Dayton-based Cornerstone Research Group successfully tested its new heated boot liner technology in Norway recently.
Testing took place during the 2025 Arctic Warrior Experiment at Norway’s Camp Rodsmoen. The boot liners outperformed expectations, the company said, and received praise from both Norwegian and U.S. Special Operations forces.
The boot liners have the ability to autonomously activate in temperatures as low as minus-49 degrees Fahrenheit.
Cornerstone is headquartered in Miamisburg and works on aerospace, defense and industrial projects.
"We're an aerospace and defense company. That's a pretty broad term, but we do we do a lot of contract work for the government, and we also do commercial work," said Mark Cridge, strategic director at CRG.
Cridge said the liners were created for to answer the U.S. government's call for Navy or Air Force use in sub-zero temperatures.
“They wanted this to be an automated system so it could just kick on and prevent maybe a dismounted pilot from having some frostbite scenario,” he said.
Over $1 million was offered to develop this technology. Cornerstone worked in partnership with FirstSpear and Berston to develop the liners.
"We've worked a lot to make sure those these can be rugged, be washed and kind of fit well on an individual's feet," Cridge said. "So we've done a lot of freezer testing and fit testing and we have multiple sizes."
These liners offer a flexible, durable and easily worn product that can be used in various settings, he said.
“There's potential for batteries to last more than a day in the very, very cold environments, which I think is a big selling point for these," Cridge said. "Because people don't like to have to worry about swapping batteries, especially during the day.”
More testing will take place in Canada in a couple of weeks, and Cornerstone is looking for more groups to test out the liners.
Cridge said they hope to introduce the product to the Department of Defense before pursuing commercial sales.
"That's kind of the next next round of funding that we would be hoping to secure from the Department of Defense, would be to support making these from something that is a a limited volume prototype to an off the shelf product," he said.
