fast work, jumping, cross-country, etc) and an average temperature reduction was worked out across the group. These tests were undertaken in the environment that the boots are designed to be used and so the temperatures recorded may have been affected by environmental factors.

Verdict

A good option for someone with limited access to ice or a freezer.