Recommandation : Which hat for sleeping in quilt ?

I normally wear a fleece watch cap

If it’s really cold I’ll wear a synthetic balaclava – 2.5 ounce Apex

I like my Black Rock Gear original down beanie. Light and warm. I add a buff and a hooded base layer if it’s going to be more chilly.

A hooded synthetic base layer (when it gets really cold), Patagonia R1 fleece hoodie mid layer and Montbell EX down Anorak (hooded) top layer. All 3 in just the coldest of temps, and layering as needed depending on trip expected temps. If you don’t do hooded layers, a fleece, down or wool hat would work just fine

Synthetic Balaclava.  I have an only “Backpacking Light/Bozeman Mountain Works Pro 90” Balaclava with Polarguard Delta insulation I’ve used for years.  It’s not what it used to be but still works pretty well considering.  For years there was no currently manufactured equivalent, but now MLD and EE make synthetic balaclava’s so that’s what I’d go with if I had to replace it today.

Underneath that I generally wear a hood if my sleeping baselayer has it, and 100wt fleece beenie that I wear around camp or on the trail if cold enough.  In addition to the extra warmth, it helps keep the balaclava clean.

Fleece hat and a buff, if temps are going to be consistently below 25 I’ll usually have a down jacket with a hood to add warmth anyway

I like to just wear a hooded jacket to sleep in. It’s kind of like having a balaclava that you can’t lose in your sleep. Also, it’s nice to be able to bring some of your insulation with you when you get out of the quilt.

I go with a merino balaclava/buff (24 north) down into the 30’s and a down balaclava (Luke’s Ultralite)  below that.

I use the EE down hood – it keeps my head and neck warm when needed.

ZPacks fleece hat for cool to cold temps.. or nothing at all. This past week I went out in Catskills,  overnight temps were mid 40s. I slept in my bivy with it unzipped..nice and open.. my 40 degree quilt. No hat needed…

Down blackrock beanie for frigid cold temps.

My heavy weight base layers have hoods.. so that helps.

Z-packs down hood (made by Goosefeet gear).

My sleeping headwear is a system that can be adjusted according to temperature. Worn in order from cool to cold

1. Cap 4 beanie
2. MH Windstopper 100 wt fleece beanie
3. Cap 4 and MH beanies
4. MH beanie and Cap 4 balaclava
5. All of the above.

I find this system to be good down to 0F.

I use the Zpacks down hood. It’s nice to have your neck, cheeks and chin covered. I have also used a jacket with a down hood (sometimes together with the down hood), or just a buff around my head, or a fleece hat with a chin strap (so it doesn’t come off), or a homemade Ray Way Bomber hat.

Just try different stuff until you find something that works well for you. I think the best thing is some kind of balaclava-like thing that can cover your neck and head at the same time.

I’m with S Long regarding the Black Rock beanie. I like it for all of my backing nights. Here on BPL a guy was selling one that was one size larger, and it fits perfectly over my original. What a toasty combination that is for colder conditions!

I also rely on the hood of whatever I’m wearing to supplement the quilt. Above 30F or so it’s the hood of an Alpha 90 hoody (with maybe a windjacket hood on top of that). Below 30F it’s the hood of Torrid Apex or down hoody, depending on conditions. BTW, the Torrid hood is pretty great for this purpose. Snugs and seals up very well, better than any sleeping bag hood I’ve had.

Fleece beanie and a buff always work for me. I always have them with me anyway.

I layer. Typically sleeping in cap4 (thermal weight). If that’s not enough I put a thermal buff on under the hood.  If that isn’t enough I layer on a downworks Balaclava which has kept me happy down to 10F (below which I historically switched to a sleep bag).  In the past I used a GoLite Snow Cap.  There are a fair number of companies that make down or Apex insulated hats or balaclava.

I like balaclava solutions for the most part. Hats and beanies seem to slide off through the night. I start with a merino or merino-synthetic mix balaclava. A down hood over that when needed. I used to use synthetic, but they picked up a funk quick. The merino helps in that department and it much more luxurious against skin. Of course, some folks may find them itchy?

a big variable – how much hair do you have? I went to a shaved head a couple years ago and am much, much more sensitive to cold on my head than with 1-2″ of hair. There isnt a ton of difference in felt temp when under a hat, but the temp at which a hat is needed can be in the 60’s for me if its humid and or windy.

My typical quilt hat is a thin, knit synthetic double layer hat that REI had on sale for $7. Its warm enough down to 40ish. Below that I often throw my alternate wool shirt over my head (typically a 150 merino) as an improv balaclava and that has been good down to about 28* which is the coldest I’ve quilt camped.

I picked up an EE Apex Hoodlum and its very warm. I havent stress tested it yet but with any hat underneath I expect it would be quite warm well below freezing.

I’m always in a Hammock so movement is not much of an issue for me, although I am a relatively stationary back sleeper in general.

I tend to wear a Cap4 Hoody in the shoulder season, which works great to keep my head warm and never risk of falling off while I toss & turn. If it’s sub-zero, I’ll bring along a down hood like this one….