Cold feet at night

[vaporjourney]

Does anyone else have trouble in the winter with their feet being really cold, even while in a sleeping bag? I've tried wearing the thickest pair of wool socks I can find, but this doesn't seem to be warm enough. I've considered getting some 'toe socks' that look like gloves for the feet, thinking these may be warmer. Now I've just found a pair of Possum Down socks, which are really damn expensive, but may be worth it to keep my feet warm at night. Cold feet tend to keep me awake more than anything else, so this is an important issue. any ideas and experience would be awesome.

[little bear]

I had the same problem and then I found sierra design down booties, and they work great. I got them at REI on sale last year so I dont know what they cost. But they are 9.4 oz and I think they are worth it and they have a hard bottom so they can also be used as camp shoes.

Hope this helps.


Happy Hikes
Little Bear

[Michele]

I found that once I sufficiently warmed up my lower body, my feet also warmed up. It wasn't that my lower body was freezing, but it wasn't toasty warm either. As soon as I added some fleece pants to sleep in, my feet (I wear Merino wool socks in bed) have been warm.

Also try to doing some jumping jacks right before crawling into your sleeping bag and raising your heart rate temporarily helps too.

I suffer from cold feet/hands almost constantly in my home environment, so I feel your pain!

[Frolicking Dinosaurs]

I use a nalgene bottle filled with boiling water with sock over it - warms my toosies and the area under my quilt so I can get some sleep -- and assures I will have water that isn't ice the following morning.

[Footslogger]

My wife suffers from cold feet (among other things) at night. What I have found that seems to work is to rub your ankles/feet vigorously just before crawling into your sleeping bag for the night and then don a pair of dry socks. That stimulates peripheral circulation which in turn generates some warmth. Then the socks tend to contain the heat.

All this presumes that you have an adequately warm sleeping bag of course.

'Slogger

[Just Jeff]

Make sure your socks are dry, but the hot water bottle like FD says is just the ticket. Plus, in the winter you often need to melt snow for water anyway...might as well make it work for you.

[Michele]

I use a nalgene bottle filled with boiling water with sock over it - warms my toosies and the area under my quilt so I can get some sleep -- and assures I will have water that isn't ice the following morning.

Hey I have a question about this. Let's say I'm in camp and am finished cooking, have hung my food/kitchen. How far in advance can you boil your water/fill the bottle and put it in your bag and still be effective? This past weekend, it was in the 30's, but I had a fire going so I could stay up pretty late, but I didn't want to drag everything out just to boil water for my sleeping bag. Can I have my sleeping bag getting "pre-warmed" if I just throw the canteen of boiling water in there several hours before I crawl in?

[Kevin A. Boyce]

Try some of the suggestions here, I have used them all to get success over the years of winter hiking... Down booties are GREAT, they go on all winter trips, the extra weight is a trade off, but I would rather sleep well, so I carry them... Also try the water bottles, just make sure the lids are on TIGHT!

Also try jamming some fleece down at your feet too, I will sleep with my fleece pull over at my feet so I can burrow them into the material, and it helps a lot...I use this technique quite often when I don't have my booties with me.

During the winter, I always will do a few jumping jacks or running in place, something to get the heart rate up just before climbing into my sleeping bag... It always helps to get things toasty.

Also try to keep your feet off the ground if possible. By using your pack as some extra insulation under your feet and legs, you may be a bit warmer, especially if you do not use a full size pad.

[Just Jeff]

Can I have my sleeping bag getting "pre-warmed" if I just throw the canteen of boiling water in there several hours before I crawl in?

Yes. I use a soft-sided Nalgene canteen, so I either tuck it into my waistband to keep me warm as I walk around - that keeps the water insulated by my jacket and pants. Or I put it in the quilt...it'll work for several hours that way. Actually, it's usually still a bit warm in the morning when I get up.

