Best hand warmers

[marty]

All I was saying was that as soon as the first snowflakes fly, we all know that dozens of people will be signing on here to throw up their fists and hoot about how happy they are that winter is on its way, and, to me, it seems contradictory for them to be artificially keeping themselves warm while they go out in the cold. That’s why I made the comparison to people who profess to like the summer, then stay inside where the air conditioning is.

No hooting from me. I prefer the summer and don't particularly care for air conditioning.

Having Raynaud's Syndrome, I may not be able to hike in the winter without hand warmers. Like others have said, hand warmers and foot warmers are gear items, just like warm clothing and footwear. Certainly not cheating IMHO.

Marty

 

[erugs]

This is what I think. And I also think the opposite. And I'm also glad for what we have right at the moment.

"Through winter-time we call on spring/And through the spring on summer call/And when abounding hedges ring/Declare that winter's best of all/And after that there's nothing good/Because the spring-time has not come... William Butler Yeats"

 

[Tom Rankin]

Winter isn't just about cold. It's fewer people, no bugs, no mud, etc. Yes, some of that is caused by cold.

I don't know anyone who rejoices the colder it gets. If there are any of you out there, head to Antarctica or Siberia!

 

[TCD]

What Tom said. I don't celebrate winter because it's cold. I always thought it would be great if water froze at 50F. I celebrate winter because of all the ice and snow I can play on, that's not there in the summer.

 

[Snowflea]

What all the other Raynaud's folks said.

Along with a good pair of "expedition size" mitts, I found that these things also help somewhat:

http://www.integraldesigns.com/product_detail.cfm?id=832

Moving to Southern CA helped, too.

 

[Tim Horn]

I have used Zippo Butane Handwarmers or like products since I was a kid to take the edge off of cold hands. Yes, you faintly smell butane all day but they last forever (it is a zippo) and there is nothing to throw away at the end of the day.
I have a ski buddy who used to complain about his cold feet until he bought battery powered in-soles for his boots. Viola no more cold feet. He uses rechargeable batteries so he keeps the waste to a minimum. He has the same pair he bought 8 years.
Chemical packs are by comparison very expensive to purchase and purchase and purchase and end up in the dump at the end of the day.

 

[Stash]

What Tom said. I don't celebrate winter because it's cold. I always thought it would be great if water froze at 50F. I celebrate winter because of all the ice and snow I can play on, that's not there in the summer.

And what TCD said too.

And I celebrate because it's so much nicer to walk down hill on snow, even if I'm breaking my way, than to jolt my way rock to rock beating up my legs as I did a few days ago coming down Tucks.

 

[J.Dub]

I celebrate winter because of all the ice and snow I can play on, that's not there in the summer.

I hear ya, brother!

Besides, I always end up with big chunks of sod stuck in my crampons when I wear them in the summer.

(Not to mention the pointing and whispering from the other hikers... )

 

[Kevin Rooney]

Tim Horn's post reminds me that many years ago I used a handwarmer that came with a small metal case covered in felt. Inside the case you'd put a lit stick of compressed fuel, and it would burn very slowly for several hours. It worked but gave off a slight odor.

I don't know if those are still on the market, but I know places like Cabela's carry Jon-E Handwarmers. These are similar to the one I mentioned above, but think they use a liquid fuel.

For those of us who carry handwarmers as backup heat sources, but rarely use them, I'm still convinced the disposable ones are more cost-effective.

 

[erugs]

Half a dozen years ago a friend loaned us some reusable chemical hand warmers. To recharge, you needed to put them in boiling water. If I remember, they were heavy and not all that warm. We were using them while sailing north on the Atlantic in mid-coast Maine on the first of November. Brrrrr.

 

[TomD]

Tim Horn's post reminds me that many years ago I used a handwarmer that came with a small metal case covered in felt. Inside the case you'd put a lit stick of compressed fuel, and it would burn very slowly for several hours. It worked but gave off a slight odor.

I don't know if those are still on the market, but I know places like Cabela's carry Jon-E Handwarmers. These are similar to the one I mentioned above, but think they use a liquid fuel.

For those of us who carry handwarmers as backup heat sources, but rarely use them, I'm still convinced the disposable ones are more cost-effective.

Kevin, I remember seeing one of those a long time ago. The one I saw used lighter fluid, but I can't remember exactly how it worked. It was kind of like an enclosed Zippo lighter.

As far as the "cheating" argument, I think that's nonsense. We all use something artificial to our advantage-the most basic being shoes and clothes. What's wrong with wanting to be out in winter and yet be warm? I don't think it matters how you do it. That's like asking why don't Eskimos move to someplace warmer.

 

[peakbagger]

The Jon-e type handwarmers used lighter fluid to run. Basically it was a metal case full of cotton with a fat wick suspended horizonatally up off the cotton. There was a standard candle type wick used to fire off the big wick. The big wick was made of some course woven catalytic material that glowed once it warmed up. They threw out a lot of heat for a long time. We used to bring a pile of them when boy scouts went winter camping and discovered they didnt have adequate sleeping bags. We werent real worried about asphyxiation in a drafty old cabin. Compared to any other handwarmer of equivalent weight, they put out a lot of heat.

They were a PITA to light and required a wind free area for about 10 minutes to fire them off so they wouldnt be a great subsitute for standard heat packs, but if you know you are going to want heat for 6 to 8 hours they are the ticket. I used mine a couple of times to keep lunch warm and I have even seen some home made rigs for using them to keep coffee warm.

 

[DougPaul]

Half a dozen years ago a friend loaned us some reusable chemical hand warmers. To recharge, you needed to put them in boiling water. If I remember, they were heavy and not all that warm. We were using them while sailing north on the Atlantic in mid-coast Maine on the first of November. Brrrrr.

The heat comes from the heat-of-crystalization in a super-saturated solution of sodium acetate.
eg
http://www.rei.com/product/808058
http://www.rei.com/product/808059
http://www.amazon.com/EZ-Heat-Reusable-Hand-Warmer/dp/B000E90A3E

Doug

 

[cushetunk]

I don't understand all the anti-love that DSettahr got. While I certainly understand that some (apparently many) people have Reynaud's, I thought his advice was spot-on for anyone with normal circulation, and a good reminder that -- for anyone -- winter warmth begins with calories and hydration.

 

[Nessmuk]

The Jon-e type handwarmers used lighter fluid to run. Basically it was a metal case full of cotton with a fat wick suspended horizonatally up off the cotton.

I started deer hunting with my father at a very young age. He would leave me on a favorite watch while he slowly circled around. I'd be there for hours, waiting and watching in the cold. Freezing hands and feet were awful. Moving even a little might mean a deer wouldn't come. Then he got for me a Jon-e liquid fueled catalytic handwarmer. I discovered the most efficient way to use it was to place it inside my layers of clothing, in a shirt pocket over my heart. That bit of warmth over circulating blood kept my entire body toasty no matter what the temperature, for hours at a time, right down to my toes. Ahh, I can still smell the odor of catalyzed lighter fluid.

 

[sardog1]

I don't know anyone who rejoices the colder it gets. If there are any of you out there, head to Antarctica or Siberia!

Well, now you do.

And I'd go if I were single. (Which I have no desire to be.)