My fiancee stays about as warm as I do while we'rehiking, but once we stop moving she pretty much loses all her heat within minutes and never seems to get it back. She already wears much more down clothing than most, but below freezing its pretty though to keep her from shivering too much.

I was trying to come up with ideas other than carrying multiple flocks of geese around all the time, and the idea occurred to me that with space blankets being ridiculously warm for the weight, making clothing out of them might be an interesting Idea. I'm thinking maybe socks, a vest or long sleeve shirt, and maybe pants made out of space blanket. Might be worn over a baselayer and used as a type of vapor barrier.

Has anyone else tried anything like this before? Maybe the material is too fragile or annoyingly crinkly? As the only item I know of that is warmer per oz than down, its gotta be useful somehow.

Greg, I think there was a recent thread dealing with this exact issue, but I can't seem to find it. Anyone have the link? I'm not sure, but I think there are better options than the mylar clothing. What does she wear in camp?

I purchased a wind jacket many years ago. It might have been the old Early Winters Proton jacket. It had a thin nylon taffeta shell, space blanket in the middle with needle holes every square inch, and then a mesh on the inside.

As wind jackets go, it was fine. However, it had no real insulating properties. After 5-8 years of use, the needle holes started tearing.

--B.G.--

Travis-
I did a couple of searches but didnt see that thread you're referring to. Around freezing she might be wearing a balaclava and thick fleece beanie, cap 3 baselayer, Fleece pullover, down inner jacket, MH phantom down jacket, windshirt and rain jacket, fleece pants, normal nylon pants, rain pants, med liner gloves, insulated mitts, and still be cold.

There is an old Sierra Club saying. Take off a layer before you get hot. Put on a layer before you get cold.

Emphasis on the word "before."

--B.G.--

Some thoughts, partly carried over from the other thread:

Does she wear anything on her head? I have a coolmax buff for 55-65F temps and various fleece beanies and balaclavas - a hat helps! Glove liners paired with warm gloves also will help. The liners by themselves leave me able to do camp chores but still have a layer on my fingers, then the insulating gloves go on for actual warmth if needed. My first task when we are stopping for the day is to use a wet wipe for a "bath" and put on clean socks, clean base layer of mid or heavy weight depending on expected temps, then the pants I hiked in and one of my jackets. If the jacket isn't enough the wind breaker or the rain jacket goes on over it. If it's still not enough, I shed the rain jacket and pull out my sleeping quilt. Usually the jacket and windproof layer are enough down to freezing. I do all that before it gets truly cold so I don't chill too much.

I am in the process of coming up with a DIY down hat and picked up a pair of insulated booties for camp that will probably work with my crocs, which are my camp shoes.

Space blankets will not help. They will make her damp, which will leave her uncomfortable for other reasons. There is a reason they are considered emergency blankets - no one wanting comfort wants to use one.

Edited by lori999 on 03/07/2010 17:42:04 MST.

Just saw your second post.

Sounds like she is indeed a cold customer. Does she eat and drink well enough? Eating a good meal and hot beverages will make a huge difference.

Those little heat packets and hot water bottles in pockets might help.

And here is the other thread.

http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/forums/thread_display.html?forum_thread_id=29784

She just wants you to come over and warm her up. Or maybe she just doesn't like to go when it's that cold. I can't imagine anyone being cold at freezing with all that on, or at -20 for that matter.

nm

Edited by jshann on 03/07/2010 18:45:32 MST.

Greg,
Does she Ever warm up in camp?
Or after dinner?
Or in the sleeping bag?
Or from another perspective, how does she get warm again?

Have you tried food during the last 30 minutes into camp - Snickers bar, Balance bar,... (This assumes she ate well before starting off.)

More clues man, we need more clues.

Greg, what's wrong with multiple flocks of geese?

Wearing a nice goose down jacket while eating a hot meal does it for almost everybody.

--B.G.--

Oh, I like the geese idea, but I think we're missing something here.

If 10 pounds of fleece and down doesn't get it done we got a problem.

I tell 'ya, we need more clues.

A thin very fit dancer showed up with a resting heartbeat of 34 saying she couldn't figure out why she was always cold...

Thanks for the responses everyone. I guess no one thinks space blanket clothing could be useful, lol

Lori - Thanks for the link, I didn't realize that post was so similar. Thanks for the advice as well, most of it we follow already. Those hand warmers are a good idea, haven't tried them yet. Drinking hot liquids definitely helps as well.

