Timmermade Waterbear Hood Review (First Look)

Same basic concept as  the “sockel” (sock snorkel) someone mentioned a few months ago.

I have a Z-packs down hood and one of these days I am going to use it with a wool “sockel” on a cold night to see how well the air-tunnel idea works.

Nice review!

For anyone who hasn’t seen his site yet, Dan is one of the more interesting people on the Cottage scene – his products seem well thought through, with lots of innovative features you won’t find in the mainstream brands.

Interesting hood solution for very cold weather. And thanks for the heads up on Timmer, a company new to me. His quilts are impressive and reasonably priced, so added a link to my short list.

My wife and I both bought “Waterbears” from Dan and used them all winter long, last winter, here in WA state. We got the down-filled 0-to-20F temp rating. Before the Waterbears our faces and noses, in particular, got to cold. So cold that I would start sneezing incessantly. We tried cutting up old socks and making a “sockel”, but that was uncomfortable. Better than nothing, for sure, but they got wet from our breath condensing, you felt the wetness all night long.

The waterbears are very warm, they muffle sound (good for when it’s windy) and solve the problem of keeping your face warn without feeling any wetness. The Snorkel part of the Waterbear is not in contact with your face. So although the snorkel/breathing tube will get damp from condensation, it is not brushing against your face. So, you don’t feel wet. The Waterbear has made it possible for us to enjoy winter camping with no worries about sleeping well. Slam dunk great product. The quality is evident, clean stitching, very well made. Very lofty down fill, very warm.

Hats off (or hoods on!) to Dan Timmerman!

How much light gets through the snorkel fabric? It sounds like at least a little.

And how well does the snorkel tuck away when you’re not using it? Or could it be pushed out like one of the old periscope hoods?

The Waterbear is one of my favorite pieces of gear because it makes sleep so much more comfortable. I have the synthetic model and use it at <55F. I never overheat, my face and inhaled air feel comfortable, my quilt no longer gets damp from exhalations into it, plus I stay asleep when the sun rises. Around camp I tuck the snorkel back.
Note: the neck measurement is accurate, so add for a fleece collar and maybe more.
5 stars!