I see several companies such as enlightened equipment, hammock gear, and Warbonnet make them. Which do you guys prefer? It’s hard for me to decide because I’ve never seen them in person.
I see several companies such as enlightened equipment, hammock gear, and Warbonnet make them. Which do you guys prefer? It’s hard for me to decide because I’ve never seen them in person.
Rambler - what would you be using it for - sleeping or traveling in the snow/rain?
In order to see what few have seen, you must go where few have gone. And DO what few have done.
Sorry, I should have specified. It would be for sleepingOriginally Posted by cougarmeat
I picked up the HG Premium Down Hood. It's the only one I tried so far and it's really warm. I usually stash it in the peak loft/shelf and put it on when it gets to around 30-40 degF. I have it paired with a HG 20 deg Economy Burrow. I've used it in the hammock and on the ground.
In cold weather I wear my Mad Bomber hat with the brim unsnapped and folded down over the top third of my face. In extreme cold, I fasten a piece of "Zorb" fabric (like a super-absorbent camp towel) to the brim with Kam Snaps which connect to the ones the hat uses to hold the brim up for normal wear. The Zorb flap covers the rest of my face, but doesn't come in contact with it (which can be irritating), because the brim acts as a spacer. There's a layer of warmer air between my face and the Zorb, and exhaled water vapor is partially absorbed / partially passes through. This seems to keep the edge of my top quilt dry or frost-free, but I have experimented with a bigger flap of Zorb connected to my ridgeline, like the one Shug uses. I expect if I were camping in sub-zero temperatures the way he does, I'd work on perfecting that system.
I also have a DIY face mask with layers of Zorb and nylon that I wear when hiking if it's cold and windy (sometimes with goggles added). It looks a lot like the one Shug wears in his video. I don't like sleeping in the mask, though - too many strings. HYOH. YMMV. Keep warm.
While sleeping, I wear an Arctic Armor ice fishing hood that covers my head and neck completely with a small oval exposing eyes and nose. If cold enough to need eye protection, I wear a thin beanie under the hood and pull it down over my eyes. If cold enough to need nose protection, I put my nose under the oval opening. Makes things easily adjustable. The inner hood material breathes nicely so that exhaled moisture wicks away from my nose and mouth.
The game is the best teacher.
I have a few balaclavas of different weights - thin nylon and thicker fleece. I like to be able to pull it over my nose or some are built up around the mouth area so they redirect exhaled breath up so it warms the nose. I do have a down hood, but that's only when it's really cold. And I know the down under my head is compressed so I usually use it with a camp pillow.
In order to see what few have seen, you must go where few have gone. And DO what few have done.
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