Using A Hot Water Bottle To Stay Warm

[dakotaross]

I always thought that the water would get cold quick, and condensation would occur... I guess not! Ill have to try it!

Like the idea, but do not want to carry a Naglene. Anybody ever try it in their Camelback?

Yes, I've done it with a Camelback. I don't take it anymore due to weight, though. Make sure any bottle you use is BPA free. Doesn't matter much for normal use, but the hot water would assist in releasing BPA if it were there. This is what the Camelback guy told me, and he shipped me a free one when I asked about that very use with my older Camelback.

Now, I use the small Nalgene which I find less obtrusive and all you really need is the bump in temp for your bloodstream when you first get in, and then your insulation system should take over from there.

Oh, and no, the water never gets cold. It gets to a point where its not doing anything to warm you, but its not making you cold either. If it started getting cold, I would think the cold would make you wake up and ditch it well before it ever got cold enough to produce condensation.

[frenchycamp]

Like the idea, but do not want to carry a Naglene. Anybody ever try it in their Camelback?

Although I've never tried the camelback, I have done it in a soft platypus bottle. No problems as far as boiling water melting the plastic but even insulated in a sock the heat does not last long, compared to the thicker Nalgene bottle. I would think you'd run in the same problem with the camelback. Bummer because I'm not fond of carrying a Nalgene either, but believe me it's definitely worth the extra weight!

[dustinpn]

This worked really well for me over the weekend. It didn't get that cold outside, but my feet were toasty warm with the bottle under the soles.

[PappyAmos]

A half-liter Nalgene worked great for me this last weekend. Fill with boiling water until it is nearly full. Screw the cap on loosely for a minute so the air in the bottle can heat and expand. Screw it down tight. Ready to go.

I was already wearing thermal socks and down booties (from JCP Puffer Sleeves) so I did not put the bottle in a sock or anything. I will bring a gallon zip-lock the next time for insurance but I don't see any way it was going to leak. This is because as it slowly cools, the water and air in the bottle shrink slightly creating a slight vacuum.

BTW - a full 10cm IMUSA cub is just right to fill one of these.

Pappy

[tdiggs]

This is a good tip. It's worth carrying one Nalgene and then one of the 'ultralight' Powerade bottles so you can use the Nalgene for hot water. If it's not going to get too cold then tossing one in the bags before you go to sleep makes a cozy nest for when you're ready (someone may have already mentioned that though). Water has a high specific heat so it resists change in temperature better than other substances.

Water is the most underrated thing on Earth of course that's just my opinion...

@Linkster
I'd only feel comfortable using a solid bottle. I'm sure it would work, but ehhh... I feel like there would be a durability issue over time with those thin, soft bottles.

[Linkster]

Yeah, I was just curios if anyone had used their Camelbak. I see the potential for leaks and I would be screwed if it leaked into my down bag.

[Rune]

This worked really well for me over the weekend. It didn't get that cold outside, but my feet were toasty warm with the bottle under the soles.

Thats my biggest problem, I get cold feet when I am tucked in. The water bottle solved that for me :-)

[genixia]

Thats my biggest problem, I get cold feet when I am tucked in. The water bottle solved that for me :-)

If you wear socks when sleeping then you might want to try diabetic socks. Cheaply available from Walmart, they will restrict your circulation less.

[rychipman]

On a related note, has anyone ever uses a nalgene cantene wrapped in clothes as a pillow? I wanna try it out, but I'm not sure how it would work

[dakotaross]

Ya'll, I think I misunderstood and really should have known better. I think the Camelback you might have been talking about was the plastic reservoir in a Camelback hydration pack? Yeah, have not used that and would not recommend. My "Camelback" is the hard bottle like a nalgene but with the nipple/straw top. THAT works fine.