neoprene as an insulator?

[Brett Peugh]

It seems like neoprene is not keeping people's feet warm but it might be their hands or both. Is this an accurate statement, neoprene is not a good insulator?

[Steven McAllister]

For it's thickness, when submerged in water, neoprene is about as warm as you can get. Which is why it's used in wetsuits.

But, it is heavy for the amount of insulation it provides, so neo socks or gloves tend to be much thinner than wool or other materials so can't insulate as well.

[Steven McAllister]

Additional info,
Neoprene is very good in situations where water saturation is an issue. Totally saturated fabric gloves or socks provide very little insulation when fording a stream, climbing a cascade waterfall, paddling a kayak, …

I use neo gloves and socks a lot while paddling, but never for hiking.

[Mark Stalbird]

I used neoprene gloves for winter use once,that's all it took as it was the coldest my fingers have ever felt in gloves.

I do use sealskinz "neoprene" gloves and socks for kayaking.

I also found that once neoprene is impregnated with water they take forever to dry.

Sirius makes a quality neoprene glove that i use for backpacking in moderate temps but opt for a more formidable glove like Gortex for winter use.

[647575757 3]

Great…until you take your hands out of your gloves. Your hands are going to sweat A LOT in neoprene gloves. And after taking your hands out, not only will your hands be cold because of being wet from sweat, the sweat inside the gloves will freeze. Goodbye warm gloves. I learned this the hard way years ago. While I was in the Army, I bought a pair of neoprene gloves thinking if a wetsuit keeps me warm in freezing water, these gloves are gonna keep my hands really warm.

[Eric Blumensaadt]

For many years I've used THIN neoprene dive socks (that I seam sealed) as the VBL for my feltpacks and Thinsulate insulated hunting boots.

Over many miles I've found all I need is a thin polypro sock liner under the dive sox. It seems the neoprene sox are at least as warm as thick wool/acrylic socks.

In a tent I remove them and the poly liner sox. I put the sweaty poly sox in a dirty clothes bag and turn the neoprene sox inside out to dry. Later I put them in the foot of my winter sleeping bag so they're warm in the morning.

Clean poly sock liners go on first, then thick "sleeping sox" so the polys say on in the morning when it's time to put the neoprene sox back on. So, yes, I take one pair of poly sock liners per day. (Washing & drying even polypropelene sox in the winter is usually not possible.)

[adam peterson]

Steve, what is that on your head..no really it looks awsome and quite toasty

[William Johnson]

"Yes!"

Looks like the ever-popular Marv Albert cap.

"I know you can hear me!"

[Alex Gilman]

I use it for diving in the Pacific Northwest all year long. That's as far as I'll go with it.

[Steven McAllister]

Hi Adam,

I don't carry a down sweater/jacket. On cold weather breaks or around camp, I wear my sleeping bag an Exped Wallcreeper. It is designed to be worn as a garment:

http://exped.com/exped/web/exped_homepage.nsf/b43HomePageE?openframeset

Sure does look silly:-)

[adam peterson]

i have thought about doing something like that there are of types of bags around, but i always come to the conclusion in my mind that they might be more trouble than its worth. im thinking i might start carring a lighter sleeping bag amd make use of the other insulation layers that i already carry.

of course that being said i just purchased a WM 0 degree bag, i feel like a crack head sometimes…

[Steven McAllister]

Hi Adam,

Boy you are going to be warm in that. I could use a bag like that at times.

On the subject of the convertible bags, the Wallcreeper allows me to stay in my bag for those middle of the night trips to the bushes. But where it really shines is early in the AM until you get a hot drink in you.

The only time my clothing isn't warm enough is in camp, especially in the AM. This way I don't have to carry more clothing than I need and in fact I usually wear almost everything inside on cold nights.

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