Chemical warmers?? (1 Viewer)

I've been reading the thread on warm winter boots for standing around in! I bought a pair of Sorels late last winter but I haven't really had the opportunity to test them. They were mentioned by a well known pro wildlife photographer in Outdoor Photography magazine for use especially when standing around in the snow. Maybe somebody has used them and might have an opinion.

I'm interested in these chemical warmer things. I've seen various versions around (all seem to have dangers attached to them viz they can burn you or they use lighter fuel (yikes!).

I'd be grateful to know which ones people use (and how they use them!)

I spend hours sitting in cold hides or standing around waiting for photographic opportunities!

Many thanks,
Rosie

Hi Rosie, I got a set of hand warmer packs from Aldi last year. They were the type that you bent the piece of metal in the liquid pack and a chemical reaction solidifyed the liquid. It gave off enough heat to warm your hands and it lasted for about 30 to 40 minutes. One of the packs burst but the other is enough to switch between hands to warm up.

Regards Gerard.

I use non-liquid air-iron reaction types that last several hours. Just open the package to expose it to air and the reaction starts up. They will get quite hot, ~50-55C, so you do not put them next to skin. They come in different sizes depending on how long you need heat, and styles to match the body parts needing heat including dedicated foot adhesive toe patches and sole inserts.

I use small hand warmers when I stop for long periods and just place them in between my thin outer synthetic sock and inner midweight merino wool sock. You can also buy socks with stitched in warmer pockets but I have never bothered. As long as the the blood vessels near the surface in your ankles are warm, your feet will be warm. When I start walking again I take them out and keep them in my jacket's inside waist pockets. My feet can stay warm down to ~-14C as long as I can walk/stay moving and snow/ice is not too deep so don't wear insulated boots.

RJM said:

I use non-liquid air-iron reaction types that last several hours. Just open the package to expose it to air and the reaction starts up. They will get quite hot, ~50-55C, so you do not put them next to skin. They come in different sizes depending on how long you need heat, and styles to match the body parts needing heat including dedicated foot adhesive toe patches and sole inserts.

I.

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These are just the ticket for keeping the hands warm, especially when wearing finger gloves in cold weather.
They are readily available in ski shops and consist of a mix of iron filings and charcoal, which react when oxygen is supplied.
They can be used as foot warmers as well, particularly in ski boots because the tight boot limits the air supply, so the warmth is less but lasts longer.
Still, as RJM points out, be mindful that they get hot, too hot to be safe for bare skin.

Brand I have used is called 'Heat Factory' which are air activated. Provide good warmth for hours and can be placed anywhere in your clothing system to keep the cold at bay.
Sorel boots are a great choice of footwear for the type of use you indicated, I have used them in extreme cold weather, the secret with them is to ensure you take out the liners out of the boots to allow them to dry overnight.

Thank you to everybody for their replies. I have a much better idea now of what's available! I'll definitely try some of these!