Cold Feet

[geomaniac]

I am planning my 2014 thru and have a question about cold feet. My feet tend to get really cold at night when I am trying to sleep despite the thick wool socks I bring to sleep in.
Has anyone tried sleeping in down socks from Goose Feet Gear? They appear to be very light weight at 2.2 oz. I think they could double as a pillow on warmer nights. Oh, I guess I should mention that I am a hammock camper. I use a 3/4 length 0degree under quilt and 3 season top quilt. I usually use my empty pack to insulate my legs and keep my feet in the foot box of the quilt.

My number one concern about the down socks is that it would be a PITA to have to take them off at night if I have to get up in the middle of the night. Feather Feet makes over booties for such an occasion, but I think they are a bit too expensive for what they are. (I have not seen them in person, so I am making that judgement strictly based on what I saw on the web site.)

Thanks for you input!

[Old Hiker]

Are you wearing any type of hat? That's the best way to warm your feet up, I've found. I have cold feet up to my mid-shin unless I have a good hat.

I used DRY, unused hiking socks at night, plus a night bottle. I'm old and lazy - don't want to get up 3 times a night. Worked for me.

[aficion]

Not a fan of down footwear that can't be walked in. Worth the extra bucks imo. Ditto on the warm headgear.

[geomaniac]

Are you wearing any type of hat? That's the best way to warm your feet up, I've found. I have cold feet up to my mid-shin unless I have a good hat.

I used DRY, unused hiking socks at night, plus a night bottle. I'm old and lazy - don't want to get up 3 times a night. Worked for me.

I normally have some type of wool or synthetic stocking type headgear. I am also toying with the idea of a down hood. The stocking caps always feel like they are pulling my hair or something..they hurt! Its not that they are particularly tight either, it may be that I just need to get used to wearing them for long periods.

[Coffee]

Has anyone tried sleeping in down socks from Goose Feet Gear?

After a cold night last March when I went to sleep with numb feet that stayed that way all night, I went a bit overboard and ordered the Goosefeet down socks with 100% overfill. They weigh in at 3.2 ounces and replaced 2.7 ounce smartwool socks that I used prior to switching over. I also use a very thin liner sock inside the down socks to keep them clean and this adds a little more weight. Overall, I think that they definitely help and I never had numb feet on my JMT thru hike, although I think the temperatures never got much below freezing on that trip. I haven't been on a really cold trip since last winter so it will be interesting to see how my feet do in the low-mid 20s.

Goosefeet sells overbooties for walking around camp in the socks but I didn't buy them. Once I get into my tent for the night, I'm not getting out (I use a pee bottle).

[j2ponies]

The other advice is good..Also,you could make a simple light weight fleece hat lined with silk, for sleeping. I'm a big fan of layering, A pr. of silk liners under wool socks works. I'm one with cold feet too. The warmer your head, the warmer your feet....I hate being cold...Good luck.

[Coffee]

Mountain Hardwear dome Perignone beanie is warm and effective as a sleep layer and has a side benefit of dampening down sounds making earplugs less necessary for light sleepers.

[geomaniac]

The other advice is good..Also,you could make a simple light weight fleece hat lined with silk, for sleeping. I'm a big fan of layering, A pr. of silk liners under wool socks works. I'm one with cold feet too. The warmer your head, the warmer your feet....I hate being cold...Good luck.

Ive not tried liners under my wool socks..Ive read on another thread on another site..dont remember where, that wearing socks with the down socks was less effective than wearing just the down socks. FWIW They said the wool socks cut off circulation to your feet making them colder. Maybe I should just try going bare foot...I will have to do some testing and try the liner idea.

[FarmerChef]

Ive not tried liners under my wool socks..Ive read on another thread on another site..dont remember where, that wearing socks with the down socks was less effective than wearing just the down socks. FWIW They said the wool socks cut off circulation to your feet making them colder. Maybe I should just try going bare foot...I will have to do some testing and try the liner idea.

I'm not a hammocker so take what I say with a grain of salt. I've tried the no socks thing and my feet were cold. I like my darn toughs at night but I also make sure that the rest of me is toasty on the theory that a warmer body overall will warm the blood to the extremities better than a colder body will.

