Sleeping bag heat idea

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CarolynA

Veteran Member
Well, we had a girls only camping trip last weekend. Since it was in the low 30s at night we had the whole camp site to ourselves. We saw wild pigs & wold turkeys & found fossils. It was awesome!!! Anyway, I got a chill before I got into my sleeping bag & my legs & feet just wouldn't warm up. I had one of those ThermaCare Heatwraps for my back so I opened one up & stuffed in the bottom of my sleeping bag. It was wonderful ! These things could really make a difference if you got into a really cold emergency situation. I am going to add a couple to my BOB. The other girls have all decided to add them to their camp supplies too.

Get the extra large, lower back size. They have a really big surface area so you get more bang for your buck. The package says they last 8 hours but mine always stay warm about 15 hours. The other nice thing is that they have a waist band & you can strap the thing on any part of your body. You can move it from place to place to warm you up. Costco has a 4 pack for about $11 . Here is a link so that you can see what they look like:

http://www.thermacare.com/lowerbackwraps.jsp
 
N

Nuthatch

Membership Revoked
The various hothands products also work (they are cheaper but smaller).

And don't forget...if you fill a nalgene bottle with very hot water and stick it in there you have an easy hot water bottle to pre-warm your bag too.
 
'plain o joe'

'plain o joe'

Membership Revoked
Salt for de-icing, about 2 inches deep in a quart freezer zip lock baggie, with about 2 tablespoons of water added will heat up...:ld:

and later when it cools, add 2 more
;)
 
T

tsk

Inactive
and it's a lot cheaper plain ol' joe!

I've heard of putting the salt in a 2 liter bottle at the bottom of your sleeping bag, helps to prevent leakage...

tsk, tsk...:wvflg:
 
ainitfunny

ainitfunny

Saved, to glorify God.
SALT for de-icing WON'T WORK. You need the de-icing CHEMICAL that melts ice, that is not salt.
 
tangent

tangent

Membership Revoked
I allways thought a member of the opposite sex was the best sleeping bag warmer... :D

-t
 
dreamseeer

dreamseeer

Membership Revoked
CarolynA said:
Well, we had a girls only camping trip last weekend. Since it was in the low 30s at night we had the whole camp site to ourselves. We saw wild pigs & wold turkeys & found fossils. It was awesome!!! Anyway, I got a chill before I got into my sleeping bag & my legs & feet just wouldn't warm up. I had one of those ThermaCare Heatwraps for my back so I opened one up & stuffed in the bottom of my sleeping bag. It was wonderful ! These things could really make a difference if you got into a really cold emergency situation. I am going to add a couple to my BOB. The other girls have all decided to add them to their camp supplies too.

Get the extra large, lower back size. They have a really big surface area so you get more bang for your buck. The package says they last 8 hours but mine always stay warm about 15 hours. The other nice thing is that they have a waist band & you can strap the thing on any part of your body. You can move it from place to place to warm you up. Costco has a 4 pack for about $11 . Here is a link so that you can see what they look like:

http://www.thermacare.com/lowerbackwraps.jsp
Click to expand...

Thanks for sharing your experience. I am going to add them to my preps if the power is ever out.........already have the sleeping bag.

I also got a bunch of those hand and feet warmers that work in similar fashion.
 
Wise Owl

Wise Owl

Deceased
Watch the dates on those hand/feet warmers......they do wear out and won't work after awhile. Time to get those is in the late fall after hunting season is over. they put them on sale to get rid of them. We have picked up a bunch of them that way.......I have two in my hunting pack whenever I go hunting and plan on sitting for long periods on the stand. One goes down inside my coat under my belt on the lower back and the other one goes on the back of my neck under my neck scarf to hold it in place.......works great! I have also used one of them in the sleeping bag to warm up feet that won't get warm.......keeps toes warm all night.

Up here we can usually get the smaller one for about 50 cents apiece after hunting season is over. They are good for about 4 years, tops.....then they lose their punch.........
 
jed turtle

jed turtle

a brother in the Lord
had a friend who used to keep a half gallon plastic milk jug handy to his tent. when he'd get up for a mid-night leak, he'd pee into the jug, securely replacing it's cap, and store it in the bottom of his sleeping bag, using his body heat so recently expelled from his body, to keep his toes toasty...:groucho:
 
rhughe13

rhughe13

Heart of Dixie
jed turtle said:
had a friend who used to keep a half gallon plastic milk jug handy to his tent. when he'd get up for a mid-night leak, he'd pee into the jug, securely replacing it's cap, and store it in the bottom of his sleeping bag, using his body heat so recently expelled from his body, to keep his toes toasty...:groucho:
Click to expand...