[woodsy]

Another source of external heat, have not tried it but have heard of it in the past, multi purpose, also heats from within when added to cooking, LOL http://blog.worldvillage.com/home/al...icine_uses_of_

[Ewker]

Hey I have a question about this. Let's say I'm in camp and am finished cooking, have hung my food/kitchen. How far in advance can you boil your water/fill the bottle and put it in your bag and still be effective? This past weekend, it was in the 30's, but I had a fire going so I could stay up pretty late, but I didn't want to drag everything out just to boil water for my sleeping bag. Can I have my sleeping bag getting "pre-warmed" if I just throw the canteen of boiling water in there several hours before I crawl in?

if you freezer bag cook there is no reason to hang a pot that only had water in it . That way you can boil water, pour it in the bottle, put the bottle in a sock, throw it in your sleeping bag and let the hot water warm up your bag

[woodsy]

http://www.newconnexion.net/article/05-01/capsicum.html

Maybe this one will work

[Frolicking Dinosaurs]

Michele, what Jeff said and... when we have a fire going, I use that to boil my water. I never hang the pot I use for cooking / boiling water - just my food. I sleep with my alcohol & stove so it is easier to get it going in the morning

[Lone Wolf]

Does anyone else have trouble in the winter with their feet being really cold, even while in a sleeping bag? I've tried wearing the thickest pair of wool socks I can find, but this doesn't seem to be warm enough. I've considered getting some 'toe socks' that look like gloves for the feet, thinking these may be warmer. Now I've just found a pair of Possum Down socks, which are really damn expensive, but may be worth it to keep my feet warm at night. Cold feet tend to keep me awake more than anything else, so this is an important issue. any ideas and experience would be awesome.

Get down booties and sleep in a tent. Problem solved. Or don't hike in cold weather.

[Michele]

if you freezer bag cook there is no reason to hang a pot that only had water in it . That way you can boil water, pour it in the bottle, put the bottle in a sock, throw it in your sleeping bag and let the hot water warm up your bag

I unfortunately can taste the plastic of the freezerbag after I pour boiling water into it, which ruins my meal, so I prefer to cook in my pot, but I do wash it after each time that I cook/eat out of it, so maybe it's not necessary to hang it huh? Hadn't thought of just leaving my cookware out.

And it's encouraging to know the water will stay warm throughout the night Jeff. I figured it would be cold by the middle of the night. I'll try this out. I was out this past weekend in the low 30's and needed an extra little something for my upper body warmth, so next time I know it's going to be in the 30's or colder, I'll just boil some water from the start.

[halftime]

Does anyone else have trouble in the winter with their feet being really cold, even while in a sleeping bag?

Did not see mention if you are using full length sleeping pad. I have a 3/4 length Thermorest and have discovered that when insulation in my bag (or whatever else I use as foot padding) is compressed the insulating value is diminished. Don't need much difference in value for my feet to feel colder than my body. So I have added a short piece of light weight closed cell foam to insulate my feet at night. Makes a good sitting pad during the day as well. It is cheap very thin and light weight but has insulating value equal to the Thermorest.

Other suggestions here are good as well.

[Nightwalker]

I got them at REI...

Now there's a shock!

We need to change your trailname to REI-(something or another here).

[Two Speed]

A lot of good stuff here, dry socks being a biggie for me. However, for some reason I wind up scrunched up in my bag, and wind up "standing" on the end of the bag; I'll have my feet pressed against the bottom of the bag, which compresses the down, etc, etc. My cure is to throw a small wool scarf down in the bottom of the bag. Gives me something to stand on that doesn't compress as easily and helps me keep my feet warm in cold weather.

IMHO I think you have to figure out what's causing your problem, wet socks, poor circulation, short pad, silly habits and cure that.

[copythat]

I have added a short piece of light weight closed cell foam to insulate my feet at night. Makes a good sitting pad during the day as well. It is cheap very thin and light weight but has insulating value ...

this is what REALLY works for me, and you don't have to boil the foam ahead of time!

(i use a medium-weight foam, not the really skinny kind some people use as pot cozies.)

[little bear]

Now there's a shock!

We need to change your trailname to REI-(something or another here).

I love that store.