How to keep your head, face, ears and neck warm while sleeping in freezing temps

[LMTLMT]

Sleeping when its 35 degrees and lower I'm all covered up with sleeping bags and blankets.  However, my head, ears, face and sometime neck are pretty cold tho.  I've tried sleeping with a beanie to cover my head and ears but its uncomfortable, too tight and slip off easily when I toss and turn.  I've tried wrapping a towel around my head & ears, and another one around my neck, it worked ok but still cold and bulky.  I guess I just got to keep trying different combo, ways and methods until I find something thats comfortable for me.

I'm gonna to try Columbia fleece head band and a neck gaiter to see how that feels, I have a feeling the head band is gonna be squeezing my head tho.  

If that doesn't work, gonna try a NorthFace warm-lined trappers hat w/earflaps, I wonder how comfortable it is to sleep with the trapper?

Anyone sleep in a Clava?

What do you guys use?

 

[DuneElliot]

When I backpack I use a long beanie. I understand what you mean about the comfort level but you learn to go with it. I pull it down over my eyes and it doesn't fall off. I also use a Buff around my neck.

When things are expected to get below freezing I take a fleece-lined balaclava and wear that at night. It does make a difference.

You sound like you have the opposite problem to me...I have a tiny head and everything is too big, never anything too tight.

 

[jonsun]

warm water bottle?

 

[Almost There]

I use a hooded fleece sweatshirt.

The hood is way big so it comes out and covers my cheeks and forehead, the hoodie part keeps my neck warm and it's cozy as all heck. I've gotten used to it kind of smooching around when I toss and turn so I'm used to just smoothing it out so it's not all lumpy under my head.

The only part of me that gets even slightly cold is my nose and I've found no solution to that yet. I can't bear having my nose under the covers....

I tried the buff but it felt tight on my head and I'd have to wake fully up to fuss with it. I don't do that with the hooded sweatshirt.

I do keep it strictly for sleeping in during the colder months. One shouldn't wear to bed any of the clothing that you wore during the day.

 

[MrNoodly]

I sleep in a mummy bag. The colder it gets the smaller I draw the opening down.

Yeah. I achieve the same effect with my king sized down quilt I have from my house dwelling years. It's big enough that I can pull it over my head and leave just my nose and mouth uncovered. And since the quilt isn't a bag I don't feel restricted.

But if someone is the type of sleeper that moves around a lot, maybe something like a down balaclava would do the trick.
https://www.google.com/search?q=dow...LxzKvTAhWHMGMKHYgMC64QsAQILw&biw=1175&bih=735

 

[GotSmart]

Ski mask 

Worked great for me. 

It also scares the bejesus out of anyone that knocks on the door late.  

 

[ArtW]

I have a fleece head cover like a balaclava, works well once it gets colder
I've also just laid a light blanket over my head in the past

 

[slynne]

when I used to backpack in the winter, I found that the best thing was a silk balaclava under a fleece balaclava in a mummy bag with a silk bag liner. Silk feels...well... silky. And it breathes and helps keep you warm. Silk long underwear is good too under a layer of something synthetic that wicks moisture away. The biggest thing for me is to not put my head under the covers because if you do that, you end up damp and cold

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

Sleeping when its 35 degrees and lower I'm all covered up with sleeping bags and blankets.  However, my head, ears, face and sometime neck are pretty cold tho. . .
What do you guys use?

At 35º a stocking cap and wearing a loose turtleneck should be all you need.  But if you are sensitive to the cold, here is what I do, in order of cool to below zero:

• Stocking cap and turtleneck pulled up around my neck.  My forehead reacts to wool so I use polypropylene bunting caps; very soft and loose feeling.
• Cinch the sleeping bag around my neck and wear a the stocking cap.  The hood of the sleeping bag can get annoying if you toss and turn a lot.
• Cinch the hood of the sleeping bag around your head.  Turn the bag with you when you turn.
• Cinch the hood down tight so only your nose sticks out.  Takes a little practice to learn to do without turning in the bag.  Nose will probably get cold, I guess I have gotten used to it.
• If a cold nose bothers me I put a small polypropylene throw over my head.  Basically making a tiny tent to breathe into and warm up.

