daveb
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Post by daveb on Jul 19, 2016 6:38:07 GMT -8
I just ordered us a enlightened equipment quilt and I'm wondering if I should order the "hoodlum" down sleeping hood for $55. Seems to be bit of a novelty to me but I've never had one and maybe it's the best thing ever?
Any suggestions on good, warm and comfortable headgear for sleeping in? I'm trying to keep the little lady as comfortable as possible.
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almostthere
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putting on my hiking shoes....
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Post by almostthere on Jul 19, 2016 6:56:17 GMT -8
I have a wool beanie. It does fine unless it's in the 20s, then I add a neck gaiter. In winter I use a balaclava or add the down beanie to the wool one.
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gabby
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Post by gabby on Jul 19, 2016 7:23:32 GMT -8
I'm bald now. (And, yes, I do have to keep saying that or I'll regress and start pretending I'm "just thinning" again.)
So I have tried so many different kinds of "headgear" in order to keep my bald pate warm, I'm wishing I still was keeping my old automated gear list for this reply, a list which I abandoned keeping up to date about 7 or 8 years ago. I sleep in a polyester watch cap in the house in winter months, because the wife likes it cold at night. I'm that sensitive to cold on my head.
I must have a dozen balaclavas, from super light (silk) through lightweight (fleece) to super coverage "gorilla" heavy fleece with a plastic grill mouthpiece (which I've never actually used - I don't get into the mountains all that often). I have watch caps (both wool and polyester, all in "long" so you can pull them down over your face and ears at night to sleep), fleece caps with ear flaps, a couple of down "beanies" from Black Rock Gear and 2 down hoods from JrB. (I also have JrB's down "arms", because I own a couple of their Stealth quilts, and you can wear those like a poncho, putting your head through the built-in "head hole" in the middle of the quilt. The "head hole" has a velcro closure.)
What I finally settled on, however, was a combo. I found that, if my feet are warm, and I'm under a good down quilt or sleeping bag, I don't need much more than a light balaclava or watch cap most times - but I'm not exactly "winter camping" in the mountains, so your mileage may vary.
I usually carry the silk balaclava because it's very light and it covers my neck. I find that, as long as I keep drafts off my neck, I'm good. If it gets cooler, say the 30s or 20s, I add a fleece hat or a polyester watch cap. I switch to a wool watch cap or go to a Seirus fleece balaclava (over the silk) if it's cooler than that. I carry a hooded down jacket, which I use as a pillow in a stuff sack, but, if I was still uncomfortable, I can put that on in my bag and use its hood. I've only done this once when there was a sudden "cold snap" late one winter night. All of this is for sleeping, of course.
I've only tried using the JrB down hood once while sleeping, and it wasn't cold enough to use it. I was far too warm. I suspect that I'd only use the down hood outside under my rain gear's hood if it was very, very cold, but only when I wasn't actually walking. A sufficiently cold situation has not happened so far.
So my current setup for nights in my quilt I've used so far is: silk balaclava, then watch cap over that if my head is still cold. I might try using a lightweight fleece balaclava if if it's any colder (usually one of the 3 Seirus I have - they're very lightweight, but heavier than the silk) over the silk balaclava and need more protection for my neck. I've never needed much more than this. If it's in the middle of winter or there's any chance of very cold temps, I'll carry the JrB down hood, but, like I said, I've only used it once and got too warm. I mostly just carry a wool watchcap for extra protection at night, because I can easily use it during waking hours as well. A lot depends on your location and elevation.
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Post by ashepabst on Jul 19, 2016 8:02:14 GMT -8
i have a zpacks downhood and I very much appreciated it on a January trip this year both for sleeping and hanging around camp. it got into the teens that morning --exceptionally cold for my neck of the woods. perhaps it'll be overkill for the winter temps I usually see... but we'll see.
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Post by llamero on Jul 19, 2016 8:26:58 GMT -8
I just ordered us a enlightened equipment quilt and I'm wondering if I should order the "hoodlum" down sleeping hood... I have a $5 beanie that I can wear not only at night, but also during the day, even in wet weather. "Hoodlum" That is funny. I realize it is supposed to be a cute play on words and I see it as a Freudian slip.