Greg - You figured it out in that last comment of yours =] I'm can't remember what her exact heart rate is, but the doctor mentioned recently that it was only a few above lance armstrong. Also, hot food helps, but doesn't offset using tons of down.

Thanks for mentioning that sweat could be an issue with using space blanket clothes, but if you're in camp and only using it for an hour or two I don't imagine that being much of a problem. I mean, it shouldn't be any different than using a vapor barier layer, which some people even use while hiking, only this would be much warmer and used for a short duration of inactive time. Maybe I'm missing something.

Oh , and she does eventually warm up in her sleeping bag, but usually that's a sleeping bag rated at least 15 degrees warmer than the predicted temperature, and using an exped downmat beneath.

So, she does warm up with an appropriately rated bag. Nothing wrong with a bag rated 15 below expected temps.

Could she be soaking her baselayer trying to keep up with Greg?

Her baselayer should be close fitting and not loose to keep the perspiration away from the skin surface. Sounding like flash off effects?

If she has cold intolerance at home and has recent weight gain, consider hypothyroidism (probably not that, but always good to mention)

Edited by jshann on 03/08/2010 03:38:56 MST.

Most of the high points have been covered.

+1 Warm beverages and extra calories, and while it's not light, the thermos full of hot chocolate.

Remember that there's usually a 10-15 degF difference between the EN Comfort (woman's rating) and Limit (men's rating) for a sleeping bag. The mfr's rating for most bags is at or below the EN Limit, so the extra 15 deg you mention is not excessive.

Looking through the litany of layers, the warmest thing on her bottom is fleece pants. Additional insulation south of the equator can make a big difference, so how about adding down or synthetic insulated pants?

You mentioned a balaclava, but if the UL down inner doesn't have a hood you might consider a separate down hood, or maybe a Ray-Way Bomber Hat http://www.rayjardine.com/ray-way/Bomber-Hat-Kit/index.htm. I got a buddy of mine one of those for Christmas; he says it's amazingly warm, and unlike my BPL Cocoon balaclava it offers good peripheral vision.

I've been experimenting with a vapor barrier suit for sleeping below 25. On a recent trip I took my Phantom 32 bag to about 5 using a MYOG bivy, the VB suit and a modest selection of additional clothing. Assuming she's pretty sedentary in camp, she could try a VB layer over her base. Someone her recently mentioned having AGG make a custom top and bottom; I went with the gray Warmlite "fuzzy stuff" http://www.warmlite.com/vb_shirt.htm pants and shirt at 5 and 5.5 oz, respectively, which loosely resemble cheezy scifi B movie attire.

You could fill a Platy or Camelbak bag with heated water and have her sling that between her base layer and fleece. If you already have the Platy then all it costs is some extra fuel.

As a last non-UL possibility, what about a liquid fueled handwarmer like http://www.zippo.com/products/handWarmer.aspx?bhcp=1 again carried next to the torso?

i've found a good close fitting down hood significantly warmer than ant hat. Also how about some goose feet?http://www.goosefeet.webs.com/

"You could fill a Platy or Camelbak bag with heated water and have her sling that between her base layer and fleece. If you already have the Platy then all it costs is some extra fuel." Jeff Armfield

I am totally serious with the suggestion to hold the hot bottle between her legs while in her sleeping bag.

Edited by rambler on 03/08/2010 05:35:44 MST.

Some women are just COLD. It isn't odd either. Dicentra is like that, once the sun goes down she has to be in a ton of layers and in her bag.

And yes, a fabric DOES exist. It is called Insul Bright and can be found at Jo-Ann fabrics for around $7.50 a yard. It is washable, dryable, breathable and drapeable. It is mylar that is needle punched with a poly. (US made as well) It is what we use in our FBC cozies and can be used in clothing. I have used it to make a tent liner for the floor - it is very durable. That it is coated on both sides makes it less fragile but also doesn't leave sweat against the body.

Even I get severely cold on many trips. As soon as I stop hiking first things I do on cold trips:
Hat on, go pee (less to warm), thin gloves on, jacket, clean socks and shirt (no sweat to chill) and if possible my wool/poly blend leggings on. Then I go make a hot drink and get hydrated along with a snack. But even then....there are trips where all I can do is get in my bag and also cover myself with my down jacket and my GTX jacket as a vapor barrier.