Has anyone used or is still using solid fuel stick handwarmers? I used to rely on these to keep me in the woods when I was a kid during PA's late flintlock muzzleloader season. I'd wear a wool shirt with chest pockets and often put the handwarmers in my shirt pockets instead of coat pockets. I guess for convenience, I migrated to disposable handwarmers for the little bit that I use them over the past few decades.
Just for the helluva it, I dug out the old handwarmers today, along with some fuel sticks that have to be 35+ years old and sparked one up. I lit both ends of the stick for maximum warmth. Holy smokes! These things burn so much warmer than disposable handwarmers - it isn't even close. I'm not sure why I've shelved these things for so many years, but they are definitely getting placed back into the rotation of useful gear, especially for activities such as ice fishing.
They do emit a bit of a funk compared to disposable warmers, which might be a deal breaker for some. But, depending on the activity, it is a welcome trade-off.
For you young whippersnappers who grew up using disposable handwarmers, consider getting yourself some solid fuel stick handwarmers for those really cold outings. Light one end of the stick in moderately cold temps and both ends on frigid days.
For the record, I also have a few Zippo warmers, and I lit two today to compare against the solid fuel stick handwarmer. Only one stayed lit, and it was just barely warm. I've never had good luck with these, and they give off more odor than the solid fuel stick handwarmers do.
Og and Zorg would be proud. The modern woodsman uses a rechargeable warmer. I use THIS ONE Trust me, you do not want to use the highest setting on this thing, It will be painfully hot. It heats almost instantly, has three heat setting, works as a flashlight, as a power bank for your phone, and even vibrates (yeah, I know what you're thinking...)
This is the best price on it I've found, but it ships from China. Other stores are available.
had one them thin's back in the 70's... found at a yard sale fer a dollar... used it on first deer hunt, old timers said you'll never see a deer with that stink box... shot my buck at first light opening morn'in...
Og and Zorg would be proud. The modern woodsman uses a rechargeable warmer. I use THIS ONE Trust me, you do not want to use the highest setting on this thing, It will be painfully hot. It heats almost instantly, has three heat setting, works as a flashlight, as a power bank for your phone, and even vibrates (yeah, I know what you're thinking...)
This is the best price on it I've found.
Daughter gave me one of those last year. Used it this year a couple of times to warm a sandwich. In a backpack pocket. They DO get warm. I’ll have another or two next fall.
had one them thin's back in the 70's... found at a yard sale fer a dollar... used it on first deer hunt, old timers said you'll never see a deer with that stink box... shot my buck at first light opening morn'in...
If a deer can smell that, he's long since smelled you.
Og and Zorg would be proud. The modern woodsman uses a rechargeable warmer. I use THIS ONE Trust me, you do not want to use the highest setting on this thing, It will be painfully hot. It heats almost instantly, has three heat setting, works as a flashlight, as a power bank for your phone, and even vibrates (yeah, I know what you're thinking...)
This is the best price on it I've found, but it ships from China. Other stores are available.
I like that. Temps are 104 deg, 122 deg and 140 deg.
had one them thin's back in the 70's... found at a yard sale fer a dollar... used it on first deer hunt, old timers said you'll never see a deer with that stink box... shot my buck at first light opening morn'in...
If a deer can smell that, he's long since smelled you.
Og and Zorg would be proud. The modern woodsman uses a rechargeable warmer. I use THIS ONE Trust me, you do not want to use the highest setting on this thing, It will be painfully hot. It heats almost instantly, has three heat setting, works as a flashlight, as a power bank for your phone, and even vibrates (yeah, I know what you're thinking...)
This is the best price on it I've found, but it ships from China. Other stores are available.
That could be nice in a sleeping bag on a bad cold night or pitched in the bag as a warmer while sitting by the campfire getting dru..., uh telling Campfire stories.
had one them thin's back in the 70's... found at a yard sale fer a dollar... used it on first deer hunt, old timers said you'll never see a deer with that stink box... shot my buck at first light opening morn'in...
If a deer can smell that, he's long since smelled you.
Yep, so the buck wasnt downwind.
hey, i'd rather be lucky than good anytime... besides, the shoot'in had started around me 15 minutes before daylight (pitch dark lol)... by the time that buck trotted by me, he didn't know whether to schit, piss or wind his watch...
Used them all the time back in the day. Light both ends? Ha! Rookie stuff. Break the stick in half and light all four ends. Will it burn your coat pocket? Darn right it will! I was once lightning a stick in the duck boat and dropped it when ducks were working. I can’t remember if I shot a duck, but I DO remember pulling that hot stick out of my smoldering coat pocket. Express 5’s we’re flying everywhere as they came out too. Those were the days.
I thought “out west” the thickets are SOOO thick ya just stay in the Scottsdale with the heater and merl haggard playing and blast one off the corn pile? 🤣
II still have an old Stansport charcoal warmer that I used to use quite a bit and would light two sticks and put it in the sleeping bag with me when the temps started dropping below freezing. It worked great, but I switched to the Zippo liquid fuel warmers a few years ago. Nothing against the charcoal warmers, but nowadays the charcoal sticks are Chinesium schitt that sparks and cracks, pops and shoot sparks when trying to light it, and IF you do manage to get it lit, it won't stay lit for long once you put it in the warmer and close it up.
I even bought some Jack Pine brand charcoal sticks from the UK and it wasn't worth a schitt either. I guess the Brits are addicted to low-rent Chinesium crap too. The advantage to using the Zippo, is that the Zippo fuel and stove fuel in the MSR bottle is one and the same. I'd be happy to use the charcoal burner if I could find decent charcoal.
Not sure what I'm doing wrong with the Zippos. I have four. Two I tried several years ago and had no luck with them. Yesterday, I filled two unused ones according to the instructions. Two full fill-containers of fresh lighter fluid for first-time use. One full fill-container thereafter, so I used two full fill-containers to fuel each of these unused warmers.
One stayed lit and one went out, probably within ten or fifteen minutes. The one that stayed lit barely ever got warm. I let it go lit in a safe place overnight, and it was still barely warm to the touch this morning.
The one Zippo out of four that I own stayed lit, but the lack of warmth wouldn't even make it worth bothering with. It's barely perceptible.
Used the fuel stick handwarmers as a kid. Had forgotten about them until this thread. They worked well but was always concerned the latch would open in my pocket. I remember it coming with a "rubber band" to put around the case. Good times.