How To Keep Your Feet Warm in A Hammock

[mheider]

My Son Big X started out Satarday Morning. He's Moving slow becuse this is his first time Long Distance Hiking. He will be in Suches tommorow picking up a mail drop. He says he can't keep his feet warm (Even wearing 3 Pairs of socks) when sleeping in his Hennesey Hammock? Any Suggestions would be great. Give him Moral support if you run past him.

[Trooper347]

One method for cold feet is put a Nalgene bottle (be careful not to use clear ones, they tend to crack) full of hot water in the bag at the foot end. Put it in a sock, or stuffsack to avoid contact with it if boiled water is used. I used this method in N.Y. this past Feb. when it snowed, and it kept my feet nice and warm. Best of luck to Big X on his hike!

[Tin Man]

get a neo-foot warmer

[Tommy]

circulation might be a problem if he has enough insulation. with 3 pairs on socks on, this is probably an issue to check for. no blood going to feet = no heat to insulate.

in other news, this sounds like someone having bought a bunch of new stuff off the internet and not testing it. testing/experimentation is especially important in preparation beforehand when trying new camping styles (in this case it sounds like he hasn't done previous hammocking). could have helped avoid whats going to be a number of cold nights for him.

[River Runner]

I'm not sure what he's using for underinsulation, but he might want to make sure something is insulating the area under his feet in the hammock. That could be the problem if he's using a closed cell pad inside the hammock and it's a shorter length that doesn't reach under his feet.

[brian]

I have had a real light pair of down booties for cold weather hammock use, and I wouldn't trade them for the world. They keep my feet really warm, and sometimes my legs get jealous!

Brian
OES

[saimyoji]

A blast of whiskey, or prefered spirit each night in a addition to any of the aforementioned should do the trick.

[Disney]

The nalgene always works, and you can drop some tea bags in too. Makes for a nice treat. I'm just shocked that neo hasn't chimed in yet. Is this a drawback for hammocks?

[Trooper347]

The nalgene always works, and you can drop some tea bags in too. Makes for a nice treat. I'm just shocked that neo hasn't chimed in yet. Is this a drawback for hammocks?

I'm sorry, I should have stated how I used the bottle. I used the Nalgene bottle in a Clark hammock,placed in the end of the sleeping bag so it rested on the bottom of my feet while I had on one pair of wool socks. When I woke up in the morning, it was still in the bottom of the sleeping bag right where I had put it, and it was still hot. Wish I had thought of the tea bags, thats a Great idea!

[mheider]

Thank's for the imput guy's. I'll pass on the info. He does have a under pad insulating system and 2 Folding car sun screens They fold into small loops. So far it's the only gripe he had so far. He is really enjoying the experiance. He is still getting use to things but the input here was great.

[Mr. Clean]

Make sure he's wearing a good warm hat, and gloves wouldn't hurt either. Warm extremities = warm body.

[neo]

i use a pair of light wieght insulated fleece booties,i bought them at wallgreens,they have light plastic sole,i use in camp also,i paid 7.99
for them,i am diabetic so i must take extra care of my feet neo

[neo]

get a neo-foot warmer

what is a neo warmer lol neo

[Tin Man]

what is a neo warmer lol neo

A neo warmer is "I am looking forward to the award winning answer from the biggest promoter of all things hammock related."

[rpettit]

Is he setting his tarp over the hammock? He may need to block the wind.

[wilderness bob]

Swap out socks. A trick I use in colder weather is to keep a pair of socks warm by keeping them near my chest. When my feet get cold during the night I would simply change socks. Beware of the balancing act of doing so while suspended from the hammock. I also use the Nalgene bottle trick. I too place it in a sock to keep it from contacting my skin however, I recommend one additional thing. Before you place the Nalgene in the sock, use it to iron the inside of your sleeping bag (like a bed warmer of days gone by). Pre-heat your sleeping bag so the body does not need to do so Remember a sleeping bag is designed to reflect heat from the body thus keeping you warm, a thing that is hard to do if you wear to many layers of insulation. Sometimes a little less is more. Pass it on to your son to enjoy the trail. WB

[jlb2012]

one trick that someone (Youngblood ???) mentioned that works for me is to take a small piece of CCF pad and put it in the bottom of the sleeping bag so that one's heels are resting on the small CCF pad

[skylark]

A bubble pack envelope inside the sleeping bag under the feet also helps.

[neo]

one trick that someone (Youngblood ???) mentioned that works for me is to take a small piece of CCF pad and put it in the bottom of the sleeping bag so that one's heels are resting on the small CCF pad

sounds like a good ideal,i will put a thin piece of closed cell pad in my
foot box of my sleeping quilt,i carry a piece i use to set on to insulate my butt from cold logs and rocks neo

[Just Jeff]

Just to sum up these posts and add a bit of new stuff:

Possible causes:

- Poor circulation. Too much insulation on the feet can sometimes restrict circulation...so adding that 3rd pair of socks might actually make his feet colder.
-- Solution: Make sure circulation isn't a problem. Make sure the socks aren't too tight, put a stuff sack pillow under the knees so they're not locked, etc.

- Cold core. If he's not wearing a hat and his body starts to cool, the body shuts down circulation to the extremities (well, not completely) to keep the core warm.
-- Solution: Putting on a hat might actually warm the feet quickly.

- Wind. In a hammock, the wind will blow across your toes more than the rest of the body because the feet generally stick up higher than the rest of the body.
-- Solution: Use a windblock - pull the tarp down closer at the foot end, hang next to a wall or rocks or thick brush, etc. Might consider vapor barrier socks, too.

- Not enough insulation underneath the feet (because of a shorter pad, because the feet are compressing the bag's insulation, etc).
-- Solution: More insulation, like putting a CCF sit pad under the feet.

- Wet socks. If you sleep in the socks you hiked in, they may be a bit damp, but you can't tell because you're used to it.
-- Solution: have a pair of dry socks for bed. Change them before you get out of the bag in the morning. Sometimes putting the damp pair in the bag with you will dry them.

The hot water bottle works wonders to keep you warm, too. For plain hot water, I like the softsided (platypus-style) Nalgene canteens...they form-fit to the body and are lighter than the Lexan Nalgenes. I don't like to put drink mixes and stuff in there, though.

This gives the benefit of having hot water in the morning, too. If you find the right flavors, adding some Jello makes a great hot drink in the morning. Someone here at WB said they like to put in their oatmeal at night so it can't leak and breakfast is ready whenever they wake up. Guess that depends on what you're using as a container, but it sounds like a great idea.