I hadn't thought of a hooded sweatshirt.  It should work, and if big enough you could cinch it down so only your nose and mouth are sticking out.
I don't like the tight feel of a balaclava when sleeping, although I do wear one during the day if it is cold enough.  I have one that I can add a gorilla mask to (covers face from below eyes to throat).  It will be sopping wet (usually frozen) around nose and mouth by the end of the day.
Unless it is hot out, I wear my clothes to bed at night, including a zip turtleneck when cold out.  Adjusting the turtleneck usually can keep my neck warm in all but the coldest weather.
Don't breathe into your blankets or sleeping bag (especially down) unless you can dry them out before the next night.

 -- Spiff

 

[Vagabound]

I have tried a few different things. The one that works best is the hooded sweatshirt. It's better than pulling the mummy bag over your head because it allows a bit more flexibility of movement and actually it isn't as hot as the mummy bag on your head, which is a good thing. As bad as being too cold while sleeping is being too hot. That'll wake me up as well. I just put the hood on and tie the drawstring until I have a small porthole in the front. If I'm not concerned about light in the morning, the porthole is a little bigger. If I am concerned about light, I can make the porthole a little smaller and the hood doubles as a sleeping mask.

Overall, it doesn't fall off, it doesn't get too hot, it just works.

Tom

 

[GotSmart]

I have a fleece head cover like a balaclava, works well once it gets colder
I've also just laid a light blanket over my head in the past

The first time I read baclava.   :huh:

Now I want some! 

 

[highdesertranger]

I have the opposite problem. once I get my bed warm, everything is warm my head, nose, ears, fingers, etc. even when it's in the single digits I need to fan my sleeping bag a couple times a night to let some cold air in. in the high desert in the summer a warm evening often turns chilly before morning, I usually sleep outside my bag until the early morning then I just throw it over me, unzipped. many times I must leave at least one arm and one leg outside the covers. highdesertranger

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

Same as my method.  I usually leave the bottom of the sleeping bag unzipped so I can stick one or both feet out.  Usually works.  If not I use my legs to pump air into the bag and/or my arms come out.

One reason I use down whenever possible is that it has a much wider comfort range than any synthetic I have tried.

 -- Spiff

 

[VanKitten]

I agree with spaceman. Down comforter is great year round. When it is really cold...a featherbed underneath and I can handle any cold.

 

[LMTLMT]

appreciate all the tips, i'll try the hoodie sweatshirt and balaclava method.

anyone have good experience with Merino Wool/SmartWool? there is a balaclava at REI for $40, kinda expensive in my opinion but its merino wool, the fleece ones are about $25.

 

[VanForNow]

A wool "watch cap" tends to slide off my head. The best solution I have found is an Andean style wool cap, with strings that tie under your chin. I is quite secure a has wide side flaps which keep your cheeks warm

 

[TrainChaser]

Try an Infinity Scarf (aka Mobios Scarf) of a lightweight synthetic fleece like Polartec (~$10 - $15/yard, about 60"wide) or Minky ($15 - $20/yard, comes in 60" and 90"). Buy it at a regular fabric store so you'll know what you're getting. If you go to a large, high-quality fabric store, they may have merino wool, but just ask for 'wool', since most of them don't seem to know what 'merino' means (type of sheep). It will be much more expensive, but it does breathe well near your face. If you want wool, make sure it's very soft against your cheek, not stiff or stickery.

Buying SmartWool by the yard seems to require an Act of God.

Make your choice, then find out what the width is (should be 60", or extra-wide at 90"). Ask for just two-thirds of a yard (24"). Laid out flat, you need one piece of fabric 60" long X 24" wide. If you happen to choose something that is 36 or 45" wide, you will need one and two-thirds yards (60"), and you will have excess when you cut it down to 60x24".

If you know how to sew (or know someone who does), here is a good video of the instructions: (9 minutes)

 

[skyl4rk]

Get a fleece throw blanket, put it on your head down to your nose. Pull up your covers to just below your chin. With only your mouth and nose exposed, it is very warm. You can get enough fresh air and the fleece is light enough to roll with you when you move from side to back to side.

 

[highdesertranger]

you all are making me sweat just by reading this. highdesertranger

 

[Every Road Leads Home]

I'm in the hooded sweatshirt club as others have mentioned if I need to keep my head warm. However, I actually think 35 degrees is easy sleeping weather.