Using A Hot Water Bottle To Stay Warm

**Buffalo Skipper** · 10-07-2010, 14:22

Originally Posted by Shug

My findings are when I sleep with my hot water in a Nalgene and then inside a reflectix cozy that in the morn it is warm-ish but not hot.
Shug

Does anyone here have pics of these diy cozies? I have plenty of reflectix left over from a sailboat insulation project and would like to make one of these for this or for my ti-pot, like I saw in Shug's video.

I will definately be using a hot water nalgene on Cheaha Mountain in January. Thanks!

**Veto 65** · 10-07-2010, 14:27

The weekend adventurer has some great ideas and one of them is a pot cozie. wraping a nalgene is the same idea.

http://www.russellweekendadventurer.com/

**jeepcachr** · 10-07-2010, 14:41

I've had great results with using a sock over it. Why complicate it with using reflectix? As a multi use item you could always wear the socks if you needed to either on your feet or on your hands. The socks could be used as a pot grabber, a handkerchief, a headband, many uses for socks. I'd like to see reflectix does those things.

**Bill Cosby** · 10-08-2010, 00:04

So just pour boiling hot water into a nalgene, wrap it in a sock, and throw it at the bottom of your Top Quilt/Sleeping bag?

**wisenber** · 10-08-2010, 00:27

Originally Posted by Bill Cosby

So just pour boiling hot water into a nalgene, wrap it in a sock, and throw it at the bottom of your Top Quilt/Sleeping bag?

Actually you position the Nalgene filled sock on your femoral artery. That transfers heat to the blood going to the rest of your body. While placing it at the bottom of your bag will heat your feet, your femoral will warm up more than just your feet.

BTW Welcome to the forum Bill Cosby. I've always admired your work.

**Shug** · 10-08-2010, 00:49

I always have a reflectix cozy for my nalgene in a Minnesota winter ... just so my water stays liquid in the pack and at night. I would sleep with water anyway and it stays warm till morn. Also ... I put my nalgene and cozy in a baggie as a redundancy plan.
A sock would be good as well.
Shug

**Bill Cosby** · 10-08-2010, 08:20

Originally Posted by wisenber

Actually you position the Nalgene filled sock on your femoral artery. That transfers heat to the blood going to the rest of your body. While placing it at the bottom of your bag will heat your feet, your femoral will warm up more than just your feet.

BTW Welcome to the forum Bill Cosby. I've always admired your work.

Ah, thanks for that.

And thanks to Shuggity shug-shug for getting me into all of this.
Your videos work, keep them coming!

**jeepcachr** · 10-08-2010, 08:47

Originally Posted by Bill Cosby

So just pour boiling hot water into a nalgene, wrap it in a sock, and throw it at the bottom of your Top Quilt/Sleeping bag?

Put it where you want. Between your legs if your cold, down by your feet if it's to warm. Do it a few minutes before you hit the sack. It's nice to crawl into a warm sleeping bag. Use the hard sided ones. I only trust Nalgene not to leak but others might work as well.

Backpacker magazine did a video tip clip on you tube and they used a metal bottle. It seems to me metal would give off heat to fast, be to hot to start and cool before morning but I've never tried one.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1fFtOwD83to

Edit: Just noticed in the video they say to put really hot water in it and they don't mention putting it in a sock or wrapping it with anything. A hot bottle touching bare skin could be dangerous. I've always put it in a heavy sock, otherwise I think it would give off heat to fast.

**aboyd** · 10-08-2010, 09:34

I have done this with the little Hot Hands hand warmers while hunting also. Tape it to the outside of my base layer pants and it keeps nice and warm for several hours.

**canoebie** · 10-08-2010, 11:07

I do this and it makes a world of difference. I use stainless bottles, put them in my sleeping bag an hour before bed and my down bag is nice and warm when I crawl in. I place the bottle between my legs and I sleep toasty warm.

I am absolutely sold on this when cold weather camping. It really helps and gives a boost to warmth like nothing else. Of course, being properly hydrated, dressed, etc. are all basics that should still be followed, but this really adds a boost.

As my wife put it when crawling into bed on a November night with her bottle full of hot water, "I have a new best friend!!"