Do you find that the rest of you is perfectly warm all night? Do you get cold in the middle of the night? Just curious if you have problems overheating up top but having cold feet below.

[Dogwood]

I've had Goose Feet Down Socks w/ 1/2 oz 850 fp overfill w/ the booty covering (over boot) for about 4 yrs. LOVE THEM! Background: I had frost nip on my feet and hands more than once as a hunter and fisherman. As a result, those extremities currently have a greater susceptability to discomfort and frost bite. And, I'm not one to let winter keep me from the outdoors. I was seeking the *lightest wt, most compressible, foot warmth specific down booties for UL hiking w/ a quick turn around time that I could afford at the time for wearing in my sleeping bag/quilt. Goose Feet Down Socks/Booties fit the bill for my priorities.

I spend very little time walking around camp in my Goose Feet Down Socks. Maybe, only to take a few steps away bathroom break in the middle of the night. I've gotten away with not ever having to wear the protective over booty(that Goose Feet sells as part of their down sock/over booty package) and don't carry it. I did get two pin holes in the sock but two toothpick sized dabs of McNett's Seam Grip fixed it. That's with extensive use - CDT, CT, winter treks that ranged from SC to TX to the Sierras to the N Cascades to UT to upstate NY, AT, etc. Duct Tape does stick to the sock fabric. The socks without the over booty are not designed w/ the intent for the user to wear as camp shoes. They are meant for using in your shelter or in your quilt/sleeping bag. Ben Smith the founder of Goose Feet Down I think makes this clear at the website. IF you want something to walk around camp in make sure to get the protective over booty. It's pretty light wt and the foam inner sole is removable in my outer covering booty. If I've included these down socks in my kit I'm using them exclusively on my feet not as a pillow. I'm accustomed to using my shoes as pillows or something else. IMO, the socks ALONE would not be enough to make a pillow.

I try not wearing overly tight fitting merino socks when seeking foot warmth in winter. AND, keeping feet warm is NOT just about what's on your feet! Look at it from a multiple technique approach.

[rocketsocks]

Feather Feet makes over booties for such an occasion

Can you provide a link...I keep getting foot fetish follies.

[Dogwood]

One thing I really like about the Goose Feet Down Socks w/ the protective over booty w/ the foam inner sole is how they are individually component designed that can work effectively as a whole. I can take the whole thing or as few of the components as I want depending on how I plan on employing them. What I'm saying is that you can wear the oh so comfy CLEAN foot warming down socks in your quilt/sleeping bag, AND have the protective UL over booty waiting on the sidelines in case you want to quickly slip them on for outside the sleep system/shelter(wandering around camp, early morn bathroom breaks, etc). The protective over booty QUICKLY slips over the down sock! So, it IS NOT a PITA in the sense that one has to take the down sock off to wander around camp. You'd quickly be back to cold feet if you did that having to take the down socks off outside your sleep system. And you're not forced to take the whole shoe off when getting back into your sleep system in case the outer protective booty sole has gotten dirty, wet, muddy, etc As afr as I know, that IS NOT possible overall with say the Nunatak, Feathered Friends, TNF, REI, cheapo knock offs, etc down footwear because those designs aren't as component designed as The Goose Feet Down Socks/Booty! Do you see the advantage of a component system like Ben Smith has designed with his Goose Feet Down Socks/Over Booty? I think from a functional stand pt in your situation they are ideal!

[Colter]

When your feet got cold before, what else were you wearing? Balaclava, long underwear; clean, dry, loose warm socks? What kind of sleeping bag and pad?

[Coffee]

One thing I really like about the Goose Feet Down Socks w/ the protective over booty w/ the foam inner sole is how they are individually component designed that can work effectively as a whole. I can take the whole thing or as few of the components as I want depending on how I plan on employing them. What I'm saying is that you can wear the oh so comfy CLEAN foot warming down socks in your quilt/sleeping bag, AND have the protective UL over booty waiting on the sidelines in case you want to quickly slip them on for outside the sleep system/shelter(wandering around camp, early morn bathroom breaks, etc). The protective over booty QUICKLY slips over the down sock! So, it IS NOT a PITA in the sense that one has to take the down sock off to wander around camp. You'd quickly be back to cold feet if you did that having to take the down socks off outside your sleep system. And you're not forced to take the whole shoe off when getting back into your sleep system in case the outer protective booty sole has gotten dirty, wet, muddy, etc As afr as I know, that IS NOT possible overall with say the Nunatak, Feathered Friends, TNF, REI, cheapo knock offs, etc down footwear because those designs aren't as component designed as The Goose Feet Down Socks/Booty! Do you see the advantage of a component system like Ben Smith has designed with his Goose Feet Down Socks/Over Booty? I think from a functional stand pt in your situation they are ideal!

