Cold sleeper gets FROZEN toes at night looking for UL but warm socks

Mik, what are your current socks exactly?

There are plenty of great options out there with down or synthetic booties, of different warmth and weight levels depending on what you need. Goosefeet make awesome down booties. Enlightened equipment are coming out soon with a line of synthetic ones (I'm considering getting some for my wife and I…I think down on sweatie feet isn't the best idea).

Lots of threads on BPL on them.

Cheers

I don't know the model but they are good quality Kathmandu socks ( I live in Brissie).

Never though tof down booties….will research now ta :)

Another option is to go with a vapor barrier – bread bags if you're feeling cheap, neoprene socks if you're in a spending mood.

vapour barrier? Like non breathable? wouldn't that just create sweat that gets your feet wet?

Are you against down booties for sleeping? They weigh very little, pack small and really make a tremendous difference.

https://goosefeetgear.com

This is what I was going to suggest.

Here's the link to the socks:

https://goosefeetgear.com/products/1-down-socks

I'm a cold sleeper. A 10°F bag is about right for a 25°F night.

If none of the above works, try it without socks, but with a puffy garment down there, so the heat of both feet warms a small embracing cavity. Similar to gloves versus mittens, versus both hands together under your jacket.

Typically there is more volume in a foot box than my feet can warm, but they do OK when nestled in my down pants.

Last, depending on a lot of things, consider that the elasitc on the tops of socks may be slowing blood flow. Especially when you are not walking.

YMMV

there is very little in life that makes me happier than my goose feet down booties.

They are a very light little slice of heaven!!!

My feet used to literally hurt from the cold every night…now I have yet to have a night where my feet get cold. And I've been down into the teens.

DO NOT HESITATE. GET THE DOWN BOOTIES.

Greg's answer is a good one but there are three other solutions I have used. Down booties – not too useful for any thing else. Possum down socks. Lastly the vapor barrier. I have some tough ones golite used to make but for sleeping just get a couple of those plastic bags from the supermarket and a couple of rubber bands in a pinch. Put them outside your socks – they need to be flush against your feet not flopping. This WILL solve the problem. There is no use arguing with someone who hasn't tried it. For the big guns hold them on with spare socks over that instead of the rubber band. No it will no make your freezing feet feel sweaty, it will warm them up long before you get there. Also very useful for sticking into frozen shoes in the morning.

Lastly as a footnote to what Greg suggested there is the old classic solution of putting the foot of your bag in you pack.

My wife is going to be all over those down booties after that post Jennifer. Good one! :P

Two pairs of socks can reduce circulation to the point of numbing cold.

I have big feet and have had my toes &/or shelter wall compress the loft at my toes. When that happens, no socks quickly warm me up. Sounds like you know how that feels!

So make sure you have space for all that loft on your toes.

I have ice feet even at home under an electric blanket.
This is what I do when I go backpacking whether it's 40 degrees or 20 degrees.

Before bed I take off my shoes and socks and air my feet making sure all the moisture between my toes has evaporated. When my feet are dry and there is no moisture between my toes. I put on dry socks, not just any socks – fleece socks. The sell them at amazon.

Then I put my $9 fleece socks inside my goosefeet down socks – Fleece under down generates a lot of heat.

I own some expensive gear but those $9 fleece socks are gold.

Check out Integral designs synethtic fill hot socks, they also can be used as mitts if needs be.

Marko, your method may work for you but that's not the correct way to use a vapor barrier. The point of a vapor barrier is to keep your body moisture from wetting your insulation (socks or other), so the VB needs to go INSIDE the main insulating sock, usually over a thin liner sock for comfort.

As was mentioned, circulation may be an issue. I've found that very loosely fitting socks do the best job of keeping my feet warm while sleeping. I haven't needed down booties yet but those look awesome!

I just want to +1 to all who are speaking fanatically about down booties.

Another 2-3 oz of down in the bag would probably be more effective, but to supplement a pre-existing sleep system, they are great. On longer hikes where both hot and cold weather is expected, they can be used to supplement a pillow on warmer nights, and warm the feet on colder nights.

"Marko, your method may work for you but that's not the correct way to use a vapor barrier. The point of a vapor barrier is to keep your body moisture from wetting your insulation (socks or other), so the VB needs to go INSIDE the main insulating sock, usually over a thin liner sock for comfort."

First of all VBs hold in the body heat, much of which escape though water vapor given off from the body. The also can be used to manage moisture in your insulation. It depends on the situation

Mik was not taking about moving, but sleeping. The socks are not doing much insulating to start with, and it is much more comfortable to have dry(er) feet (VB outside) in this situation than dry(er) socks(VB inside). Anyway, the reason a VB works in this situation has absolutely nothing to do with managing the moisture in your insulation layers. In fact he might have warmer feet with the VB and NO socks.

Mik,
What type of insulating pad do you use underneath your sleeping bag? If insufficient, a small section of foam pad inside your bag and underneath your feet may be of benefit (and can serve dual purpose as a sit pad during the day).

Causes for cold toes:
Inadequate dinner
Poor sleeping mat underneath
Lack of insulation/mat under feet
Lack of adequate insulation over head
Tight clothing, especially around legs (never use 'compression' clothing)
Lots of wind over toe section of bag

Thing is, not many of these causes can be handled by down booties.

Cheers

An old Sierra Club axiom:

If your feet are cold, then put on a warm hat.

–B.G.–

Thank you so much for all the info!!

Without a shadow of a doubt, Goosefeet down booties! Roger C is the font of wisdom, but I have to add "genetic predisposition" to his list! The Goosefeet booties are simply magic, the quality is awesome and personally they never fail to warm cold feet in a matter of seconds. I find down to be much more comfortable and much less sweaty than fleece.

We are in Alice right now, heading out on the Larapinta on Monday and the down booties are packed!

The girlfriend always complained about cold hands and feet. Part of me just thought she was just sensitive to the cold and needed to learn to deal with it. We managed to find an infrared camera at an indoor temperature-controlled museum, and she definitely proved me wrong…

> "genetic predisposition" to his list!
Oh, I'll buy that one all right.

> We are in Alice right now, heading out on the Larapinta on Monday and the down
> booties are packed!
We had frost the first night, at the mouth of the canyon at the W end. The wind blows through that wet canyon and cools as it goes! Woo!

Have fun
Cheers