Help me keep my feet warm

**sonic** · 10-29-2011, 10:57

I have a thermarest inflatable pad that I used before I got an UQ. It does seem to be surprisingly warm. I am pretty sure that its warmer than CCF pad. I don't use it any more. If my feet get cold, I just ball up and get my feet over my 3/4 UQ, and I put them inside the foot box of my black mamba TQ. I tend to sleep curled up anyways, so it works great for me. It helps that I am a short little chap.

**Shug** · 10-29-2011, 11:00

I go with 2 pair of socks....first on my Possum Down socks then loose wool socks. Thermarest sit pad under feet in my TQ footbox. If a wet-footed chilly night often I will snap my down vest around my hammock footbox making sure to go under my hammock ridgeline. Always works and helps my feet.
In dire times....JRB down sleeves over feet instead of using them as a pillow.
This is in Minnesota.
Shug

**E.A.Y.** · 10-29-2011, 11:14

I use a gossamer gear pad (the really thin narrow one) folded a couple of times. Then I make sure my feet are dry, and put on thin loose wool socks (since my feet sweat), and them some homemade primaloft booties. Toasty.
Have not gone below 30F yet.

**Dave10** · 10-29-2011, 17:36

I sleep with just silk socks. They keep my feet feeling nice and warm.

**MuseJr** · 10-29-2011, 18:39

Originally Posted by Pipsissewa

MJ: Maybe clean, dry socks, your Flamethrower booties and chemical warmers will do the trick! Probably the same weight as a pad (you gotta figure two for every night out), but at least you could ditch the pad in the hammock!

I have some hand warmers. That could be an option, I will give that a go too. I see some car camping in my near future...

**vtrek** · 10-29-2011, 19:03

I appreciate this thread as it gave me one of those duh moments. I own a pair of down booties and have never thought of wearing them to bed. I will definitly give that a try this winter. Thanks for the advice.

**L.D. Cakes** · 10-29-2011, 19:10

I do a lot what others have already said and I have a full length under quilt...
~Change socks to sleep only socks. The thick rag wool are my favs for sleeping.
~If under 50* add my down booties.
~If really cold add chemical hand warmers in my booties.*
~ I keep a hot drink in a metal bottle anyway and when I go to bed I slide it down in a sock and sleep with it, mainly on my stomach but will put my feet on it until they feel warm.

*One special note, if you're camping in freezing cold weather (under 30) take special care of your boots. Remove the insoles to dry and I like to put chemical warmers in them and stuff extra clothes or my stuff sacks down in them to keep them from freezing. There's nothing worse than putting on frozen boots in the morning.

**weird1** · 10-29-2011, 23:17

I had the same problem, I went with the Flamethrower socks, and a pad under my feet. Then i ditched the pad and the short under quilt now I have the socks and full length under quilts.

**kobold** · 10-30-2011, 00:38

i like layering. i always keep smartwool socks just to sleep in. they are big, thick and loose. if it's cold i take an additional pair of possum socks and wear both layers, with possum next to my skin. if that's not enough i can add the hiking socks as a third layer. it happened a few times.

apart from hot summer nights i wear merino long johns, also, just to sleep in. for cold weather i add another set and sleep wearing everything i have.

for short uq setup i add the z-seat or the lite-seat, otherwise a folded towel, space blanket, a plastic bag filled with grass or my emptied backpack.

hang your hammock and tarp perpendicular to the wind!

in a desperate situation hang low and pile up leaf litter around the footbox.

**Crawldaddy** · 10-30-2011, 06:45

In an emergency and all you have is damp socks and you dont have all the extra gear, cover your feet with a vapor barrier such as plastic bags or nylon pack bags. This will slow down the evaporation effect you get which makes your feet colder. Same principle used in refrigeration. Your feet will stay clammy but much warmer..