Emergency heat

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This time of year, especially with recent mishaps, we discuss getting stuck in adverse conditions/situations for extended periods. I've come across an item of gear that I really love. Actually, two. By the same company. Trekmates flameless cook box, and flameless cook flask. These are basically reusable chemically-heated containers, that utilise a single-use, water-activated heat pad. I have two boxes, two flasks. I keep one of each in my car, in my emergency kit, with a supply of heat pads and food/drinks. When I'm doing one or two nights out, or just a day walk, I'll take a box with me, especially if tenting it. Nice hot meal without lighting a fire or even a cook stove? Magic! Especially in really wet/windy conditions., or after a particularly long day. For extended trips, the box isn't really practical, due to the number of heat pads needed. So I use conventional cooking methods. But on extended trips I do take the flask and a few of the smaller heat pads. For emergencies. :) Great for hot drinks, or even as a hot water bottle. Torpedo 7 used to sell the boxes and flasks, but unfortunately they no longer do. Still currently sell the heat pads though. Trekmates is a UK company, and the boxes/flasks can still be bought online. http://www.trekmates.co.uk/equipment-camping-+-cooking-flameless-cook Just something to think about, another item of gear that might make your life a little easier, or even potentially save it....
Interesting. I've never heard of these things, thanks Krieg. :) After a short bit of googling I see they use Calcium oxide to react with water giving the heat. The product formed in this reaction is Calcium hydroxide which is quite basic (caustic). It should go without saying you do not want to rupture whatever the CaOH is contained in after use as you might find a nice new hole in the bottom of your pack/sleeping bag/rain jacket etc! You shouldn't really be chucking this straight into the rubbish either, but I guess its safer for Joe Public to do that then try and dilute it down the drain themselves!
Cheers Yarmoss. I didn't know the exact chemistry behind it (I always sucked at chemistry). I'll look into better disposal methods. And just maybe it's not worth the potential impact. If that's the case though, I've got about 50 of these heat pads.... :D
I'm sure on an individual basis they're no worse then most things that end up in landfill, after all we all throw away our empty gas bottles when we're done with them, right :) I work in Chemistry so I was interested what was in them. There are plenty of chemicals that give off heat when they react, but I wouldn't want to be carrying them around with me in the mountains :)
Thanks for that. I haven't had any problems with them so far. I may as well at least use my supply of heat pads, but will definitely reconsider buying more.
Back Country Cuisine do a similar disposable heat pack for there meals, it is very small and light weight and heats your food beautifully.
I take my gas canisters down to the local recycling depot. I hope they are recycled. Maybe they're not and I need to buy one of those devices that renders them guaranteed gas-free. Not that they have any residual gas in them as I burn them completely empty before dropping them off.
Can recycler probably throws them away. They cant deal with them. You need to puncture them and crush then fill a rubbish bag with them then take to a scrap metal merchant. He wont pay you for them but they will get to the smelter. Aliexpress do sell refilling rigs so you can recycle them with a little help from your bbq bottle
Oh, that's interesting, Geeves. I read about a family who survived a seige in Kosovo. What they had going for them was the ability to siphon off gas from the bbq bottles into cigarette lighters plus they'd looted alcohol early on from a bottle store and this was used as a disinfectant in the battles that ensued. The gas and the alcohol were very tradeable commodities.
How often would you be able to recycle a canister. Surely there must be some sort of safety factor to consider in doing so.
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Forum Gear talk
Started by Kreig
On 24 August 2016
Replies 11
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