Topic: Disposable Hand Warmers

[Bob Wessner]

Anyone ever use them? Do they do the trick? Just spent a couple of hours down by the river and had to remove gloves for fairly long spells. I periodically put them (hands) in pockets to warm them, but hand warmers might be better. I know you can get refillable Zippos, but as frequently, or infrequently, as I would need them, two are too expensive.

[flybox1]

yeah.  i used them all the time during the winter fishing season.  its often at or near freezing, and i wear fingertip-less gloves.  i buy them by the box.  the small ones are good, but the larger (3"x4.5") ones get really crankin'.  the under-foot stick-on kind, are crap. 
crack them open about 15 minutes before you really need them.  they need a good supply of O2 to work well, and will heat for 4-5 hrs.

[Bob Wessner]

Thanks for the feedback. I'll have to give them a try.

[sangyo soichiro]

Were you fishing, Bob?  If so, what are you catching? 

[Bob Wessner]

No, not fishing, I was out with the camera. Never had much of a problem with the 35 mm cams as my hand exposure could be limited. With the view camera there's more "fiddling" to be done so the hands are out more. Gloves are no help, though I might look into a pair with the cut-off finger tips.

[sangyo soichiro]

If you go with fingerless gloves, get fleece or wool, not leather.  I was sold on fingerless gloves until I made a "special" pair out of leather.  They simply weren't as good as the wool/fleece ones (at least for fingerless).  There's also the kind that have the flap that goes over the fingers, making a mitten that can be pulled back when needed.  You can find some in the sporting goods section usually.

[Steve F]

I have used the resuable type that are like a bag of clear jelly that has a metal disc inside.  They can be activated by flexing the metal disc which causes some kind of reaction in the jelly and makes heat. They last a good amount of time, and after they cool off, you can renew them by placing in boiling water for like 5 minutes, and they're good to go again after they cool off.  I got a few of them from CARHARTT, the people that make the heavy duty coats and jackets.
Steve F

[MötleyRöx]

I love hand warmers of any kind!
Poor circulation in my fingers means I'm not too manly to wear mittens.   
Those hand warmers are great in mittens because they can be next to your fingers where the heat really needs to be.
I usually wear glove liners inside my mittens, so that if I need the dexterity, my fingers will still not be exposed if I take off the mittens.
If you like heated hand grips, you'll like these hand warmers too. 

[flybox1]

opt for the 2-layer fleece fingerless gloves with a windblock layer (ie.. goretex windstopper).  i often get my hands wet when hefting HEEUUUGE fish out of the river.   
a quick clench of the fist dries them out and my hands keep surprisingly warm.
wool fingerless gloves, with the fleece lined pullover mitten flap.  those are nice too.

[Damfino]

Uh-Oh....Sounds lik Bob's down by the river disposing of bodies again!

[Bob Wessner]

Uh-Oh....Sounds lik Bob's down by the river disposing of bodies again!

You're on to me. I just ease them into the water in the rapids and they slip under the ice of Barton Pond not to be seen until spring. 

[mrblasty]

Costco sells them for around 10 bucks for a big ol' box of them.  We kill a box of them every winter up here.

[ofreen]

I'll go along with the rest and concur the handwarmer packets work OK.

When I want to keep my hands warm and still be able to work a camera or anything else with small controls, I wear those wool glove liners you can get at the Army surplus store for 1-2 bucks a pair.  They work amazingly well even when really cold (below zero), and even when they are wet.  And they make good glove liners, too.