Do you think the overbooties could make the system useful as general camp shoes? It would be very nice to be able to get into the down socks upon arriving at camp and then cook dinner and do camp chores ... I have the Goosefeet down socks but not the overbooties since I assumed they were only useful for really light use (like bathroom needs in the middle of the night) rather than heavier use as camp shoes.

[rocketsocks]

Feather Feet makes over booties for such an occasion

I think your talking about this company, as featherd feet takes the reader....some place else.

http://featheredfriends.com/down-booty.html

[1azarus]

not sure if jacks r better still makes down arms for their wearable underquilt, but i am a fan of them for multi use... i'm a skinny old man so i can wear the down arms on my arms OR on my legs as leggings, then i can pull them over my feet when in my sleeping bag. they just slide up my leg if i need to walk around a bit. they are useful even if you don't have a wearable underquilt (i never actually attach them to anything...)

not sure what you mean by using your pack for feet warming. do you put the pack in your sleeping bag? i use gossamer gear packs and find that the sit pad that gossamer gear uses for the pack frame is perfect when stuck inside my sleeping bag. it doesn't slide around my hammock, and i can position it with my feet when inside my sleeping bag.

[Dogwood]

Do you think the overbooties could make the system useful as general camp shoes? It would be very nice to be able to get into the down socks upon arriving at camp and then cook dinner and do camp chores ... I have the Goosefeet down socks but not the overbooties since I assumed they were only useful for really light use (like bathroom needs in the middle of the night) rather than heavier use as camp shoes.

YES, I think that's the whole idea of including the protective overbooty with the socks - greater function, use, and durability of the whole product. Do be aware though, Goose Feet offers the option of a tougher even more durable Toughtek outer sole on the outer booty. I was really gram weenie conscious when I got mine so have the regular outer booty and would have no hesitation wearing the regular(stock) outer booty extensively as a camp shoe outside my sleep system while still wearing my Goose Feet Down Sock underneath.

https://goosefeetgear.com/products/2...f-over-booties

[Dogwood]

Geomaniac, I get the stuffing yourself(knees on down) inside your empty pack on the outside of your sleep system but what's under your bottom half in your colder weather sleep system? When it gets really cold I go to a longer inflatable pad and more sleep padding insulation under me with a higher R value. I'll also take anything extra I might have, whether it be maps, clothing, my empty pack, even packaged trail food(dubious, not always appropriate!), or the availability of leaves, small evergreen boughs, etc and use it as extra insulation.

[Coffee]

YES, I think that's the whole idea of including the protective overbooty with the socks - greater function, use, and durability of the whole product. Do be aware though, Goose Feet offers the option of a tougher even more durable Toughtek outer sole on the outer booty. I was really gram weenie conscious when I got mine so have the regular outer booty and would have no hesitation wearing the regular(stock) outer booty extensively as a camp shoe outside my sleep system while still wearing my Goose Feet Down Sock underneath.

That's great - I'll move the overbooties to the top of my gear acquisition list!

[BrianLe]

I have a pair of feathered friends down booties, and they are very nice. I used these for about the first month when I hiked the AT with a late February start and they were definitely worth the weight. That said, finding and putting on the overbooties when you want to get out of a hammock could be a bit of a PITA, and when I've hammock camped (I most often do not) I've camped in places where the ground is rough, brushy, quite sloped --- you don't want to walk in such terrain with the feathered friends down bootie + outer bootie combination. They worked fine for me in and around shelters, but not for rough terrain.

If you get this particular combination one tip I have is to cut up an old foam (ccf) pad to increase the padding inside the overboots --- made it much nicer, warmer standing or walking on frozen ground. The down of course compresses under you when you stand on it.