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Post by dayhiker on Jul 19, 2016 8:34:20 GMT -8
balaclava for me, hat falls off during the night for me. (I have a balding head too)
My bag comes with a down hood which helps with drafts, and side of head, bottom gets compressed though, so not that warm. Might take snow camping but did not last time. If it is really cold I might try a hat on top (maybe a really large balaclava so it could go under?)
Face can take cold better than most body parts? . . .
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gabby
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Post by gabby on Jul 19, 2016 8:40:55 GMT -8
balaclava for me, hat falls off during the night for me. THIS is very important. Bald heads are, as I have found out, slippery. Also, bald heads are greasy! Don't put a down (anything) directly on a bald head! Seriously, I find that a lightweight fleece or silk (my personal fav) balaclava makes your (bald or nonbald) head hold a hat more securely. Still, I only use watch caps because of the problem with losing hats and beanies at night. The wife, OTOH, loves the little Black Rock Gear down beanies, so I actually no longer have those in my possession: a red one and a black one. Gone!
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reuben
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Post by reuben on Jul 19, 2016 8:42:48 GMT -8
Chullo. Sorta like a balaclava. Yep, got one.
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Post by dayhiker on Jul 19, 2016 9:01:48 GMT -8
If you don't toss and turn a beanie might stay on, a neck gaitor and beanie might give you more options, though you can roll up the balaclava
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tigger
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Post by tigger on Jul 19, 2016 10:13:10 GMT -8
I used the Enlightened Equipment Quilt on my recent month long stay on the Greenland Ice Sheet. Most of the time, I used the hood of my down jacket (still attached). I had two balaclavas (one OR mid-weight and one psycho-heavyweight OR Gorilla) but only used them sparingly. I also had a wool beanie. It kept shifting positions on my head and covering my eyes so I stopped using it. On the really cold nights, I used the hood of my down jacket and then layered the hood of my parka over the top. Through the night, I tend to go between overheating and cooling so I like having the easy adjustments of just pushing my hood back a little vs. having to go full-tilt balaclava unless I am going ultralight winter backpacking. In that case, my down jacket hood, hard shell and one balaclava is enough to cover my bases.
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swmtnbackpacker
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Post by swmtnbackpacker on Jul 21, 2016 15:40:50 GMT -8
Started using a thin merino wool balaclava as a base as they do not frost up like synthetic fabrics. So far, I've just used the hoods of my insulation jackets, but I do not use quilts if it gets near 20F.
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zeke
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Post by zeke on Jul 21, 2016 15:50:59 GMT -8
My cool bp'ing is in the Sierra mts, above 11,000'. I use a fleece watch cap to keep my head warm, should I need it.
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Post by trinity on Jul 21, 2016 16:20:09 GMT -8
I take a merino buff, which packs small, provides quite a bit of warmth, and is extremely versatile. In colder temps I usually have a hooded down puffy, which I wear to bed at night to augment my sleep system. I just put on the hood as needed.
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tomas
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Post by tomas on Jul 21, 2016 16:24:06 GMT -8
Don't use a quilt, but given I'm a side sleeper and the hood on the bag rarely stays put, I use a toque.
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rebeccad
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Post by rebeccad on Jul 26, 2016 20:42:40 GMT -8
I found a thick fleece hat with a fold-away thinner balaclava insert. By "found," I mean found it on the side of a trail. It's become my main backpacking hat. It's a little heavier and bulkier than what I used to use, but stays on well, and gives that extra option if needed. I also carry a Buff, which serves as a neck gaiter when it's breezy. I don't have an actual quilt I sleep under, but I haven't zipped my bag for the last 2 or 3 years (that does give me the option of backing myself into that built-in sleeping bag hood, which I use in cold weather).
Last week I struggled with the opposite problem: even with a 32-deg bag, unzipped and used as a quilt, I overheated night after night. The trouble was, if I took off my head covering (just the Buff), my ears got cold. If I threw back the covers entirely, exposed parts got cold. But if I tucked everything under the bag, I roasted. I have NEVER before had this problem at 10,000' plus!
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