Gotta have that to replace that loss of body heat shake (twitch) that guys get just after the deed.:D Do you ladies twitch also?
 
jazzy

jazzy

Advocate Discernment
ive made some wonderful 'instant warmers'--not my own idea, i read it somewhere and it works real good.

buy the sidewalk 'de-icer' i think the right one is calcium carbonate, but it cant be the other stuff with magnesium in it. fill a strong plastic bottle 1/2 way, put on cap and store. when you are ready to use, add water. it heats up real nice and stays warm. if you fill it 3/4 of the way it will stay warm longer. and after a few hrs as it starts to cool down, just give it a few shakes. it can be even hot to the touch at first so you need very strong plastic bottles, not the flimsy ones. ive used mt dew bottles and old lemon juice bottles fine. dont use glass.

these things are great to fill up and set aside in a box til you need them.


i like the idea of the thermal wraps, too---never thought of it, but ill sure try it.

thanks!
 
timbo

timbo

Deceased
Sex Sex........everything is Sex..................not complaining, just commenting.

Carolyn,great idea and thanks. Does anyone know if these things have a shelf life?
I wasnt sure from the article but can you use these like 4 hours,shut them off somehow and use them again?


Michigan weather says these would be good in a BOB and the foil blanket if stuck in a car.
 
K

KateCanada

Inactive
Good point Timbo. Feel like you just hit me over the head :p . Sorry CarolynA, The info here is great. I appreciate it. Thanks!
 
N

Nuthatch

Membership Revoked
Wise Owl is right. They are dated. But really, mine don't last that long because I stick them in my car/fanny pack and use them as needed. I also buy them at end of season for 4 hand warmers for $1. I have never found a way to stop the heat and save them for later.

Once, after a tumble into 60 degree F water in a bay I learned how wonderful they truly are. Dang, was I cold and wet! They took the edge off. I did put a jacket on after that, but stayed out a while paddling. Really memorable.
 
K

KateCanada

Inactive
I just searched for a battery operated heating blanket/sleeping bag? Used lots of key words. Could'nt find anything. I'm big into heating blankets for our lake place (have one on every bed). We love them. Has nobody come up with a sleeping bag like that, battery operated in a sleeping bag form. If not........sounds like an awesome idea.
 
tangent

tangent

Membership Revoked
> I just searched for a battery operated heating blanket/sleeping bag? Used lots of key words. Could'nt find anything. I'm big into heating blankets for our lake place (have one on every bed). We love them. Has nobody come up with a sleeping bag like that, battery operated in a sleeping bag form. If not........sounds like an awesome idea.

I think power requirements make it impractical. I've seen battery operated sock's to warm feet (took 1-2 D cells EACH!) - but beyond that power requirements for anything bigger - like long johns or a sleeping bag would probably take an auto or marine battery - not something you want to stick in your backpack...

-t
 
C

CarolynA

Veteran Member
I think I'll try the de-icer thing - it sounds like a good idea, too.

I keep the Thermacare back warmers in the cupboard at all times because of my back (& Fibromyalgia) and they keep well over a year. One of the things I like about them is that they have a huge surface area but are very thin. I think they are about 6 times larger than the hand warmers. The one that I used camping lasted all night in the sleeping bag & then I used it from 8AM to 3PM on my back. That's a total of 16 hours! The other brands that I've used have a much smaller surface area and are bulkier.

Jed, your "pee in a bottle" warmer reminds me of the old "suit warmer" we used in cold water scuba diving. :D Hey, you kill 2 birds with one stone.
 
tangent

tangent

Membership Revoked
conserving body heat works!

I lived one winter in a shelter I built at 10,000' in the mountains - it got below -40F...

I had a fire that would burn out during the night close, and used a sleeping bag rated to about 0 or maybe -20... but inside that I slept in socks - regular under wool, long johns under pants, under wool pants, and T shirt, under flannel or wool shirt, under sweater and hat, all wrapped in a wool blanket inside the bag. I stayed warm...

Would have rather shed a few layers and traded them for a girl though... :D

-t
 
J

Jumpy Frog

Browncoat sympathizer
In the field and without these fancy money required gizmos.....try heating any igneous or most metamorphic rocks over/in your fire till warm and then toss them in your bag. Their not only free via Morther Nature, but you don't have to cart them around.....thus freeing up space and wieght for more practical items.

DO NOT try this with sedimentary rocks. They may/will spall or shatter and could cause injury.
 
LeViolinist

LeViolinist

Veteran Member
JumpyF's rock idea is good. When I was at a Luau in Maui, this is how they roast the meat in the ground.
I helped pull the rocks out one time. After many hours they were still quite hot.
I'd suggest wrapping the hot rocks in foil and wool.

Have a sleeping bag with a far-infared or thinsulate liners;
and get a DownFill-
Down is lightweight, and still comfortable in warmer temperatures.

DH is like a power generator. When chilled I stick one foot on his leg for two minutes and the heat just pours off of him, and I'm warm enough to toss the blankets. That's not sex talk, just facts. Lv
 
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