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

Sleeping with the day's hiking sox on very often led to cold feet. Seems the moisture in the sox that comes from sweat, humidity and water in the shoes is an excellent conductor of heat – away from the feet.

The solution as pointed out is to dry the feet and put dry sox or booties on them that insulate. High insulative value for light weight, is the goal of course. It's a question of researching products.

The only concern about the down is its high compressibility, through which cometh the cold when the feet, especially with a shorty mat that adds no insulation under the feet. So there is an argument for a primaloft, thinsulate or fleece bootie if you can find something light. There is synthetic's added advantage of some additional protection if the floor gets flooded or even kinda wet.

Putting the booties over the day's hiking sox may be at least better than trying to stay warm in boot sox, but the feet certainly feel a whole lot better with fresh sox and/or booties on. The question then becomes what to put on to keep all this dry when stepping out of shelter in the night.
Divers' neoprene sox with a WP and serrated sole can be quite light, in the 3-4 oz range, but there is not much protection against pointy stuff on the ground.

There used to be a light military surplus thinsulate bootie, but the more current models are too heavy. Making something from Apex might be a worthwhile and fairly simple project. Could there be something out there already? There are so many booties on the market it's hard to keep current.

> The question then becomes what to put on to keep all this dry when stepping out of
> shelter in the night.
Basically, don't even try.
Just don't take dry sleeping clothing out of the tent, period. Hard-line!

Put your (possibly cold and wet) shoes back on for the excursion. Yeah, suffering, but you will have to put them back on in the morning anyhow. Get used to it: it's transient.

Cheers

"The question then becomes what to put on to keep all this dry when stepping out of shelter in the night."

Umbrella.

edit: just realized you were talking about footwear. The best ultralight way is to use some plastic bread bags that go over your socks and in your shoes. The rocky goretex socks are heavier but a more durable option.

"The question then becomes what to put on to keep all this dry when stepping out of shelter in the night."

I have some Tyvek shoe covers, sort of like large slippers. Those fit well over my sleeping socks, and I can pull them on in a hurry if I need to take a midnight stroll. They are just durable enough that they will keep socks dry for that stroll.

–B.G.–

"Put your (possibly cold and wet) shoes back on for the excursion. Yeah, suffering, but you will have to put them back on in the morning anyhow. Get used to it: it's transient."

or… Chamber Pot

Billy

Goosefeet overbooties are great for those midnight rambles, over the down socks or over regular sleeping socks. Mine are 1.9 oz for the pair, including the foam insoles and the seamgrip dots I added to stop the insoles from migrating to the tops of my feet. I guess it's a luxury item but it lets me postpone re-introducing my feet to the fetid waste site that my shoes become once they've been wet for a day or two – this may not be an issue in other climates.

Back to the OP, I have poor circulation in my feet and once they get cold they stay cold regardless of insulation – I can put on goosefeet and climb into my down bag, but my body won't let enough blood flow into my feet to warm them. I have to apply external heat to stop the cold aching. I've considered the warm water bottle trick but the idea of a leak in my down bag in winter scares me off it.

I need to try switching my damp shoes and hiking socks for dry socks + goosefeet + overbooties as soon as I stop hiking, while my feet are still relatively warm. Once I have made and eaten dinner it's too late for insulation alone.

I am throwing in my vote towards the GooseFeet Gear down socks! These things are one of the best purchases I have made. Mine have 25% overfill, and are made with M50. Completely downproof, and not very breathable, so it kind of acts like a VBL anyway…. not really, but kinda…. Anyway, I love them and they go with me on any hike when temps are below about 40 F. It’s a 2 oz weight penalty I am very happy to take… I also carry a thin pair of liner socks to wear under the down socks, but can also double as extra hiking socks if need be. Check out my write up here:

GooseFeet Gear Down Socks & Over-booties

"or… Chamber Pot"

Exactly, Gatorade bottles work well for this. Why would any male want to get up in the middle of the night, leave one's quilt or bag, fuss with all that, just to pee? The option to easily pee in bed, is probably in the top 3 things about what's nicest about being in a male body, second only to things like, not having to experience pregnancy and child birthing etc. I really kick myself when i forget a pee bottle.

**Diluted** pee, btw, is very good for plants, trees, etc. Used it in my compost and garden for good results.

You didn't answer the guys asking which pad you use. Never had a problem with my feet except when in the bag on a 3/4 pad in winter with my pack under them. Then, my feet always got cold, and I might have warm socks plus a fleece vest wrapped around them. That went away when I switched to a full-length insulated mat a few years ago.
Now, I'm actually ok using Smartwool's lightweight "micro" socks unless it's getting cold enough to need extra layers all around with my quilt.

Arrowhead Equipment makes Flame Thrower brand, down insulated socks in Idaho. He has an annual sale on them, possibly on Black Friday after Thanksgiving Thursday in the US.

Try these suggestions outdoors at home if the temps are right. Otherwise try one or two each trip until you do find what works for you.

Consider using grey foam to insulate the foot of your bag. Hammock hangers do that often. If not needed, consider using your zipped up jacket on your feet, with it either inside or outside of your bag.

To dry your feet, run your folded socks between all of your toes, then don your slightly oversized fleece sleep socks.

As soon as camp is set up, I remove my bulky orthotic insoles to let them dry until morning, then tie only the tips of my shoe laces. My loose fitting shoes become my camp slippers when I do need to walk somewhere. My feet with the fleece socks on, will slide into the shoes. That looseness helps circulation to my feet in camp.

Be careful of any snug fitting clothing that could reduce circulation i.e. wearing two long johns, each with an elastic waist band. If sleeping in trail pants over long johns, do not button the waist.

Try insulated overpants, down or synthetic, instead of snug fitting powerstretch or grid fleece pants. Those fleece garments are cut snug to catch moisture while being active. Loose cut, 100 weight fleece, sweat pants, next to skin, might be warmer for sleeping if they allow more circulation.

Some people do not hydrate well in the evenings to avoid having to get up in the night. With access to hot liquids, that is the best time to hydrate to wash out waste from the muscles that were used all day. Lack of hydration contributes to having cold extremities.