Using A Hot Water Bottle To Stay Warm

**rlcanon** · 11-27-2013, 01:00

Just posted this as part of a trip report, but thought it fit here, too. I used my 40oz stainless Klean Kanteen inside the insulating sleeve from a County Comm MOLLE water carrier the other night. It was a revelation! Boiling hot water in the bottle was comfortable against bare skin once it was in the sleeve.

Cuffing the insulating sleeve keeps the bottle from sliding out in the hammock, but still lets heat out the open top in a fairly controlled fashion and you can easily stick your fingers inside to see just how hot the bottle is currently. As the bottle cools off, it's easy to unfold the cuff by feel so the bottle can be slipped out for increased heat output.

**slowhike** · 11-27-2013, 01:10

Originally Posted by Tonks

So, do you just keep the bottle between your legs? It seems as if it would roll around a lot.

My feet often get cold & it can take a long time to get them warm... even inside my top quilt.
So I like to put the hot water bottle between my feet, trying to press my cold toes against it.
Of course putting it between your legs warms the blood flowing through the femoral artery.

**sdf** · 11-29-2013, 04:02

Originally Posted by rlcanon

Just posted this as part of a trip report, but thought it fit here, too. I used my 40oz stainless Klean Kanteen inside the insulating sleeve from a County Comm MOLLE water carrier the other night. It was a revelation! Boiling hot water in the bottle was comfortable against bare skin once it was in the sleeve.

Cuffing the insulating sleeve keeps the bottle from sliding out in the hammock, but still lets heat out the open top in a fairly controlled fashion and you can easily stick your fingers inside to see just how hot the bottle is currently. As the bottle cools off, it's easy to unfold the cuff by feel so the bottle can be slipped out for increased heat output.

Is the bottle completely full?

**floorman** · 11-29-2013, 05:51

I use the Nalgene cantene and put it in my reflex food bag with the top of the bag open. This releases the heat slower and if I need more heat early in the morning I can remove the bag. I read some where the Nalgene cantene had a better seal ( it has the same cap as the bottle) and was less likely to fail than a platypus. I feel the soft sided cantene is more comfortable than a bottle.

**Talox** · 12-01-2013, 19:42

a word of warning on the Klean Kanteen - make sure you use the "loop cap" and not the "sport cap". the sport cap is "Leak resistant" and will drip slowly all night long. The loop cap should be OK.

**SemperFiGuy** · 12-04-2013, 20:37

Follow the link and scroll down for info on hot want in a Platypus........

http://survivalcache.com/collapsible...ttle-platypus/

According to the Q's and A's:

"2. According to the company you can put boiling water in the platypus and it will be fine. Since it’s BPA free there’s no danger of contamination either."

All the best !
Gil

**JLeephoto** · 12-07-2013, 00:14

If anybody's still reading this thread: Has anyone tried the Evernew flexible water bottles for this application? I'm trying to get away from the weight and bulk of Nalgene's.
My Evernews weigh around 1oz, and work well with my Sawyer Filters so would be ideal for dual use.

**rlcanon** · 12-07-2013, 14:20

Originally Posted by sdf

Is the bottle completely full?

Full to the top, and the cuff still keeps it from sliding out when inverted and shaken.

Originally Posted by Talox

a word of warning on the Klean Kanteen - make sure you use the "loop cap" and not the "sport cap". the sport cap is "Leak resistant" and will drip slowly all night long. The loop cap should be OK.

Good point; I'm actually using the stainless steel loop caps. I always hated the crunchy/sticky metal-on-metal feel that made it difficult to open the cap when it's cranked down tight. Perfect for a hot water bottle, though!

**used2fly** · 12-07-2013, 15:12

I used a 48oz nalgene canteen in a fleece sock and it was almost too warm for the first part of the night in upper 20s.It surely is a great tip that is forgotten by a lot of us who live a little further south than the northerners.I had a nice fire going last week and was able to heat water without using any fuel which is a plus.
What really made it nice is I had warm water the next morning to get coffee going while all the rest was frozen.

**Shug** · 12-07-2013, 15:24

Here is the harsh Minnesota winters I have to sleep with my water bottle so I can enjoy Coffee from the Hammock in the morning.
In deep sub 0º temps burying the water bottle in snow just doesn't work. Always seems to freeze.
I like to lay my water bottle on my right side under my wrist. Also put it in a large baggie as a redundancy system.
I sleep with my camera, batteries, 1 oz alcohol fuel for morning coffee, lip balm and lighter in a chest pocket. Big pocket.