High Sierra Topix

A. Don't care.. I go prepared for conditions. If your rod guides and your nose hairs aren't freezing, you're not having fun.

Daisy wrote:

It is now recognized that women sleep colder,

Tell that to my wife. Less than a year younger than me, when home during the winter when our bedroom temp is about 57 she needs one less blanket than I do. On the other hand when outdoors, except when sleeping, she is probably a little less tolerant of the cold.

The study that I read about women's sleeping bags needing to be about 10-degrees warmer than men is based on "sleeping comfort", not actual body temperature. Women are not being wimpy, they really "feel" cold differently than men. Actual human beings in sleeping bags are used by the European rating system, which shows that women need a bit more insulation than men. Could also be that women are shaped differently and the excess girth in the shoulders of men's bags creates more air space to have to heat up and more drafts. Unfortunately, when I bought my bag, there were no women-specific bags made.

Old Ranger- women's sleeping temperature varies widely in post-menopausal women. Some maintain a bit of the "hot flash mode", some do not. Overall, women have more hormonal variations during their lives than men, which results in more variation of comfort with respect to temperatures. Being colder during the day could also be a result of the stupid design of women's clothing, which emphasizes fashion vs function. Unfortunately, a lot of outdoor women reinforce this practice by not buying clothing that makes them look "fat" or "ugly".

It is my understanding that becoming cold intolerant as one ages is mostly due to poor circulation, issues that are common in heart/circulatory diseases that most end up with if you live long enough.

I'm mostly an A-type, but have packed with B-types aplenty. The main method I use and have them use is utilizing layering and flexible clothing in a manner so as to stay ahead of conditions. For instance, as it cools in the evening, start adding a layer 15-20 minutes before expecting to need it.

For flexible clothing, some favorites are neck warmers, ear warmers, and arm warmers, in addition to the obvious warm socks, gloves, etc. I find it's the small body parts sticking out that make a big contribution that newbies tend to overlook.

Other things include going for short walks after dinner to check out scenery (and warm up); using a rain fly on colder nights; selecting a warmer sleeping site (a topic all it's own); using an air mattress to lift off the cold ground; etc. Oh, and if all else fails, a hit from the 151.

Dave_Ayers wrote: Oh, and if all else fails, a hit from the 151.

Bummer is that Bacardi stopped making 151 and you have to go off brand now. sigh. Still works but it's more smokey.

"B"

I won't repeat the suggestions others have mentioned, but wanted to add these:

* Sleeping pad with an R rating of 3 or higher. I had a nice warm bag but froze on the bottom with my ~R1.5 pad; it made ALL the difference to upgrade.

* Warm clothing layers get really really bulky and heavy, and this is a big problem for those of us who prefer a lightweight hiking style and a relatively small pack. I think it's a mistake bulk-wise to pack too many layers, especially layer upon layer of material that isn't anywhere close to the warmest thing you can buy for the weight. Instead, go for the warmest (but still lightweight) down jacket you can buy. It will add enormous warmth but will pack up really small.

* What really revolutionized my hiking wardrobe was: Angora. (Goodwill; eBay; Etsy.) Angora is 7 times warmer than wool, yet has the very same properties of keeping you warm even when wet; and not stinking up a storm. 1.5-oz. angora sleep socks will be warmer than two layers of (much heavier) wool socks. I also have an angora cap and angora neckwarmer. Finally, I found an ultra-thin angora v-neck at the Goodwill that I layer under my down jacket for hanging around camp and sleeping (I've hiked in it too). This v-neck is like a feather, it weighs 3 ounces and it is easily as warm as some of the ultralight down jackets I have tried on. Seriously, it is like blasting yourself with a space heater.

Other materials that are much warmer per ounce than wool are: Cashmere, lambswool, yak wool, musk-ox, alpaca. For those who find angora itchy, these are some great alternatives. Unbelievable the nice stuff that can be had for $8 at the Goodwill.

My actual base hiking shirt is ultralight wool, which is superb at keeping me warm when damp from rain or sweat. I wear a lightweight wool bra too. Getting wet in a synthetic shirt or bra is a sure path to feeling cold and clammy and shivery when the temp drops (not to mention smelly all the time). Whereas, even if you go to bed in a wool shirt that's gotten slightly damp with sweat over the course of the day, it will still keep you warm.

Two exceptions I make to the "warmest you can get per weight" rule:

* I don't bring gloves made of wool, angora, etc. as they seem too fragile. Synthetics for that. I've always wanted to check out the "possum wool" gloves though.

* I bring an extra-lightweight rain jacket (about 5 oz.) that is sized large enuf to go over the down jacket, and is meant strictly for rain/wind protection. (Insulation added to a rain jacket is usually bulky and inefficient compared to the other more efficient sources of insulation I like to consider; plus, I want to be able to hike in warm rain without overheating.)

- Oleander

B.

SSSdave wrote:Thin people usually are cooler because we lack blubba blubbuh blubber.

I'm on the thinner side as well so find myself in a light-weight poly/wool pullover as soon as I'm off the trail, sometimes even for breaks and definitely in a down puffy around camp. Throw in warm wool socks, gloves, and Buff.

LIke Daisy, I try to make myself a warm dinner with a hot tea/chocolate to boot and I'm pretty much straight into my bag. I have always cursed the mid-night bathroom run, however, but now I'm wondering if I should be glad for my small bladder.

Dave_Ayers wrote:selecting a warmer sleeping site (a topic all it's own)

I have been known to weight my choice on views or proximity/ease to water (for use/fishing) and have paid the cold tax. A few cold nights in the memory bank is pretty good cause for choosing a warmer site.

I appreciated one tip I read in a late-summer TR (with snow) that suggested use of plastic/ziplock bags in the boots to retain heat, and I'm tucking that one away for later when I'm in a pinch.

I have always cursed the mid-night bathroom run, however, but now I'm wondering if I should be glad for my small bladder.

Small plastic gatorade or water bottle takes care of that issue.

You could say I am category B/C. I've always been sensitive to cold, but I have become even more sensitive with age. I notice this most in my bag. I tend to wear a bunch more stuff than I used to when I crawl into my bag at night on all but the warmest nights. It seemed that in the old days my bag always seemed too warm and I'd open the zipper up a bit for cooling, but it has to be an especially warm High Sierra night (say >50F) for me to do that now.

I've always been short on "natural insulation" but I've become even leaner since about age 53 having dropped 10 lbs off of my age 20-53 weight but I started noticing the much colder sleeping when I hit my late 40s.

I'm definitely a C now.
I take a Marmot Plasma 15 now instead of my FF Swallow. Sleep in silk weight ArcTeryx bottoms, wool liner socks and a lightweight capilene t shirt. Keep a buff in the tent pocket in case my noggin gets cold.
I hike in shorts and a long sleeve ExO shirt over a lightweight Patagonia or OR tee and a OR ball cap. Sleeves are rolled up when walking, come down at other than brief stops. Keep the buff in a pocket to ward off cold.
In camp, hiking clothes come off. I wear Marmot driclime pants and a ls heavyweight zip tee. Have a Montbell down jacket and Black Rock Gear down beanie to add when the sun disappears. Rain jacket and midweight synthetic gloves are available in pack. I find that I have been using the gloves more often at night these past few years.
May have to go to pants in the daytime soon.
YMMV