I want to make some simple "toe cozies" like Bill has. Can I just use RipStop Nylon since they won't ever be exposed to the weather (i.e. always worn in my bag in a bivy). Is there any reason to use Momentum for such a small project like this?

Ryan,

I used light weight silk for mine. Mine were almost only ever used inside my sleeping gear. I did leave them on if I had to get up during the night for quick "Walk In The Woods".

If you want to wear them around camp you might use a more durable fabric than what I used otherwise about any left over fabric should work fine.

You also might want to make them a little longer so you can use them as a pair of thumb-less mitts during the day or make a simple pair of mitts that will fit on your feet at night.

Edited by bfornshell on 01/31/2008 15:09:56 MST.

Bill,
What an excellent multi-use mind you exibit.
These are a great idea.

My girlfriend made a pair of cozies for me this past summer. My feet tend to sweat a lot so she used Momentum which is somewhat more breathable than plain nylon. She made them like slippers with a piece of heavier cordura on the bottom for walking around without poking holes in them.

What am I missing?

Yes, you could bring a pair of socks, but a nice thick pair of wool socks can be as heavy as 4 oz. Using a layer of XP insulation would give you more loft, more warmth, more compressibility in your pack... all for a lot less weight. 4oz is one third of the weight of some people's entire sleeping quilt!

Oh.

The toe cozies being discussed aren't really socks by definition. I've taken the liberty of posting a photo from Bill's blog to give an idea of what Ryan is asking about for those unaware:



The user's foot slides into one of the cozies up to the ankle. The string is tied around the ankle to hold it in place. The purpose is to keep just the toes warm.

Edited by sharalds on 02/01/2008 10:53:26 MST.

If you could handle the slight crinkling sound, make them out of Insul Bright. It is designed to reflect heat and is breathable/washable.

Thanks Sam for posting the picture,

You all have to realize that I made my toe cozy's in the middle of a hike. I had a scarf of sorts that was a cut-off piece of my quilt. That quilt was about 4 inches longer than necessary and I cut the extra off. I cut it off and carried it to use as a neck wrap if necessary. To make the toe cozy's I folded it in half and cut it into two equal pieces. They turned out to be just right for my toes to my ankle. If the material had been longer the toe cozy's might have been foot cozy's. The cord was from an extra tarp cord I carried with me.



Toe Cozy with my Wal Mart 1.07 ounce a pair socks. I wore these socks on my short Sub 2-pound hike.


Even though I go very light to SUL to Sub what-ever, I still carry a few things in a repair kit to include a needle, a bit of strong black thread, one extra tarp cord and a few other things based on the hike.

Here is the thread if you want all the down and dirty:


Climashield Combat Toe Cozies

Hmm... or just buy a could FBC Cozies and add string... then they'd be dual use. Or at least one of them could be... or if you want to avoid odors, if nothing else FBC Cozies would be a inexpensive EASY toe cozy ;)

Lol...yeah, and the cozies are foot size :-P

I am sewing a tent liner for winter use out of IB btw...my theory is that I won't need to carry a blue pad for under my T-Rest...and that I can cover the whole floor of my tent. I would stay a lot warmer this way. Since IB is mylar on the interior and I have done this with E-Blankets before...it should (I hope!) warm & toasty...and light for winter.

I buy IB in 40 yd rolls so no loss if my idea sucks and blows...

I don't have any XP or Momentum on hand, but I have a whole lot of fleece, so I thought I'd make some in the meantime. They go to about the middle of my arch and have an elastic band (a fabric type, not a rubber band) that goes around the heel. They weighed in together at 0.9oz.

I also made "boosters" for them - another layer of fleece (that can be removed) that goes over just the top toe part. These add an extra 0.4oz.

Not as lofty as XP of course, but I tried them out in a very light summer bag in the backyard for a couple hours at night. They kept my toes warm in 28 degree weather!

I'll post a pic tonight.

Edited by splproductions on 02/06/2008 08:49:40 MST.

I just made a pair of toe cozies out of old SealSkinz chillblocker socks. The socks were entirely too heavy at 5 oz per pair, so I happily cut them down into toe cozies. They don't quite go to my ankles, which may be a mistake on my part, but weigh in much less at 1.6 oz with no sewing! A pair of scissors and bungee cord thru a few holes did the trick. I'd always seen toe cozies on peoples gear lists and had no idea what they were. In my imagination, they were little cups that you put around each individual toe! This makes much more sense.